March 2024 Western Teacher

In this edition

Correspondence:

The Editor, PO Box 212, West Perth WA 6872

editor@sstuwa.org.au | Ph: 9210 6000

Member Assist:

Ph: 9210 6060

memberassist@sstuwa.org.au

Print post publication 100004470 | $4.95

ABN: 544 780 946 35

Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of W.A., 1 West Street, West Perth WA. Printed by Vanguard Press, 26 John Street, Northbridge WA. March 2024. Cover:

to the AEU Federal Conference met last month, where a report was released detailing the $30 billion capital funding divide in Australia’s schools. Read more on pages 4-5 and 10. Photo credit: AEU Federal. To access the digital copy of Western Teacher, visit: sstuwa.org.au/westernteacher

Fixing the infrastructure funding shortfall

By Matt Jarman President

There is a myriad of issues in public education that are demanding more attention and resources, from workload, to teacher shortages and funding.

The funding problem received a huge boost in January with the announcement of a new agreement that would pave the way for public schools in WA to receive 100 per cent of the School Resourcing Standard (SRS). It is critical to highlight that the details of this deal are far from confirmed, whilst other states and the Northern Territory continue to negotiate.

While this reform has certainly been

One of these is new infrastructure funding, which has been below par and in decline for a very long time, and likely not to be covered by the recent SRS negotiations between state and federal governments.

A new report from the AEU – Ending the Capital Funding Divide in Australia’s Schools – has revealed that nationally there is a $30 billion divide in government capital infrastructure spending between private and public schools.

Five private schools spent more on new facilities in 2021 than governments spent on over half the public schools

According to the report, in WA the average annual per student capital investment from 2012-2021 was $1,487 public and $2,249 private.

The state government would have had to spend $2.1 billion more over 2012-2021 to match the per student investment of private schools in capital works over that period. You can read more about the AEU report on page 10 of this Western Teacher.

What does this lack of infrastructure funding look like for our public educators and students?

Here in WA, we have received complaints from members about inadequate air conditioning in classrooms, with the extreme heat affecting students’ ability to learn.

...despite the benefits of modern and well‐designed learning spaces and continual population growth, over the last decade infrastructure in Australia’s public schools has been steadily deteriorating, and Australia’s public school building stock has a high prevalence of aging buildings with issues ranging from leaking roofs to unstable structures and inadequate facilities...all of which are essential for a holistic education.

Read the report at sstuwa.org.au/ForEveryChild

The scorching temperatures in Perth since the start of Term 1 have also prompted many frustrated teachers to take to social media to complain about trying to teach in sweltering conditions.

Some teachers reported temperatures in their classrooms which exceeded the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice. They have said crayons and glue sticks are melting, with one socials post saying the toilet block was cooler than the classrooms.

Many schools in Perth and the regions still have evaporative systems, some of which were more than 20 years old. We have received complaints from teachers and school leaders that these air conditioning systems are barely functional in the type of weather we’ve been experiencing lately.

Any parent will know that trying to get

children, especially younger ones, to concentrate when they’re hot and sweaty is incredibly difficult, and teachers have been telling us that many children are not able to learn in these conditions.

Another issue members have raised regarding old evaporative systems is the noise level. Some members have told us turning on the old air conditioning sounds like a plane taking off, and they have to shout to be heard about the noise.

If students can’t hear their teacher above the air con, it’s going to affect their ability to learn.

What we need is proper infrastructure funding and a detailed plan to replace old evaporative systems with reverse cycle air conditioning. This is a simple case of wellbeing and safety.

We need public schools, which educate over two-thirds of students in WA at both primary and secondary level to have access to the billion dollars in infrastructure funds that only private schools get to use, so that we can create the proper learning environment for all students in the public school system.

Nationally the AEU is calling for an injection of $1.25 billion in capital funding for public schools, with an ongoing fund

that matches the per student investment of the Commonwealth in private schools.

This fight for infrastructure funding fairness rides alongside our efforts to build on the first steps toward funding reform announced by the Minister last month.

We are still seeking the reinstatement in its own right of the four per cent that was absorbed into the state’s share after

General Agreement 2023

Schools:

As stated in the eNews sent to school members on 5 March, the SSTUWA has received an offer for a replacement General Agreement (Schools), which Executive has subsequently declined.

See page six for a detailed explanation of the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) process.

Schools and TAFE:

The latest information on the schools and TAFE EBA negotiations will be circulated via eNews and sstuwa.org.au

previously being paid as an additional amount.

This four per cent was worth $230 million in 2023 to WA public school students.

The Cook Government needs to move forward urgently to direct funding where it is most needed and to fix public education.

The fight for fair funding is critical and ongoing, and one that will continue on all fronts.

Negotiations process for the Schools EBA

From Log of Claims development through to new Agreement implementation, members are at the centre of the enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) process.

1 The Log of Claims is developed

An extensive and cyclical consultation process is followed which allows all members the opportunity to contribute. The Log of Claims is put to an all school member vote for endorsement. If accepted, the document is used as the basis for negotiating a replacement Schools Industrial Agreement and amendments to the Teachers’ Award 1993.

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The Log of Claims is served on the employer, negotiations commence

During the process, the employer – the Department of Education (DoE) – can also present to the union their proposed changes to the Agreement and Award. Negotiations proceed

SSTUWA senior officers and senior DoE staff meet regularly to discuss the SSTUWA Log of Claims and DoE proposed changes (if any).

5 The employer makes an offer

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The DoE considers each proposed change and either accepts or rejects it or provides a counter offer. Several factors will come into play, such as government policy, budgetary requirements and feasibility of implementation. This will then be provided to the union as an official offer of terms for a new Agreement/ changes to the Award. Some items may be included by way of letters of commitment instead of amendments to the Agreement/Award.

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Industrial action may be considered

The union may consider implementing industrial action once the current Agreement expires. The decision to commence industrial action is not taken lightly, and Executive must authorise members to take said action.

It is essential that all members participate in industrial actions when directed by Executive.

SSTUWA Executive consider the offer

The SSTUWA Executive will consider and discuss the offer and if suitable will accept it. The offer will then become an agreement-in-principle.

7 Members vote

Once an agreement-in-principle has been reached, it will be put to all members covered by the Agreement for consideration.

If the majority of members vote to approve the agreement-in-principle, the parties will ask the WA Industrial Relations Commission to register the Agreement, which will then become the new conditions of work for the period of time designated in the Agreement.

If the majority of members vote not to approve the agreement-in-principle, negotiations may be reopened. Alternatively, if the parties cannot reach agreement, they may seek formal arbitration by the Industrial Relations Commission.

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If the offer is deemed unacceptable, then Executive will decline the offer and negotiations will continue, with the DoE making subsequent offer/s. Executive may decide to continue with or amend any industrial action in place. At any stage, either party may request to move to formal binding arbitration.

New conditions are implemented

Once a new Agreement has been registered, the new terms and conditions are implemented.

Negotiated pay increases may be backdated to the date agreed to during the negotiations. In an act of goodwill, this is generally – but does not have to be – the date of expiry of the previous Agreement.

Authorised by Mary Franklyn, General Secretary, The State School Teachers’ Union of

Facing the facts spurs change

By Natalie Blewitt Senior Vice President

When the SSTUWA commissioned a review and the panel released its report into the state of public education in WA, Facing the Facts, we knew that things had to change in the sector to ensure its success in the long-term.

The results were sobering but the truth behind the health of public education in Western Australian schools had to be revealed by the Lawrence Review in order to fully resource it to the level needed.

The first step towards this was the announcement in January of a new in-principle funding agreement that will begin the journey towards delivering 100 per cent of the School Resourcing Standard (SRS) to WA public schools. There is still at least another four per cent in funding to be recovered and we need clarity on what conditions might accompany the funding.

The union has no doubt Facing the Facts has played an influential role in securing this agreement, backed up by the tireless efforts of its members over the years in campaigning for public education. Facing the Facts also triggered the minister to order a red tape review which confirmed the findings of Dr Carmen Lawrence AO and her team.

The welcome announcement of improved funding for public schools directly addresses recommendation 17 of the Lawrence report – and perhaps opens the door for consideration of recommendations 18, 19, 20 and 21. Facing the Facts provides the blueprint for planning the optimal investment of new resources. You can read the

recommendations mentioned here by visiting sstuwa.org.au/review

The union has started to, and will continue to, meet with stakeholders in order to discuss the report’s findings and recommendations.

District Councils will be briefed during Term 1 and support provided to engage members, P&Cs and members of Parliament. Aspects of the current Schools General Agreement and Log of Claims that are supported by Facing the Facts or the Red Tape review (and in most cases both) are being identified to support the bargaining process.

Forums with school leaders have been conducted face-to-face and online. The SSTUWA president has corresponded with the Premier, who has noted the report with interest and subsequently advised that, consistent with our request, the Department of Education (DoE) will take part in a Public Sector Commission Agency Capability Review, which was set to commence in March.

Correspondence and discussions with the education minister and DoE directorgeneral have led to agreement that Facing the Facts will be responded to through the Employee Relations Executive Committee (EREC). The DoE has been provided an initial frame for these discussions.

Other members of State Cabinet have been provided letters drawing their attention to the report in general and highlighting matters directly relevant to their portfolios. The intent is to also enliven Cabinet discussion in relation to

public education, school funding and the reports. In addition, meetings have been accepted by various ministers to further discuss the report.

Facing the Facts has also been shared with the Minister for Early Childhood –Minister Winton, the Auditor General and the chairs of the Education and Health Standing Committee, the Rural and Remote Education Advisory Council and the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, highlighting matters most relevant to each. This is following the launch of the report last November, which was attended by many state MPs and other important stakeholders.

The SSTUWA is engaged in an ongoing effort to garner support from all those who have an interest in public education and human services, with a focus on infants, children and young people, including the Commissioner for Children and Young People and WA Council of Social Service.

Responses have consistently proved strong and positive. So far, most stakeholders have already thoroughly engaged with Facing the Facts for themselves.

A dashboard to monitor correspondence, actions and progress against recommendations is in development.

The SSTUWA sees Facing the Facts as an active document. It is not a report that will be left to sit on the bookshelf, and the union continues to work hard to keep it front and centre as a guide to solutions for public education.

Your safety is paramount

By Sharmila Nagar Vice President

In November 2022, the issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms was referred to the Senate Education and Employment References Committee to inquire and report on a range of matters, including:

• The declining ranking of Australia in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) disciplinary climate index, making Australian classrooms amongst the world’s most disorderly.

• The impacts, demands and experience of disorderly classrooms on teacher safety, work satisfaction and workforce retention.

• Teachers’ views on whether or not they are sufficiently empowered and equipped to maintain order in the classroom and what can be done to assist them.

• The robustness, quality and extent of initial teacher education to equip teachers with skills and strategies to manage classrooms.

• The impact of disorderly, poorly disciplined classroom environments and school practices on students’ learning, compared with their peers in more disciplined classrooms.

• How leading OECD countries with the highest disciplinary climate index rankings are delivering orderly classrooms to provide strategies on how to reduce distraction and disorder in Australian classrooms.

The final report noted the impact of challenging behaviours on teachers maintaining order in the classroom, the impact on teacher safety, work satisfactions and retention.

The report also included a survey

conducted of 5,000 teachers in 2022 by Monash University and found that there was an increase in teachers feeling unsafe at work mainly due to student behaviour. It found:

“Disorderly classrooms that are characterised by abuse, aggression, or threatening student behaviours, can impact teacher work satisfaction and retention, particularly when teachers feel unsupported in managing these challenging situations. Teachers also felt pressure from needing to make difficult decisions about protecting other students impacted by other student behaviour. Often, this involves potentially putting themselves at risk and exposing themselves to abuse from parents.”

Findings from the report addressed the lack of adequate preparation for early career teachers.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) noted that beginner teachers with three or less years’ experience have consistently told the AEU that they do not believe their initial teacher education (ITE) sufficiently prepared them for the complex realities of the classroom:

“In our 2021 survey the main areas where new educators were underprepared were teaching students whose first language is not English (62 per cent), dealing with difficult behaviour (55 per cent), teaching students with disability (47 per cent) and teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (43 per cent). More than a third (35 per cent) of new educators said that their ITE was not helpful in preparing them to manage classroom activities, and in under resourced schools this increased to 41 per cent.”

Furthermore, in its submission to the inquiry, the AEU recommended the importance

of teacher autonomy and “reversing the drive towards explicit instruction and undifferentiated national assessment.”

More support was needed for professional autonomy, curriculum development and assessment.

While many of the recommendations in the final report failed to address some of the key issues experienced in classrooms, the SSTUWA agreed and supported Recommendation 6: “The committee recommends that state and territory governments explore more effective integration between education and healthcare services so schools can have timely access to student support services, including psychologists, social workers, and behaviour specialists, to help identify and manage disruptive behaviour.”

The SSTUWA’s recently commissioned report Facing the Facts referred to the impact of disruptive behaviours to learning and overall student outcome.

Facing the Facts also stressed the rise of anti-social behaviour with the e-safety commissioner’s warning that “teachers are experiencing growing levels of abuse from students, including students taking photos of teachers, rating their physical appearance, initiating campaigns to have them removed, and making unsubstantiated and damaging allegations about them.”

Facing the Facts made similar recommendations to the Senate inquiry’s recommendation on tackling disruptive behaviours in a classroom:

Recommendation 6: The WA Department of Education should redesign support services to ensure they are more accessible, more responsive to local needs and better resourced to support schools’ administrative and educational needs.

Recommendation 7: In conjunction with education authorities, the WA Government should design, and fund dedicated, cross portfolio services to support the learning of children with special needs.

Recommendation 16: Where a student with complex needs requires a Documented Plan, that student should “count” for two or three students when determining class size, thus reducing the numbers in the class.

Recommendation 22: The loadings in the Student-Centred Funding Model (SCFM) for disadvantage and concentrations of

disadvantage should be increased to better reflect the additional work required of teachers in these schools and to improve student outcomes.

Recommendation 24: To reduce teacher workloads and improve student outcomes, class sizes in WA public schools should be reduced, with the most substantial reductions to be made in the early years of schooling and in schools with significant proportions of students who are educationally disadvantaged.

Recommendation 25: Small group tutoring run by experienced teachers provided with appropriate training and support should be considered to assist in improving student outcomes for disadvantaged students. These would be in addition to the normal staff complement.

At the SSTUWA, we have seen a growing number of disruptive behaviours being reported through our “Violence: Report it” strategy.

We encourage all members to continue to use this platform to report incidents of violence.

To date, our data shows that violence towards a staff member and violent behaviours between students to be the two areas that are frequently reported.

The SSTUWA’s work health and

safety representative Antony Pearson, organisers and Member Assist Team should be commended on their ongoing work to help members in schools and TAFE navigate the complexities of disruptive behaviours in educational settings.

It is important to keep check of the updated Know Your Rights sheets on the SSTUWA website, which includes an information sheet on gendered violence.

Every member has the right to a safe workplace. We are committed to ensuring that you have an environment that allows you to come to work without fear.

If you need support, fill out a Violence: Report it form at sstuwa.org.au/report, speak to your union representative or contact Member Assist on 9210 6060.

Public school $30b capital funding divide

Five private schools spent more on lavish new facilities in 2021 than governments spent on over half the public schools in the nation, according to a new report which reveals the full extent of the $30 billion capital divide in Australian schools. The Australian Education Union (AEU) report was released as Education Ministers gathered for a meeting in Melbourne in late February. It shows:

• The average annual capital spending per student in private schools from 2012 to 2021 was more than double that of public schools. Governments would have had to spend an additional $31.8 billion just to match the investment per student private schools made in new and upgraded schools.

• Five elite private schools in Victoria and NSW spent more in 2021 on new facilities ($175.6 million) than governments spent on capital works in 3,372 public schools that educate 842,120 students ($175.4 million).

• One Sydney school, Cranbrook, spent more on a new pool and expanded fitness and drama facilities in 2021 ($63.5 million) than governments spent on 2,549 public schools which educate over 472,000 students. The Cranbrook spending was also more than the NT and Tasmanian governments spent on new and upgraded schools in 2021.

• Private schools will get almost $1 billion more in capital funding from the federal government over the next four years. Public schools will get nothing after this year unless the Albanese Government extends a one-year program.

• Over $40 million from a federal government capital fund designed to support private schools in disadvantaged areas has been funnelled into wealthy private schools over the last five years, including two of the richest in the nation.

• Overfunding by the Commonwealth helped private schools divert $2.5 billion of their recurrent income into capital projects between 2019 and 2021.

AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said the staggering capital funding divide must be addressed by governments in the bilateral school funding agreements that are being negotiated this year.

“Making our education system fairer starts with fairer funding,” she said.

“Only 1.3 per cent of public schools are fully funded compared to 98 per cent of private schools and that inequity in recurrent funding is contributing to an unacceptable $30 billion divide in spending on new and upgraded schools.

“While private schools, fuelled by government overfunding, are buying office towers and building $80 million Scottish castles, public schools in every state and the NT are underfunded and increasingly left with demountable classrooms to cope with rising enrolments.

“The Prime Minister must deliver on his promise to fully fund public schools. We also strongly support the call from state and territory governments for new bilateral agreements to include both capital and recurrent funding.

“While private schools will get almost $1 billion in capital funding from the

Commonwealth over the next four years, public schools will get nothing after this year unless the Albanese Government extends its one-year school upgrade fund.

“The Prime Minister must step in and help even the playing field with a nationbuilding investment in public schools.

“Our report is calling for a $1.25 billion injection into public schools to make up for the fact there has been no ongoing capital funding from the Commonwealth since the former Coalition Government axed it in 2017. There also needs to be an ongoing fund that matches the per student investment of the Commonwealth in private schools.

“There is a huge unmet need for new and upgraded public schools that can meet the increasingly diverse needs of students and equip each of them with the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to be successful in the modern world.

“There is also the recent announcement that foundational supports for children with disability are likely to be delivered in schools and the recommendation of the school expert panel that ‘full service’ schools should be established which provide a broader range of allied health and community support services on site to better support students and their families.

“We aren’t calling for Olympic pools and polo fields. We are calling for safe, high-quality classrooms, libraries and learning spaces that enable teachers and students to do their best.

“New figures from the Productivity Commission shows how government funding has widened the resource gaps between sectors in the last decade. Public school funding per student increased by 20.3 per cent (or two per cent per year) in real terms between 2012-13 and 2021-22. Private school per student funding from governments increased over the same period by 37 per cent.”

To read the AEU report visit bit.ly/3Vbk9qj

Looking after leaders

The SSTUWA continues to be the union that supports the needs of school leaders, at whichever level they are at. This year we welcome three staff members to the union who will be invaluable in providing school leader members with the assistance that they require. Linsday Hale joins the union as a school leaders consultant, Melissa Rinaldi as a school leaders organiser and Nicola Sorrell as a project officer with the Growth Team. Learn a little bit more about them below.

Lindsay Hale

Lindsay spent the first 34 years of his professional life in public schooling - in classroom teaching and school leadership roles in both metro and regional schools as well as system-level executive leadership positions. Supporting vulnerable young people, strengthening regional services, the advancement of Aboriginal people and supporting public school educators have been consistent themes throughout his career.

More recently he held executive roles at the Department of Communities and the Mental Health Commission. Lindsay is a staunch advocate for social justice and public education – and other services – that are person-centred, placebased, trauma-informed and culturally responsive. He has a BA, DipEd and MEdAdmin and is a proud member of the SSTUWA.

Melissa Rinaldi

Melissa has spent the last 18 years working in roles in the Department of Education in central and regional offices supporting leadership to understand and navigate the complex industrial environment and support all staff to give their best for public education. During this time Melissa has also worked in ministerial offices and with senior leadership across the department.

Melissa brings a perspective from outside the classroom that compliments the daily work in schools to deal with the complex challenges created in working with staff at all levels in an increasingly complex environment. Her last 11 years have been as a coordinator of regional operations in the North Metropolitan Education Region where she had the chance to work with a group of fantastic principals and people to help resolve issues and maintain positive relationships with the intent of giving students the best possible opportunities in public education.

Melissa’s background is in industrial relations and human resource

management, and prior to starting in the public sector, she spent time in the private sector working in organisational learning, coaching and training and development roles before deciding to dive into the world of industrial relations. Before starting in public education, Melissa spent six years at the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission and worked across a range of industries and public sector agencies to help resolve disputes.

Nicola Sorrell

As the new Growth Team project officer, Nicola is particularly focused on the recruitment and engagement of heads of learning areas, heads of department and program coordinators in schools across the state.

Nicola has been a teacher and union member for 23 years.

She began her career as an English teacher before becoming a literacy specialist.

Nicola excelled in leadership and became an Aboriginal education coordinator and head of department.

Nicola understands the importance of positive and personable leadership within schools. She believes this extends to having a strong understanding of members’ industrial rights and promoting the work of the SSTUWA.

Nicola has firsthand experience in how complex the role of a leader can be, the immense workload leaders are expected to take on and the array of skills needed to manage students, parents and colleagues, as well as work and communicate effectively with school leaders.

Nicola is very interested in hearing from you and your experience as a middle leader in your school and very much looks forward to meeting many of you during her school visits.

Lindsay Hale

Melissa Rinaldi

Nicola Sorrell

Teaching with Reconciliation WA

By Pamela Chatfield Education Manager, Reconciliation WA

Reconciliation WA is Western Australia’s peak body for reconciliation and partners with Reconciliation Australia.

We provide leadership, advocacy and support to people and organisations driving the reconciliation movement in Western Australia.

We focus on the creation of social and economic outcomes to ensure the cultures, rights and contributions of Aboriginal Peoples are valued and respected.

We know the importance of education and educators in promoting a more aware and inclusive society by educating young people and their families.

Reconciliation WA’s education team supports educators in implementing the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Cultures and the Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework.

One way we do this is through developing school-based Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) with the resources of Narragunnawali.

Narragunnawali is our national partner providing curriculum and professional learning resources for schools and teachers free of charge through their website: narragunnawali.org.au

They are the main provider of RAP resources for schools and early learning services. Last year, we were thrilled to be there in Canberra celebrating the success of Winterfold Primary School (pictured above right) becoming the first WA school to win the national biennial Narragunnawali Awards for schools with RAPs.

However, that’s not all. This year we launched the Year 4 Reconciliation in

Education Program. As we are housed at The Constitutional Centre of WA (40 Havelock Street, West Perth), the hour-long lessons to students at our premises address civics and citizenship in the HASS curriculum.

Our program can be done by itself or in concert with other programs provided

by Constitutional Education at The Constitutional Centre of WA.

Please see their programs separately at bit.ly/4bmyV2S

The Year 4 Reconciliation in Education Program presents a quality educational lesson designed by experienced teachers

and focuses on comparing modern law and traditional lore.

Our presenters explore the differences between the Westminster system and the cultural knowledge of the Traditional Owners of this land from the past 60,000+ years.

Students participate in a yarning circle and have the chance to formulate their own ideas about reconciliation and what that means for them.

Our first offering received exciting reviews from teachers and students who took part in our Year 4 pilot in 2023.

Schools can book to do both the constitutional education and our reconciliation lesson on site or invite Reconciliation WA to their schools to provide a lesson co-facilitated by an Aboriginal and a non-Aboriginal presenter.

In 2024, we will continue to develop more lessons for upper primary. Teachers who would like their students to enjoy the Year 4 program or take part in the Year 5/6 program later this year can enquire on our website: recwa.org.au/reconciliationin-education/year-four-program or by contacting Reconciliation WA directly (6552 6990 or admin@recwa.org.au).

Future offerings around anti-racism strategies and trials are heading our way

in coming months, so stay tuned to our website and social media pages as we launch these resources.

What if you are not an upper primary teacher? We invite you to join us and other educators for our Reconciliation Industry Network Group (RING) for Education.

We run events each term that offer educators the opportunity to network with others and learn more about how to implement culturally responsive programs in their classrooms.

We encourage teachers to subscribe to our free seasonal newsletter to access lots of events and resources at recwa.org.au/reconciliation-in-education

We are also the main state provider of National Reconciliation Week (NRW) events.

In addition to community events, we create booklists and lesson resource links to support schools in running NRW events and teaching in their school.

This year’s theme is Now More Than Ever and events will run throughout the week (27 May-3 June). Keep an eye on our website (recwa.org.au) for further details.

If none of that addresses your needs, feel free to contact our Education Manager Pamela Chatfield at pamela@recwa.org.au to see how we can tailor support to your requirements.

Perhaps you might like to invite us to your next network PD day to provide some professional learning.

Our focus is ensuring educators feel prepared and excited about sharing First Nations cultures and histories in an authentic and genuine way.

Accessing support from your union

By Chloe Hosking Growth Team coordinator

One of the reasons that new educators choose to join and remain part of their union is access to advice and support.

As a new teacher, there are so many policies and processes to understand, and we sometimes don’t know what we don’t know!

From class sizes and minutes of faceto-face teaching to receiving your start-up allowance and being paid to attend graduate modules in the school holidays, making sure that your rights at work are upheld helps you balance workload and wellbeing.

I’m part of the SSTUWA because I think the collective is always stronger than an individual, and I’m passionate about the working conditions for teachers as every child deserves the best teacher they can get.

- Sharmin Kaur, 2022 New Educator Committee member

The first port of call to access support from your union is your workplace branch.

Your union rep, deputy rep and women’s contact officer have been elected by the members at your school and have access to specialised training to assist them in their roles.

If you aren’t sure who your elected delegates are, visit the member hub on the SSTUWA website (login required), ask around, or give Member Assist a

call on (08) 9210 6060 or email memberassist@sstuwa.org.au

Attending branch meetings and speaking with other members is a powerful way to maintain your working conditions.

If you don’t yet have a union rep at your workplace, you can also call Member Assist for help with any issues at work. This is completely confidential, and you are under no obligation to act on any advice you are given. Speaking to the Member Assist Team will let you know what your rights are, and how you can solve any issues in a positive way.

Member Assist hours are from 10am4.30pm on Mondays and from 8.30am4.30pm Tuesday-Friday.

Finally, if there are a few new educators in your school, you can arrange a visit from the Growth Team by emailing neweducator@sstuwa.org.au

We will be available to staff at morning tea and lunch, bringing information and merchandise related to new educators. We’d love to hear from you!

If in doubt, call the union to speak with someone - whether to advise on your rights, responsibilities, or just to trust your gut if you think something isn’t right. It’s nice to always have someone confidential and knowledgeable in your corner and outside your school network.

- Liz Stern, 2022 New Educator Committee Member

Empowering educators in the age of AI

By Armand Doucet

My curiosity got the best of me and I registered for ChatGPT. I was quickly amazed by the efficiency and timesaving it presented me.

This prompted my dive into a rabbit hole of learning – engaging in a variety of reading and conversations in education and other sectors, as well as trying different aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) in education within my own context. The path has been complex, filled with challenges, wonders and more possibilities.

After several months, I find myself grappling with more questions than

answers. The intricate landscape of AI in education presents a myriad of possibilities for implementation in my classroom and in our schools — tools like Diffit, Gradescope, Babbel, Duolingo, Powerschool, Brightbytes, Photomath, Grammarly and more.

The sheer breadth of choices can be overwhelming, often leaving me with the sensation of not making significant progress for extended periods of time.

Consequently, I’ve chosen to centre my exploration around a pivotal concept: how can AI enhance and augment my current teaching reality and foster an

inclusive and equitable practice in public education?

From what I have observed, read and experienced, reaction to change in education varies greatly worldwide –some have struggled, while others have thrived.

What works seamlessly for one teacher may cause chaos for another. Numerous factors come into play, determining whether an innovation succeeds or fails with first and foremost the fact that this is a human endeavour with all its complexities.

(Continued from page 15)

Yet, when faced with challenges, when the status quo shifts in our classrooms and schools, the typical response tends to be the outright rejection or banning of whatever innovation is at hand which stops possible positive changes immediately.

Navigating the era of AI, the debate on whether to ban or permit cell phones reflects past discussions on inevitable technological advancements.

In staff discussions, the disruptive impact of cell phones is palpable, posing challenges related to mental health, disengagement and cyberbullying.

The question arises: is the issue the cell phone itself or the embedded algorithms in games and social media as well as constant notifications?

No doubt the cell phone can help to enhance the learning and teaching experience in many ways. Despite some schools banning cell phones in the face of these challenges, a nuanced approach is crucial, recognising the complexity of education, age appropriate with scaffolding and contextual. Addressing this requires a proactive share strategy across all grade levels, emphasising comprehensive digital literacy aligned with frameworks like ISTE and Edutopia,

supported by experts like Dr. Michael Rich for teaching executive functioning skills, digital citizenship and preemptive digital wellness initiatives.

A forward-looking approach involves instilling responsible technology use throughout a student’s academic journey to navigate the digital landscape and mitigate addiction risks.

With AI infiltrating our classrooms, we have a different beast to grapple with that is rapidly evolving, which prompts an initial instinct to reject it. Many have outright banned the use of AI in their districts, schools, classrooms, citing valid concerns such as the vital necessity to safeguard our students’ privacy and digital footprint or the exponential rise of plagiarism in our high schools and universities.

But this is not going away, it would be better to engage, look for ways forward, and educate on responsible use of AI in our classrooms and schools.

A multifaceted revolution in students’ learning journey

AI in our classrooms extends far beyond ChatGPT; it is just one element in the education revolution. For students, ChatGPT represents merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to writing assistance. Sudowrite, Caktus AI,

Hemingway Editor and GrammarlyGo are equally adept at supporting and aiding students in their assignments.

The prevalent fear is that these tools facilitate plagiarism among students, and unfortunately, this concern is not unfounded — it is a reality — which is more pronounced in secondary and tertiary settings.

But, we are not merely witnessing the impact of AI confined to writing assignments. Students are now employing AI tools like Photo Math as personalised math tutors, scanning equations and receiving step-by-step solutions in seconds.

Language learning takes on various forms, whether through the more traditional approach of Babbel or the gamified experience of Duolingo.

They use Otter A.I. for note-taking assistance and meeting minutes, leverage Readwise for document summarisation and highlighting key points, seek feedback on their work through Gradescope, or create mind maps of their learning with tools like Coggle and Mural AI.

These examples illustrate the diverse ways in which students are integrating AI into their learning processes.

Highlighting the imperative for profound reflection prompts a reconsideration of both the content and methods of education, accompanied by a reevaluation of our expectations and beliefs.

I advocate for the integral role of coaching, teaching and providing support throughout the learning journey, focusing on skills for effective information navigation and essential competencies, alongside achieving the ultimate outcome. Tackling this challenge necessitates a comprehensive strategy, prioritising the learning process, instilling productive work habits and nurturing competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity and communication.

The key lies in developing ageappropriate scaffolding that bolsters these fundamental aspects of a wellrounded education for each student, while utilising AI tools to amplify their learning, engagement and overall educational experience.

My journey as a teacher

As a teacher, I’ve explored and tried various AI tools and tried combining them with other digital possibilities with the aim of crafting an enhanced version of myself as both a professional educator and learner. However, I’ve come to realise that exploring the full potential of these possibilities demands a significant investment of time.

For teachers, this is not new. Integrating any digital tool, whether it be to enhance our professional skills and/or learning, means a substantial time investment and does affect our workload. It will require a careful balance to ensure that the endeavour contributes positively to the teacher’s wellbeing, allowing for both professional growth and a manageable workload.

This is especially important considering the current challenges faced by the teaching profession of retaining existing educators and attracting new ones, which has become increasingly difficult for a variety of reasons.

The influence of AI appears to be more prominent in terms of learning outcomes, pedagogy, assessment and student engagement, rather than in our other professional responsibilities like planning, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels.

For us at these levels, achieving a balance in this pivotal moment is almost laughable in the face of the challenges.

While AI tools offer opportunities for enhanced teaching, learning, and workload efficiencies, the revolutionary transformation of AI has increased our current workload because of all the challenges we are trying to adapt, implement and navigate in this everevolving landscape.

Striking a feasible balance requires thoughtful planning, robust support systems and professional development to help teachers effectively integrate AI tools without overwhelming their workload, yet this is not what’s happening.

Transitioning from the challenges of integrating AI and addressing workload concerns, I’ve found solace and empowerment in embracing specific AI tools.

In refining my planning, creativity and lesson diversification, ChatGPT has proven to be transformative. Exploring alternatives like Copilot, Khanmigo, Magic School, Diffit and Curipod to elevate various aspects of my profession, including creating materials – particularly challenging in non-English languages – managing administrative tasks and professional correspondence, generating prompts and providing essay feedback etc.

If these names sound unfamiliar, don’t worry – they were once unfamiliar to me as well, just a few months ago and I’m still not comfortable utilising every single one, nor should I be.

In the realm of assessment and evaluation, spanning testing, rubrics and formative feedback, I’ve been immersing

myself in Gradescope as well as the tools above.

For tackling plagiarism in writing, I’ve found Grammarly and Turnitin to be invaluable. In the context of teaching a second language, my exploration has led me to trying to see how Duolingo and Babbel fit into my classroom.

While Brightbytes aids in data analysis for informed decision-making, the reality remains that the broader educational system must acknowledge and address the challenges posed by the rapid integration of AI tools to facilitate a smoother transition for educators and our learners.

Armand Doucet, a member of the Order of Canada, is a globally recognised thought leader for his innovative contributions to education. With a focus on student engagement and the integration of technology, he has become a prominent figure in shaping progressive teaching methodologies. His commitment to fostering inclusive learning environments and advocacy for positive changes in public education has established him as a leading voice in the field. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and does not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of Education International, the AEU or SSTUWA. This article is the second in a series, was first published on the Education International website and has been reproduced here with permission.

Find part one of this series in the February 2024 edition of Western Teacher, available at sstuwa.org.au/WesternTeacher

Teachers now: Why I left and where I’ve gone

By Robyn Brandenburg, Ellen Larsen, Richard Sallis and Alyson Simpson

“When you are a high achieving person, teaching sets you up for failure because you are never enough for everybody.”

The teaching profession is in crisis. By 2025, the federal government estimates a shortfall of more than 4,000 high school teachers across the country. While there is a significant body of research that has tracked the influence of teachers’ work and lives and their retention in the teaching profession, less is known about teachers who have left the profession.

Research, media reports, and anecdotal evidence report teachers’ intentions to leave the profession within their first five years of teaching at a rate of up to 50 per cent of the workforce, leaving Australian schools with further critical workforce shortages.

This research addresses this claim.

In this nationwide study, 255 respondents/those who have exited the profession have provided insights into why they left, the critical factors that influenced their decision to leave and revealed details about the next phase of their lives. As one ex-teacher said:

“As a teacher you have never done enough. You work and work and work, creating, thinking, planning to get the best for each student and it’s still never enough. You still can’t help so many students, you never satisfy the administration load and so much pressure from parents. When you are a high achieving person, teaching sets you up for failure because you are never enough for everybody.”

Preliminary results suggest that while all Australian states and territories were represented in this study, half of the

respondents were from Victoria, and close to a quarter were from both New South Wales and Queensland.

Almost two-thirds of those who left were from metropolitan regions and a third of the respondents were from regional areas. Almost two thirds (60 per cent) were from the state sector, a quarter from the independent sector and almost 20 per cent from the Catholic sector.

Seventy per cent of those who left the profession were full-time employees.

Who is leaving the teaching profession?

Of the 242 respondents 167 were female, 71 were male and four identified as other. Most had been working in metropolitan schools prior to leaving (around 60 per cent) and 60 percent were from the state sector.

Seventy per cent were teaching in secondary schools at the time of leaving and 30 per cent in primary schools. Most respondents were from Victoria, followed by NSW and Queensland.

The greatest number of respondents had been teaching for seven to 10 years followed by those who had been teaching for 11-15 years. Combined this accounted for almost 40 per cent of those surveyed.

Fifteen percent left after four to six years. Whilst it is evident that we are losing teachers who are early into their teaching career, the majority of those who are leaving the profession are experienced classroom teachers and leaders in their school. Forty percent of those surveyed were in school leadership positions at the time of leaving.

In response to where participants were working prior to leaving the profession, of the 172 responses, almost 57 per cent (98) were working in metropolitan areas; 35 per cent (59) in regional and 13 per cent (eight) in rural areas. One per cent (two) – remote or other.

Why are they leaving?

Our study shows that teachers are faced with a range of challenges in the profession, causing them to not only rethink their career as a teacher but significant enough to push them to the point of taking that definitive step and leaving it behind.

Participants told us that the work environment, school leadership, dealing with student behaviour, administrative

load, and workload more broadly were the big contributors to their decision to leave the profession.

These ex-teachers stated that they did not feel respected, and their work had failed to bring about or sustain the level of personal satisfaction they sought from their careers: “Until teachers are given more time, respect and support to actually do their jobs, more will continue to leave the profession.”

Significantly, these ex-teachers felt that leaving was the result of not just one of the challenges in isolation; but rather “a culmination of many things over a long period of time” that made their jobs untenable: “I was just so anxious, unwell, and unhappy. Every day I felt sick on my way to work. I could never get through my mountain of work, I could never get on

top of classroom behaviour, and I could never get to a place where I was able to deal with the unreasonable demands of the school.”

In essence, leaving was based on a long list of issues that, in combination, gave them no choice but to walk away. Their disappointment, frustration, and anger were palpable in their responses, as they reported on a broken system, and a ridiculous workload made all the harder by administrative and extracurricular demands.

These ex-teachers also spoke of having to deal with challenging leaders, parents, and students. These challenges were then topped off by “a teaching profession that is misunderstood, disrespected and unappreciated”.

(Continued on page 20)

(Continued from page 19)

[One said]: “I became a teacher because I am passionate about equipping the next generation to be their best. The education sector is making this harder and harder from a wellbeing perspective and from an educational perspective. The curriculum is crowded, students are pressured to succeed, teachers are trashed in media … there is little understanding of the complexity of these roles by those outside of schools.”

[Another]: “Misalignment between my values and those of my colleagues and leadership. Not being equipped/ experienced enough to manage the tension that created. Lack of support from leadership when other teachers or middle leadership were treating me, other colleagues, and students in ways that did not align with my values.”

Where are they going?

Overwhelmingly most of those who had left teaching after four to 15 years were still working but in different professions (90 per cent). Many of those who had left teaching (36 per cent) are still working in education related areas such as devising education resources, developing education policy, consulting and managing education programs in institutions such as museums and art galleries.

A surprising number (20 per cent) have transitioned into work in the higher education sector. About seven per cent had returned to casual teaching in one way or another, some had sought further education through study (4.4 per cent) and only 4.4 per cent had fully retired.

The remaining ex-teachers were involved in work closely connected to helping people such as in social work, sports coaching, counselling and the wellbeing industry.

The implications of these findings are

far reaching as they show that teachers are making a notable contribution to the workforce when they leave.

It is clear that they take their highly transferable skills built up through training and experience with them. The findings also suggest the continued commitment of teachers to matters educational leaving teaching but not education.

• I started my own business in the private disability sector. I now work full-time in this space and employ eight people.

• Working for a company delivering student wellbeing programs.

• I am still in education but not in schools.

• I am a learning designer.

• I left the teaching profession in a school context. I remain in education and teaching in an ITE (initial teacher education) context where I can both contribute and be challenged/ developed.

The small number of teachers (almost 10 per cent) who had completely “jumped ship” to another profession demonstrates a variety of new career directions including working in a cattery, as a truck driver, in animal rescue, in the military, in corporate marketing and as an engineer.

What is the impact?

Whether we have teachers in the first five years, in their mid-careers, or in their later careers leave in critical numbers as they now are, the impact will be far-reaching.

Schools are communities that thrive on having teachers from all career stages.

When an early career teacher leaves, the school loses that teacher’s inclination for innovation, new perspectives, and in some instances, a future school leader.

When a more experienced teacher leaves, they take with them their experience and expertise and as a result, both students and early careers teachers miss the opportunity to benefit from their accumulated talent.

As one of our survey participants explained, “When teachers with my years of experience start leaving in droves then that’s truly a truly catastrophic loss to the system. And that’s what we are seeing…”

“I consider myself to be a highly skilled and educated teacher. I have three master’s degrees and felt very confident in the classroom. However, the workload required to prove my worth was unreasonable and unsustainable.”

Previous research has spoken to these impacts, yet our study revealed the cost to these participants as well. Having left the profession, they did feel a sense of relief about getting their lives back, and for some the negative impacts to their health and wellbeing experienced while teaching began to dissipate.

Many others, however, continue to experience issues related to their physical and mental wellbeing.

As one ex-teacher put it, “I was in complete burn out. There were too many administrative changes and expectations that led to unattainable work pressures. My mental health and family life were suffering, and I needed to make a choice. I love teaching and loved working with the students. I miss it but the expectations placed upon teachers is unrealistic and unsustainable without long term damage.”

For many, it also meant walking away from a vocation they still cared about, and they felt a deep sadness at leaving behind their students.

As another participant put it: “The hardest thing was knowing I was walking away from making a difference in the lives of young people, each and every day.”

Eighty percent of those who have left the profession have maintained their registration and while one third of the

participants stated that they would “definitely not” return to the profession, almost half were less definite about their future plans.

We now know more about the problems in the sector and the narratives provided by the ex-teachers shine a light on the personal, professional, health and emotional impacts of not only leaving the profession but on the anguish that many felt prior to making the ultimate decision to leave.

Robyn Brandenburg is a professor of education in the Institute of Education, Arts and Community at Federation University Australia. She researches teacher education, reflective practice and feedback and mathematics education and is a past-president of the Australian Teacher Education Association. She is on LinkedIn and Twitter @brandenburgr.

Ellen Larsen is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ).

Ellen is a member of the Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) executive and a convenor of the national AARE Teachers’ Work and Lives Special Interest Group. Ellen’s areas of research work include teacher professional learning, early career teachers, mentoring and induction, teacher identity, and education policy. She is on Twitter @DrEllenLarsen1.

Richard Sallis is an arts education academic in the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at The University

Many have left teaching, but not education. Some have used the skills and knowledge they have accumulated to begin new ventures in new professions. They have embraced the change.

However, our research shows that there is an opportunity for all stakeholders to address issues of flexibility, school leadership, progression and pathways, including a commensurate salary – “a living wage” – to halt the exodus from the teaching profession.

of Melbourne. He also holds positions with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and is a leader in curriculum planning and teacher professional development. His research interests include Initial Teacher Education, teacher professional learning, and diversity and inclusion in schools. He is on LinkedIn.

Alyson Simpson is a professor of English and Literacy Education in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney. Her current research projects focus on building an evidence base of teacher quality, the role of children’s literature in education, and the power of dialogic learning. She is on Twitter @ProfAMSimpson

The opinions expressed in this article are that of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the AEU or SSTUWA. The article was first published on the EduResearch Matters website (blog.aare.edu.au) and has been reproduced here with permission.

Changing how we teach weight and nutrition

By Dr Vivienne Lewis

How many of us recall having to calculate our body-mass index (BMI) as children at school, prompting comparisons of our weight with that of our peers? Or perhaps we remember references to calories and diets in the classroom.

Now, the Australian curriculum is changing how children and young people are educated about their bodies and what they eat, in a bid to prevent eating disorders.

Hundreds of references to terms including BMI, weight, calories and diets have been removed from school resources by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, replaced with terminology such as “balanced nutrition”.

As a clinical psychologist specialising in the treatment of children and young people with body image and eating disorders, I welcome these changes. Given what we know about the links

between weight stigma and the development of eating disorders, they’re long overdue.

Weight stigma starts early

Weight stigma and diet culture are rife in our society.

People will often use words such as “fat” and “guilt” to cast shame over their own or others’ body size and food choices. On the flip side, the latest diets and other

weight loss techniques are regularly hot topics of conversation among friends and colleagues.

Evidence shows this sort of talk around children and young people can be very damaging, in some cases contributing to the development of disordered eating. So in the school environment we need to be especially mindful of the language we use around people’s bodies and food.

Children learn about their bodies and nutrition when they start school, and this can be where a lot of misinformation (such as being fearful of certain foods because they’re deemed to be “bad” for us) and stigma begins. Peer teasing for size, weight and shape is common and increases the risk of a child or young person developing an eating disorder.

I treat many adults who have severe eating disorders partly as a result of growing up in a society that overvalues thinness, promotes dieting for weight loss, and shames people who are overweight or obese. Much of this appears to have come from the influences of their schooling.

Fostering positive body image

We’ve known for a long time that early intervention through educating our children about wellbeing and positive mental health strategies is important to reduce the incidence of severe mental health conditions.

For eating disorders specifically, positive role modelling by adults around how we talk about our own and others’ bodies is crucial.

This can include describing people for their interests and qualities rather than their appearance, and teaching children about gratitude and respect towards each other.

Research shows learning about body acceptance and appreciation is important for both males and females in developing a positive body image. Those children and young people who have a positive relationship with their bodies and food are much less likely to develop eating disorders.

Teachers have an important role in educating our children about body respect and having a healthy relationship with their bodies and eating.

This can be achieved through actions including avoiding comments about

people’s appearances, talking about food for its function in our bodies, and not attaching moral values (such as “good” or “bad”) to the foods we eat. Indeed, the curriculum overhaul warns teachers against using these descriptors.

How to talk about food with kids

Learning about the importance of feeding our bodies and listening to our body’s needs is important for children.

We need to talk about food for its function in our bodies (such as carbohydrates for energy and fats for our brain). We should talk about foods we eat to help us concentrate and fuel our bodies as well as making us strong and helping us feel well.

The curriculum changes appear to be designed to connect nutrition to physical and mental health in these ways.

Food should also be presented as an enjoyable and a social activity (for example, sharing food with others).

Everyone’s appetite is different at different times and that’s ok. Helping children understand how to respond to their appetite and knowing when they’re hungry and full is important, as we know this helps with issues such as restrictive and binge eating, two common disordered eating behaviours.

Everyone has a role

While teachers play a crucial role, children also need other adults to go to who make them feel understood and accepted. Being a positive role model means listening to children’s concerns, and being mindful of the way you talk about yours and others’ bodies, as well as the sort of language you use around eating and food.

Hopefully we are on the way to saying goodbye to the harm of weight stigma and diet talk in schools.

The biggest challenge is that we live in an appearance-obsessed world with a diet culture and many people have a fixed way of thinking about food and bodies that’s hard to shift. As adults we have to work really hard to be better role models.

Dr Vivienne Lewis is Assistant Professor of psychology at the University of Canberra and also runs her own clinical psychology practice. The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily reflect any official policies or positions of the AEU or SSTUWA. The article was first published on The Conversation website and has been reproduced here with permission.

PISA test effort by local students low

Unpublished data provided to Save Our Schools by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows that nearly four in five Australian students did not fully try in the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

The figures show wide differences in student effort between countries, which call into question the validity of country rankings of PISA results.

Even more importantly, the high proportion of students in Australia and many other countries not fully trying in PISA indicates a broader problem, namely increasing student disaffection with learning and school.

This appears to be a crucial factor behind declining results in many OECD countries that is often ignored in the commentary on Australia’s PISA results.

The new figures show that 77 per cent of Australian students didn’t fully try in PISA 2022. This was the equal fourth highest proportion in the OECD.

It was also the equal fourth highest of the 81 countries and regions participating in the tests. Only Denmark (81 per cent), Sweden (80 per cent), Germany (80 per cent), Switzerland (80 per cent) and Belgium (78 per cent) had a higher proportion of students who did not fully try. Norway, UK, Austria and Singapore had the same proportion as Australia. The average for the OECD was 71 per cent. Türkiye had the lowest proportion (47 per cent) amongst OECD countries.

On an effort scale of one-to-10, Australian students reported an effort of 7.2 on the PISA test. They reported that they would have put in an effort of “nine” had the test counted towards their marks.

The proportion of Australian students not fully trying increased by four percentage points from PISA 2018. This was higher

than the average increase in the OECD of three points.

Interestingly, a much larger proportion of Australian female students than male students did not fully try in PISA 2022.

Some 81 per cent of female students did not fully try compared to 71 per cent of male students. More female than male students did not fully try in most OECD countries.

The OECD acknowledged that many students view PISA as a low-stakes assessment that has no consequence for their future education. As a result, there is no incentive to put in full effort.

Many studies show that students do not perform as well in regular low-stakes tests as when they participate in tests that count towards their grade.

Both PISA 2018 and PISA 2022 show large variations between countries in the proportion of students not fully trying.

In PISA 2018, the range between the highest and lowest proportions in the OECD was 43 percentage points and in PISA 2022 it was 34 points. While the percentage increased in most OECD countries, it also declined in some.

Variations between countries in the proportion of students not fully trying raises question about the validity of international comparisons of student achievement based on PISA.

Less effort in tests leads to lower results and differences in rankings may be influenced by differences in student effort.

To read more visit bit.ly/3tMJD1T

National education and union news

Crackdown on dodgy private providers welcomed

The AEU has welcomed the Albanese Government’s introduction of legislation to deal with unscrupulous VET providers, address deceptive conduct and restore integrity and confidence in Australia’s vocational education sector.

“These measures are long overdue and we commend the Minister For Skills and Training, Hon Brendan O’Connor, for acting on issues which everyone knows have plagued the VET sector for a very long time,” Correna Haythorpe, AEU Federal President said.

Under the Coalition Government, the private for-profit mantra dominated policy debate and funding settings to the detriment of the system, students and the community.

The measures in the proposed new Bill will allow the national regulator to effectively manage risk and threats to the VET sector to ensure all registrations meet

the high standards for registered training organisations (RTOs) and that students have access to high quality provision of vocational education.

It is TAFE’s public institutions which continue to uphold high standards and access to high quality teaching programs for their students and we recognise that the Albanese Government is meeting their commitment to centre TAFE at the heart of vocational education in Australia with additional funding, progressive policy and these proposed changes to legislation.

The AEU particularly welcomes measures that will ensure that those RTOs who have failed to provide training and assessment in a 12-month period will have their registration lapse unless there is a genuine reason, and those RTOs who choose to deceive the public will be hit with financial penalties five times that in the current legislation.

Forced to work due to lack of paid leave

Fifty-two per cent of workers in insecure jobs – including fixed-term and independent contractors, casuals and gig platform workers – have reported to have continued working while ill or injured due to the absence of paid leave, according to new data from the ACTU’s Work Shouldn’t Hurt (WSH) survey.

While 18 percent of injured workers in secure jobs reported being unable to take time off due to lack of paid leave, in comparison, this jumped to half of all workers in insecure work.

Another alarming finding was that people in insecure work were more likely to experience physical injuries than those in

“As the Minister said, for too long the system has been plagued with bottomfeeders, fraudsters and cheats. That stops now and we urge all political parties to support this legislation” Ms Haythorpe said.

The ACTU has also welcomed the reforms as a great first step in a much-needed process to remove the worst-behaving providers from the VET system.

“This proposed Bill will improve the integrity and trust of our VET sector. We are pleased that the government is looking to weed out the chancers and the charlatans,” said ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien.

“We want to see a system that puts quality and training at the heart of registered training organisations and not a system where there are training providers whose primary purpose is extracting huge profits.”

secure employment, with seven per cent of secure workers reporting a physical injury compared to 11 per cent of insecure workers. Mental injuries for those in insecure work also rose from 13 per cent in 2021 to 20 per cent in 2023.

The WSH findings support a 2023 survey by McKell Institute, the TWU and TEACHO

which showed that more than half of transport gig workers experienced workrelated stress, anxiety and mental health issues, and 56 per cent of food delivery riders reported feeling pressure to rush and take risks on the road to earn enough money and avoid deactivation for being deemed too slow.

ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien said: “No one should have to go to work when injured or ill simply because their job lacks the most basic of protections. Under the current law, if you’re a casual or gig worker and are injured or ill you’re forced to make the difficult decision of either taking time off with zero pay or

going to work and likely worsening your condition.”

“Parliament has the power to help these vulnerable workers by passing the remaining parts of the Closing Loopholes Bill, which guarantees these workers basic rights that other workers are entitled to.”

A profound record of achievement

The NSW Teachers Federation has paid tribute to outgoing president, Angelo Gavrielatos (pictured), whose term concluded at the end of January.

Mr Gavrielatos assumed the presidency of the Federation four years ago and commissioned Valuing the Teaching Profession, an Independent Inquiry, helmed by former WA premier Dr Geoff Gallop, Dr Tricia Kavanagh and Patrick Lee.

After conducting public hearings across NSW and taking expert evidence, it found unmanageable workloads, uncompetitive salaries and insecure employment had combined to create a teacher shortage crisis in NSW public education. This created the evidence base for a significant boost to teacher salaries to end the teacher shortage.

Mr Gavrielatos also oversaw a powerful industrial and political campaign, More Than Thanks that broke the wages cap. In the 18 months leading up to the state election, teachers took three separate days of strike action. They made their opposition to wage suppression a key election issue, with a presence at over

325 booths at the state election and continuous, high visibility campaigning in every corner of the state.

Following the election, Mr Gavrielatos negotiated the historic salaries deal between the Teachers Federation and the Minns Government. This increased both starting and top of scale salaries for NSW teachers by more than $9,000, along with major improvements across the pay scale.

“Angelo Gavrielatos has made a profound and tangible improvement to the teaching profession. The campaign run by the union during Angelo’s presidency was essential to creating a new salary structure to end the teacher shortage, rebuild the workforce and give our kids the future they deserve,” said incoming NSWTF President Henry Rajendra.

“Angelo believes in the transformative power of the teaching profession. He has devoted his working life to defending and advancing it. Teachers, students and the general public are all beneficiaries of Angelo’s tenacity, passion and intelligence.”

Mr Rajendra has been joined in the leadership group of the NSWTF by Amber Flohm as the deputy president and Natasha Watt as the senior vice president.

“It is an incredible honour to serve as president of the Teachers Federation. We will strive to give public education the resources and respect it deserves,” Mr Rajendra said.

Education & Training Centre

These outstanding courses are provided in partnership with the Teacher Learning Network (TLN), Melbourne. Courses provide the opportunity to learn and interact with other educators and presenters from across the country. Registrations are now open for Semester 1 events. Visit sstuwa.org.au/training to register.

To follow is an overview of the groups of courses available, encouraging you to participate across a series of related events. E.g. Wellbeing Series, Middle Leadership Series, Masterclass Series.

1. Learning diversity events

This series will support teachers to develop practices that promote inclusivity. They will also provide courses about common learning disabilities found in many classrooms, including students who have experienced trauma. Teachers will gain strategies that will assist them to support students from many cultural backgrounds, religious backgrounds and with a range of learning challenges.

Audience: Primary and secondary educators

Course title

Planning for an Inclusive Classroom (90 mins)

Supporting EAL Students (90 mins)

Supporting Students with ADHD (90 mins)

Supporting Students with Dyscalculia (90 mins)

Building Partnerships with Education Support Staff (90

Supporting Students with Dyslexia (90 mins)

Differentiation for Students with a Learning

Supporting Students

Managing the Learning of Students with

Supporting Students with ASD (90 mins)

Extending

2. First Nations pedagogies and content events

This series will explore ways to create a sense of belonging and safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their families. It will unravel what to teach as part of the curriculum and the pedagogies to choose. It will support teachers to engage effectively with First Nations pedagogical approaches.

Audience: Primary, secondary and TAFE educators

Course title

When

Supporting the Learning of Aboriginal and TSI Students (90 mins) Term 1 holidays

Steps to Reconciliation (2 hours)

Decolonising the Curriculum (3 hours)

Indigenous Pedagogies (5 hours)

3. Leading staff and student wellbeing events

Term 2 holidays

Term 2 holidays

Term 3 holidays

This series of events will support any person working in a leadership role to support wellbeing of both students and all staff across their workplace. Educators will learn how to lead a successful wellbeing program in their school, including the science of wellbeing and how it can be applied to staff and students.

Audience: Primary, secondary and TAFE educators

Outstanding online professional learning in 2024

Live via Zoom

4. Behaviour and classroom management events

Behaviour management is one of the more challenging issues educators face on a day-to-day basis. Join David Vinegrad across three powerful sessions – Getting it Right, Keeping it Right and Making it Right. Participants will learn the tools of how to establish routines and procedures, develop relationships and approaches that promote consistent predictable classrooms. Further sessions will also support teachers explore restorative approaches to respond to disengaged students or disengaged classrooms.

Audience: Primary, secondary and TAFE educators

5. Middle leadership events

The following series of events are designed for those working in or aspiring to be in middle leadership positions such as deputies, HODs, curriculum leaders, or Level 3 Classroom Teachers. Middle leaders need to look up to senior leadership, look across to your colleagues and look out to the wider school community. At the same time, they need to maintain your positive connection with students. It can be exhausting being in “the middle”. Join one or all the following events to build the relationship skills you need to thrive in a middle leadership role.

Audience: Primary, secondary and TAFE educators

6. Teaching and classroom practice

The following three-hour masterclasses will help educators to explore specific dimensions of teaching. The masterclass sessions will allow participants to revisit core principles, understand new developments and reflect on any opportunities for change and improvement. The 90 minute and 60 minute sessions will explore high-quality activities that can be implemented in the classroom immediately and will have a practical focus.

Audience: Primary, secondary and TAFE educators

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

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

Massive discounts on products and services for SSTUWA members

Cars

AutoBahn

Mechanical and electrical services. Members receive 10% off any AutoBahn service or repair, capped at $100. sstuwa.org.au/autobahn

Bayswater Mazda

Exclusive offer including fuel card, servicing and more.

sstuwa.org.au/bayswatermazda

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

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

For more information visit sstuwa.org.au/benefits and the benefits tab of the SSTUWA App

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

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 Well-being

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

Wattyl

15% off Wattyl paints, stains and accessories at Wattyl Paint Centres in WA.

sstuwa.org.au/wattyl

Insurance and Legal

Journey Cover insurance

For details visit: sstuwa.org.au/journeycover

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

Wills for members

Members can access a complimentary simple will, where appropriate. For more information or details about a complex will, visit: sstuwa.org.au/wills

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

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

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

Metro Hotel Perth City

15% discount on the best available rate. Located in East Perth near the WACA and Gloucester Park. sstuwa.org.au/metroperth

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 sea-change locale. $108,000 (negotiable).

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

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

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 reverse-cycle air-con. Available all year except for leavers’ vacation. No pets. 0419 943 203

a_r_moore@bigpond.com

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

Private secluded retreat. Choose from three different types of separate accommodation. Three bedroom homestead: two king beds, two single beds – sleeps six (no pets). Two adults $195/night, children under 13 $25/night, extra adult guests $50/night. One bedroom chalet: one queen bed – sleeps

two. $139/night, adults only. One bedroom cabin: one queen bed – sleeps two. $169/night, adults only.

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 two nights. Sleeps four, or five 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 eight: two x queen beds and two 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 six). Min two nights.

SMS: 0412 804 345

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

Email 50 words or fewer to editor@sstuwa.org.au along with your union membership number. Free for members.

Western Teacher

Classifieds

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

Funeral celebrant

I am an experienced funeral celebrant. It will be my honour to assist you in the cocreation and presentation of a ceremony that serves to honour your loved one, by revealing their essence through a uniquely constructed and presented combination of spoken word, rituals, symbols, audio and visual displays.

0449 075 001

Kc.fcelebrant@gmail.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 1 starts 5 February. Term 2 starts 22 April.

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. (08) 9334 1259 youth@stjohnambulance.com.au

Free dairy excursions

Brownes Dairy invites your classroom to join a free curriculum-linked tour of the dairy in Balcatta. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 get a unique hands-on experience and see how our dairy operates and produces award

winning dairy products enjoyed in WA for 130 years.

school.tours@brownesdairy.com.au

Road safety education for schools

RAC offers free curriculum aligned road safety workshops and online resources for primary schools (pre-primary to Year 6) and secondary schools (Years 10 to 12), covering a range of road safety topics designed to keep young people safe on and around the roads.

(08) 9436 4471 | rac.com.au/education communityeducation@rac.com.au

MAWA

The Mathematical Association of Western Australia offers professional learning opportunities, conferences and consultancy services to teachers and schools and networks. MAWA members receive 10 per cent discount on MAWA shop resources. For more information: mawainc.org.au

9345 0388 | eo@mawainc.org.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

Rainbow Reading

Are you running support groups for ESL, special needs or reading? Do you tutor adolescents or adult reading? Using proven techniques we enhance results. Our innovative reading pen assists with learning, while motivating the hard-toengage student. Available for all our books.

rainbowreading.com.au

Di: 0407 490 253

Noticeboard

Email

Retired teachers

The next meeting of the Retired Teachers’ Association is Wednesday 27 March at the SSTUWA premises from 10am. All retired members are welcome.

Video conferencing facilities are available for those who cannot attend in person. Email contact@sstuwa.org.au for the link.

Stay in touch: Join the RTA Facebook Group – search “Retired Teachers’ Association of the SSTUWA”.

Trans Day of Visibility 31 March

Trans Day of Visibility is an annual international celebration of trans pride and awareness, recognising trans and gender diverse experiences and achievements. On 31 March celebrate with gender diverse people all around Australia by sharing stories, starting conversations, and attending events. For more information visit todov.org.au

Level 3 Classroom Teachers’ Association: 2024 meeting dates

Term 1

Thurs 21 March

SSTUWA and online, 4.30pm

Term 2 Sat 18 May Online, 10.30am

Term 3 Thurs 5 Sept SSTUWA and online, 4.30pm

Term 4

AGM: Sat 30 Nov Online, 10.30am

Venue: SSTUWA, 1 West St, West Perth and/or online via Zoom

More info: www.l3cta.org.au | contact@l3cta.org.au

State Council

June 2024 State Council Conference will be held on 14-15 June. Agenda items must be received by 19 April.

November 2024 State Council Conference will be held on 15-16 November. Agenda items must be received by 20 September.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers Memorial Day

Friday 28 April is World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Workers’ Memorial Day. The day provides an opportunity to reflect on how to prevent occupational deaths, injuries, diseases and illnesses. It is also a day to remember those who have died from a work-related injury or illness. For more information visit bit.ly/3lygjb8 and bit.ly/3LKhxec

Earth Day 2024

Globally Earth Day is marked on 22 April and commemorates the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. The day is used to promote environmental protection, clean living and a healthy sustainable habitat for humans and the natural forms of life we share the planet with. For more information visit earthday.org

Early Childhood Educators Committee