Editorial: What is it about Term 3?
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128, 25 August 2023, page no.5
At the start of each year, Term 3 seems so far away that by the time we get here we start to wonder where the year has gone? It brings with it its own sense of urgency. We’ve finished a semester of schooling and somehow the end of the year appears further, rather than closer away, at least until about mid-August when it feels like there is no time left to get everything done.
And Term 3 sees all those things you said “yes” to at the start of the year come to fruition. Whether it’s the school camp, the athletics carnival, a sporting event, the school musical, C-Gen or beginning teacher mentoring, it all seems to happen in Term 3.
It’s also the time when the teacher shortage, which has been affecting schools throughout the year, really bites. Whether its because members have planned long service leave, or some members retire at the end of the winter holidays, schools find it more difficult to find replacement teachers to fill the new gaps, let alone the existing gaps.
Over the weekend, I was reading some posts on social media and the question “what can be done about the teacher shortage” was posted on a number of discussion boards. I wondered whether this is the right question, or whether it should be “what more can be done about the teacher shortage?” I like the inclusion of “more” because it recognises that some measures are currently being trialled, including increased incentives for working in rural, remote and regional Queensland, the rapid response team, accelerated progression for some students in ITE, Turn to Teaching programs, trade to teaching programs and engagement with workload reduction initiatives, and the government’s recently announced attempt to re-engage retired teachers through a grey-nomad scheme.
The reality, however, is that it’s not enough. We cannot, and must not, continue to steal from the pipeline of future teachers by engaging in Permission to Teach, without calling for reforms to ITE programs that recognise the learning of students who are teaching while finishing their studies. It is farcical to expect those who are teaching to complete university courses on pedagogy, implementing the Australian Curriculum, and behaviour management while they are successfully doing those things daily, as it is a requirement for them to do “placement” at another, or their current school. If being engaged in a PTT does not earn you recognition for “placement” (and it doesn’t), then it shows that the system is inflexible and does not respond to the needs of schools.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think PTT is the answer to the teacher shortage. However, it is a mechanism currently being used to ensure teachers are in front of students and it feels that it is the last thing that is being reformed.
So, what more can be done about the teacher shortage? Well, what more can be done to make it an attractive profession? That includes not only bringing new teachers into the profession, but also retaining the highly experienced teachers and school leaders we already have.
It feels that society continues to expect schools to bear the brunt of any issue for young people. If kids are vaping, schools can fix it; if kids are on their devices too much, schools can fix it; if kids are unhealthy, or aren’t getting enough exercise, schools can fix it; if kids are disrespectful, violent etc, schools can fix it. It feels as though schools are meant to have all the solutions, and then when they can’t possibly meet such unachievable goals, somehow it is the failure of our profession that has caused the issue, rather than the responsibility of others to prevent it in the first place.
And if this is the unreasonable expectation, is it any wonder that people are not drawn to teaching?
The reality is we need to resource schools properly so that every child is supported to have success in their learning, and our profession feels valued.
We have a real opportunity in the coming months to campaign for this resourcing as the state and federal governments negotiate a new National School Reform Agreement (NSRA). This agreement must include funding that supports the learning for every child in state schools; it must address the inequities in funding between state and private schools; and it must take steps to address teacher and school leader workload. More political rhetoric that suggests that additional funding that leads to extra resourcing is not the solution must be rejected, particularly when that rhetoric has been previously framed by a context of schools “fixing” society’s problems.
We need to stop hearing “it’s your fault” and start hearing “how can I help?”, because if we don’t, it won’t just be in Term 3 that the shortage is felt, it will be every day of the year.