New Scheme teachers and workload

By Bob Lipscombe

Federation continues to receive reports of unreasonable workloads being imposed upon beginning teachers, as part of the accreditation procedures set by the Institute of Teachers and the Department of Education and Training.

Affecting both permanent and non permanent New Scheme teachers, many of these demands seem to be based on a misunderstanding of the requirements of both the Institute and the Department of Education and Training (DET).

While it is important that all teachers support beginning teachers at appropriate times, it is particularly important that teachers in promotions positions with responsibility for New Scheme teachers, including supervisory duties, be aware of the need to support and develop beginning teachers to succeed. Beginning teachers need to feel able to ask for assistance and advice, be aware of when assessments will occur, and be aware of who will be making the assessments and completing reports on their work.

While changed procedures inevitably will result in some change to workload, members are reminded that there has been no agreement that those with responsibility for New Scheme teachers will take on any additional workload beyond that involved in working with or assessing probationary teachers prior to the advent of the Institute of Teachers. Members are further reminded that they should avoid creating processes that lead to excessive demands being placed on New Scheme teachers.

In relation to the requirements of the Institute of Teachers, last year Federation sought clear advice from the Institute and was provided with the following:

• The report is not a portfolio. Your documentary evidence is designed to support the Accreditation Report.
• Only include evidence that has been developed in the course of your teaching practice -- the Institute does not require special material.
• Only include evidence that has been developed substantially by you. Include evidence that aligns to elements, not individual standards.
• One piece of evidence may be sufficient to meet a number of elements.
• In some elements, such as element 4, you may not have any documentary evidence. That's OK.
• Use the Information for New Scheme Teachers handbook. Page 12 of this document includes a table entitled Evidence for Your Accreditation Report. It describes about 14 types of documentary evidence that can be included in the NST's Accreditation Report.
• Your evidence, printed on one side only, should fit into an A4 plastic sleeve.

This advice is consistent with advice provided by the DET. For example, the DET document Suggestions for collecting evidence of achievement of Professional Competence standards states that your supporting evidence should be of "a manageable quantity -- can be contained within one plastic sleeve". The same document also states "One piece of evidence is sufficient for each standard; however [DET emphasis] one piece of documentary evidence may be used to demonstrate multiple standards." Federation and its Officers are available to provide advice and assistance to members who are New Scheme teachers and those who have responsibilities for New Scheme teachers. If issues arise that cannot be satisfactorily resolved in the school, members should contact Federation. Further advice for New Scheme teachers and those who work with them can be found on Federation's website.

Bob Lipscombe is the Senior Vice President.

Beginners gather for information and socialising

Survival the subject at beginning teachers meeting

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March 2007 contents