October 2022 Western Teacher

Reviewing public education

In this edition

Correspondence:

The Editor, PO Box

Member Assist:

West Perth

2022 Western Teacher deadlines

Features

Managing

Regulars

Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.) 1 West Street, West Perth WA. Printed by Vanguard Press, 26 John Street, Northbridge WA. October 2022.

Cover: The SSTUWA has commissioned an independent review of public education in WA, to be chaired by former WA Premier and Federal cabinet minister Dr Carmen Lawrence, seen here (centre) with SSTUWA Senior Vice President Matt Jarman (left) and President Pat Byrne (right). Read more on page 4.

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Western Teacher is the official publication of The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A. (Inc.)

Barrie Bennett reference books

Regaining a voice for public education

By Pat Byrne President

Teachers know best on what is happening in schools right now.

Consider this quote, which comes from one of over 400 school leaders and union reps who completed our survey Managing Teacher Relief in WA Public Schools:

“Teacher burnout is very real, resulting from the continuous system-wide demands that assume we are working under normal conditions.

With rolling waves of staff members having to isolate the reality of the situation is that we are exhausted just managing to keep the core teaching and learning operating. Add to that NAPLAN, the running of events, reporting to parents, performance management, SEN reporting, NCCR reporting etc. and you have a perfect storm for mental and emotional burn-out.

The exhausting task of finding relief, the leap of faith that they will be quality relief teachers and the risk of burn-out for these teachers are very real. Some of our most trusted relief teachers are being asked to pay back DOTT in multiple classrooms, teaching multiple year levels in a day, and the reality of that situation is that quality teaching and learning is suffering.”

Teachers know all too well that COVID-19 is not the cause of the problems being faced today; the pandemic is just an exclamation mark on a cry for help that has been welling up for many years.

Teachers also know this is no temporary situation with an easy fix. Consider this quote from another survey respondent: “We are unable to fill permanent job roles and the load is simply being shared

amongst staff as internal relief. Specialist teachers are leaving without replacements, allowing whole programs to end in this country town.”

Or, indeed, this one:

“The teacher shortage (and subsequent flow on of workload) has simply reduced the passion for teaching for myself and many colleagues like myself with decades of service. Burn out has increased at an unprecedented level in an attempt at maintaining the system we once had.”

Red flags are flying. The warnings are clear. Those who know best realise public education is at a crossroads.

We need to listen to what our teachers and leaders are saying; we need to examine the evidence as to what is happening in our schools: what is the state of public education in WA currently?

And what effect is this having on our teachers and leaders?

Most critically, how do we best support teachers and leaders at an individual level but also with an eye to the longterm health of the profession?

To address these questions, the SSTUWA has commissioned an independent review of public education in WA.

The review will be chaired by Dr Carmen Lawrence. Dr Lawrence served as WA Education Minister in the late 80s and in February 1990 became the first female Premier of an Australian state when she became WA Premier.

Subsequently, Dr Lawrence served in the Keating Federal Cabinet. Dr Lawrence was also a member of the original Gonski

panel which established the Schooling Resource Standard as a fairer basis for funding school education in Australia.

In 2022 Dr Lawrence was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for “distinguished service to the people and Parliaments of Australia and Western Australia, to conservation and to arts administration”.

Dr Lawrence will be joined in the review process by fellow panel members Dr Scott Fitzgerald of Curtin University, Colin Pettit, former Commissioner for Children and Young People and Robyn White, former principal of Perth Modern School. Pamela Pollard will be the executive officer to the panel.

The review’s draft terms of reference are:

1. What is the state of public education in WA currently?

Focus issues:

a. How have state government policies regarding the structure of public education since 2010 affected the operation of government schools in WA?

b. How have curriculum content, pedagogical expectations and reporting and accountability processes changed during this time?

c. What changes have occurred to the community expectations of our school leaders and teachers?

d. What has been the impact of COVID-19?

2. What has been the effect of these changes on school leaders and teachers in WA?

For example:

a. Attraction and retention challenges:

• The recruitment of new teachers to the profession.

• Appropriate career opportunities.

• The development and selection of school leaders.

• Principal and teacher morale and well-being.

• The changes to teacher and principal workloads.

b. Respect for teacher professionalism:

• The effect of current accountability mechanisms.

• The ability to apply professional judgment.

• The commercialisation of curriculum products.

• The impact of technology.

c. The impact on schools’/ teachers’ capacity to deliver:

• The core curriculum; and

• An equitable education provision across diverse student populations and regions.

3. How do we best respond to the needs of teachers and school leaders in addressing these issues?

The SSTUWA obviously has strong opinions on the causes of public education’s current fragile state and will of course be making a submission to the panel.

The panel will take evidence from both national and international experts, as well as canvassing views from relevant stakeholder groups, including parent bodies.

Once the panel has established a process and timeline for its work, schools will be informed and staff invited to make submissions. This will involve a

combination of written submissions and face-to-face meetings.

I am confident the review panel, under the leadership of Dr Lawrence, will bring to bear the highest levels of expertise and scrutiny.

This will be a review tasked with delivering workable solutions. The public system educates two-thirds of children across Australia.

Those children deserve the very best from elected leaders – a strong, viable and best quality system.

There is a sense of that mission having faltered in recent years, that the voice of teachers and principals has been lost with the imposition of business and market models of education.

This review is an opportunity for WA professionals to regain that voice.

At time of press the state government announced a new public sector wages policy, following pressure from the Public Sector Alliance. For the latest updates on the issue, visit sstuwa.org.au

Colin Pettit, Dr Carmen Lawrence and Pamela Pollard.

Teacher relief: a calamitous crisis

By Matt Jarman Senior Vice President

Prior to the pandemic it could be said a school’s teacher relief availability depended on a variety of local seasonal factors, which would be invariably worked through.

The pandemic has unfortunately now caused an unwanted equity. Everyone is struggling, and in many cases, just labelling teacher relief availability as a “struggle” would be entirely inadequate.

The SSTUWA recently made the decision to give members a much-needed voice to illustrate the impact of teacher relief availability and also to help identify what needs to be done. A survey was opened, covering a brief window of three weeks at the start of Term 3.

The response was overwhelming and the comments made, such as this one and those quoted in Pat’s column, are extremely worrying and reveal just how much our members are doing their best in a system that is teetering on crisis: “Many staff are very open about wanting to leave the job. As staff continued to receive relief lessons we began to see staff staying home, just to rest and recover, further causing staffing pressures.”

The survey results reflect the gap between what schools are saying and what is often reported.

More than 400 members responded to the survey, predominately those at the coalface of organising relief in their school, with all types of schools well represented. The issues raised have always been present in the system and worsened over time, with the pandemic putting the spotlight on the seriousness

of the situation we find ourselves in.

One member said: “I have logged 58 jobs since April 2022. Of those jobs only seven jobs have been filled. We basically collapsed Science in Term 2. There is something very wrong with the system. Disadvantaged schools are once again further disadvantaged. Our children are already up against it. More needs to be done, it is not ok.”

Facts from the survey include:

• 35 per cent of schools are using student teachers to deliver teacher relief – nine per cent in their second or third year of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). (Please note the SSTUWA has only agreed that ITE students in their fourth year of training could be used to help during the shortage.)

• 25 per cent of specialist classes are interrupted weekly.

• All types of school leaders are being used for internal relief. (These statistics fluctuate from school to school.)

• 85 per cent of respondents stated they did not use the central pool of relief. (Approximately 1,980 days were provided from Statewide Services and central office qualified staff in Term 2 alone, leaving us to wonder what would have happened if more schools depended on the central relief pool.)

• 35 per cent of those schools who accessed the central relief pool had challenges with availability.

• 30 per cent of respondents shared they were using education assistants where teacher relief was not available.

• 65 per cent of primary and 75 per cent of secondary schools collapsed classes to cope. This included across subject areas in secondary schools and across phases of learning in primary schools.

• All schools reported negative impact in many different areas:

o 80 per cent – Delivery of core curriculum.

o 45 per cent – Semester reporting to parents.

o 45 per cent – Annual events and activities.

o 60 per cent – New initiatives or programs.

Comments from school leaders and teachers in country areas reflect how paralysed they often are, leading to little or no respite or opportunity to operate as they or their community expects.

The teacher shortage is global, the workload demands are local. One can be immediately addressed, while the other will take investment. Relief staff have always been critical to the needs of our schools, emerging from the pandemic there is now widespread acknowledgement of just how important they are.

Members share more of their experiences, via the survey, on pages 8-9 of this Western Teacher.

Managing teacher relief: What you told us

“We have had a lot of our DOTT cancelled at short notice. If we choose to be paid back that DOTT then we have to plan and provide the lesson for the relief teacher who comes in. We have also had DOTT moved so that we don’t get collaborative planning time.”

Teacher shortages means DOTT time can be cancelled on a daily basis. This directly impacts the preparation of resources for rich learning experiences. Whilst this is paid back to the teachers this is usually done at little notice and requires the teacher to create another lesson, putting increased pressure on the teacher and taking away from the learning of the students.

Running the school has required a coping mindset, and critical incidents are more frequent. People are stretched, making mistakes and need support. We can’t provide support due to being permanently double booked – there are classes, parent meetings, student complaints, school damage, vaping incidents, fights and attendance to follow up, HOLAs who need help to lead their teams/curriculum delivery, SIRS tasks, TFA/LAT support, recruitment processes etc.

As a school leader it has been clear that the teacher shortage has impacted student outcomes through interruptions to the education programs. Something that does not get talked about enough is the impact that the teacher shortage is having on teacher wellbeing. Teaching is already a demanding profession, so when DOTT is constantly being taken away due to specialists being used in classrooms, the pressure and stress this puts on all staff is significant. There has always been a shortage of relief in the country, but this has been magnified this year.

Teaching staff have been expected to fulfil the same level of responsibility, without large portions of DOTT and extra students from across the school (e.g. Year 6 students in Year 1 classes) which is having a massive impact on the emotional well-being of staff, both mentally and physically.

Specialist teachers are being used to cover classroom teachers. All teachers are owed DOTT and there is a rising feeling of burnout within the school.

It is stressful every day having to find relief teachers. And then when none can be found, it is stressful deciding how to cover classes.

Teachers have reported that they feel compelled to come to school when they are not fit to do so, even though our messaging has been very clear that they need to prioritise themselves and we will manage what we have to. That being said, unless relief teachers are booked well in advance, it is almost impossible to get one. I have personally rung and messaged about 100 relief teachers for a same or next day booking and not been able to get one. This creates a huge workload. As a deputy, I have had to relieve teachers and take classes on multiple occasions. This has created a massive workload as no one is doing my job while I am in a class. I and the rest of the admin team have been working 10-14 hour days trying to keep our heads above water. This does not take into account the number of hours in the evenings and on weekends spent trying to get relief teachers. It is Saturday today and I am at school trying to catch up.

Teacher burnout is very real, resulting from the continuous system-wide demands that assume we are working under normal conditions. With rolling waves of staff members having to isolate the reality of the situation is that we are exhausted just managing to keep the core teaching and learning operating.

All staff are extremely stressed, overworked and exhausted.

The teacher shortage (and subsequent flow on of workload) has simply reduced the passion for teaching for myself and many colleagues like myself with decades of service. Burn out has increased at an unprecedented level in an attempt at maintaining the system we once had.

One recent and worrying trend we are discovering is valued, longterm staff are considering leaving the profession due to the difficulties and stress of the job.

We have had to close down areas of the playground as we don’t have enough teachers to supervise safely.

“Quite a stressful environment. Everyone is working at full capacity and endeavouring to continue to deliver effective learning programs.”

The teacher shortage is having a profound negative impact on the quality of instruction and the ability of schools to do more than manage their core business. We are not thriving we are surviving.The overall feeling of the workplace is one of low morale. Overworked staff are reluctant to pick up any extras or try innovative ideas ... there is no energy.

High-needs students have a range of complexities, with one being anxiety. The constant change of teaching staff or not knowing if their classes will be hubbed on any given day increases their anxiety and impacts their behaviour. This can lead to aggression and others being hurt, such as staff and students.

We have been using a fourth-year student as full-time relief, which is causing lots of student behavioural problems and flow on effects from someone who has lost all teaching mentorship.

Most of us are coming into work sick or run down but we have no choice. We have a large percentage thinking about leaving, because when does our physical and mental health take first place?

No thanks, no recognition, no renumeration package from the government. We are frontline workers and we feel very unsupported.

Quotes are member responses provided in the SSTUWA Managing teacher relief in WA public schools survey, which was conducted early in Term 3. Responses have been edited for spelling or grammar.

Expected to report to parents but we haven’t had any proper learning going on.

The system is broken, our kids and people are suffering. We are being repeatedly asked to do the unreasonable.

Most students ask teachers ‘are you going to be our teacher for the rest of the year?’ Most students have had several teachers and in most cases the curriculum has not been delivered.

Teacher shortage plan ignores root causes

Dr Pasi Sahlberg Southern Cross University

In August, Australia’s state and federal education ministers met with emotional teachers, who spoke of working on weekends and Mother’s Day to cope with unsustainable workloads – and how they were thinking about leaving the profession.

This was part of their first meeting hosted by the federal Education Minister Jason Clare. The top agenda item was the teacher shortage.

The issue has certainly reached crisis point. Federal education department modelling shows the demand for high school teachers will exceed the supply of new graduate teachers by 4,100 between 2021 to 2025.

Meanwhile, a 2022 Monash University survey found only 8.5 per cent of surveyed teachers in New South Wales say their workloads are manageable and only one in five think the Australian public respects them.

Ministers say they are working towards a plan to fix the crisis. But are they addressing the right issues?

What happened at the meeting?

On a positive note, all ministers agreed Australia has as problem and it is national one. As NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said: “no matter which state minister would be speaking to you […], we’re all dealing with the same issues and challenges”.

Mr Clare told reporters the ministers had tasked their education departments to develop a national plan to address the problem. This will be brought back to the ministers’ next meeting in December for tick off.

The “National Teacher Workforce Action Plan” will focus on five areas: elevating

the teaching profession, improving teacher supply, strengthening teaching degrees, maximising teachers’ time to teach and a better understanding of future workforce needs.

In the post-meeting press conference, Clare particularly emphasised the need for more opportunities for student teachers to get practical experience, more focus on how to teach maths and English and encouraging more teachers to mentor their colleagues.

Key questions are missing

Before the election, Labor promised to fix teacher shortages by attracting high-performing school graduates into teaching, paying additional bonuses to

outstanding teachers, and importing experts from other fields to teaching.

Not surprisingly, these same ideas appear in the media release for the forthcoming national action plan.

But together Labor’s ideas and the new national plan don’t adequately address the root causes of teacher shortages: unproductive working conditions and noncompetitive pay.

One priority in the proposed new plan is to maximise teachers’ time to teach. In fact, Australian teachers already teach for more hours than their peers in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

What would improve teachers’ working conditions is not more time to teach per se, but enough time to plan and work with their colleagues to find more productive ways of teaching.

Workload is the most common reason for intending to leave the teaching profession. In the 2022 Monash University survey, teachers reported their workloads were intensifying and difficult to fit into a reasonable working week. This is due to overwhelming administration, reporting and paperwork for compliance purposes.

The detail we have so far from ministers is silent on how to fix current teacher workloads.

What about pay?

Another reason for teacher shortages is non-competitive pay, especially when it comes to salary progression over a teaching career.

So far, ministers are talking about rewarding high-performing teachers. International studies show unexpected things can happen when teachers strive for excellence to receive monetary bonuses. Performance-based pay can lead to declining creativity and collegiality in schools when test scores become the dominant driver of teachers’ work.

This also takes away from the main issue. Instead of paying some teachers more, every teacher in Australia deserves fair compensation that reflects the work they do.

A plan to have a plan

Australia is a promised land of action plans and working groups. But we are not so good at implementation.

For example, we have declarations and reviews about what school education should be (the Mparntwe Declaration), how schools should be funded (the Gonski Review) and what rights our children have.

But we struggle to turn these into practice. There is a real risk the new National Teacher Workforce Action Plan will just see more good intentions and little concrete action.

Australia can learn from other countries

The good news is, Australia is not alone. The United States and England have suffered from chronic shortage of teachers in their schools for some time.

Even in Estonia and Finland – the OECD’s highest-performing countries in education – teaching is not as attractive a profession as it used to be. So, there is an opportunity to learn how other countries deal with the teacher workforce challenge.

Every year since 2011 the OECD and Education International have organised the International Summit on the Teaching Profession with the world’s top-performing education systems. Here education ministers and education leaders from 20 countries explore current issues in the teaching profession. Collaboration between ministers and teachers’ unions is the key principle of the summit.

Australia has been invited to these summits since 2011 but has never attended. So, a decade of opportunities to work with other countries has been wasted.

But it is not too late, Mr Clare could attend the 2023 summit that will be held in Washington DC, not only to see what others do, but to learn what might be improved in governments’ action plan and teacher policies.

This is what all education nations do. Why don’t we?

Dr Pasi Sahlberg is an internationally renowned Finish educator and author. He is currently Professor of Education at Southern Cross University in New South Wales. This article was published at The Conversation website and is reproduced here with permission. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the SSTUWA or AEU.

Roadmap key to EAL/D teaching

By Sharmila Nagar Vice President

Growing up in Zimbabwe in a bilingual household, emphasis was always placed on education and hard work.

As a second-generation Zimbabwean, my ancestors emigrated from India during its colonial rule as they sought a better and brighter future for the generations to come.

Knowing the sacrifices of the elders in my family and being part of an increasing Indian diaspora helped build the resilience I needed to grapple with the complexities of being a second language speaker.

However, this only alleviated some of the pressures of learning a new language. My initial years at school were challenging as I tried to come to grips with a foreign syntax, pronunciation and different cultural norms.

But things changed in Year 4 when my teacher Miss Cox spent time explaining how certain word patterns worked, explicitly taught me how to create

meaningful sentences and also how to have fun with words.

My love of reading in English started with her encouragement and instruction! I always wonder what would have happened had I not had her and the many other brilliant educators whose guidance led to my career pathway in education as a Visual Arts and English EAL/D (English as an additional language or dialect) teacher.

I have provided you with some personal context in order to bring to mind the EAL/D students in your classrooms and the many obstacles they must overcome, without even considering the varying degrees of challenges in schools.

It would be no surprise to our members that recurrent funding for EAL/D students is integral in their progress and attainment.

Unfortunately, the constraints on the one-line budget of schools often means that catering for EAL/D students is often inconsistent and/or non-existent.

Did you know that there are over 600,000 EAL/D students across all years of schooling in Australia? It is a staggering figure and one that causes concern when we cannot provide ongoing EAL/D support.

So, who are our EAL/D students?

According to Australian Council of TESOL Associations (ACTA), “they are newly arrived and Australian-born migrantbackground students, refugee students (some with little or no previous formal schooling), international students with age-equivalent education, some Pacifica students, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who speak traditional Aboriginal languages, creoles and/ or newly emerging contact language/ dialects, and who have varying degrees of exposure to Standard Australian English”.

ACTA represents state and territories associations of EAL/D educators.

ACTA has released its National Roadmap for EAL/D Education in schools. The

roadmap provides directions for COVID19 recovery and reform.

ACTA president Dr Anne Keary said: “As Australia emerges from the pandemic and reopens to the world, national action is urgently needed to restore our former leading role in teaching English to English language learners.”

ACTA’s roadmap states that: “For beginner or near beginner learners, achieving basic fluency in spoken English in immersion contexts typically takes about two years.”

“However, a minimum of five to seven years is generally required to achieve the necessary English language and literacy skills for comparable academic performance with English speaking peers.”

For our Indigenous EAL/D learners, particularly in remote communities where young people tend not to use English outside school for other purposes, there is a need for “two-way bilingual and bicultural learning with a strong emphasis on grounding English literacy in fluent and meaningful spoken English.”

In metropolitan areas, forms of creole and newly emerging contact varieties are the starting point for developing proficiency in the Standard Australian English of the curriculum.

With the knowledge of all this, it is extremely concerning that within all education sectors in Australia there has been a downsizing of administration to support and advice to schools with EAL/D learners.

The roadmap highlights that “the widespread erosion of EAL/D service provision coincides with the persistent stagnation in Australia’s overall student performance in literacy as measured on NAPLAN and the steady decline internationally as measured by literacy tests, PIRLS and PISA.”

This, accompanied by the ever-increasing inequity in funding between state and private schools, is leaving many of our public schools at a social and educational disadvantage.

Funding cuts in public education has been to the detriment of EAL/D learners, as schools grapple with budget constraints to deliver whole school programs.

The roadmap proposes 12 key action points that are aligned to the directions and initiatives of the National Schools Reform Agreement.

Support students, student learning and student achievement

1. Restore adequate needs-based funding for migrant, refugee and Indigenous English language learners.

2. Upgrade EAL/D teaching and learning resources in the Australian curriculum.

3. Leverage quality bilingual, bi-literacy education to improve Indigenous students’ achievement in remote school communities.

4. Guarantee education, training and employment pathways for educationally vulnerable Indigenous, migrant and refugee youth.

Support teaching, school leadership and school improvement

5. Equip all pre-service teachers to cater for EAL/D learners in their classrooms.

6. Revive specialist EAL/D teacher education programs.

7. Rebuild EAL/D professional learning, leadership and school development.

8. Institute systematic, national, evidence-based teacher workforce planning that includes EAL/D specialist teachers.

9. Fast track post-pandemic EAL/D pedagogies of recovery.

Enhancing the national evidence base

10. Implement a nationally agreed measure and method of reporting English language proficiency.

11. Ensure transparency and accountability in the allocation and use of English language proficiency loading.

12. Review reporting, accountability and implementation of international student programs in Australian schools.

ACTA has reached out to us to discuss their findings in their report. We look forward to meeting with them and hope that this will help target some of the necessary changes that need to happen within the field of teaching English as an Additional Language or Dialect.

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A how-to guide to senior teacher status

By Natalie Blewitt Growth Team coordinator

Senior teacher status was developed after it was recognised there was a need to retain competent and experienced teachers in duties directly associated with classroom teaching and learning, and to reward the excellent work and professionalism of experienced classroom teachers who do not wish to move into an administrative role.

The process to become a senior teacher has been streamlined and is now easier than ever.

To be eligible for senior teacher status, you will need to have full registration with the Teacher Registration Board of WA; be a permanent or fixed-term teacher with the Department of Education (DoE); have completed a minimum of 10 full years of contributory service; and have completed relevant professional learning within the last five years.

You can choose one of five options as your pathway to senior teacher status.

Option one: This option requires you to have completed 40 hours of relevant professional learning, which is to have been completed within the last five years. This professional learning must be applied in a school context and align to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Option two: If you have completed a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment or an additional unit(s) in the last two years to maintain currency in a secondary setting; a unit or course at a university which aligns to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers; or an approved research proposal, then this is the option for you.

Option three: If you have worked for another education provider and can provide evidence that the status you

obtained is comparable to the DoE’s senior teacher status, then option three is your best choice. Senior teacher support will assess applications based on supporting written evidence. Evidence provided needs to include a statement of service that confirms the senior teacher status with another education provider.

Option four: You can apply to become a senior teacher if you have acted as a school administrator in a temporary higher duties role. This includes service with another education provider if you can provide a statement of service from the other education authority. You must have been in the acting role for at least two school terms or for six months.

Option five: You have regressed from a school administrator position to a teaching position within the past five years.

If you are unsure about your length of contributory service, give DoE Payroll Services support a call on 9264 8383 to confirm. For further details about senior teacher status or how to apply, please read the information on IKON.

There is no need to wait until you have reached level 2.9, as teachers may make applications to commence required professional learning within two years prior to reaching the top increment of the automatic progression salary scale.

If you are already at level 2.9, consider selecting one of the options above to obtain your senior teacher status today. If your application is successful, you will be in line for a salary increase, with an additional three per cent per annum increase coming into effect in December 2022.

Fresh perspectives and new developments

By Janette Bedwell Women’s contact officer

With the registration of the Schools General Agreement (GA) 2021, I thought this an opportune moment to look at the changes that will benefit women, particularly the new clause in part eight of the GA 2021, personal leave clause 33.

This clause comes into effect on 1 January 2023 and entitles an employee to 15 days of personal leave each year (two days of which do not carry over, so should be used first).

The clause states that the two days of non-cumulative leave will be deducted in the first instance. This is a huge advantage for our members, particularly those who have family responsibilities.

As the clause around personal leave comes into effect, all leave already accumulated will be converted to personal leave.

For many of our members who are permanent or on fixed-term contracts, this means that they can now access their personal leave to undertake caring responsibilities.

Of course, you can only use the leave that you have accumulated under the clause. You can access leave on an hourly

basis, and you will need to identify the reason you are accessing the leave, such as stating whether you are ill or injured, caring for a family member or require leave on compassionate grounds. Evidence needs to be provided if taking more than two consecutive days.

School development days

The allocation of half a day (of the existing two school development days) that is to be reserved for work-related matters at the discretion of the worker is a real bonus, I believe, for many of our members who work part-time or job share. This will create opportunities for members to discuss and share lesson plans, teaching methods and strategies for the year with their fellow teachers, saving time and encouraging transparency and best practice in schools.

Equal Opportunity (EO) Act 1984

In my last article in Western Teacher, I mentioned the EO Act of WA, which makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person on the grounds of breast feeding or bottle feeding. The Department of

Education and the SSTUWA will develop an exchange of letters on this issue, to reinforce provisions within the EO Act around breastfeeding, making it a stronger, more intuitive entitlement.

If you have any questions about the new clauses, please don’t hesitate to contact the union.

The new TAFE General Agreement has recently been to ballot and was accepted by our TAFE members. Once registered in the WAIRC, I look forward to giving a women’s contact officer perspective on the updates.

Anna Stewart Memorial Project

The union congratulates Jill Pether and Jonelle Rafols, the successful SSTUWA applicants for the 2022 Anna Stewart Memorial Project, run by UnionsWA. Jill and Jonelle joined members from other unions across WA for a week of comprehensive industrial training last month, including working here at the SSTUWA office in West Perth, to get an in-depth look at how the union operates. Well done, Jill and Jonelle, we look forward to hearing about your experiences.

Anna Stewart Memorial Project participants Jonelle Rafols and Jill Pether.

How can Australia support more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers?

By Ren Perkins and Marnee Shay University of Queensland

A major federal government review into how we train our teachers was released earlier this year.

This is part of the government’s push to improve Australia’s standing in the international education rankings.

The first two recommendations focus on the important role of Indigenous teachers. Namely, specifically targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a national recruitment campaign.

The government has a history of trying to increase the numbers of Indigenous teachers. We must build on these earlier attempts and centre the voices of Indigenous peoples in implementing programs to support these recommendations if these are to lead to successful outcomes.

The role of Indigenous teachers

There is no shortage of media coverage about Closing the Gap in education. Yet we hear little about the role Indigenous teachers have been playing in Indigenous education over decades.

Australia’s professional standards for teachers highlight the importance of having a teacher workforce capable of teaching Indigenous students, teaching about Australia’s full histories and the importance of reconciliation.

Research also shows Indigenous teachers and support workers in schools bring a wealth of additional knowledges and skills to Australian schools.

These knowledges can include local knowledge of Country, kinship groups, Indigenous languages, community dynamics and politics and embodied knowledges acquired through lived experiences of being an Indigenous person.

Indigenous students and indeed all Australian students benefit from seeing strong Indigenous role models in schools.

However, we also know some Indigenous teachers are encountering racism, have all Indigenous-related issues diverted to them and feel isolated.

What are the gaps?

In the last Australian Census in 2016, Indigenous students accounted for 6.2 per cent of all students.

At the same time, two per cent of Australian teachers identified as Indigenous. The data clearly show there is a gap in equality between Indigenous student numbers and Indigenous teacher numbers.

Currently, there is no national database on teacher retention. The recent Australian Teacher Workforce Data report provides an insight into the difference in retention rates between Indigenous and non-Indigenous teachers.

Indigenous teachers were considerably more likely to intend to leave the profession before they retired (36 per cent), in comparison to the overall teacher workforce (25 per cent).

These are gaps we should be focusing on in Indigenous education policy.

Past programs

The severe shortage of Indigenous teachers has been on government radars for some time. In 2011-2015 the federal government spent A$7.5 million to increase Indigenous teachers in Australian schools.

This was a large investment and the only program of its kind. It was led by three of Australia’s leading Indigenous education scholars.

The number of Indigenous teachers increased by 16.5 per cent during this initiative. This improvement demonstrates what can be achieved under Indigenous leadership.

An evaluation of the funding later found the need for program reform and more policy on how to increase and retain Indigenous teachers.

This includes a focus on improving graduation rates and leadership and workplace opportunities for current Indigenous teachers.

It also needs to include Indigenous teachers’ voices in understanding how to increase and retain Indigenous teachers.

But there has been limited action since this program ended in 2016 until now.

Indigenous-led research

Much of the existing research has been on Indigenous teachers leaving the profession. But a critical resource is those who have remained despite the challenges.

Ren Perkins’ PhD research is looking at this group and what we can learn from them.

Through listening to Indigenous teachers, this research explores why this cohort is staying in the profession beyond the average of six years.

While the study is not yet complete, one of the key themes emerging from this research has been the strength of identity and culture.

Jemimah* shared her perspective on how identity is connected to her role as a teacher:

“I think it’s important for me to enter the field of education, to become part of the community that is Indigenous educators, in the hopes that one day, too, I can help a student find their own place in the schooling system,” she said.

Another Indigenous teacher, Sarah*, shared how her identity informs how she teaches the curriculum, enriching learning experiences for all students:

“Quality teachers should know who all of your students are, but, in particular, why this subject is so important is because of where we are, whose land we’re on and what Country we’re teaching on. It’s a really important part of knowing our history and why we’ve come to this position,” she said.

What next?

The recommendations from this latest report are timely. However, more support through specific programs and funding is needed to transform these recommendations into action.

There is expertise among Indigenous peoples about how to grow the Indigenous teacher workforce – we need to listen and use it.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy. Ren Perkins is a PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland’s School of Education. Marnee Shay is an ARC senior research fellow at the University of Queensland’s School of Education, as well as affiliate senior lecturer, at the university’s Centre for Policy Futures. This article was first published at The Conversation website and is reproduced here with permission. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the SSTUWA or AEU.

focus

Reconciliation in Action Award 2022

Nominations are now open for the SSTUWA’s 2022 Reconciliation in Action Award. This award recognises SSTUWA members who are committed to ensuring that all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have the right to high quality public education in Western Australia.

The award will be presented for:

• Exemplary practice in education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students that focuses on promoting cultural competency. And/or

• Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. And/or

• Working towards the elimination of racism within public education.

Any SSTUWA financial member who has been a member for at least 12 months; a group of SSTUWA financial members or a public school/TAFE (with project run by SSTUWA financial members) are eligible for the award.

The winner will receive a framed certificate and will be automatically nominated for the national AEU Arthur Hamilton Award.

The award will be presented at the November State Council Conference.

For more information about the 2022 RIA award, including the nomination process and forms, visit: www.sstuwa.org.au/ATSI

Nominations close at 3.30pm Friday 14 October.

Pictured below is Clare Stack, the 2021 recipient of the Reconciliation in Action award and runner up of the AEU’s 2021 Arthur Hamilton Award, with SSTUWA President Pat Byrne.

Protecting democracy through education

By Armand Doucet, Michael Soskil, Noah Zeichner

The immediacy of today’s vivid news cycle as Russia invades Ukraine has not spared our children. In our youth, caring adults often buffered us from disturbing topics like war, nuclear threats and human cruelty.

Today, our children have no such insulation. They are overwhelmed with horrific images, graphic videos and politically motivated propaganda in real-time.

Updates and notifications buzz their phones at all hours of the day and night. Provocative content, algorithmically targeted to their online data, oozes into every crack and crevice of their lives.

All of this is hitting them amid a decadelong adolescent mental health crisis and lack of community support amplified through two years of COVID-19-related stress and isolation.

Information overload and a barrage of trauma-inducing experiences have left our children overwhelmed, unsettled and unwell.

In classrooms and at the dinner table, they have asked us about the possibility of nuclear war, how to make sense of conflicting news reports and why world leaders are hellbent on spreading fear, division and hatred.

They question why the power to harm so many is consolidated in the hands of so few. Inherently, they sense injustice and look to their parents and teachers for answers.

These are legitimate questions. Each of us has focused on providing answers in age-appropriate ways. In high school history classes, transitioning from the Cold War to current Russian aggression was natural.

Giving students support in having respectful conversations and considering multiple viewpoints allowed all students, including those with Ukrainian and Russian families, to engage.

Elementary students, less familiar with the details of what’s happening, were reminded that they had caring adults in their life that were available for support. They reviewed basic cybersafety lessons learned in the past: spend time away from devices each day; make sure your information sources are reliable; be thoughtful and kind when interacting online.

For our university preservice teachers, we modelled digital tools to bring diverse, global perspectives to their students in the future.

As teachers, our determination to fight for democratic values must mirror the unwavering resolve that the Ukrainian people have shown fighting for their sovereignty.

The lives of all on this planet are connected and events in one country have global ramifications. Freedom and democracy are fleeting, replaced with oppression if taken for granted.

“Freedom” and “democracy” have increasingly been pawns in polarising political discourse. Now, we see those terms through a new lens as brave Ukrainians make impossible sacrifices to protect their country, friends, families and kids.

We must model for our children the change we want to see. Adding a Ukrainian flag to social media profiles might make us feel better, but our next generation deserves more.

As they’ve grown, we have told them that they should treat others as they wish to be treated. We taught them to tell the truth.

We encouraged them to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. We explained that living in a community means we have both rights and responsibilities to others.

The Russian primary school children, recently arrested for laying flowers and “No War” signs at the Ukraine embassy in Moscow, courageously embody these principles.

Conversations about these values can be uncomfortable because the world rarely offers binary choices and adulthood involves moral ambiguity.

Discomfort cannot prevent us from having the conversations our children need and deserve.

Addressing our children’s concerns and anxiety must start by assuring them that they are safe. They need to be allowed to express their emotions and share worries with adults who listen without judgment.

When our children are not socially and emotionally well, they cannot learn, have genuine civil interactions with others and understand themselves – all foundational characteristics of healthy citizenship.

We don’t have to provide solutions to every problem our children see in the world, but we need to assist them in processing the cacophony of information and emotion in their lives.

Of equal importance, we can work with them to build emotional intelligence. Helping them find shared humanity with others in their community and those in different parts of the world creates the capacity for the nuanced conversations necessary for inclusive local and global communities.

Digital literacy must also be a priority. A population that cannot evaluate sources, identify bias and demand media transparency is susceptible to manipulation and control.

While the Putin regime has relied heavily on disinformation, fake pictures, altered video and blatant lies to justify aggression, these tactics are not unique to Russia.

We’ve seen them used as instruments of division in our own countries. Understanding the flow of information is critical for those who wish to remain free.

Through data mining and social media algorithms, the corrupt and powerful are aiming to radicalise and bond us in ignorance. Those who cannot think for themselves cannot defend themselves.

These issues reflect the complexity of our interconnected world and are not getting simpler. Teaching our students to think critically and see multiple perspectives is critical to their future.

The humanities and exposure to accurate history are how we teach these competencies. While we condemn

Russia’s warmongering, we must also acknowledge that our own countries have been liberators and oppressors at different times in history.

As we celebrate Ukraine’s neighbours for welcoming refugees, we must recognise that those of non-European descent do not always have the same experiences at international borders.

During our focus on these European events, we must question what aggression and occupation in other parts of the globe have we failed to notice and why.

Embracing this complexity and modelling civil discourse on these topics does not show weakness. Instead, it shows we can learn from our collective experiences to create a sense of belonging for everyone.

How will our children look at this time in history in 20 years? The answer to that question lies with us.

Teachers worldwide have shown their resolve in supporting democratic values and collectively participating in professional teachers’ organisations to translate that resolve into action.

Ukrainian teachers have set up classrooms in makeshift subway station bomb shelters, determined to continue supporting their students.

Teachers in Baltic nations, formerly part of the USSR, rallied together in February to combat Russian misinformation about the war. Polish teachers are preparing their classrooms to welcome refugee students once again.

Our colleagues in Africa, Australia and Asia are using discussion circles and other conversation-based teaching methods, allowing students to discuss media bias and current events respectfully.

Across the globe, educators and parents are now recommitting to uphold democratic principles.

The Ukrainian people are standing as the last line of defence between Putin and the West. World leaders, diplomats, businesses and ordinary citizens must

continue to mobilise, protecting the liberty of all those who seek freedom.

Solidarity as educators, committing to fighting misinformation, teaching accurate history and protecting student social-emotional health is also essential.

Education is how we help our children and students to see solutions within themselves. It is how we pass the inherently democratic values of inclusivity, equity and human rights to our next generation.

This moment is an inflection point. The peaceful, democratic world we want for our children is dependent on our actions right now.

Armand Doucet is an award-winning coach, educator, author, speaker, socialentrepreneur and business professional. Michael Soskil is a Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, US Presidential Awardee for Math and Science Teaching and two-time Global Teacher Prize Finalist. Noah Zeichner is a National Board-certified social studies and Spanish teacher in Seattle, Washington. He is a Global Teacher Prize Top-50 Finalist. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of Education International (EI), the AEU or the SSTUWA. This article was first published on the EI website and has been reproduced here with permission.

Fully fund public schools to increase productivity

By Trevor Cobbold Convenor, Save Our Schools Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says that increasing productivity is a priority for the Labor Government. A key component of increasing productivity is improving workforce knowledge and skills.1

However, major barriers to improving Australia’s workforce knowledge and skills include the large proportion of disadvantaged students who do not achieve an adequate level of education and the large achievement gaps between rich and poor.

Over 80 per cent of disadvantaged students attend public schools and they are massively under-funded.

Fully funding public schools will be fundamental to achieving Labor’s goal of increased productivity and economic prosperity because money matters in education.

During the election campaign, Mr Albanese told the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry that a Labor Government would boost productivity by investing in workforce skills and training.

He re-affirmed the government’s priority to increase productivity at the press conference following its first National Cabinet meeting. He said that developing a national skills plan is needed to create the jobs of tomorrow and overcome the skills shortage facing the economy.

There is extensive literature showing that education is strongly associated with higher productivity and economic growth.

One seminal study found that the quantity (years of schooling) and the quality (achievement) of schooling contributed significantly to economic growth across many countries in the last century.

Another seminal study showed that the quality of schooling is a major factor behind differences in national productivity growth.

1

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development studies also confirm education is an important driver of productivity growth. In addition, school education is a prerequisite for higher education which is also shown to contribute to productivity growth.

Similar findings have been made by Australian studies. For example, a report to the federal government by Deloitte Access Economics found that increasing education attainment to Year 12 and beyond school leads to a more productive workforce and increased economic growth.

These studies show that years of schooling and achievement at school matter for productivity and economic growth.

Yet, a significant proportion of students do not complete Year 12 and do not

achieve national literacy and numeracy benchmarks.

The Report on Government Services

2022 shows that nearly 30 per cent of low socio-economic status (SES) students did not complete Year 12 in 2021.

The 2021 NAPLAN report shows that nearly 20 per cent of Year 9 students of low education parents did not achieve the national reading and numeracy benchmarks and 40 per cent did not achieve the writing benchmark.

One-third of Indigenous students did not achieve the reading benchmark, one-fifth did not achieve the numeracy benchmark and nearly 50 per cent did not achieve the writing benchmark.

Note: The public school shares exclude expenditures claimed by state and territory governments as part of their contribution to the SRS of public schools but which are excluded from the measure of the SRS. These claims defraud public schools of at least four per cent of their SRS. They include depreciation, transport to and from school, regulatory authorities, pre-school and early childhood.

Sources: Compiled from figures published by Senate Estimates 2020-21 Budget & 2021-22 Budget, Department of Education, Skills and Training, Choice and Affordability Fund Agreements 2020; Commonwealth-State bilateral school funding agreements, annual reports of state regulatory agencies.1

In addition, there are large attainment and achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students.

Only 72 per cent of low SES students completed Year 12 compared to 82 per cent of high SES students.

Year 9 students of low educated parents are more than two years behind students of high educated parents in reading, writing and numeracy. Indigenous students are about three years behind.

Large disparities in school outcomes are a measure of the potential to improve workforce skills and productivity.

For example, a study published by the US National Bureau of Economic Research shows that bringing all students up to a basic level of education increases work force skills and economic growth.

This requires money. Twenty-six studies since 2015 have shown that increased expenditure on schools improves student outcomes, especially for disadvantaged students.

All this research on the relationship between school education and productivity growth sets a clear direction for education policy and funding by the Labor Government.

Increasing school outcomes for disadvantaged students will not only improve their life chances but will increase Australia’s productivity growth and economic prosperity.

Over 80 per cent of disadvantaged students are in public schools and 98 per cent of all disadvantaged schools are public schools.

Yet, public schools are vastly underfunded for the challenges they face.

At present, public schools in all states except the ACT are funded at less than 90 per cent of their Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) while private schools are funded at above 100 per cent of their SRS in all states except the Northern Territory (see Chart 1).

Public schools will remain at less than 91 per cent until at least 2029 and 2032 in the case of Queensland. Public schools in the Northern Territory will be only funded at 75 per cent of their SRS by 2029 (see Chart 2). In contrast, private schools in all states except the Northern Territory will remain funded at above 100 per cent of their SRS until 2029.

The under-funding of public schools amounts to nearly $7 billion a year. The cumulative under-funding of public schools will amount to about $53 billion over the period 2022 to 2029. NSW public

schools will be under-funded by $14.9 billion, Victorian public schools by $13.5 billion and Queensland public schools by $13.3 billion (see Chart 3). In contrast, private schools will be over-funded by about $5.3 billion over the period.

For the last nine years, the role of the Commonwealth Government in school funding under the Coalition was to support inequity and privilege in education rather than equity. This was done through multi-billion dollar special deals for private schools.

It is unconscionable that the school sector which accounts for a small minority of disadvantaged students is over-funded while public schools, which account for the vast majority of these students are massively under-funded and will remain so for the rest of the decade. Apart from reducing the life chances of many

students, this misdirection of funding has served as a barrier to increasing national productivity and economic growth. Labor was practically silent on funding for public schools during the election campaign. It needs to stand up for public education while in government. In his speech to the Chamber of Commerce, Mr Albanese said that “Labor will always look after the disadvantaged”. It is time to make this a practical reality if he is serious about increasing productivity. It must ensure that public schools are fully funded at 100 per cent of their SRS within the next four years.

This article was first published at SOS Australia website and is reproduced here with permission. The opinions expressed in this article is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the SSTUWA or AEU.

Sources: See Chart 1.

Sources: Updated SOS estimates.

National education and union news

Investing in women could generate billions annually

An estimated $111 billion can be generated every year by cutting gender inequality at work by half, according to a new report from the ACTU.

The Delivering Equity for Women at Work report explains that another 893,000 women would be in the workforce if they were able to participate at the same rate as men.

Even if just half that number were supported to get into work, they would earn an extra $26 billion each year.

Due to the gender pay gap, men earn $472 more each week than women (on average). If that gap was cut in half, women would take home an additional $85 billion.

With the participation and pay gap halved, $111 billion would be generated for women’s economic security and our national income.

The barriers preventing this are the significant and unequal care burden on women, the undervaluation of their work, and discrimination and harassment at work.

To make progress in removing these barriers the report makes 14 recommendations. These include:

• Increase paid parental leave from 18 to 26 weeks and map out a path to lifting it to 52 weeks by 2030. Leave should be offered on a

shared basis between parents, with incentives to drive equal parenting. Superannuation must be paid on all leave.

• Take steps to progressively make early childhood education and care free and accessible. Increases to childcare subsidies planned for 1 July 2023 must be brought forward to 1 January 2023, to relieve cost-ofliving pressures on families and enable more workers to fill critical skill shortages.

• Establish a National Care Compact to address the crisis facing workers in the care economy, including aged care, early childhood education and care, disability support and other social services. The care compact should make the care economy a great place to work by addressing pay, job security, workloads, skills and career progression and work health and safety.

• Introduce multi-employer bargaining which will also increase access to bargaining for many feminised industries like childcare, aged care and cleaning, where lack of access to enterprise bargaining has suppressed wages.

ACTU President Michele O’Neil said Australia had the second worst government-funded paid parental leave scheme in the developed world.

“In 2022 women shouldn’t have to give up on having a family and men shouldn’t miss out on being involved in raising their kids because paid parental leave is insufficient,” she said.

“Early childhood education and care will pay for itself by women being able to work and pay tax. Bringing it forward and eventually making it free should be a nobrainer.

“Multi-employer bargaining would give millions of workers, most of them women, meaningful access to bargaining for the first time. It will be a boost for wage growth generally, but especially for feminised industries where the current system has systemically suppressed wages.

“Australia can generate $111 billion by increasing women’s workforce participation. We can fix the skills shortage if we take action to support women to win well paid and rewarding jobs and careers. There may be no greater measure to boost national productivity and economic growth than delivering respect and equity for women at work.

“Right now, women are leaving the industry in droves, but this sector could be a big source of secure, well-paid jobs in the future.”

Download the Delivering Equity for Women at Work report in full at bit.ly/3S0fq5W

TAFE funding win

The Australian Education Union has warmly welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of 180,000 fee free TAFE places, made during his Jobs and Skills Summit opening address last month.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also announced that $1.1 billion in funding for the new places will be shared by the states, territories and the Commonwealth.

These new places come on top of the 465,000 fee free TAFE places announced prior to the 2022 federal election.

“Australia is facing skills shortages across states and territories, and across industries. There is an urgent need for skilled workers to secure our economy now and into the long term,” AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said.

“In making this announcement at the start of his opening address, the Prime Minister has acknowledged the critical role TAFE plays in Australia’s vocational education and training system and placed it at the heart of the national jobs and skills agenda.

ACTU welcomes action on EBA terminations

The ACTU has welcomed the commitment from Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke to stop employers using the threat of EBA terminations as a bargaining tactic.

The practice of employers threatening to terminate existing agreements if workers refuse to sign on to a new EBA has exploded in recent years and has given employers immense power in the bargaining process. This has occurred in universities, railways, factories, ports, airlines and hundreds of other workplaces across the country.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus (pictured) said using the threat of termination as a bargaining tactic was unacceptable.

“The law was never intended to operate this way and this loophole is being used and abused by bad employers,” she said.

“Allowing employers to threaten massive cuts to pay and conditions unless workers sign on to a new EBA is not a fair process.

“We need to fix our broken bargaining system so that it produces the wage growth working people and the economy needs to get back on track. This is one of the issues that needs to be addressed.

“TAFE is the best place to ensure the workers we need gain the skills and knowledge required to fill workforce gaps.

“Across hundreds of campuses across Australia, TAFE provides high quality vocational education to thousands of students.

“With funding and investment, like that announced this morning, TAFE can continue to provide high quality vocational education to help Australia rebuild following the pandemic, address skills shortages in labour market and help ensure our future economic security.”

“After a decade of inaction and neglect under the previous government it’s encouraging to see a government standing up for working people and doing what is needed to get wage growth moving again.”

Education & Training Centre

Term 4 calendar of events

Week Event Date Time

1 2022 Women’s Conference

2 Approaches to the Sustainability CrossCurriculum Priority (online)

2 Sensory Regulation and Processing for the Students with ASD (online)

2 Union Representative Training Level Two: Schools (TUT)

2 Writing a Competitive Job Application for Teaching Positions

3 Education Specific Five-Day Introductory Course for Health and Safety Reps (HSRs)

3 Union Representative Training Level One: Schools (TUT) via Zoom

3 Union Representative Training Level One: Schools (TUT)

3 Know Your Rights 2021 New Agreement TAFE (Rockingham)

4 Your New Agreement 2021: Schools

4 Keeping Educators Skilled Up and Safe (TUT)

5 Early Childhood Forum (TUT)

5 State Council Conference (TUT)

6 Union Representative Training: Growth Coaching (TUT)

6 Union Representative Training Level One: Schools (TUT)

8 Aspiring Union Representatives Training (TUT)

8 National New Educators Conference

Thursday 13 October 9am – 3.30pm

Wednesday 19 October 3 – 4pm

Wednesday 19 October 2.30 – 3.30pm

Thursday – Friday 20 – 21 October 9am – 3pm

Saturday 22 October 9am – 12.30pm

Monday – Friday 24 – 28 October 9am – 4pm

Tuesday 25 October 9am – 3pm

Thursday – Friday 27 – 28 October 9am – 3pm

Friday 28 October 9am – 3pm

Tuesday 1 November 9am – 3pm

Wednesday 2 November 9am – 3pm

Tuesday 8 November 12.15 – 3.30pm

Friday 11 November 9am – 5pm

Thursday 17 November 9am – 3pm

Thursday – Friday 17 – 18 November 9am – 3pm

Monday 28 November 9am – 3pm

Saturday – Sunday 3 – 4 December 9am – 3pm

Visit sstuwa.org.au/training to read further details about the above events

2022 Women’s Conference (TUT) Break the Bias: Women Empowering Women Thursday 13 October

The SSTUWA is delighted to offer the annual Women’s Conference in 2022. This is an opportunity for women educators to hear from and connect with women from our union, workplaces and community who will share their insight into how women empowering each other can create change. Come together at this conference to identify and celebrate the achievements of amazing women, as well as developing your own skills and desire to choose to break the bias.

Keynote speaker:

Rabia Siddique - Australian criminal and human rights lawyer, retired British Army officer, former terrorism and war crimes prosecutor, hostage survivor

Rabia Siddique is an international humanitarian lawyer, retired British Army senior officer, former war crimes and terrorism prosecutor and hostage survivor. She has undertaken humanitarian aid work in Asia, South America, Europe and the Middle East, for which she was decorated by Queen Elizabeth II.

Rabia Siddique’s best-selling memoir Equal Justice: My Journey as a Woman, a Soldier and a Muslim was published by Pan MacMillan in 2013 and work is currently underway to adapt this to a movie. She is currently writing her second book A Beautiful Revolution, a book about the power we all have to be the change in our lives and in the world around us.

Rabia Siddique is now a multi award-winning storyteller, inspirational speaker, leadership consultant, media commentator and human rights advocate. Peace, equity and the sustainability of our planet is what drives her. But Rabia’s biggest challenge and joy is being a mother to her young triplet sons!

Featured speaker: Becky Felstead – Perth’s go to person for advice and information on sexual harassment, bullying and culture change

On a mission to empower society, Becky Felstead brings her knowledge of the wellness industry, a background in photojournalism and, most recently, her lived experience of sexual harassment, workplace and culture to her work. Starting on this trajectory, Becky has been liberating women through her sold out events throughout Perth. But empowerment is a two-pronged approach. It’s about addressing the pain and trauma, but it’s also about acknowledging the system and working to change it.

Breakout workshops

¨ Your New Agreement 2021 – What’s Important to Know for Women – Sharmila Nagar, SSTUWA vice president and Cherry Bogunovich, SSTUWA education officer

¨ Assertiveness for Women – Vanessa Herbert, PDT Consultancy

¨ Sexual Harassment Know Where the Line is – Diana MacTiernan, Equal Opportunity Commission

¨ Finding Your Voice - Breaking the Bias – Emma Lowe, AEU Federal women’s officer and Janette Bedwell, SSTUWA women’s contact officer

Closing Session: Lois Olney – jazz singer

Lois Olney was always told her Aboriginal mother had put her up for adoption. However, a note scrawled on a pie wrapper and passed on to her while singing on stage gave the first inkling she was stolen as a baby. Growing up in Perth, Lois discovered a gift for singing and started performing at a young age. Sit back and enjoy listening to this talented jazz singer, accompanied by guitarist Dave Johnson.

Member benefits

Accountants and Financial Advisers

Aston Accountants

10% discount on personal income tax returns for members. sstuwa.org.au/aston

Industry Fund Services Specialist financial products for union members. sstuwa.org.au/ifs

LIFE Financial Planners

$1,200 off your statement of advice fee plus a free financial health check for members. sstuwa.org.au/lifefinancial

Teacher Tax $99 tax returns for members. sstuwa.org.au/teachertax

TIPS Financial Services

$1,100 discount on your TIPS Transition to Retirement strategy or Retirement plan. Exclusive to members. sstuwa.org.au/tipsfs

Banking

ME Bank

Special offers throughout the year for members. A bank built by, and for, union members. sstuwa.org.au/mebank

Mortgages, Money and Me Complimentary advice, property reports, finance tools and more for SSTUWA members. sstuwa.org.au/mmme

OFX Money Transfers

When it matters, OFX it. Save with the experts in international money transfers. sstuwa.org.au/ofx

Teachers Mutual Bank Banking exclusively for the education community. sstuwa.org.au/tmbank

Cars

Allwest Fleet

Vehicle salary packaging – save time, money and tax. Receive a $300 gift card with your new car. sstuwa.org.au/allwestfleet

Massive discounts on products and services for SSTUWA members

AutoBahn

Mechanical and electrical services.

Members receive $20 off any service or 5% off any repair. sstuwa.org.au/autobahn

Bayswater Mazda

Exclusive offer including $500 fuel card, 4 years free service and more. sstuwa.org.au/bayswatermazda

Bob Jane T-Marts

National fleet pricing on a range of products and services. sstuwa.org.au/bobjane

easifleet

$250 Magic Hand Carwash voucher with any easifleet procured novated lease. sstuwa.org.au/easifleet

Europcar

10% discount on vehicle hire in Australia. sstuwa.org.au/europcar

Fleet Network

Package your next car and save on tax. Bonus gift with vehicle delivery. sstuwa.org.au/fleetnetwork

Motor Market by Union Shopper

You choose the car, then we find you the lowest price. sstuwa.org.au/motormarket tyresales.com.au

10% discount on tyres. sstuwa.org.au/tyresales

Western Motor Vehicle Consultants

We’ll find a car you’ll love. Save time and money when sourcing your next vehicle. sstuwa.org.au/westernmotors

Computers

Altronics

Build it yourself electronics centre. VIP trade discount in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/altronics

Apple on Campus

For details visit: sstuwa.org.au/apple

Dell

Save up to 5% off selected items. sstuwa.org.au/dell

HP Computers

Huge savings for members on laptops, accessories, printers and more. sstuwa.org.au/hp

PLE Computers

Save on your IT with access to the PLE Computers academic portal. sstuwa.org.au/ple

The Good Guys Commercial

Online access to live discounted pricing on The Good Guys’ range. sstuwa.org.au/thegoodguys

Educational Resources

Classroom Management

A Thinking and Caring Approach. By Barrie Bennett and Peter Smilanich. sstuwa.org.au/classroommgmt

Effective Group Work

Beyond Cooperative Learning. By Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/effectivegroupwork

Graphic Intelligence

Possibilities for Assessment and Instruction. By Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/graphicintelligence

Instructional Intelligence

Building Instructional Expertise for the Classroom. An SSTUWA project in collaboration with Barrie Bennett. sstuwa.org.au/instructionalintelligence

Teacher Superstore

5-10% discount, in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore

Entertainment

Movie tickets

Discounts on physical tickets (greater savings) and instant digital tickets. sstuwa.org.au/movietickets

Outback Splash

Featuring both water and year-round attractions. Discounted tickets for members. sstuwa.org.au/outbacksplash

Rockface

Indoor rock climbing in Balcatta. $15 all day climbing pass with harness hire. sstuwa.org.au/rockface

Food and Wine

Campbells

Access wholesale prices with a complimentary day pass. sstuwa.org.au/campbells

Cellar d’Or

Best value winery tour in the Margaret River Region. 10% discount for members. sstuwa.org.au/cellardor

Cracka Wines

7.5% off online wine orders. sstuwa.org.au/cracka

Taste Bud Tours

Swan Valley “Speed Grazing” – 20% discount. Good Food, Wine & Cider (am) or Good Food, Wine & Beer (pm). sstuwa.org.au/tastebudtours

Health and Wellbeing

Goodlife Health Clubs

20% discount on platinum 12 month memberships. Includes access to all Goodlife Health Clubs in WA. sstuwa.org.au/goodlife

St John

First aid saves lives. Discounted first aid courses and kits for members. sstuwa.org.au/stjohn

WA Opticians

20% discount on spectacle frames and lenses. Perth and East Perth. sstuwa.org.au/waopticians

Housing Houspect

Buy, build and invest with confidence. $50 discount on building inspections. sstuwa.org.au/houspect

Johns Building Supplies

Trade prices on paint and painters’ hardware. Builders prices on all other hardware lines. sstuwa.org.au/jbs

SkylightsWA

Specialising in skylights and roof ventilation, servicing all regions of WA. 7% discount off selected products. sstuwa.org.au/skylightswa

Insurance and Legal

ISinsured

Insurance for union members. Home, contents, car, landlords. sstuwa.org.au/isinsured

SSTUWA Legal Services

Access to quality legal services for both work-related and personal matters. sstuwa.org.au/legal

Teachers Health Fund

Join the thousands of teachers who have already made the switch. sstuwa.org.au/teachershealth

Teachers Health – Travel

For details visit: sstuwa.org.au/travelinsurance

Shopping

Dot Mall

BBQs, heaters and backyard kitchens. 5% discount for members. sstuwa.org.au/dotmall

Electrical buying

Let Union Shopper find the best deal on your electrical purchases. sstuwa.org.au/electricalbuying

isubscribe

Up to an extra 10% off any print and digital magazine subscription; over 4,000 titles. sstuwa.org.au/isubscribe

Jackson’s Drawing Supplies

10% discount in Jackson’s 12 shops and online. sstuwa.org.au/jacksons

Petals Flowers & Gifts

20% off flowers and gifts. World-wide delivery available. sstuwa.org.au/petals

Teacher Superstore

5-10% discount, in store and online. sstuwa.org.au/teachersuperstore

The Good Guys Commercial

Online access to live discounted pricing on The Good Guys’ full range. sstuwa.org.au/thegoodguys

Vet Products Direct

10% discount on pet products, plus advice from professionals. sstuwa.org.au/vetpro

Travel and Accommodation

Accor Hotels

Great savings for teachers at Accor Hotels in the Asia Pacific region. sstuwa.org.au/accorhotels

Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels welcomes SSTUWA members with exclusive rates at locations in Australia and NZ. sstuwa.org.au/choicehotels

Comfort Hotel Perth City

Rooms from $145 per night including Light Start Breakfast for two. Located near the WACA in East Perth. sstuwa.org.au/comfortperth

Experience Oz

Save 10% on over 3,000 experiences across Oz + NZ. sstuwa.org.au/experienceoz

Inn the Tuarts Guest Lodge

Forest retreat, 4-star, with indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and BBQ. Adults (12 years+) only. Five minutes to Busselton. Studios and rooms. 22.5% off rack rate or best available rate.

sstuwa.org.au/innthetuarts

Jarrah Grove Forest Retreat

Luxurious, self-contained accommodation in Margaret River. Discounted rates for members. sstuwa.org.au/jarrahgrove

Mandurah Houseboats

10% discount on houseboat holidays. sstuwa.org.au/houseboats

Rottnest ferry tickets

Save up to $15 on Rottnest ferry tickets with WestClub. sstuwa.org.au/rottnest

Classifieds

Block for sale: Jurien Bay

700sqm fully serviced, ready to build on, one block back from beach. Close to schools, town centre, marina and recreational water activities. Perfect holiday, retiree or seachange locale. $108,000 (negotiable).

Peter: 0437 377 361 | westside@tower.net.au

Block for sale: Singleton

806sqm (cleared) quiet street, easy walking distance to beach, shops, schools and ovals. $315,000 (negotiable).

Jenny: 0435 257 124

Albany (Little Grove)

Silent Grove Cottage. Self-contained two bedroom (queen/two singles) on two hectares of bushland. Undercover parking. Close to yacht club, walking/ bike trails, national park and beaches. Teachers’ rate: $150 per night. Stay seven, get one free. www.silentgrove.iinet.net.au 9844 4950 | merron@iinet.net

Augusta

3x1 spacious holiday rental. One double, one queen, five singles. 200m from the river and town. Magnificent river views. One large living area, three sided veranda and BBQ. Provide own linen and towels. $150 per night plus $50 cleaning fee. gregrowl@iinet.net.au

Balingup surrounds Farm accommodation surrounded by nature and wildlife. Located near Balingup, Nannup and Busselton. Pick your own avocados. Main house (three bedrooms, $300/night) or Quarters (one bedroom, $150/night). info@avodale.com

Cowaramup (Margaret River Region)

Private B&B within newly built home. Parkland setting. Private queen bedroom, bathroom and breakfast room. Private entry and dedicated parking. 10 mins to Margaret River, Gracetown, central to wineries/breweries and beaches. $120 per night per couple including breakfast. Lee: 0412 902 932

Dunsborough (Quindalup)

Large 4x2 holiday home on Geographe Bay Rd. Swimming beach 30m away. Free use of private boat mooring. Room to park boats with boat ramp a minute away. Slow combustion wood heater and reversecycle air-con. Available all year except for leavers’ vacation. No pets. 0419 943 203 a_r_moore@bigpond.com

Email 50 words or fewer

Dwellingup

Après Huit and Dwell Cottage provide luxury self-contained accommodation set in beautifully landscaped gardens. Can be rented separately or together. Après Huit: 2x2, main house. Dwell Cottage: 1x1, furnished in a French theme. Robert: 0419 954 079 dwellcottage.com.au

Dwellingup

In need of a tree change? Time out to reconnect with nature? Time for a vacation in Dwellingup’s Jarrah forest, 90 minutes from Perth. Chuditch Holiday Home is perfect for couples, groups and families. It’s centrally located and sleeps up to eight people. Shani: 0402 615 235 shanivore@hotmail.com

Floreat

Studio B&B. New, stylish single room. Fridge, kitchenette, TV, aircon in lovely peaceful Floreat house and garden. Linen, tea/coffee, continental/cooked breakfast ingredients supplied. Suit mature person wishing to enjoy quiet accommodation. Close to city, buses, shops, hospitals and beaches. $85 per night, min two nights. Weekly and monthly rates available. SMS: 0422 333 057

Frankland River

Escape to the country. Imagine waking up to uninterrupted views of paddocks and trees with peace, quiet and tranquility. Choose a 3 bedroom house or a cosy cabin set on picturesque 83 acres. A great place to relax and unwind. franklandriver.com.au Jade: 0430 450 093 | Sam: 0413 160 093

Fremantle

Short term accommodation in central Fremantle. Recently refurbished with all conveniences for modern living. Townhouse has three queen-sized

bedrooms plus provision for two singles. Enjoy time in the rear garden, complete with BBQ. Secure parking for two cars, access controlled by electric gates. 9430 4458 | 0407 083 174 info@westerley.com.au

Fremantle

Staycation? Attending a function?

Cosmopolitan getaway? Fremantle is the place. Cafes, restaurants and breweries. Markets, beach, art galleries, museums, theatre, events, shopping, skate park, Ferris wheel, whale watching... What more could you want? Eco-Gallery Apartment is stylish, centrally located, sleeps three and has secure parking. (08) 6323 2339 | admin@smartstaywa.com.au

Kallaroo

Serenity Escape is a 2x1 apartment with full kitchen, offering comfort and convenience. 20 min walk to beach, 5 min drive to train station, walking distance to Whitfords Brewing Co, cinema and shops. Toiletries, slippers and coffee machine provided. Min 2 nights. Sleeps 4, or 5 with mattress. No pets. $125/night for 3 people; $10/night per extra person.

Molly: 0428 166 559 | mollysletters@gmail.com

Kalbarri

Clean, tidy, self-contained family-friendly 3x1 brick house at the top end of a quiet cul-de-sac. Sleeps 8: 2 x queen beds and 2 x bunk beds. Close to Blue Holes Beach, 15 min walk to town.

kalbarriwa.net.au | 0435 845 504

Lancelin

Large 5x2 holiday home. Everything within walking distance, close to beaches and town centre. Sleeps 14. Large wrap around verandah with outdoor seating/ eating and bbq. Heaps of parking for boats or quads. $45/night/person (min 6). Min 2 nights.

SMS: 0412 804 345

for

Classifieds

Margaret River

Two bedrooms, private, comfortable, fully equipped stone cottage with fireplace, located amongst the forest opposite Boranup National Park, 17km south of Margaret River on Caves Road. Close to beaches, wineries, caves and galleries. $150 per night for two people, or provide own linen and towels for $120 per night.

Russell: 0418 933 270

Nannup

Seraphim Retreat is a pet friendly 3x1 character farm cottage, five minutes from friendly Nannup. Set in acreage, with established gardens and stunning valley views. Air conditioned and wood heater. Horse riders can bring their horses to access our arena and trails. Teacher discount: $159 weekends, $149 midweek. See website for details. seraphimretreatnannup.com SMS 0420 832 510

Safety Bay

Very clean and tidy, traditional style 3x1 duplex in Safety Bay. Fully furnished and equipped. One street from beach. Presently a minimum stay requirement (this may change). cnjn@aapt.net.au

Trigg

Self contained accommodation. Kitchen, laundry, queen sized bed plus fold out double couch in lounge. Free WiFi and Netflix. Own entrance. Find us on Facebook. Kerry: 0409 884 330 | FB: @justriggin 67justriggin@gmail.com

Yallingup

Rammed earth cottage, 2x1, nestled amongst bushland. Well located, short walk to Studio Gallery Bistro, two-minute drive to Caves House. Beaches, galleries, wineries and restaurants close by. Sleeps six. No dogs. stayz.com.au (property 136151)

Kirsty: 0419 927 660

Tranquillity Counselling, Psychotherapy and Career Development

I provide holistic, confidential practical counselling to help you deal with an array of issues, some being: general relationship, mental health, anger issues/management, anxiety, depression, self-harm, grief and trauma, addiction, abuse, palliative care. Milica Robinson, MCnsig&Psychthpy, GradCertCareerDev, BEd. 0422 358 187

Retirement coach

Are you recently retired or retiring soon?

You probably have a financial plan in place but developing a plan for the non-financial side of retirement can be as important as preparing financially. I offer support and guidance for the transition from work to retirement, helping you to find purpose and meaning in retirement. Contact me to arrange an obligation free chat. retirementcoaching01@gmail.com

Marriage celebrant

Marriage celebrant with 12 years of experience, working in the Peel, South West and Perth areas. Specialising in creating personalised ceremonies for couples at their chosen wedding location. I’d love to help you plan your special day!

Meridith: 0400 312 535 meri.lake4@gmail.com

Marriage celebrant

Heart Centered Ceremonies for couples wanting a personalised wedding. Lee will help you design your dream wedding – a memorable occasion. Mention this ad to receive a discount. Lee: 0404 655 567 leehalligancelebrant.com.au

Marriage celebrant

Experienced professional celebrant available, all areas. Formal or informal, large or small weddings. A Beautiful Ceremony will help you design an unforgettable and uniquely personal ceremony. Mary: 0418 906 391 maryburke40@hotmail.com

Learn to social dance

Learn jive, waltz, rumba, samba, tango and other dances for social events (ball, wedding, cruise, etc). A fun and easy course with quality instruction. Join with or without a partner. Melville (LeisureFit) Recreation Centre. Mondays 7.30-9pm. $118/8 weeks. Beginners’ course held every term. Term 4 2022 starts 17 October.

Stan: 9330 6737 | stan@stansdancing.com

First aid training for students

St John Ambulance WA offers free first aid training to all school aged students, ranging from Triple 000 Hero for kindergarten students to Road Trauma First Aid for secondary school students. Courses are curriculum mapped. 9334 1259 | youth@stjohnambulance.com.au

Macramé is the new yoga

I'm a teacher running small group macramé classes in a cosy home studio. Join me and discover the power of mindfulness as you learn to engage your mind and your hands in a fun supportive environment. It's a powerful way to calm a busy mind. marcia@knotinlove.com.au

Cricket umpires wanted

The Bunbury & Districts Cricket Association is seeking umpires for the coming season. Training is provided and remuneration is provided for every match officiated in. Matches are Saturdays between late October and March in the Bunbury region.

Russell: russell.bdca@gmail.com

Reading books

Our school has had a big clean up of resources and we have many reading books to donate to a school or charity in need. There are approximately 3,000 varying from class readers to novel sets. If this is of interest, email: claire.barbosa@education.wa.edu.au

Noticeboard

Retired Teachers’ Association

The choir continues to practise and hopes to give a small public performance.

The literature group continued with Peter Hopper speaking on 3 October. Ann Strauss will give a talk on 17 October.

AGM was held on

September.

guest

Town Hall.

Offen

he spoke about

World Teachers Day 2022

World Teachers Day is celebrated globally on 5 October and in Australia on 28 October. The day is an opportunity to celebrate and thank teachers for their important role in our communities and for the positive impact they have on the lives of students.

For more information visit: unesco.org/en/days/teachers-day and worldteachersday.edu.au

Anti-Poverty Week: 16-22 Oct

Anti-Poverty Week supports the Australian community to have an increased understanding of poverty and to take action collectively to end it. Poverty exists. Poverty hurts us all. We can all do something about it. In 2022, Anti-Poverty Week will be held from 16-22 October. It runs to coincide with the United Nations Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October. For more information visit: antipovertyweek.org.au

SSTUWA

Childhood Educators’

TAFE Committee

State Council Conference

November State Council

Educator Committee

2022 World Mental Health Day and WA Mental Health Week

World Mental Health Day on 10 October raises awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health. The theme for World Mental Health Day 2022 is Making Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority. WA Mental Health Week runs 8-15 October and is timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The theme for this year’s events is: Where we live. How we live. What we’ve lived.

For more information and resources visit: who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day/2022 and mentalhealthweek.org.au

Level 3 Classroom Teachers’

School Psychologist

4.30pm

Women’s Committee

13 December

LGBTIQ Committee

4pm

October

ATSIE Committee

Time: 4pm

October