Anonymous #308

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #308

Where are you located?

Western Australia

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?

Early childhood education and care

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?

Trust
Trust needs to come back into the equation
Trust that teachers know what they are doing and are doing the right thing
Once provided with a curriculum, trust that the teacher will do what's best for their students
Stop micromanaging

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 disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

An aptitude test is needed
A person who is good at passing tests does not necessarily make a good teacher
A person who fails a basic maths or english test could make a good if not better teacher - passing a test does not make you a good teacher
Changing the way we train teachers would help - an apprenticeship type system would be far more beneficial - 2 or 3 days a week in a classroom with the remaining at uni. On the job training is far more beneficial than regurgitating what you here at a lecture

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

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

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

See previous notes

Maximising the time to teach

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

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Stop the relentless data collection for the sake of collecting data!!!!!!!
Teacher judgement is a valuable tool ..... use it!
Children do not come in standardised sizes - stop trying to fit them into a pre-determined hole!
Use continuums - show improvement by moving towards key indicators (think the original First Steps ..... that was brilliant)

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?

Slightly effective

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Reduce class sizes - it's ridiculous having 27 in PP when we have 20 in Kindy and 24 in Yr 1
Put an EA in EVERY classroom - full time

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?

Classroom teachers that want to stay classroom teachers, teachers who love their job, teachers that have no wish to be leaders are basically told they are not good enough because they don't wish to be a leader (be it a mentor, senior teacher, level 3 teacher or admin).
Teachers who are fantastic in the classroom may not, as I do, wish to lead - why should they be made to? Or frowned a upon or called lazy? Or told they need to have a growth mindset?
I keep up to date with new programs, curriculum, ideas, trends etc and attend regular PD of my choice. I take what I need or think will be useful and apply it to my current cohort - I lead in my classroom