2023 AEU New Educator Conference
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 129 No 1, 16 February, page no. 22
In Term 4, the QTU sent a delegation to the annual AEU New Educators Conference in Canberra, which brings together union activists from all over the country who are in their first five years of teaching.
Over the course of the conference, delegates participated in discussions, panels, workshops, training, and networking opportunities. Here some of the Queensland delegates share their highlights.
International panel - Katie Day
The 2023 Australian Education Union New Educators Conference provided the opportunity to network with people from around Australia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu. We were very lucky to have Glen from Vanuatu talk to us about the teaching profession in his country. Glen discussed his working conditions, daily timetable and the commitment teachers in Vanuatu have to their profession. It was eye-opening to hear Glen’s experience and see how different teaching is in neighbouring countries.
Collective strength: campaigning and recruitment - Sam Williams
One of the breakout sessions on day one of the conference was hosted by our very own Kelly Creedon (Acting Organiser Membership Growth). The theme of the session was exploring and developing our skills for effective campaigning, including how to reach, organise and strategise to impact upon decision makers. The activity consisted of pulling a famous person’s name out of a hat and analysing and discussing what made them an influential leader.
Excursion to Birrigai - Sarah Prior
During our visit to Birrigai Outdoor School, we were immersed in First Nations Culture. After some afternoon tea, we split into groups and took a walk on Country, enjoying our surroundings while tasting some bush tucker along the way. It was a surreal experience … there we stood in awe on Ngunnawal Country drinking freshly made apple box tea (yep, we picked the leaves straight off the tree), knowing that over the past 25,000 years First Nations people had used that rock shelter for protection and as a place to prepare food for their families.
Spending time at Birrigai not only showed us how the Ngunnawal People used what Country provided, it allowed us to develop our own connection to Country. This connection was strengthened as our knowledge and understanding of First Nations Culture, perspectives and way of life increased. We all left feeling privileged to have had this on-Country experience and eager to take this knowledge and learning back into our own classrooms.
Overview - Keegan Peace
Overall, the conference was a fantastic weekend for all of us in the QTU’s New Educator Network. The two days were full of valuable discussions and workshops surrounding the key issues for young educators. There were highlights aplenty, but perspective around the working conditions of international teachers and an insightful connection to Country were among my own personal favourites. Opportunities like these can be difficult to take up in the busy-ness of Term 4. However, when opportunity knocks it is always important to answer the door. We all left this weekend in Canberra with a determination to set personal, workplace and wider goals, and have each taken something from meeting colleagues across the nation.