Anonymous #173

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #173

Where are you located?

Western Australia

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?

Secondary

What is your occupation?

Teacher

Elevating the profession

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

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I think the largest impediment to teachers being respected by the community is the inability for underperforming teachers to be managed effectively or let go. The division of the workforce into permanent and contract/casual means that good teachers struggle to gain certainty, while poor teachers who have gained permanency are practically untouchable. This creates negative memories for students and parents, and results in a poor view of teachers as a whole in the community.

1. I am sceptical of the effectiveness of a national campaign to promote teaching as a profession. It is unique in that every person in the community has had close contact with a teacher in their own schooling, so I am not convinced that a national campaign could change those personally developed beliefs.

2. The state based teacher awards have very little impact in the profession, much of the truly great work that teachers do goes unseen, so I do not think a national award will help.

3. I agree with this, it is disappointing that is not already being done.

4. I think this could be quite effective. The process in WA to become a Level 3 classroom teacher is convoluted and arduous, which puts off a lot of really great teachers. In my own faculty we do not have any Level 3 teachers. I am currently looking at the process and had many older teachers warn me off, basically arguing that is a lot of work for very little reward, that the process is difficult and the results often arbitrary. I was told that you must be very good at self promotion, which is not the skill that should get you L3. Streamlining this process and making it more relevant to the actual work of classroom teachers would be really beneficial.

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.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

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

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

10. The high drop out rates in teacher education are not necessarily a bad thing - teaching requires a certain type of personality, and I know plenty of people that realised teaching was not for them after their first practical experience at University. It is an emotionally draining job, requires large amounts of empathy, and at secondary level requires high levels of content and pedagogical knowledge. Encouraging people that are not suited to the profession to graduate and start working as a teacher will not solve the workforce issues or improve conditions within schools.

13. This sounds like a really good idea.

Maximising the time to teach

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

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

14. This is very encouraging.

15. In practice in WA, I have never received DOTT time even when entitled. There needs to be stronger protections within schools to make sure people are granted to the time they are entitled to, and that there are not repercussions for taking that time.

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?

27. This is very important. As a mid-career teacher, I would like to further my career and develop my skills, however there are limited opportunities for me to do so. I am also undertaking my Masters of Education, which I am funding myself and studying part-time without any allowances from my employer (a government school). There is no incentive for me to do so, I only go up one pay level once I graduate (the equivalent of if I had done a MTeach instead of a DipEd in my teaching training). There is not real incentive for me to pursue further education of this type, while there are many disincentives. Regardless, I have learnt a lot in completing this, and feel that it has immensely enriched my professional practice. The cohort of teachers that I am doing my Masters with are largely from the Independent and Catholic sectors, as they support their teachers to do so. This further increases the gap between government teachers and independent school teachers, where as students in all sectors deserve quality teachers that have excellent opportunities for professional development in higher institutions.