Anonymous #343

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #343

Where are you located?

Victoria

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?

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.

Strongly agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

It’s great we are finally having this discussion as to whether women in “childcare” should be paid as professionals in line with the educational sector.

It’s also disheartening. I listened to every speech and message delivered about equality and about being able to do “anything” and be “anyone” unrestricted by traditional gender constraints in the 1990’s growing up in Melbourne. I am now in 2022 apparently required to send a petition to the government asking for a fair go in Australia as a woman. As a citizen who worked incredibly hard to succeed at school and get a job, do I have the right to a fair wage that can support my family? Do I have the right to fair conditions that are sustainable in running a teaching program? Do I have the right to earn a wage that can pay back all my University fees? I will not beg for a fair go, I will not ask for something that is a human rights issue. Australia does not have an agreement for pay equity and the little girls who went to kinder in the 1980’s and 1990’s are still waiting for the society they were told they lived in all along.
The work of kinder teachers, the lessons about equity, respectful relationships, the inclusion practices that give children of all abilities time and place to belong, it all means nothing if the women who teach aren’t recognised in their own professional lives.

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.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

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?

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?

Teachers in early childhood currently are quite isolated and expected to do everything themselves and not collaborate as bizarrely this is seen as being “lazy” ( actual feedback from an EL when I used a template from another teacher!)

Not at all like schools where the teachers can team plan and share ideas it really needs to change immediately that teachers are allowed to collaborate.

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?

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?