Anonymous #466

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #466

Where are you located?

New South Wales

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?

Secondary

What is your occupation?

Retired Head teacher (LOTE/Welfare) now casual 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?

Allow teachers to have their post-graduate degrees recognized for accreditation at higher levels. When NSW introduced its new Teacher Accreditation scheme, I was automatically accredited as 'Proficient' as were all my older colleagues, despite my having a Master's degree. I was doing a Ph. D. but find that neither degree would be accepted for accreditation at a higher level such as Lead Teacher. This I find ridiculous. It would also help if such further study were free.
8) Re-instate qualifications and experience as criteria for promotion. As it currently stands, neither higher degrees nor more years of experience will get you a promotion.
9) Learn from the mistakes of the USA and UK. Do not, under any circumstances, look to these systems for ideas. All the ones we've imported so far have failed, just as they did originally in those countries, which is why we're in this current dismal state. Do we really want to go down the American road and allow those people with just a high school diploma to be employed as casual teachers?
10) Give teachers paid sabbatical leave to pursue further study or refresh their professional skills. When I studied for my Master's, all I was entitled to was 1 paid day to sit exams. There is a scheme in NSW whereby teachers may set aside 20% of their salary for 5 years and then have a year off teaching but, given the low levels of our salaries, hardly anyone can afford to do this. I know of only one teacher who has taken advantage of this scheme.

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 agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I bought my house back in 1984 the bank would only lend me a sum equivalent to five years' salary and would not take my wife's earning into account; I got the mortgage but to do the same now I would need to be on $600,000 a year: I have no illusions about the intention of any government to restore those wage relativities.
There are, however, some things that can be done to attract more people into teaching.
1) An accommodation allowance of $20,000-$30,000 for teachers living and teaching in Sydney or Melbourne. Such allowances are already available to overpaid footballers who move to clubs in those cities.
2) Free entry to museums, art galleries, national parks, zoos and other places of cultural/educational importance. Teachers go to these places before organizing excursions and for their own professional development.
3) All costs (travel, food, accommodation, etc.) incurred in the course of personal professional development or accompanying students on excursions be fully tax deductible. As a teacher of foreign languages (French, Italian, Indonesian, German and Mandarin), it behoves me to travel to those countries that are home to the languages I teach in order to maintain my skills and fluency. When I do so I have to (a) pay for everything up front out of my own pocket and (b) keep a diary and all receipts so that I may make a claim on my income tax. If I'm lucky I'll get a third of it back. The same applies when I have taken groups of students to New Caledonia, Malaysia and Indonesia. It's hard enough to travel on a teacher's salary as it is so I don't get to travel to these countries as often as I should. Do you wonder why, when I read of politicians' all expenses paid 'study trips' I get very angry? it would also help if teachers were granted free or discounted entry to museums, art galleries, etc. overseas. When I visited London I was appalled to have to pay $67 to get into the Tower of London and similar amounts for other places such as Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's (I also teach history).
4) Establish a national Teachers' Pension fund based on the old NSW Defined Benefits scheme.so that we may, at least, retire comfortably.

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?

If you want to attract the best and brightest into teaching then you need to increase teachers' salaries. Current levels are an insult.
Ensure that staff teaching trainee teachers have recent and extensive experience and higher qualifications. I know of one person engaged in training teachers who has not taught a class in a school for at least 30 years. There needs to be more 'hands-on' experience for trainee teachers so that they may learn earlier if they are suited or not.
Bring back the old Teachers' scholarships, especially for the best and brightest from lower SES backgrounds.

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?

Remember school fetes? School plays and musical productions? These have ceased to be because teachers no longer have the time. This submission is late because I haven't had the time. Our Federation rep. would have put together a submission from mthe staff but she didn't have the time. Many of my colleagues wanted to write a submission but, with end-of-year exams and reports due, they didn't have the time.
There is too much 'tick-the-box' compliance and other administrivia. Even communications within the department are increasingly time-consuming. Once upon a time we'd get an information bulletin in a hard copy in our pigeon holes. A quick glance through, maybe 15 seconds, would reveal if there was anything of relevance. Now we have to log on, download (assuming the system is working properly) and scroll through whatever information there is. What used to take a matter of seconds can now take 30 minutes or more. We have exhaustion by email. Too many bureaucrats seem to think we have nothing better to do than wait for their latest communique.
Assessment procedures are far too onerous. Once, we used to just tell the students they had a test next week. Now we have to produce a document listing all the criteria and details of the task in minute detail, email it to them and give them a hard copy, etc. on top of already having given them the assessment schedule at the start of the course. Too much repetition. The process for the 'N' Awards is too convoluted and lengthy as well as being ultimately easily side-stepped. A student is given so many chances that teachers no longer bother. The system has no teeth. There are no consequences for indolence and teachers know it. Dispense with the assessment regime, compliance and accreditation process. They are cumbersome, Byzantine and pointless.

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?

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.

Strongly disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

The current accreditation system is cumbersome and intellectually flaccid.
When NSW introduced its new Teacher Accreditation scheme, I was automatically accredited as 'Proficient' as were all my older colleagues, despite my having a Master's degree. I was doing a Ph. D. but find that neither degree would be accepted for accreditation at a higher level such as Lead Teacher. This I find ridiculous. Allow teachers to have their post-graduate degrees recognized for accreditation at higher levels.It would also help if such further study were free.
Re-instate qualifications and experience as criteria for promotion. As it currently stands, neither higher degrees nor more years of experience will get you a promotion. The current 'Merit Selection' process was intended to fast-track the 'best and brightest' into leadership positions. All it has delivered is the apotheosis of the show pony
Learn from the mistakes of the USA and UK. Do not, under any circumstances, look to these systems for ideas. All the ones we've imported so far have failed, just as they did originally in those countries, which is why we're in this current dismal state. Do we really want to go down the American road and allow those people with just a high school diploma to be employed as casual teachers?
Give teachers paid sabbatical leave to pursue further study or refresh their professional skills. When I studied for my Master's, all I was entitled to was 1 paid day to sit exams. There is a scheme in NSW whereby teachers may set aside 20% of their salary for 5 years and then have a year off teaching but, given the low levels of our salaries, hardly anyone can afford to do this. I know of only one teacher who has taken advantage of this scheme.