Federation is pleased to announce that the latest edition of EQ has been printed and will be arriving in mailboxes over the next two weeks. Our journal is full of useful and important information that members often refer to, but we know that readers can’t just “Ctrl F” to search a physical copy. Keeping this in mind, in this new webstory series, In This Issue, we will outline what can be found in each edition, so members can more easily find what they are looking for.
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What’s inside
In issue 15, you will find a strong focus on equity and excellence across the feature articles and regular columns.
The choice of this beautiful image for the cover was inspired by a quote from our “Learning in a different landscape” feature (pages 8–9): “The one thing the Chatswood kids are always in awe of is how many stars they can see at night.” The cover displays the Emu in the Sky constellation, which has cultural significance across Australia.
On page 5, you will find the President Writes by Henry Rajendra, where he discusses the unfinished business of education reform. He expands on the history of the More Than Thanks campaign and the recommendations put forth in the Gallop Report for two hours of additional release time. He talks further about the disadvantaged communities struggling to compete for resources while the discredited Local Schools, Local Decisions policy continues to fragment our system and waste millions in funding.
Pages 6 and 7 are our regular News pages. You will find news items on:
- New section on our website: New webpages dedicated to teachers’ work, health and safety are now available in the Member Portal section of Federation’s website. “This one-stop shop for our members delivers access to all new [school] Award measures with links to agreed communications and entitlements, working conditions and everything our members need to know on teachers’ work, health and safety,” Deputy President Amber Flohm said at Federation’s August Council.
- Clean-up on cleaner contracting begins: In good news for teachers, students and cleaners, the NSW Government plans to de-privatise 600 school cleaning jobs in the Hunter and Central Coast.
- Solidarity for peace in our world: Recent Hiroshima Day events and rallies for peace in Palestine.
- Champion of Public Education Award: Linda Burney was honoured as a Champion of Public Education at Annual Conference. She played a pivotal role in the development and implementation of NSW’s first Aboriginal education policy in 1982.
- Life Membership awards: Rob Long, Michael Hepi and Mary Schmidt were bestowed Federation Life Membership at Annual Conference in July.
Pages 8 and 9 are our Members Always feature Learning in a different landscape: from the big city to the big sky, which explores how a student exchange program between urban and rural public schools is changing the lives of students, teachers and communities through the schools forming unlikely partnerships that give their students exposure to different walks of life. Alex McKinnon interviews Coonamble Public School teacher Jodi Prentice and Chatswood Public School deputy principal Rani Holstein.
Pages 10 to 13 are our Annual Conference feature. Here you will find summaries of the items debated and discussed during our Annual Conference in July. You can also find webstories for day 1, day 2 and day 3 on our website.
Pages 14 and 15 are our regular Award in Action feature. Flexible work boosts morale discusses how teachers are enjoying greater work-life balance thanks to new Award provisions. Here you will find interviews with teachers Jenny Long, Barney Rocks and Lisa Galvin Waight who are all enjoying greater work-life balance thanks to the new flexible work provisions.
Pages 16 and 17 are our Equity Matters at Federation feature. On behalf of the Equity Team at Federation, Disability Officer John Skene explains the union’s long history and strong stance on supporting members and public education across areas of equity — from preschool to TAFE — ensuring both teachers and students feel a sense of belonging and value in what they do. Federation’s Equity Team works closely with Officers and staff in all other areas of the union to support their work in meeting member need. He outlines examples of topics, issues or concerns that the Equity Team help members with. The Equity Team includes Officers with carriage and responsibility for matters concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, women, disability, multicultural and LGBTIQA+.
Our centrespread is a colourful and fun liftout poster of various disability dates of significance recognised by Federation. This is not an exhaustive list but highlights a few days to celebrate.
On page 20, we have our regular columns. In Yarning Circle, Aboriginal Education Officer Russell Honnery reports on Federation’s first Foundation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Members Workplace Representatives course on 24 and 25 July. In Women in Education, Women’s Officer Leeanda Smith discusses ageism in the workplace.
Page 21 highlights Women’s Conference. Courtney Hardwick describes how Dr Anne Summers urged members to continue fighting to protect and advance women’s rights. Read more on the webstory.
On page 22, in Rethinking Ability, Disability Officer John Skene provides suggestions to assist members requesting reasonable workplace adjustments. The column highlights the support and commitment to people with a disability entering or continuing in the workforce, including through the Department’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan 2021–2025 and its workplace adjustments procedure and adjustments for individual needs guidelines.
On page 23, TAFE Talk by Kylie Fletcher, Gabi Harding and Christine Allsopp outline how TAFE must address dysfunctional systems.
Pages 24 and 25 contain more of our informative regular columns. In Multicultural Matters, Multicultural Officer/Organiser Mandy Wells discusses ”What sort of world do we want to see?” She looks at how war, persecution, famine, environmental disasters and a woefully inadequate world response have led to millions living in poverty and struggling to survive or escape further harm. For A Casual Word, City Organiser Anthony Brereton answers frequently asked questions including:
- Why is it important for me to keep a record of casual and temporary teaching service?
- How do I apply for Approval to Teach as a casual or temporary teacher? Can the principal refuse to appoint me as a temporary teacher?
- Do multiple part days per week count as temporary employment?
- I am a casual/temporary teacher who applied for a vacant permanent position via advertisement. Am I able to lodge an appeal against a local selection appointment?
In Know Your Rights, Deputy Secretary (Research, Industrial and Professional Support) Sam Clay examines filling executive vacancies.
For Early Career Insights, Membership and Training Officer Katinka Kastner suggests how to get more involved in your union.
Pages 26 and 27 contain our feature Equality Drives Excellence. Michael Sciffer presents his analysis from his Eric Person Study on the segregation of NSW students between public and private schools as a fundamental fracture in our society. He explores how the separation of learning opportunities by school sectors is hindering disadvantaged students’ learning outcomes and damaging social cohesion. Find out more about the Eric Pearson Study Grant here.
On pages 29 and 30 is our regular Centre for Professional Learning (CPL) feature. Learning environment turned inside out by Mark Werner, Judith Wilks and Angela Turner showcases a distinct learning environment and place-based, authentic learning experiences that delivered significant growth in the understanding of climate change and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural, language and scientific knowledge for year 7 students at Macksville High School.
The students were taught in a learning environment called ‘The Hub’, consisting of an open learning space for up to 50 students in a conjoined classroom with three teachers covering English, Mathematics/Science and Geography/History, and a student learning support officer.
On page 31 we cover What’s Hot in the Library. The books featured in this edition are:
- No power greater: a history of union action in Australia
- Too quirky, too quick, 2E: twice exceptional gifted students
- What she said: the art of inspiring action through speech
- On the same wavelength: neurodiversity, memory, learning, and the autistic spectrum
- Neuroadvantage: the strengths-based approach to neurodivergence
- The next conversation: argue less, talk more
- Teaching writers: from apprentice to expert
Explore the library catalogue.
Pages 32 and 33 are our Say Cheese! section, where we showcase recent photos of members and events.
On page 34, members can find upcoming Centre for Professional Learning and Trade Union Training events in the Learning opportunities — courses and conferences calendar.
Inside the back cover advertises the incredible opportunity for the Eric Pearson Study Grant.
We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we do. You can find the digital version here.