The teaching profession: the light that illuminates
3 November 2020
Section: News
Teachers and journalists are among the favourite targets of zealots and bigots of all stripes because they “foment” tolerance, understanding, freedom and truth. Teachers also encourage the “dangerous” practices of critical thinking, questioning, and free discussion.
Testimony goes to trust and time
2 November 2020
Section: News
“There’s too much paper, there’s too many dot points,” Federation Life Member and former high school principal Judy King told the work value inquiry on 29 October.
Covid got you feeling exhausted? Here’s why
Members are repeatedly reporting to Federation that they are exhausted, struggling in many cases to get their ‘mojo’ back in 2020 – bushfires, drought, floods and a global pandemic.
AEU Federal Women’s Conference
2 November 2020
Section: News
AEU Federal Women’s Conference, held in October, was also held online.
Lack of school counsellors put students at high risk
1 November 2020
Section: News
Research by Federation has underlined the urgent need for more school counsellors in NSW with 98 per cent of teachers and 99 per cent of principals stating that the number of students with mental health issues has increased in the past three years.
All students deserve access to a qualified teacher-librarian
31 October 2020
Section: News
“I once felt like a valued and important specialist. Now I feel invisible, ignored, excluded and undervalued,” a Federation member and teacher-librarian said when responding to the school libraries survey conducted by the union earlier this year.
Federation to oppose school closures in Murwillumbah
30 October 2020
Section: News
Members in Murwillumbah are shocked, angry and disappointed at the NSW Government’s surprise announcement to close three out of the four public schools to make way for an amalgamated facility.
Praise for the profession should be paired with palpable recognition
30 October 2020
Section: News
Federation joins with the community on World Teachers’ Day — celebrated in Australia today — to voice appreciation for teachers’ dedication to their students.
Union walks the rights road with LGBTIQ members
29 October 2020
Section: News
“All people must have equal rights,” declared Federation’s 1978 Sexual Discrimination policy.
‘Too much to ask’: Department’s support shortcomings highlighted to inquiry
29 October 2020
Section: News
It’s impossible to be an expert in a diverse range of learning needs, so we need someone who can guide and advise us, to help us understand, high school teacher Eli Pietens told the Gallop inquiry on 28 October.
Profession’s increasingly complex work deserves extra time allocation
28 October 2020
Section: News
Overloading teachers with “administrivia” was a disaffecting aspect of the present workplace and not core to the occupation, the Gallop inquiry into valuing the teaching profession has been told.
Crucial collaboration pushed to weekends
28 October 2020
Section: News
There’s a lot of activity on Teacher Google Classrooms on the weekends and after work hours, because there’s just no time in the school day to collaborate with colleagues on data, the first teacher witness before the work value inquiry said.
Improved public school provision for Aboriginal students needed to break cycle of disadvantage
28 October 2020
Section: News
Doubling the number of permanent teachers and halving face-to-face teaching time in difficult to staff schools and communities will help close achievement student gaps and improve the prospects of attracting teachers to work, the Gallop Inquiry has been told.
Funding needed to address inequality
28 October 2020
Section: News
A new study has provided further evidence of the deep inequality entrenched across Australia’s education system.
Hopes staffing research will advance campaign for more permanent teachers
27 October 2020
Section: News
Federation has commissioned an independent research project into the staffing of the NSW public school system, as a means to achieve improved staffing arrangements for the benefit of teaching and learning.
High levels of responsibility and accountability not matched with support
Schools have buckets of money instead of teachers to meet needs under the Local Schools, Local Decisions model, Federation Senior Vice President Amber Flohm told the work value inquiry on 26 October.
Teachers cast adrift by education system, inquiry hears
27 October 2020
Section: News
Week three of the “Valuing the teaching profession — an independent inquiry” hearings resumed on Monday with student learning need and the negative effects of devolutionary policies coming under the spotlight.
Broadcast reveals inquiry is tuned in to profession’s priority issues
23 October 2020
Section: News
There’s been too little concern for what the avalanche of policy and program changes means for teachers, “Valuing the teaching profession — an independent inquiry” head Geoff Gallop said today (23 October).
Book Week celebrations showcase members’ creativity
20 October 2020
Section: News
Plenty of imagination, coloured cardboard, pens, glue and crepe paper have been used in public school libraries around the state in preparation for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book Week, running until 23 October.
Announcement fails to recognise student need
14 October 2020
Section: News
The NSW Teachers Federation today described the 2021 budget for public schools as disappointing, saying it failed to provide the additional funding necessary to support students and counter the impact of a global pandemic.
Where’s the respect due to the profession?
What we teach and how we teach it lies at the heart of our work.