Federation seeks extra time for consultation

By Jennifer Leete

Federation has written to the Minister to seek extra time for four major consultations with teachers that are planned to occur during term 4.

In addition, Federation has asked for hard copies of all the consultation papers to be provided for each teacher.

While Federation sees the Department of Education and Training's (DET's) Futures Project as little more than an attempt to legitimise a pre-determined tired old right-wing agenda for devolution and deregulation of our system, active input by teachers into the consultation could be vital if teachers are to defeat the agenda.

In addition, two different but related consultations are occurring which arise from the report and recommendations of Professor Ken Eltis's Time to Teach -- Time to Learn. The first is a Board of Studies document which was sent out to schools early in term 4 Defining Mandatory Outcomes in the K-6 Curriculum. It is a lengthy and complex document which all K-6 teachers need to consider. The second will be a package of draft documents from the DET on programming, assessing and reporting issues. It includes proposed templates for reporting to parents and draft "program frameworks". It is planned that these documents go out for consultation during term 4.

Professor Eltis was very strongly of the view that there must be genuine consultation with teachers about proposed changes in the assessment and reporting area.

In addition, the NSW Institute of Teachers is holding consultations on its Draft Professional Teaching Standards. The proposed standard for "Professional Competence" will be the benchmark by which all new teachers will be judged from January 2005. The use of, and language of, such standards is not familiar to NSW teachers and will no doubt create a great deal of debate and some concern. That is if teachers have time to engage with this issue.

Federation's letter to the Minister includes the following:

"The Federation and its members value such consultation. Consultation maximises the validity and efficacy of policy and procedures if it is genuine and not simply tokenistic.

"To achieve genuine consultation teachers require significant time. They also require hard copies of all the documents they are being asked to consider and respond to.

"The Federation asks you as a matter of urgency to:

• "ensure that hard copies of all the consultation documents are distributed on the basis of one copy of each per teacher;
• "in consultation with the Federation, extend the timeframe for consultation with teachers on all of the documents until at least the end of term 1, 2005.

"Given the urgency of this matter, the Federation seeks your response at short notice."

Jennifer Leete is the Deputy President.

Futures project redundant and dangerous

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