Anonymous #005

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #005

Where are you located?

Queensland

What type of area do you live in?

Metropolitan

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

Yes

Which sector do you work in?

Primary

What is your occupation?

Teacher

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I don’t think there is anything wrong with teacher training. I completed the 1 years grad dip Ed as a postgraduate program and successfully entered the teaching work force with all the necessary foundational training. Unfortunately, the one year program was phased out and replaced with a 2 year masters program. This was unnecessary. A one year program with a solid in-school year long induction and mentoring program is more than sufficient. In 2012, I received no mentorship and little induction. I had to “sink or swim”. Luckily, I had the wherewithal to swim but it came with the cost of early burnout. After four years and with a heavy heart, I quit teaching. It was not due to lack of interest or motivation to teach. In my opinion, schools are highly inhospitable and even hostile environments for teachers and students. Data suggests that most are floundering and few are achieving the desired outcomes. “Data driven”, one size fits all practice and dumbed down “minimum standards” have killed opportunities for teachers to deliver flexible, intuitive, responsive and individualised solutions through a focus on wellbeing, relationships and partnerships. Teachers (and students) have no voice and no power. They are minions for their self-interested school leaders. Schools are not democratic and often, they are autocratic. Power needs to be de-centralised. Strategic, academic, financial and disciplinary decisions need to be made by school boards which include parents, students, teachers, administrators. Members should be democratically elected and rotated in and out to avoid bias. Principals should be rotated every 7 years to stop cronyism. This would promote accountability. Teachers are already highly skilled. Just showing up daily is a sign of their outstanding dedication to the cause of educating our youth and building our nation. Focus on improving retention and this will solve the problem of attracting people to the profession. Scholarships will raise respect for the profession as would higher uni entry standards. Redirect funds for PD to teacher wellbeing, providing safer work environments, restoring schools as communities. Education is not a product!

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

As stated in priority area 2.

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Ideas:
- teachers have a right to disconnect
- non classroom work hours much be acknowledged
- increased non-contact time (perhaps an additional 2 hours per week paid and undertaken outside of normal school hours)
- more clearly defined role responsibilities (too many non-teaching middle managers delegating additional duties downwards)
- the new annual Qld QCAA ATAR assessment endorsement process is highly inefficient. Why not have a team of expert teachers to create approved and valid assessments that can be implemented state-wide each year? This will increase consistency and fairness and greatly reduce the workload of teachers who’ve taken on additional responsibilities to undertake this work, without additional pay. [REDACTED] Teachers are frequently asked to do more out of the goodness of their own hearts. As the only [REDACTED] Teacher, he will likely never be promoted as it leaves a difficult staffing hole which is difficult to backfill. He should be able to immediately access increased pay for increased workload and additional duties / responsibilities no matter his years of service. Perhaps loading is required in such circumstances to provide an incentive and reward.

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Teachers should not have to beg and jump through hoops to access HAT level salaries. In Qld, teachers have to undertake significant extra work and pay fees to access HAT. It’s insulting when their contribution and performance will be evident to their colleagues and employers. Staying in the role for more than ten years is a feat in itself that should be rewarded with automatic access to HAT level salaries - assuming there are no performance issues already at hand.