Institute and other bodies provide challenges
By Angelo Gavrielatos
While providing opportunities to have significant input on a range of matters, including accreditation requirements, initial teacher education and professional development, the NSW Institute of Teachers also presents significant challenges for the Federation and the profession.
The opportunities include:
Accreditation requirements
An increased emphasis on support for new teachers resulted in the Teacher Mentor program being pushed through the Institute (interim committee as it was then) in consultation with Federation. The accreditation requirements have further highlighted the support required for new teachers, in the form of additional release time, and provides the basis to argue for more teacher mentors and release time for supervising teachers.
The accreditation procedures which require all teachers to have Institute endorsed qualifications have further exposed the fact some private schools have employed untrained individuals as teachers. As a result, the Board of Studies registration committee has gone from never considering teacher qualifications to teacher quality being the centre of its work, resulting, in some instances, in private schools having been forced to close or not to seek re-registration.
Initial teacher education
An Initial Teacher Education policy designed to accredit teacher education programs separate from the employer has been developed for the first time. The accreditation procedure includes the participation of teachers, including Federation nominees, in on-site evaluation of courses and course content and assessment processes. The framework policy allows for specific policies in areas where Federation has a long-standing interest. Working groups of teachers including Federation nominees are currently working on policies to:
- strengthen content and entry requirements for teaching qualifications, establishing higher minimum requirements,
- ensure that Aboriginal and Indigenous studies are genuinely addressed and monitored in courses,
- increase the length of practicum,
- improve universities' general commitment to practicum including support and liaison for student teachers and supervisors,
- clarify the role and responsibility of supervising teachers,
- ensure that all graduates meet certain minimum requirements, understanding of key policies, dealing with syllabus documents, behaviour management,
- increase minimum English language requirements for entry into and graduation from teaching courses and subsequently for employment in all schools.
Professional development
An evaluation of professional development provided by employers by teachers, independent of the employer is available on-line for all teachers to see. This includes an analysis of the range and location of professional development provided, through a register of professional development courses. Teachers, including Federation nominees, are involved in the independent evaluation of professional development.
Access to data and information about the cost and distribution and access to professional development opportunities, for example, rural, socio-economic status and so on, will provide a platform to argue for more professional development support and identify specific problems in employer provided professional development.
When accredited, teachers will be able to include Federation courses as teacher identified professional development necessary for the maintenance of registration.
Federation must remain vigilant to ensure that the role of the Institute does not deviate from that of a constructive quality control function for new teachers, professional development and initial teacher education.
Accreditation requirements
Federation must ensure that:
- accreditation procedures for new scheme teachers do not become cumbersome, impacting negatively on workload
- public school interest are paramount and the process doesn't come to favour teachers in private schools
- processes are not watered down to make it easy for private schools to hire as teachers unqualified individuals
- the processes for accreditation at higher levels are closely monitored, particularly with regard to:
*ensuring fair access
*recognising the differences in teaching context, for example, rural, socio-economic status and so on
*ensuring the process is fair, transparent and formative based on independent on the job assessment. This is particularly significant given the debate on so called "performance pay" versus an approach to recognise and reward quality teaching within the context of negotiated agreements.
Initial teacher education
Federation must ensure that the emerging opportunities described above are not lost, noting that Deans and Vice Chancellors are an independent and sometimes powerful lobbying voice to government. Whether self determined or the result of pressure associated with under-funding of universities, the interests of Deans and Vice Chancellors do not always coincide with the profession's interests.
Professional development
Federation must ensure that:
- the minimum professional development hours requirement is not only met by the employer but also to ensure access to quality professional development for all teachers including those in isolated rural and remote settings
- employer priorities do not override feedback from teachers on what is useful professional development. For example, teachers often want syllabus support, as opposed to more Department of Education and Training peddled management theory.
Federal agenda
Meanwhile, as reported in the November 27 edition of Education, Teaching Australia has been specifically established by the Commonwealth to challenge the strength of the teaching unions' voice.
Unlike the Institute, it has no representation from unions and its agenda of union busting has been clearly stated by Department of Education, Science and Technology officers.
At the same time, states such as Victoria are working with the Commonwealth through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) on policies that might directly de-regulate access to the profession by reducing qualification requirements.
The existence of state Institutes and their national coordination body (the Australasian Forum of Accreditation and Registration Authorities -- AFTRAA) is the most substantial alternative to Teaching Australia as a national approach.
AFTRAA has developed a national framework for the endorsement of initial teacher education that can be argued to achieve the efficiencies that Teaching Australia says are necessary while not undermining union participation.
The AFTRAA process and policy has been developed in consultation with the Australian Education Union (AEU) and all AFTRAA member organisations have union representatives on them. The policy essentially ensures national recognition of state based processes.
AFTRAA and the NSW Institute are a source of information and insight into developments that are otherwise kept away from the union. This has been helpful in developing our awareness of Teaching Australia and COAG plans.
Angelo Gavrielatos is the Deputy President.
For further information
December 2006 contents
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