Research into the working conditions of Australian teachers. - Bad Apple Bullies Historical link preserved from the original page.
A teacher's story: Victoria
COAG Report: many Australian adults lack the basic literacy and numeracy required to function in a modern economy. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform Council's Education and Skills in Australia 2012: "Five years of performance" report warns that many Australian adults lack the basic literacy and numeracy required to adapt in a modern economy. Historical link preserved from the original page.
In 2011-2012 -
One in eight working age Australians had the lowest level of literacy. Historical link preserved from the original page.
One in five working age Australians had the lowest level of numeracy. Historical link preserved from the original page.
There has been little educational progress for Indigenous students, with the school attendance gap widening.
Outcomes for children from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds are still poor.
One third of Queensland's young adults not in full-time work or study, or full-time mix of both, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 30 October 2013: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/national/one-third-of-queenslands-young-adults-not-in-fulltime-work-or-study-or-fulltime-mix-of-both/story-fnii5v6y-1226749814174 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Dr Andrea Gallant estimates the attrition rate among beginning teachers to be probably 50 per cent.
Dr Andrea Gallant, a senior lecturer and education researcher at Deakin University is tracking the attrition rate among beginning teachers - a statistic made difficult to pin down because teachers often remain registered after leaving the profession.
"We would estimate the rate of attrition to be probably 50 per cent, " Dr Gallant said.
And the most positively motivated teaching students - those who initially planned to stay in teaching the longest - suffered the greatest drop in confidence and satisfaction once they started working.
Dr Gallant recently completed a small case study interviewing high-performing teaching graduates who left the profession within a few years, to find out why.
"They were keen to introduce new practices, which were not always widely accepted by peers.
They were supported in their first year and isolated in their second year, '' Dr Gallant said.
''And often they're given the toughest classes. "
Burnout hits one in four teachers, Konrad Marshall, 6 October 2013: Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/burnout-hits-one-in-four-teachers-20131005-2v13y.html#ixzz2iYcypYpf Historical link preserved from the original page.
27 per cent of new NSW and Victorian teachers are on a path to burnout or worn out.
The latest findings from a continuing study by researchers at Monash University reveal that more than one in four new teachers suffered from "emotional exhaustion" shortly after starting their careers.
Associate Professors Paul Richardson and Helen Watt drew the findings from an analysis of surveys recently completed by 612 NSW and Victorian primary and secondary teachers.
This group of teachers was initially surveyed in 2002, as they enrolled in teacher education.
They were there for reasons such as wanting to enhance social equity, making a contribution to society, or having a personal interest in teaching and working with youth, " Professor Watt said.
Yet the latest results of the FIT-Choice (Factors Influencing Teaching) project indicate low morale is all too common.
''I would never have thought 27 per cent would be on a path to burnout or worn out already, " Professor Richardson said.
Professor Watt said those affected "report much greater negativity in their interaction with students, such as using sarcasm, aggression, responding negatively to mistakes.
Reasons for burnout included a lack of administrative support and much tougher emotional conditions than they expected to face.
Teachers under stress, Konrad Marshall, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 2013: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/teachers-under-stress-20131005-2v0t4.html#ixzz2gsATP4on Historical link preserved from the original page.
One third of Australian teachers leave the profession within five years. Historical link preserved from the original page.
One third of new graduate Australian teachers leave the profession within five years. Historical link preserved from the original page.
They take jobs with higher pay, much better conditions, lower stress and higher status.
And because people attracted to teaching are often serious-minded and committed, they do very well.
This is a big loss to Australian schools. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Legislators are nervously aware of the major difficulties we are struggling with in our education system.
Our international ranking is slipping.
A troublesome "long tail" of underachieving students is growing.
The bottom 10 per cent of Australian students can be as many as six years behind our top 10 per cent by the time they finish school. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The teaching faculties in less well-regarded universities have had to find students wherever they can.
Jane Caro says: We have been relying on the fact that until a few decades ago, academically gifted women had few employment options other than teaching.
The last of those bright women will be reaching retirement age in the next five years, so the problem is likely to get even worse.
Currently, we have both a shortage and an oversupply of teachers.
If you graduate as a primary, PE or art teacher and want to work in a big city, you may find it impossible to find a permanent position whatever your ATAR or final mark.
If you graduate as a maths, science or technical studies teacher, you will be snapped up.
If you are prepared to travel to a rural or remote area, you may find a permanent position.
We need teachers aides, social workers and behavioural psychologists working in schools to free teachers up to do their job.
Editor: We also need CCTV in every classroom so that teachers feel safe at work.
We need to lower the workload on teachers, particularly for young teachers and those in tough schools, so that they can de-stress and get the support they need to survive.
We need to give them time to do specialist professional development and experienced mentors to give them strategies to cope.
Editor: In England in the 60's, students who wanted to teach could spend a year working as an assistant teacher before they began their training course.
It gave them experience in the classroom and the opportunity to earn some money before they went to college.
We also need to consider employing university maths and science students in schools as assistant teachers.
We need to make teaching a desirable job again.
Hey politicians, leave those teachers alone, Jane Caro, The Drum, ABC News, 11 March 2013: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4565396.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian teachers are among the best paid teachers in the world - but they are not well paid by Australian standards. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian teachers are among the best paid in the world. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian teachers' salaries are above the OECD average and have risen steadily, some 13 per cent since 2000 at all education levels. Historical link preserved from the original page.
However, teachers in Australia earn 91 per cent of the salary of other Australian workers similar age and education level. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian children's education dropping further against world standards, Sarah Blake, National Education Writer, News Limited Network, 25 June 2013: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/australian-children8217s-education-dropping-further-against-world-standards/story-fngqim8m-1226669722037 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian student performance is declining in June 2013. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian student performance is declining on most international scales despite increased funding. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Despite a growth in public spending of more than four times the OECD average, Australian student's test results across most rankings have fallen, according to a snapshot of world education released on 24 June 2013. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The Education at a Glance report said spending on schools in Australia increased by 24 per cent between 2008 and 2010 - more than four times the average increase of five per cent.
Education experts said the data was proof "the system isn't working".
When you have that sort of substantial increase in expenditure and you are not getting improved effectiveness or an increase in student outcomes, it's just clear evidence that we are spending in the wrong areas, " Dr Ben Jensen, director of school policy for the Grattan Institute, said.
Australian children's education dropping further against world standards, Sarah Blake, National Education Writer, News Limited Network, 25 June 2013: http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/australian-children8217s-education-dropping-further-against-world-standards/story-fngqim8m-1226669722037 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Nearly 40 per cent of Australian school principals report feeling stressed or bullied at work. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The Australian Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey, conducted by Monash University, is finalising latest data in the three-year longitudinal survey of 2005 school leaders. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The nation's peak survey of Australia's 10,000 school principals has found that they face six times the incidence of physical violence compared to other workers.
Study author Dr Philip Riley detailed new findings to some of the 1400 delegates at the World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals in Cairns on July 2 2013.
The study has found that Australian school principals are the nation's most stressed and bullied profession. Historical link preserved from the original page.
(Apart from classroom teachers, 99.6 per cent of whom reported that they were bullied in Dr Dan Riley's 2007 UNE study - see details below.)
Nearly 40 per cent of Australian school principals reported feeling stressed or bullied compared to an 8 per cent average in the national workforce, Dr Riley said. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Most attacks or threats of violence come from aggressive parents rather than students or teachers.
Nearly half of Australian school principals take prescription medication for a diagnosed condition. Historical link preserved from the original page.
State school principals in large towns and rural locations are the most at risk of threats or actual violence.
School principals stressed, bullied, bashed and overworked, new findings show, Peter Michael, The Courier-Mail, news.com.au, 3 July 2013: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/queensland/school-principals-stressed-bullied-bashed-and-overworked-new-findings-show/story-fnii5v6w-1226673335189 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Most NSW and Queensland education graduates can't find work as teachers.
Australian Universities graduate about 16,000 new teachers every year across the nation. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The Federal and state governments spend at least $16,000 a year to train each of these new teachers, or about $64,000 over the course of their four-year education degree.
But about 90 per cent of new teachers graduating university in NSW and Queensland fail to find a job.
Of the 5500 teaching graduates every year from NSW universities, only 450 obtained jobs in state government schools and about 300 found a job in Catholic or independent schools.
More than 1600 new teachers graduated in Queensland in 2012, but only about 200 of these new teachers have a permanent job and about 350 gained temporary employment.
And about 2500 new Victorian teachers are looking for a job.
About 40,000 teachers in NSW and 16,000 teachers in Queensland are on departmental waiting lists for a permanent job.
Millions wasted training teachers, Justine Ferrari, The Australian, 25 March 2013 http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/education/millions-wasted-training-teachers/story-fn59nlz9-1226605045315 Historical link preserved from the original page.
High achieving Australian year 12 students don't want to be teachers. Historical link preserved from the original page.
According to new figures on university offers to year 12 students released earlier this month by the federal Higher Education Department, education was the least popular course for school leavers with the highest university entrance scores -
Only 5 per cent of offers in education courses were made to students with an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) above 90.05. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Almost 22 per cent of offers in education courses were made to students with ATARs below 60.
Almost 7 per cent of offers in education courses were made to students who scored below 50.
Dr Lawrence Ingvarson, one of Australia's leading teacher education specialists, says the latest figures are deeply worrying.
The inconsistency of this just shouts out at you, " says Dr Ingvarson, a principal research fellow at the Australian Council for Educational Research. "We're recruiting people into teaching who are not as academically able as they need to be.
And "in Australia out of every 100 people who enter teacher education programs about 50 or more drop out. It means there's enormous wastage going through the system.
Then, if you let poor quality teachers into schools you start to get large sums of money being spent on the performance management of these people — assessing them, providing remedial and other Band-Aid programs and selecting out the ones who are not effective.
Within schools there is unease among teachers about the calibre of many recent entrants to the profession.
School teachers with more than 20 years' experience assessing year 12 English exams and supervising student teachers in secondary schools, told The Age that university students with ATAR scores below 60 were likely to have very limited skills in written English, comprehension and analysis.
There are fewer and fewer people coming into the profession who can proofread [student work] accurately, " says a year 12 English exam assessor who did not want to be identified.
"They can't recognise the errors because their own writing is littered with grammatical errors of syntax and of verb tense.
This has been a problem for longer than the latest ATAR figures indicate.
A significant number of younger teachers have very limited written English and reading skills. If these people don't understand language well, how can they teach it well?
Professor Brian Caldwell, who runs professional development seminars and research projects with teachers nationwide, is also aware of simmering discontent within the profession about large numbers of low achievers entering education courses.
Professor Caldwell says moving all courses to graduate-level entry would be one of the most effective policy levers available to the federal government, given its promise last year to raise the standard of entrants to teacher training.
Countries with the most rigorous entry requirements for teacher education courses, such as Finland, Taiwan and Singapore, also had the highest achieving school students in international testing schemes.
We've had in excess of 30 reviews into teacher education over several decades and no government has taken on most of the recommendations, " says Professor Caldwell.
We have a large number of folk coming in with relatively low scores and education faculties across the country are passing 95 per cent of those students. We have to raise the entry bar. We can't keep putting it off.
Last year, the federal government announced its new national accreditation system for education courses would require entrants to have literacy and numeracy skills broadly equivalent to the top 30 per cent of the population.
Universities that recruit students below that level must show they have remedial programs to bring them up to the required standard.
Margaret Saltau, an executive member of the Victorian Association of the Teachers of English, has been teaching English in secondary schools since 1969.
I can't remember any of my students saying they wanted to be a teacher, and certainly none of the really brilliant ones wanted to. It's really quite sad.
Why our best teachers are worth $150,000, Caroline Milburn, 21 May 2012: http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/why-our-best-teachers-are-worth-150000-20120518-1yvyg.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian high school students are significantly behind students in Shanghai, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore in key learning areas. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The (Melbourne) Grattan Institute report, "Catching up: Learning from the best school systems in East Asia, " reveals Australian high school students are more than two years behind Shanghai students in maths. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian high school students are 15 months behind in science. Historical link preserved from the original page.
They are 13 months behind in reading.
Australian students are also significantly behind Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore in key learning areas. Historical link preserved from the original page.
If a kid [in Australia] is that far behind [in a classroom] we would consider him disadvantaged. They would likely be put into the remedial class, " said researcher Dr Ben Jensen, director of the school education program at the Grattan Institute.
The main difference is (teachers overseas) are trained as researchers and they are continually trying new things with children learning and if it has been successful they keep it, " Ben Jensen said.
US and UK students fare worse than Australia, with both nearly three years behind Shanghai students in maths.
Aussie students fall two years behind Asian pupils, Paul Tatnell, Herald Sun: 17 February 2012: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/aussie-students-fall-two-years-behind-asian-pupils/story-e6frea8c-1226273419848 Historical link preserved from the original page.
One in three Australian school principals experience an incidence of physical assault six times higher than the general workforce. Teachers probably experience even more workplace violence. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Dr Philip Riley, of Monash University's education faculty, conducted the Australian Principal Health and Wellbeing Survey. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Dr Riley was shocked by the level of violence reported by principals.
One in three of Australia's state school principals was physically attacked or witnessed physical violence in their workplace during 2011, the survey found.
And most of the violence involved aggressive parents rather than students or teachers, principals told The Age.
Overall, the nation's school leaders experienced an incidence of physical assault six times higher than the general workforce.
''They told me the incidence of violence is probably worse for teachers because they're on the front line. By the time a parent has threatened a principal, they would have threatened two or three teachers, '' Dr Riley said.
'Violence threat to school heads, Caroline Milburn, The Age, 5 March 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/violence-threat-to-school-heads-20120304-1ub4g.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Nearly two-thirds of Australian teachers are considering quitting their jobs for a new career. Why? Historical link preserved from the original page.
The Centre for Marketing Schools was commissioned to survey staff satisfaction levels of 850 teachers in government and non-government schools in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.
The survey found that:
Nearly two-thirds of Australian teachers are considering quitting their jobs for a new career. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Fifty-one per cent did not feel part of a close-knit school community.
Fifty-four per cent said communication between staff and management was poor.
Twenty-seven per cent said the school principal was not approachable.
Why our teachers want to leave, Martina Simos, The Advertiser, 5 April 2011: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/why-our-teachers-want-to-leave/story-e6frea6u-1226033608622 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Why do so many Australian teachers plan to quit teaching within their first five years in the job? Historical link preserved from the original page.
Dr Paul Richardson has been working with Monash University colleague Dr Helen Watt since 2002 on Australia's first longitudinal study tracking the experiences of 1650 teachers from the time they started a university education course through their years in the profession.
The researchers argue that chronic teacher shortages won't be solved as long as governments keep failing to confront the reasons why large numbers of teachers desert their jobs early.
"Poor pay is not the reason... it's the.. highly stressful, poor working conditions, " says Dr Richardson.
Twenty-seven per cent of the teachers surveyed planned to quit teaching within their first five years of teaching.
Many of the teacher recruits planning to quit were people who had experience in other professions.
They were totally shocked by the working conditions and the lack of administrative support.
One teacher said: 'I've been a solicitor and now I've got a one-metre desk in a staffroom where you can't think.
Education specialist Dr Philip Riley of Monash University says that almost half of the 25,155 university students nationwide who began teacher training courses in 2006 were needed to fill jobs vacated by teachers with less than five years' experience.
Even people who had been teaching for two years had highly elevated levels of emotional exhaustion.
Teaching has a reputation as one of the more stressful professions.
Forty-one per cent of teachers report high levels of occupational stress compared with 31 per cent of people in nursing, 29 per cent in managerial jobs and 27 per cent in professional and support management occupations.
Concern about workforce problems has prompted the to urge the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership to create a national, publicly available database on teacher supply, demand and attrition as part of the national accreditation of teacher education programs.
Professor Toni Downes, the Australian Council of Deans of Education's president, says that stress is a workplace problem that should be tackled jointly by employers, unions and teacher professional organisations. Historical link preserved from the original page.
"When medical and law graduates come out into the workforce we make sure they have the simplest cases, they are carefully supervised when they do something and the complex and really difficult cases are in the hands of the elite, most experienced practitioners.
Teaching is one of the few professions where beginners are put into the deep end, almost thoughtlessly.
More teachers, but fewer staying the course, Caroline Milburn, The Age, 7 March 2011: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/more-teachers-but-fewer-staying-the-course-20110304-1bhuv.html? rand=1299224040708 Historical link preserved from the original page.
West Australia: teachers blame workpload and workplace pressure for their decision to quit teaching.
Exit surveys of 260 West Australian teachers and other staff who resigned from the Education Department during 2010 were outlined in two reports, which were released to The Sunday Times under Freedom of Information laws. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The surveys were conducted between October 2009 and July 2010.
The surveys revealed that -
About a third (87 people) of the teachers and other staff who resigned said they would not consider returning to work for the Education Department in the future.
Ten people (almost 4 per cent) blamed their decision to quit on harassment, discrimination or workplace bullying.
The number of teachers and staff who blamed workload and workplace pressure for their decision to quit was more than three times the benchmark average.
Special Report: Teachers reveal why they walked, Yasmine Phillips, Education reporter, Perth Now, 19 February 2011: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/special-report-teachers-reveal-why-they-walked/comments-e6frg13u-1226008656772 Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many New South Wales teachers and education department staff have won compensation for workplace bullying during 2008-2010?
The New South Wales department of education employs 90,000 workers.
In the past three years almost 300 New South Wales teachers and education department staff have won compensation claims, averaging more than $8000 each, over the most serious incidents of harassment from colleagues.
More than $1 million was paid in workers compensation payments in 2008.
$878,000 was paid in 2009
$607,982 was paid over 11 months of 2010.
In all, 1400 misconduct claims were lodged, and the department has confirmed that some of the staff found guilty were dismissed.
Editor's note: the impressive point here is that almost 300 harassment complaints were actually upheld in New South Wales.
In 2000 I was advised that no classroom teacher's Grievance had ever been upheld in Queensland.
Teacher bullying victims cost us $2.5 million, Gemma Jones, The Daily Telegraph, 1 February 2011: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/teacher-bullying-victims-cost-us-25-million/story-e6freuzi-1225997708673 Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many West Australian teachers have been awarded compensation for being struck, bitten, kicked, punched, pushed, headbutted or spat on? Historical link preserved from the original page.
154 workers compensation claims were lodged by West Australian teachers as victims of assaults in 2009 and 2010. Historical link preserved from the original page.
10 WA schools recorded two or more assaults against teachers in 2010, including six education support centres.
In most cases, teachers were "struck, bitten, kicked, punched, pushed, headbutted or spat on" by students.
Many of the incidents occurred in education support centres and included situations where staff were struck, bitten, kicked, punched, pushed, headbutted or spat on, by students who were acting spontaneously and not necessarily aware of the consequences of their actions, " Education Department schools deputy director-general David Axworthy said.
Two parents attacked teachers in 2009, but none in 2010.
In 2009, public school teachers were paid $714,754 for workers compensation claims relating to assaults.
To date, $282,665 has been paid out for 69 assaults on teachers during 2010.
Mr Axworthy said costs associated with 2010 claims were lower at the moment because there were fewer claims and many had not been finalised.
WA State School Teachers Union president Anne Gisborne has warned that teachers are dealing with increasing violence from troubled students.
Scarred teachers paid $1m compo, Yasmine Phillips Education Reporter, The Sunday Times, 29 January 2011: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/scarred-teachers-paid-1m-compo/story-e6frg13u-1225996668649 Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Australian adults lack the literacy or numeracy levels to participate fully in a modern workplace? Historical link preserved from the original page.
Australian Industry Group ( AI Group ) chief executive Heather Ridout said a big issue holding back Australians from participation in work was that - Historical link preserved from the original page.
40 per cent of employed Australians and Historical link preserved from the original page.
60 per cent of the unemployed
"don't have the literacy or numeracy levels to participate fully in a modern workforce".
Heather Ridout said English-as-a-second-language speakers had always been part of the problem.
But it was the lack of improvement among Australian-born workers that was worrying. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Literacy barriers hold back workers, Andrew Trounson, The Australian, 6 March 2010 Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Australian teachers are being bullied at work? Historical link preserved from the original page.
During 2007, Dr Dan Riley of the University of New England and Professor Deidre Duncan of the Australian Catholic University surveyed more than 800 Australian teachers in government, Catholic and independent schools. Historical link preserved from the original page.
The most serious findings were:
99.6% of teachers reported that they had been bullied at school by fellow teachers, principals or parents.
More than 90% of teachers reported that they had been bullied by colleagues.
83% of teachers said their concerns about unfair treatment, bullying and harassment had been dismissed.
91% of teachers said their mental or physical health had suffered.
90% of teachers said they had been forced to deal with unmanageable workloads.
90% of teachers said they had been frozen out, ignored or excluded from decision-making.
88% of teachers said that their integrity had been undermined.
87% of teachers said they had lost or gained responsibilities without consultation.
Teachers also complained about superiors who frequently -
questioned their decisions and judgements,
set tasks with unreasonable or impossible targets and deadlines
attempt to belittle or undermine their work.
A growing number of experts believe bullying is now more common between staff in schools than it is between students.
According to survey responses the bullies - in order - are -
school executive staff,
colleagues,
principals
parents.
One in five teachers said they had had personal property attacked, such as their car or their office.
A similar number complained about physical abuse or threats of violence.
Survey boss Dan Riley of the University of New England described the results as "frightening".
We didn't expect to find what we did - we have a problem - teachers are not happy and we believe this is very serious, " he said.
Preliminary findings from the survey suggested that workplace bullying is rife in schools in Western Australia and Queensland.
State school principals received the worst rating for bullying.
In government schools, the principal receives a significantly higher nomination as a frequent or persistent bully than found in independent or Catholic schools, " Professor Duncan said.
"Government schools are not very attentive to bullying, " Dan Riley said.
Claims made (by bullied teachers) often take a long time to be investigated or are ignored altogether.
Teachers also reported being bullied by parents.
Queensland Education Minister Geoff Wilson said on Wednesday 13 May 2009 that the research findings were a concern and that he would ask his department to look into it.
Queensland Teachers' Union president Steve Ryan also said that teacher bullying "does represent an issue we are well aware of".
QTU members -
Steve Ryan said that the QTU were well aware that workplace bullying was an issue in Queensland schools in 2009.
Ask your local union organiser what the QTU have been doing about workplace bullying since 2009!
Teachers are 'worst school bullies', Elizabeth Allen and Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, Wednesday 13 May, 2009 http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25469790-23272,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
National teacher-bullying crisis, Bruce McDougall, Education Reporter, The Daily Telegraph, Friday 30 November, 2007: http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22844878-5001021,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Teachers "bullied more" in public schools, Tamara Davis, The Australian, December 15, 2007: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22927388-13881,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
What OP score should a student teacher have? What OP score do student teachers in Queensland have?
In 2005 cut-off scores for teaching courses, both primary and secondary, fell to as low as OP16 and 17.
This takes in the lowest performing one-third of high school graduates.
Vets need an OP1.
Pharmacists, optometrists, physiotherapists an OP1 or 2.
Podiatrists an OP4.
University of Queensland vice-chancellor John Hay said it was "totally inappropriate" for teachers to be drawn from the bottom third of students with scores like 15, 16 and 17.
In 2006 cut-off scores for teaching dropped to OP19 for some courses at the University of Southern Queensland.
Under the OP system, no student "fails" outright, but scores in the range of 16 to 19 would suggest students scored in the low to middle ranges (low achievement and satisfactory achievement ) in their Year 12 subjects.
In 2007-2008 a nalysis of QTAC admissions indicated that -
15 per cent of students entering education courses had an OP1-7.
46 per cent of students entering education courses had OPs of 13-19.
Universities lower the bar for teaching, Should parents be worried if their child's teacher left high school with an OP16 or 17? Tess Livingstone, The Courier-Mail, 30/03/2005. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Time to face teaching problem, P.3, The Courier-Mail, 22/03/2006. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Standard of future teachers slipping, Jane Fynes-Clinton, Tess Livingstone, P.1, The Courier-Mail, 22/03/2006. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Teaching to smarten up, Tess Livingstone, P. 7, The Courier-Mail, 23/03/2006. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Universities failing our teachers, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, Monday 1 June, 2009: http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,25564704-3102,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
"Office psycho" Queensland school principals "are breaking teachers' hearts".
QUT PhD student Mark Keogh has been studying the reasons why Queensland's public high school teachers over 45 resign.
He also found that a handful of "office psycho" principals across the state were responsible for forcing good teachers out the door.
There are a lot of good (principals) but there are some really bad ones... it breaks (a teacher's) heart, " Mr Keogh said.
From 2006 to 2007 Queensland teacher resignations jumped -
22% at Queensland primary state schools and
19% at Queensland secondary state schools.
From a Queensland teaching workforce of 32,000 -
689 high school and
579 primary school teachers resigned
But the financial crisis may slow this resignation rate down.
The 2007 teacher retention rate was 94.7%, the lowest in at least three years.
Each year about 1000 to 1500 more teachers are registered than are voluntarily deregistered.
About 75% of these newly-registered teachers are women.
Manual arts teaching on scrap heap, James O'Loan, P. 17, The Courier-Mail, 22 December, 2008. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Queensland teachers quitting in large numbers, James O'Loan, The Courier-Mail, 14 November, 2008: http://www.news.com.au:80/couriermail/story/0,27574,24651454-3102,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Are we giving our best Australian students a good education? Historical link preserved from the original page.
In the 2000 PISA tests we had 17.6% of students performing at the top literacy level, the third highest proportion in the OECD.
In the 2006 tests we had just 8.6% of students in the top group, putting us at ninth place.
In the TIMSS 2003 results-
Australia had 7% of Year 8 students achieving at the highest level in maths.
Singapore had 44% of its students in the top performance level.
Many of our best Australian students do not seem to be getting an excellent education. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Little interest is being shown in the needs of these students.
But these are the young people who will run the country.
And failure to provide them with a good eduction will have effects far beyond international test results, reaching into the calibre of our universities, our global competitiveness in technology and innovation, and even the quality of our future governments.
Brightest and best miss out, Jennifer Buckingham, research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, The Australian: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24608051-13881,00.html Thursday November 6, 2008 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Do school principals use alcohol to manage stress?
A survey of almost 1100 Australian public and private schools has found that one in five principals are worried about the way they are using alcohol to manage stress. Historical link preserved from the original page.
43 per cent of school principals feel overwhelmed by their workload or don't feel like they can maintain it for much longer.
82 per cent are stressed by the quantity of work.
70 per cent are stressed by the expectations of their employers.
57 per cent are stressed by parent-related issues.
Teacher shortages were also a worry for at least 50 per cent of principals.
A third of principals reported having a diagnosed medical problem — such as cardiac or mental health issues — that was caused or exacerbated by their job.
Principals reported that dealing with endless paperwork, abuse or grievances from angry parents, and the lack of administrative support in schools, were taking their toll.
The survey was conducted at the end of last year by the National Joint Secondary Principals Associations, which represent independent, Catholic and Government schools.
Principals turn to booze to cope: report, Farrah Tomazin, The Melbourne Age, 04 February, 2008:
Half of the population of Australia would struggle to understand the meaning of a newspaper article. That's how democracy works in Australia.
Half of all Australians lack the minimum reading, writing and problem-solving skills to cope with life in the modern world. Historical link preserved from the original page.
A new survey of almost 9000 Australians by the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals that - Historical link preserved from the original page.
46% of the population, or seven million people, would struggle to understand the meaning of newspaper and magazine articles or documentation such as maps and payslips.
53% reached just the second of five levels in a practical numeracy test.
70% reached just the second level in a series of problem-solving exercises.
Management consultant and social commentator Wendy McCarthy said that a decade of neglect of the public education system was to blame.
We will look back over the last 10 years and realise with some horror how much we overemphasised the value of the individual and overlooked the common denominators in our society.
Half of us lack modern world skills, Stephen Lunn, Social affairs writer, The Australian, 10 January 2008 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23030546-5013169,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
How have women teachers benefited from union membership?
96% of Queensland teachers are members of the Queensland Teachers' Union.
73.32% of Queensland teachers are women.
80.29% of Queensland primary teachers are women.
44.01% of Queensland primary principals are women.
58.68% of Queensland secondary teachers are women.
31.42% of Queensland secondary principals are women.
Be afraid: Your Rights at Work Information Wraparound, Queensland Teachers' Journal, 30 August 2007 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Statistics provided by Department of Education and the Arts - Women represented in the teaching workforce in Queensland state schools, Quarter 2, 2005 data, (quoted in) New leadership program launched, Leah Mertens, QTU Women's Coordinator, p. 8, Queensland Teacher's Journal, 23/11/2006.
Beginning teachers - do they like teaching? Do they expect to stay in teaching?
93% of 1351 "beginning" teachers - those in their first three years of service - either "like" or "love" their choice of career.
But almost 25% believe they will leave the profession within the first five years.
Beginning Teacher Survey commissioned by the Australian Joint Principals Association, released March 2007. Reported in Let us teach, The Courier-Mail, 15 March 2007 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Do intelligent Australian students want to become teachers? Historical link preserved from the original page.
Applications for teaching places had plunged by 30% per cent over two years (2005-2007) in Queensland.
Western Australia is unlikely to fill places for 2008.
A leading educator, University of Queensland academic Ken Wiltshire, said teaching wasn't "attracting enough... intelligent people".
It's a crisis. The tertiary entrance ranks are too low. The status of the profession is too low.
Latest figures for Queensland show applications this year were down almost 23% on 2006.
This was on top of a 7% to 8% drop the previous year, adding up to a total drop of 30%.
In Victoria, applications for entry in 2007 and 2008 were down 12%, after increasing by 2.5 per cent the previous year.
The numbers in WA fell by 15% between 2006 and this year, and there is a further 2 per cent decline in entrants for next year, which means the available places cannot be filled.
At the University of Western Australia, teaching is reportedly at 75% capacity.
UWA education dean Bill Louden said key research had shown that the proportion of women from the top 40% of ability entering teaching had halved during the past two decades as they chose other professions.
And the proportion from the second lowest 20% going into the profession had doubled.
Entry scores for future teachers are predicted to fall despite criticism they are already too low.
Alarm as teachers dwindle, Guy Healy, The Australian, December 12, 2007: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22909060-12332,00.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Queensland teachers leave teaching during their first 3-5 years in the job?
30% of Queensland teachers leave teaching within their first three years.
- Dr Nan Bahr, University of Queensland director of teacher education
Up to 50% of Queensland teachers leave teaching within their first five years.
- Leonie Shaw, Queensland Board of Teacher Registration
Morale drives teacher exodus, Elizabeth Allen, The Courier-Mail, 13 July 2005. Historical link preserved from the original page.
First-time teachers older, Tess Livingstone, The Courier-Mail, 11 March 2007. Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Queensland school-leavers want to be teachers?
Only 18% of 4700 Queensland trainee teachers came directly from Year 12.
(full time equivalent education students at the Queensland University of Technology)
Almost 50% of Queensland trainee teachers are mature-age students.
- Leonie Shaw, Queensland Board of Teacher Registration
32.5 years was the average age of first-time Queensland teachers in 2006.
- Queensland College of Teachers
Morale drives teacher exodus, Elizabeth Allen, The Courier-Mail, 13 July 2005. Historical link preserved from the original page.
First-time teachers older, Tess Livingstone, The Courier-Mail, 11 March 2007. Historical link preserved from the original page.
We have banned corporal punishment - now we use drugs to control children's behaviour.
220,000 prescriptions for Prozac and similar drugs - selective serotonin inhibitors (SSRI) - were issued to children and adolescents in Australia in 2002.
250,000 were issued in 2003.
15,000 (approx) were issued to children under 10.
In August 2005 the other popular ADHD drug Ritalin was added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, reducing the cost from $49 to as little as $4.70 for concession card-holders.
Over the next six months, the number of Ritalin scripts issued soared from 523 a month to more than 5800, with no apparent decrease in other medications.
Queensland prescription numbers have grown at a rate second only to that in Western Australia.
Dr George Halasz, a Melbourne-based psychiatrist, warns there have not yet been any long-term follow-up studies of the effects.
There could be a sleeper effect. In 20 years we could have a whole generation acting differently.
Out of control, Daryl Passmore, The Courier-Mail 13 January 2007 Historical link preserved from the original page.
Is the OP score of Australian teachers falling? Historical link preserved from the original page.
In 1983 students entering teaching degrees tended to be in the 74th percentile - meaning they had better literacy and numeracy standards than 74 per cent of their age group.
By 2003, the average rank of new student teachers was 61 per cent.
Research by Dr Andrew Leigh and Dr Chris Ryan, Australian National University. Historical link preserved from the original page.
Standard of teachers is falling: study, p.16, The Cairns Post, 28 August 2006. Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Australian teachers want to get out of teaching? Historical link preserved from the original page.
33% of Australian teachers intend leaving the profession within the next three years. Historical link preserved from the original page.
7% are planning to retire.
26% want to leave the profession.
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report into the education sector.)
Teacher exodus spells trouble, Suzanna Clarke, p.5, The Courier-Mail, 20 June 2005. Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Catholic teachers are being bullied at work?
In earlier research, Deidre Duncan and Dan Riley surveyed two hundred Catholic school teachers.
97.5% of the Catholic teachers reported that they had been bullied at work.
Duncan, D. J. and Riley, D. Staff Bullying in Catholic Schools, 1327-7634 Vol 10, No. 1, 2005, pp.47-58 Australia and New Zealand Journal of Law & Education. Historical link preserved from the original page.
How many Queensland teachers were placed on 'Diminished Workplace Performance' (now called Managing Unsatisfactory Performance) during 2001? And 2002?
14 Queensland teachers were placed on 'Diminished Work Performance' during 2001.
32 Queensland teachers were placed on 'Diminished Work Peformance' during the three months to April 29, 2002.
So, presumably, there was a sudden surge in teachers who needed to be put on DWP during the first few months of 2002.
Or was this some sort of Labor government economy drive?
Anna Bligh said that teachers who were placed on "Diminished Work performance" were teachers "whose performance has deteriorated to the point that they need to have action taken".
Or maybe not, Ms Bligh.
Maybe they were teachers who tried to deal with the unsupervised groups of Grade 7 children roaming about their school, disrupting the other classes.
Or maybe they were simply teachers who would not join the acting principal's branch of the Labor party.
The "Diminished Work Performance" process is now called 'Managing Unsatisfactory Performance'.
Payout push targets tired teachers, Matthew Fynes-Clinton, education reporter, The Courier-Mail, 29 April 2002 Historical link preserved from the original page.