Anonymous #313

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #313

Where are you located?

Queensland

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.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

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.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

My belief is that in order to improve teacher supply, teaching needs to be a profession that people want to work in and feel valued to stay working in. This will drive supply. Until that changes, supply will continue to be an ongoing issue as the underlying factors aren't being addressed.

Classes of 28, with students with very high needs, incredibly diverse academic, social, emotional and behavioural skills do not work with the current curriculum. Some support is provided, but this is merely a bandaid solution and doesn't effectively help students or teachers. Teachers can only differentiate so much. Education needs to be reformed to tackle bigger issues which enable teachers to teach and children to learn in a supportive environment.

School is still very much 'one size fits all' and this no longer works. Smaller ability and interest- based classes would foster learning engagement and provide students with learning opportunities suited to them. Teachers just feel like babysitters, expected to work within a system that is designed to fail. This then results in teachers feeling dissatisfied that they're unable to adequately support students, parents are angry and students become disengaged from learning, resulting in behavioural issues. These things won't change by simply increasing teacher supply.

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?

Initial teacher education should be heavily prac based so that it's relevant to the classroom.

Also, having 1 subject to support teachers learn about supporting students who have a disability or learning difference, is totally inadequate. Most of my classes have at least 5 children on learning support plans and these are only the ones that have a diagnosis. Many more go unidentified.

Teachers are left to "figure it out" for themselves. This doesn't help families or students.

Maximising the time to teach

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

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

As previously mentioned, my belief is that in order to improve teaching quality, education needs an overhaul. Providing extra non contact time and other ideas will do nothing as the underlying factors aren't being addressed.

Classes of 28, with students with very high needs, incredibly diverse academic, social, emotional and behavioural skills do not work with the current curriculum. Some support is provided, but this is merely a bandaid solution and doesn't effectively help students or teachers. Teachers can only differentiate so much. Education needs to be reformed to tackle bigger issues which enable teachers to teach and children to learn in a supportive environment.

School is still very much 'one size fits all' and this no longer works. Smaller ability and interest- based classes would foster learning engagement and provide students with learning opportunities suited to them. Teachers just feel like babysitters, expected to work within a system that is designed to fail. This then results in teachers feeling dissatisfied that they're unable to adequately support students, parents are angry and students become disengaged from learning, resulting in behavioural issues. These things won't change by simply adjusting workload here and there.

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?

Not effective at all

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.

Neither agree nor disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?