UNSW School of Education

Submitter information

Name

UNSW School of Education

Where are you located?

New South Wales

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?

Teacher education

What is your occupation?

Head of School

Elevating the profession

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

Strongly agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

We are supportive of all of the initiatives listed here an suggest the addition of an award for teachers who mentor prospective teachers during their placements.

Although the measures are positive, we suspect their impact on raising the status of teaching will be small. This is partly because they each highlight small numbers of individual teachers rather than the status of the profession as a whole. These individuals could be seen as exceptional rather than representative of a profession characterised by deep expertise, and commitment to students. The measures are not a substitute for more substantive (and costly) measures including raising teacher salaries and depoliticising teaching. The status of teaching and teachers are undermined by constant questioning of the quality of the teaching workforce (implicit in repeated measure to “raise quality” and continual inquiries) and initial teacher education providers. Teachers and teacher education programs have never been more highly regulated and credentialed than they currently are. We can be more confident now than ever that the vast majority of new teachers have the capacity to be truly excellent teachers.

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 agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Additional CSP places are welcome. Filling those places, however, remains contingent upon prospective teachers judging the teacher profession to be one that they want to join which, of course, relates to the key actions of elevating the profession and making it a more attractive career.

It is unclear to what sub-bachelor level courses refer. If the suggestion is that teachers might be considered qualified with less than a bachelor’s degree we would be very concerned. Such a suggestion grossly under-estimates the complexity and intellectual demand of teaching, and the knowledge and expertise required to teach effectively. It would be disastrous for the status of the profession and counter to the aim of improving teacher supply.

We support innovative approaches to teacher education that make the joining the profession more accessible to prospective teachers from diverse backgrounds, located in regions of need, and with expertise in subject areas of most acute shortage. These include variations of grow your own models, flexible delivery of programs, greater recognition of prior learning, and valuing of experience. Incentives to attract such prospective teachers are welcome. Recruiting teachers from overseas is also worthwhile provided we can be assured that they meet the credentialing requirements equivalent to those required of local teachers.

We note, however, that while helpful, all of these initiatives are dependent for their effectiveness at scale on raising the status of the profession.

With that in mind, care is advised around language such as “best and brightest” that if not used carefully could have the effect of implying that current teachers or other prospective teachers are not up to the task. This risks undermining efforts to raise the status of teachers and teaching. As noted already, teachers now are more strongly credentialed than ever before and hence we can be assured of the overall quality of entrants to the profession.

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?

We are concerned with the implication here that initial teacher education programs are currently problematic. All are accredited.

Attrition rates in some programs and for some providers are high but a nuanced understanding of who is “dropping out” and why is required. Having prospective students who prove unsuited to teaching leave their program is positive. Attention to screening at admission may be needed in some cases but the issue does not apply across the sector.

We welcome looking to other disciplines to learn about ways of improving placements, and more flexible ways for mid-career entrants and others to enter teacher education, including through greater recognition of relevant skills and experience, and paid positions in schools commensurate with their qualifications i.e. prospective teachers could be employed in para-professional roles prior to an internship at the end of their program at which point employment as a teacher would be appropriate.

We stress the importance of initial teacher education (ITE) providers and schools working together to ensure consistency between the approaches being taught in ITE programs and those being observed in school placements. Partnerships that unite the practical realities of classroom teaching with rigorous research on effective practices are optimal and their achievement should be a major focus of partnerships.

We welcome initiatives such as those suggested aimed at attracting more First Nations people to teaching.

We are supportive of prospective teachers taking the LANTITE early in their programs as is current practice at UNSW. The opportunity to take the tests prior to enrolment may also be a useful way for some prospective students to test their aptitude prior to enrolling. The rationale for increasing the number of attempts permitted is less clear. We have some concern that negative media and political commentary may accompany such an initiative thereby undermining the status of the profession (which includes teacher education).

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?

These initiatives are welcome and go to the broad need to improve the working conditions of teachers. Important to this is allowing teachers to apply their extensive and specialised expertise to their core tasks of creating and delivering effective learning experiences for their students.

Teaching assistants, including prospective teachers employed in these and related roles, can be an effective support for teachers. It is crucial to their effectiveness that time is available for teachers and teaching assistants to discuss the intent of learning activities and how the learning of particular students might most effectively be supported. Teaching assistants need to be paid for this time and for the time required to undertake necessary professional learning.

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?

Very effective

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Accurate data are essential.

Mutual recognition across Australian jurisdictions makes complete sense. We are somewhat concerned, however, at the potential for a further layer of regulation. Existing accreditation architectures should be able to achieve this objective.

Conditional and provisional registration of teachers is helpful in the short term but has the effect of moving the supply forward with no real impact after the initial addition of teachers.

We welcome efforts to understand why teachers leave the profession. Such data will be invaluable in targeting efforts to improve teaching conditions and carer pathways. We are cognisant of the fact that leaving the one’s initial profession is a more common phenomenon across society now than it once was, and that leaving may be a temporary move that enriches the life experience and enhances the expertise of a teacher when they return to teaching.

Comprehensive data about where teachers go from teaching would be most welcome and could certainly inform initiatives aimed at improving retention.

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.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?