About 16,000 letters from teachers and parents expressing the dire need for teachers to have additional preparation time were presented to Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car before school today.
Members from Inner-City and Eastern Suburbs teachers associations helped Federation President Henry Rajendra deliver the huge volume of letters outside NSW Parliament House. They chanted for additional preparation time for teachers — identified as a matter of urgency in the Gallop Report into the teaching profession’s recommendations five years ago.
Our More Than Thanks — It’s Time campaign is lobbying for an additional two hours of preparation time per week for classroom teachers and more.
Standing in front of a huge banner displaying the open letter and listing thousands of supportive signatories, Mr Rajendra lamented that preparation time had not changed for primary teachers since the 1980s and since the 1950s for secondary teachers.
“The workload is incredible for our teachers — things have changed over the decades. We need this kind of relief in terms of additional preparation time to allow them to prepare their lessons, to collaborate with colleagues, to call parents, to liaise with therapists and specialists that would assist our students in our classrooms,” he said. “This time is necessary to make sure all that can happen.”
Speaking directly to the Minister, Mr Rajendra shared the result of a recent poll.
“What I come to you today with is quite a startling, if not devastating, survey result from 1400 members… 85 percent have indicated that should they not get the additional preparation time, they’re considering leaving the profession,” he said.
However, 9 in 10 said a guaranteed extra two hours a week would make them more likely to stay.
When asked in the survey what an extra two hours would mean, teachers pointed to the complexity of need in a single classroom. One teacher commented on the extent and variety of specific needs that they face each day: “I have 31 students in a cross-stage composite class: an autistic student, several with ADHD, two with critical attendance issues I am trying to re-engage, a student working well below level, and a high-potential student in both maths and English.”
While Ms Car accepted the boxes of letters, she was not committal to granting teachers additional preparation time.
“As your Minister I can definitely stand here and say there is a lot more to do… we have to restore the public education system,” she said.
“We have to continue to work with Federation, I give you that commitment.”
“We have a good working relationship.”
“I know that you will hold us to account. That is the power of Federation.”
Jake Weston, a father of two children currently enrolled in a public school, emphasised why having properly prepared teachers matters to parents:
“I think it’s pretty simple really. As a parent, what’s most important is that the Government continues to support teachers to excel, so then kids can excel. Giving the teachers the appropriate time — like you would in any other profession — in order to prepare, it would just mean that you’re gonna get better outcomes from our kids. And ultimately, that’s what’s most important to us.” (Channel 9)
Tempe High School teacher Kim Salisbury highlighted the workload pressures that new teachers are faced with.
“We’re constantly wanting to do quality teaching, wanting to give the best to our kids and we just don’t have the time. I’ve been teaching for a long, long time and I’ve seen young, enthusiastic teachers come into the system, really enthusiastic, then after a term or two terms, they just can’t cope with the amount of work.” (Channel 9)