Gordie of Melbourne, Reader's Comment, Teachers seeing no future in state system

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Gordie of Melbourne, Reader's Comment, Teachers seeing no future in state system, Jewel Topsfield and Bianca Hall, The Age, 30 May 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/teachers-seeing-no-future-in-state-system-20120529-1zhfz.html Historical link preserved from the original page.

Melbourne teacher: I'm an award-winning graduate teacher from a sandstone uni, in the top couple of percent, and I'm leaving.

We've known for years that roughly a third of teaching graduates will leave the 'profession' in the first five years.

When I was studying my Dip Ed I was sure my commitment to quality education and my solid work ethic would mean I was one of the stayers.

Now, after less than 4 years teaching, I'm actively looking to get out permanently.

I can't get an ongoing position, I have no job security, contracts are designed so that I have no income over the holidays, I don't teach the subjects I want to, I can't see an end to the unpaid overtime, I take work home every night, in the 'holidays', and the admin load is ridiculous.

It's an unreasonable occupation.

There's been a lot of talk about attracting higher performing graduates to teaching, but that's not going to happen while the conditions of the job are so dismal.

I'm an award-winning graduate from a sandstone Uni, in the top couple of percent, and I'm leaving.

So what are we doing wrong?