3 minute read
New educators at State Council
State Council Conference is the ultimate decision-making body of the SSTUWA, where nominated members from across WA represent their district and have input into the policies and direction of our union. Each year, early career teachers are invited to participate in our State Council guest program, which will be occurring in November. This is a wonderful opportunity for early career teachers to gain an understanding of how our union operates. The SSTUWA invites a few new educators to attend State Council Conference as guests and they are hosted by the Growth Team. Guests can observe proceedings and get involved in workshops aimed at increasing their knowledge. Attending State Council Conference is an awesome opportunity to experience how decisions are made and a great opportunity for networking. Previous guests to State Council Conference have heard from keynote speakers such as Department of Education Director General Lisa Rodgers, Professor Barrie Bennett and Education International General Secretary Emeritus Fred van Leeuwen to name a few.
Guests to State Council Conference have found it to be very informative. They have gained a better understanding of how decisions are made, learnt about many issues affecting public education, the importance of union membership and have enjoyed meeting other teachers from their district.
Expressions of interest are now being called for new educators who are interested in attending November State Council Conference as a guest. Nominees must be in their first five years of teaching and must commit to attending the conference on both days. Further information can be obtained from the Growth Team: neweducator@sstuwa.org.au
Political leaders should avoid drawing simplistic conclusions from the 2021 NAPLAN results, according to the Australian Education Union (AEU). “NAPLAN is a deeply flawed test, and its deficiencies need to be considered in any reading of the 2021 results,” AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe said. “The test results must not be used by politicians to avoid their responsibility to ensure that public schools are funded properly, and that educational disadvantage is addressed with additional resources. “NAPLAN does not effectively measure a student’s learning outcomes or give an accurate assessment of their educational achievements. “The narrow focus of the test reduces students to a number on a spreadsheet and does not take into account teachers’ informed judgement, the daily learning that occurs in the classroom and issues relating to student health and well-being which are deeply important during this pandemic.” Recent work by the University of New South Wales’ Gonski Institute demonstrates that NAPLAN’s censusbased approach is detrimental to students, teachers and parents and not fit-for-purpose. Three quarters of teachers say NAPLAN is ineffective and increases pressure on teachers and students, according to data from the AEU’s 2020 State of our Schools survey. “The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the existing disadvantages and inequities in education. The best way to address this is by investing in public schools,” Ms Haythorpe said. “In considering the 2021 results, it’s important to remember that states like NSW and Victoria have provided additional funding to offer extra support to students. “This highlights the need for the federal government to address the shocking inequity in public school funding. “If any conclusion at all can be drawn from the 2021 NAPLAN results, it’s that the federal government must ensure public schools are funded to a minimum of 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard so that every child, no matter their circumstances, can have access to a high-quality education.”
