Ryan St John’s path into teaching has come full circle at St Flannan’s School in Zillmere, where the former Brisbane Catholic Education student is now guiding a Year 3 class after first working at the school as a teacher aide.
A Zillmere Classroom With A Familiar Start
Ryan St John’s teaching journey has brought him back into a Brisbane Catholic Education classroom, this time as a Year 3 teacher at St Flannan’s School in Zillmere.
A Gamilaroi man and former BCE student, Ryan’s path into education began well before he became a classroom teacher. While studying, he worked at St Flannan’s School as a teacher aide, gaining practical experience in the same school community where he now teaches.
That early classroom experience helped shape his understanding of teaching and gave him a foundation for his career. It also allowed him to work in education while completing his Bachelor of Education at Australian Catholic University.
Ryan was supported through a BCE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teaching scholarship, which formed part of his pathway into the profession.
From Teacher Aide To Year 3 Teacher
This year, Ryan teaches Year 3 at St Flannan’s School, with the role carrying an added sense of familiarity. Before becoming the class teacher, he had already worked with the same students when they were in Year 2.
That connection has helped create a smoother start to the school year, with teacher and students already familiar with one another. His move from teacher aide to classroom teacher shows how early school-based experience can support future educators as they move from study into teaching.
For Ryan, the pathway also helped him understand what primary teaching involved in a practical way. His experience at St Flannan’s became part of the route that led him into the classroom as a qualified teacher.
A Pathway Shared During National Reconciliation Week
Ryan’s story was shared during National Reconciliation Week, held from 27 May to 3 June, as part of a focus on shared histories, cultures and achievements in Australia.
His journey highlights a supported pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students considering teaching careers. Through teacher aide work, university study and scholarship support, Ryan was able to build experience while preparing for a career in education.
He has reflected on the role education plays in First Nations communities and the way teaching can contribute back through the classroom.
St Flannan’s Zillmere And The Next Stage
St Flannan’s School in Zillmere enrols students from Prep to Year 6 and describes itself as a welcoming Catholic school community focused on learning, care and student growth.
For Ryan, teaching Year 3 at St Flannan’s brings together several parts of his education journey: his time as a BCE student, his teacher aide experience, his university study and the scholarship support that helped him move into teaching.
His story is a feature of steady progression rather than sudden change. It follows a student who found a pathway into education, gained experience inside the classroom and returned as a teacher helping guide young learners at St Flannan’s Zillmere.
Published 2-June-2026
