Anonymous #175

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #175

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?

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?

I think having our politicians representing the Education sector acknowledging our work instead of criticising us would be a very good step forward.

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?

5. This is good to see, we need more teachers in those subjects that are currently hard to staff.
6. Making payments whilst people are studying and then have to go on Prac will be VERY helpful. These students are unable to work to pay their bills whilst on Prac, so I do think this particular strategy will make teaching a more attractive choice for some potential (mature aged) students.
Also, attracting some of our very skilled Education Assistants to upskill to complete their teaching degrees. These people have extensive knowledge and skills and will have a big head start in completing their degree.
9. Attracting overseas qualified teachers is a good idea in theory, BUT there must be very rigorous checks on the English competency level, as I have experienced these teachers in the past who have very poor levels of English and they are then being asked to teach it to our children.
I also think we need to ensure that long serving temporary Australian teachers are given permanency over new immigrants. There are thousands of teachers (of many years experience) who live on short term contracts continuously.

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?

This is the most important strategy that needs to be acted on. Too many universities are stuck in the dark ages and NOT teaching our university graduates scientific based ways of how to teach reading. Every graduate says, "I didn't learn this at University!" and "I have learnt so much more on Prac" or "that's the opposite of what we have been taught at University" and "I have tried to select a course that is teaching the Science of reading, but it's not covered".

The following three key areas need MAJOR overhauls in University education;
* Science of Reading
* Classroom and Behaviour management
* Managing the caseload of too many students with disabilities and learning difficulties.
Currently we have practising teachers who have more knowledge and skills in the above three areas than Professors and lecturers at University. These teachers are sharing their knowledge with their colleagues as well as Prac students through Facebook groups. There are multiple University staff who refuse to acknowledge (and therefore teach) the Science of Reading but rather persist in teaching understandings from 30+ years ago that has been disputed by scientific evidence.

I can't believe that the face to face hours of such a complex degree are so low. All students should be in classrooms at least one day per week for the entire degree (whilst not on blocks of Prac).
Assessment of literacy and numeracy levels SHOULD be done at the start of the degree, not the end of it!

Maximising the time to teach

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

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

There does not appear to be any real strategies here to address workload.
We need lower class sizes, and extra reductions if you have muliple students with disabilities.
Time out of the class (not as part of your DOTT) to complete IEPs, medical reviews & assessments and referrals for our SAER students.
Attendance (and following up with parents for reasons for absence) should be the reponsibility of an attendance officer, not class teachers.
Communication to parents via classroom newsletters need to be reduced. weekly emails to parents explaining what is happening is too much.
Every class to have an EA - regardless of age, or the status of disability within the class. Every teacher would use this extra pair of hands differently and the tasks would vary each day, subject, special event. Teachers should be trusted to use this asset in the best way that helps to ease their workload.
There should be based at a host school (servicing a cluster of schools), para professionals such as Speech, OT, Physio.
Education departments should also employ Paediatricians who visit schools to conduct assessments for SAER childern. In WA parents are on multiple waiting lists (up to 2+ years) and even travelling interstate to access this service.
Having a specific curriculum and support materials for all years will reduce teachers workload in designing lessons and materials in their own time.
Reduced expectation of the curriculum for the Early Years - ie the key domains of Fine and Gross motor development, Social and emotional development, Numeracy and Literacy. Do away with Geography, History, T&E, computer literacy, etc that the students do not have the language development to capably understand or express.

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?

We definitely need to know why University students drop out, why graduates leave the profession in their early years AND most definitely why experienced teachers are leaving prior to a retirement age.
If you do not really know why people are leaving then how can you truly address the issues.

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?