Anonymous #176

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #176

Where are you located?

Western Australia

What type of area do you live in?

Remote

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.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

There is a disconnect between what we do as teachers and what the parents of students think we do. When children were being homeschooled through covid parents did get a small insight into the teaching side of the profession but not in all the other areas we work in. In bridging this gap, it would be a good idea to highlight those times .

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?

In order to get higher qualified students into training to be a teacher, there needs to be a shake up of the way they are taught. When I studied it was a full- time programme, my niece, studying for early childhood teaching, barley goes to college more than 5 hours a week.

Also there should be longer teaching practice, which should be paid. Student teachers have to give up the job which sustains them throughout TP which severely impacts on their ability to keep healthy and pay bills, giving them more stress than is necessary at an already stressful time in their lives, no wonder many give up before becoming teachers.

I also think that students should be more immersed in education, maybe one day a week, paid, at a school throughout their course.

Payment could be at minimum wage, but it would keep the wolf from the door.

Perhaps there could be a way in which Centrelink payments could be altered for all students, so they become "independent" no matter what their age if they have to live out of their parents' home area to study.

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?

Initial training teachers need access to more resources so they are not "re-inventing the wheel" for each lesson plan. It may be a good idea to have a liaison teacher whose job it is to support new and learning teachers. Maybe a couple in each local area to both mentor and guide and help with location of resources.

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?

There used to be teaching resource centres where it was the job of people working there to locate and supply resources for teachers. these were done away with and distributed to schools, but now there is nobody in schools whose job it is to look after these resources and so it falls into another of the jobs teachers have to find time for.

Teachers are always working on their own to produce resources because every class is different, but a resource centre could be where differentiated material is also produced. teachers should be able to "order up" some materials to a specification and have them supplied instead of having to gather everything themselves.
More sharing on a more coordinated basis needs to happen. There are sharing spaces, but this is not really properly coordinated or monitored for quality. this could be part of what a resource centre does.

Each local area should have one of these centres and every resource that is located and used should be assessed for future use. They should be staffed adequately enough that they are efficient .

I would not like reports to become uniform and box ticking however. This is what mark books are for. Parents should already be able to access their child's ongoing assessments . The comment should remain personal as well as being professional.

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?

Moderately effective

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

There seems to be a very high emphasis on STEM. I would like to see a more integrated approach. The emphasis should be on STEAM where the A is for Arts. Integrating these areas is where the future lies. Think about where Apple would be without designers and graphic artists. Imagination and out of the box thinking requires cross curricular activities and to do that the arts must be included with as much emphasis .

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.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

In Primary Education most of the teachers are female. Yet most of the principals and higher admin are male. Women have to take time off for maternity and it can be difficult to keep up with training whilst taking a break or even when working part time. Schools should be funded to provide training to all local teachers, working or not, to help us keep abreast of changes and new ideas. As a regular relief teacher, I have been included in some training if it comes at no cost to the school but when there is a per head cost then I am not included. This training should be a paid day of work, even if it is at a lower rate.

Progress up the career ladder is often difficult if you are not able to move from town to town due to a spouse's work, for example there are many farmers wives who are teachers. Support with childcare in remote areas would really help, maybe even onsite childcare or local shire childcare, could be a solution. The family dynamics of grandparents helping out is no longer viable with many still working themselves.

Providing housing in remote and rural areas is also becoming harder. Essential worker housing could be built to help alleviate the situation.