Anonymous #455

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #455

Where are you located?

Queensland

What type of area do you live in?

Metropolitan

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

Yes

Which sector do you work in?

Early childhood education and care

What is your occupation?

School leader

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Somewhat disagree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

While the action recognises the value that teachers bring to students, communities and the economy it does not specifically reference early childhood teachers and the unique value that they bring. Early childhood teachers are often underrepresented in approaches such as this one that ave their basis in school contexts. Early childhood teachers are also not valued the way teachers in school contexts are which is evident in the disparity in state- based teacher registration processes. For example in QLD, early childhood teachers holding a 0-5degree are not even eligible to become registered with the QLD College of Teachers. Similarly, the suggestion to increase the number of teachers achieving HALT certification does not reference the fact that there is not even a process or an option for teachers in erly childhood settings to do this in some states. My general feedback on these actions would be that each one needs to specifically include and reference 'early childhood teachers' in conjunction with 'teachers' Also a national approach to teacher registration and HALT certification would go a long way to raising the professional identity and community valuing of early childhood teachers.

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

- Bring wages for early childhood teachers in line with school teachers with a 5% interim wages subsidy

- Federal funding for 1,500 university places for early childhood teachers should only go to universities that offer birth-5 years degrees (or birth-8 years in SA)

- Extend the HECS/HELP reduction for doctors and nurses to early childhood teachers in regional and remote locations

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Currently there are many ITE prgrams that provide a combined early childhood/ primary teaching qualification and these are very heavily wieghted towards the school context. This is evident in program content but often also the structure of the program where professional experience in prior- to- school settings occurs in the first years of the degree and the school settings in final placements from which students may then be offered employment. It would be useful to ensure that future ITE programs place equal value and emphasis on prior to school settings. Another recommendation would be to create a national agreement to no longer deliver ITE programs that lead to early childhood degrees that are not eligible for teacher registration, such as the 0-5 yrs early childhood degrees currently offered in QLD.

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?