Anonymous #196

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #196

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.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

More funding needs to go into education to show that the government itself values what we do. Over the last twenty years funding has decreased so we are trying to do more for more students with less support.

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?

This will encourage more to enter ITE and complete it but does nothing to make teachers want to stay in or return to the profession. It does not address the issues teachers face of increased demands administratively and the lack of support for students with learning difficulties or disabilities.
A couple of years ago, I had one of my 2 days in a Year 2 classroom a week with no EA and 2 students with [REDACTED]. Both students had completely different needs. One was unable to read or write and would be unable to participate in any way other than mat sessions. I requested help all year and was briefly (2 weeks) given a high school work experience student and then a work experience EA (private RTO, poor English and no idea of her role) who was far more work than a help (4 weeks). The result was that in order to prevent the classroom displays and resources being trashed by a bored and disengaged special needs student, I was unable to deliver what the rest of the class needed. This makes assessment and reporting extremely difficult (sole responsibility for several learning areas), if asked for evidence for a grade it would have come down to teacher judgment as evidence was sketchy to non-existent. I fought all year to get help in class (at least for literacy and numeracy sessions) and assistive technology for the student whose OT acknowledged she had a better chance of operating a keyboard (I had seen it on the iPads) than of handwriting. I got nothing. The assistive technology came through about halfway through the next year.
All primary classrooms would benefit from an EA full time, even without students with special needs. Another pair of hands, ears and eyes would make such a difference to student outcomes. It would help in early years with getting students going and help those with gaps or difficulties (ADHD, ASD, SLDs) in later years because the gaps just keep getting bigger.

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?

Teaching students get far less classroom experience now than they did when I trained. In WA, a 3 year trained teacher did 2 weeks practicum per semester where they were had to teach an increasing number of lessons. In 2nd Year, one of the pracs was a country one to give a taste of country teaching for the high number of metro students. In 3rd Year, Term 2 was Assistant Teacher Practice and you became the full time (unpaid) teacher for the class for at least 8 of the 10 or 11 weeks.
This gave experience across multiple age groups and with a variety of teachers so planning and curriculum became familiar, as did different teaching strategies. Students now have 4 years but don't get enough classroom experience early on. We did 6 weeks of lectures in 1st Year before 2 weeks of prac, the university expected about 30% to drop out after this. This meant students only wasted 6 months before finding that the reality was not for them.

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?

Increased DOTT helps but the emphasis on assessment after assessment as 'evidence' leaves less time for actual teaching. So much of teaching takes time to develop in students and to consolidate that we need to get back to less assessment to prove we did it. So much is sequential it is obvious later if has been learnt or not, a piece of paper showing a student 'knew' something on a day is not evidence of long term learning.
An EA in every Primary classroom to work with the teacher would make the biggest difference to workload and outcomes for students.

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?

You need honest and genuine feedback on why teachers leave teaching. There is a culture of admin piling more on teachers to make the school data 'improve' constantly because it is being promoted by government as a 'business'. Schools are not businesses, they are places for children to learn what they need for life (socially, emotionally as well as literacy and numeracy). There are also a worrying number of principals who use their position to bully teachers. I am aware of at least 16 experienced and excellent teachers I have worked with who have left because of this. Teachers leave rather than make a fuss.

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?

Some of these help but career development comes down to support from your school (ie your principal) unless it is part of the 'system'. I did leadership courses with encouragement from 2 principals, thought I was going to try for Deputy but the next 2 principals squashed that.