Anonymous #227

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #227

Where are you located?

South 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?

Support Services in SA. I support teaching and non-teaching staff in schools R-12 and Early Learning Centres.

What is your occupation?

Behaviour Support Coach (Registered 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?

I am concerned about the emphasis on individual rewards and recognition. Effective teaching should be a truly collaborative activity rather than being about individual glory.

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?

Teachers who have recently changed careers to enter teaching need specific support from experienced practitioners with high level interpersonal skills and professional expertise. People who can provide this support through mentoring, coaching and effective supervision are also leaving the profession due to agism and lack of recognition of the value of experience.
Not all staff in universities - and/or those currently in high level positions within Education Departments - are the most appropriate to provide this support due to lack of practical classroom experience. Some staff managing policy development currently in SA Department of Education, for example, are either not teachers themselves (ie are Social Workers or from Allied Health) or have been out of the classroom for decades.

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?

Early Career Teachers frequently comment on their lack of skill development at Uni in the area of inclusive positive behaviour support. And those teachers who have been teaching for years are now feeling unskilled due to the array of complexity in the average classroom. John Hattie's' research about class sizes not making a difference to learning outcomes may not take the fact that most children with additional needs are in mainstream classrooms into account - and there are many more of those students than there used to be. Teachers need more direct understanding of how to effectively teach them within realistic numbers. I have supported staff in schools in classes of 28 where 15 of them have one or more additional need requiring differentiation, personalised learning programs and additional supports - many of which are not additionally funded. Currently, many teachers rely on SSO's - the least skilled practitioners - to support the most complex students.
Teachers from other countries who are encouraged to work in Australian schools need sociological and cultural support - not just with English language. Dealing with racism (from systems as well as people, including parents) can be hard to manage.

Maximising the time to teach

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

Strongly agree

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?