Anonymous #061

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #061

Where are you located?

Australian Capital Territory

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.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

If Governments wish to address the shortage they should both look to attract established professionals through financial incentives rather than recruiting the young and the inexperienced, further reinforcing established commentary in the community about Teacher Quality.

Targeted and emphasised retention measures seem also a better approach to the shortage as this will affect the profession sooner - as currently, there are not enough young people seriously considering the profession who will replace the large numbers leaving.

The management of perceptions of Teachers' reputation' or 'quality' would be improved by a reduction in organisations such as the 'Teacher Quality Institute.' Also understanding that 'The value of an item is often depicted by its price in the market.'

Therefore, professions that are considered important and valuable are paid accordingly and thus are perceived as valuable'.

Where unions are striking on pay issues, the public can see they are underpaid and where pay rises are knocked back or not carried forward they therefore must be underperforming.

Thus there is a feeling in the community that Teachers are not valuable, (because they aren't paid in line with the work they do) and thus furthering insult to injury they are then accused of requiring institutes to improve their quality. Thus it appears they are leaving.

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.

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Students are impacted by cost of living pressures.

They seek careers where they will not have to advocate for basic pay and conditions.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

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

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

This directive buys into an established narrative that Teachers are ill-equipped.

If Teachers are leaving early in their careers, it's because the pay does not justify the conditions. Or the profession does not suit their individual needs.

Please if there is one thing Teachers don't need, it's more people equipping them to 'improve their practice'.

We already:

Reflect on our practice in all practicums at university.
Sit a test for Maths and Literacy
Write a document to all the AITSL standards as beginning Teachers which is
- assessed by a mentor
- presented to a panel
- kept on file for appraisal by a governing body (Teacher Quality Institute'
- we then complete mandated Professional Learning each year minimum 5 hours
- We have two annual professional discussions which require indivdual goals and are measured by the AITSL standards and are signed off by a line manager and the school principal.
- WHS + Work Health Safety
- First Aid
- Mental Health First Aid (suicidal ideation, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, addiction etc)
- School mandated PL required by the department
- The actual Professional Learning we do to teach our core subjects
- PL for other school roles like wellbeing or faculty leadership
- Disability Ed mandatory modules
- Modules on managing the stress of Teaching (wellbeing strategies).

Seven of the eleven above are annual. (and this is only from the top of my head there is probably things I have forgotton).

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?

Do any of the suggested measures reduce the time it takes each year to justify my quality as a Teacher?

If so, I'd support those.

Five hours of TQI approved professional learning could also be used by collaborating on core business with colleagues.

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.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?