Anonymous #282

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #282

Where are you located?

New South Wales

What type of area do you live in?

Regional or rural

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.

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

The campaign should target the work done by ALL teacher, irrespective of their speciality so that the public becomes aware of the value of and work done by all teachers. Targeting specialist areas only will devalue the work done by other Key Learning Area 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?

There is not one word nor one sentence in the Draft National Action Plan about the supply or retention of day to day Casual Teachers.

Schools I work in [REDACTED], [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] cannot attract a sufficient number of day to day casual teachers to their school to ensure the efficient running and management of the school.

I suggest that the biggest impediment to attracting casuals is the sheer number of mandatory annual to bi annual training requirements imposed on not just day to day casual teachers but all teachers.

Another major impediment to attracting day to day casual teachers and casual teachers on temporary contracts is the requirement in NSW where I live to complete 100 hours of professional development in their own time and at their own expense.

I have long argued in letters to the Minister of Education NSW, the Secretary of the Education Department of NSW, The NSW Teachers Federation and the Hon Jason Clare, The Federal Minister of Education that this requirement should be scrapped for any teacher who has served in a number of educational settings and responsibilities for periods of 20 years or more in their teaching career.

This in itself would attract more teachers into the profession who like me have retired or are about to retire.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

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

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I think the whole system should look at the effectiveness of what in days gone past of the role and success played by Teachers Colleges. Perhaps we need to get back to the basics on not only Initiate Teacher graduates learning their subject area but also learning trough many practicum on HOW TO TEACH

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?

Any work done to alleviate the time spent by teachers in the collection and recording of student data and progress would be beneficial, and the same goes for reporting. Freeing up teacher time to prepare content and actually teach would be a winning combination for the majority of teachers.

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?

I do not see in the NSW DET any policy initiates to attract newly retired teachers to either become Casual Teachers or Casual Teachers on temporary Contracts.

There is a vast pool of retired teachers that could address teacher shortages if they were approached by Education Departments with enough incentives and reduction of barriers to enter the profession as Casuals.

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.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

A teacher applying for HALT recognition should not have to pay a fee to the department for that recognition. All costs in accreditation should be borne by the department.