From CDU student to classroom teacher before graduation

Long before she became a teacher, Poppy Yayakos was finding ways to help children learn. What felt like fun at the time would eventually become the foundation of her future.

Today, the Charles Darwin University (CDU) graduate is a full-time teacher, published children's author, literacy advocate and mentor. At just 23, she's already built a career centred on helping young people discover the joy of learning.

And it all started in Darwin.

A calling that started early

For Poppy, teaching wasn't a path she stumbled onto - it was something she'd always been drawn towards.

At nine years old, she helped her younger cousin with reading and schoolwork. She transformed lessons into games and activities, creating worksheets and rewards to enhance his learning without it feeling like school.

Years later, he told her he thought they had simply been playing that whole time. 

That experience showed Poppy the impact a great teacher could have and confirmed what she already suspected: education was where she belonged.

Studying close to home

After finishing high school, Poppy enrolled in CDU's Bachelor of Education.

As a lifelong Darwin local, studying at CDU allowed her to stay connected to the people and community that mattered most.

"Having CDU here meant I could stay close to my family, friends and support network while working towards the career I wanted," she says.

For Poppy, remaining in the Territory wasn't just convenient - it would prove to be a career-defining advantage.

The placement that became a job

While completing her degree, Poppy impressed school leaders during her placement.

Then came an unexpected phone call.

The Department of Education offered her a classroom of her own before she had even graduated.

Instead of completing a traditional final placement, Poppy stepped straight into a paid teaching role, with her first weeks in the classroom counting towards her placement requirements.

Within two weeks, she’d signed a full-time contract.

"I was teaching my own class before I finished university," she says.

It's an opportunity she believes was only possible because of the strong connections between CDU, local schools and the Territory education sector.

Earning respect as a teenage teacher

Starting a career at 19 came with its challenges.

Some parents questioned whether someone so young should be leading a classroom. Others were surprised to discover their children's teacher was still a teenager.

Rather than letting those perceptions define her, Poppy focused on doing the job well.

"I knew I'd been offered the role for a reason," she says.

Over time, her commitment, professionalism and results spoke for themselves.

Building a life around literacy

Teaching is only one part of Poppy's story.

Before starting university, she wrote her first children's book, The Tall Poppy & The Small Rose, which was later published in the United Kingdom. Earlier this year, she released a second book, The Sparkling Seahorse, that was added to a global children's library, making it accessible to young readers around the world through translation into more than 137 languages.

Poppy is also an ambassador and mentor with the World Literacy Foundation and runs literacy initiatives across the Territory, including community story times. Her website includes reading resources and "Mrs Poppy's Reading Tips", which reach more than 1,000 families.

Whether she's in a classroom, writing a book or supporting parents at home, the goal remains the same: helping children develop a love of reading.

Turning passion into purpose

Looking back, Poppy credits her family with instilling the value of education in her, and CDU for helping her turn that foundation into a career.

The ability to study locally, gain hands-on classroom experience and build connections with schools gave her a direct pathway into the profession she loves.

The little girl who once turned her bedroom into a classroom is now shaping young minds of her own.

And if her journey proves anything, it's that a passion for teaching can start long before your first day at university.

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