EducationSurvey

EducationSurvey 2013: Your comments – class sizes, student behaviour, politics

OUR annual EducationSurvey asked school staff across Australia for their views on the issues affecting the sector. Thousands of people took part. In part four of our wrap up, here are just some of the comments we received on topics including class sizes, student behaviour, and a few messages for politicians from our readers. CLASS SIZES “Class […]

News

SA: Teachers call on Libs to back funding deal

ADELAIDE, March 12 – Teachers have called on South Australian Liberal opposition Leader Steven Marshall to back the former federal Labor government’s six-year funding plan for education ahead of Saturday’s state election. Australian Education Union federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said a failure to back the six-year deal would deny SA schools $300 million in future […]

FED: School funding inquiry to kick off

CANBERRA, March 12 – Labor will seek to pressure the Abbott government over what it says are backflips and broken promises on school funding reform at a parliamentary inquiry. Senators of the select committee on school funding will grill Department of Education officials during the inquiry’s first public hearing in Sydney on Thursday. The inquiry […]

NSW: Teacher charged with indecent assault

SYDNEY, March 12 – A Sydney high school teacher charged with indecently assaulting a 12-year-old student has been assigned to duties where he doesn’t come into contact with children. The 67-year-old man was arrested at his school in the city’s west on Tuesday following a complaint from a girl. She alleges he indecently assaulted her […]

Power failure forces Darwin schools shutdown

DARWIN, March 12 – A power outage has forced the Northern Territory government to shut down schools and public sector offices across Darwin. The blackout happened overnight and the government has mobilised emergency management protocols. So far, no reason has been given for the power failure, but school and public bus networks won’t operate on […]

Silence condemned girls to pedophile

BRISBANE, Feb 28 – Thirteen young Catholic girls were raped and molested by their teacher because five adults remained silent to protect the Church. But the bishop they were trying to protect says he finds it “stunning” they didn’t report the claims. Principal Terry Hayes, assistant principal Megan Wagstaff, student protection officer Catherine Long and […]

SA: Teachers call on Libs to back funding deal

ALP pledges Tasmanian schoolkids bonus

HOBART, March 2 – Tasmanian Labor has pledged to pay its own schoolkids bonus if re-elected, with the federal scheme set to be axed. Premier Lara Giddings has used her party’s official campaign launch to unveil the policy should the ALP be returned on March 15. Giddings said the State Government would pay low-income families […]

Fire threatens small Vic community

MELBOURNE, Feb 20 – Homes in the Victorian hamlet of Goongerah are again under threat from a bushfire. The fire is burning in bushland on private property about 500 metres from the Goongerah Primary School, threatening about six small farms. The school was already closed because of fires in the area, with classes running at […]

Barnett doesn’t think teachers want strike

PERTH, March 6 – West Australian Premier Colin Barnett does not believe the state’s teachers truly support another strike but will follow the lead of their union. The State School Teachers’ Union of WA, United Voice and the Community and Public Sector Union are planning industrial action on April 1 to protest against the state […]

Nigeria shuts schools to stem attacks

ABUJA, March 6 – Nigeria has shut five government colleges in the country’s restive northeast in the wake of a deadly series of attacks targeting schools. A ministry of education statement issued late on Wednesday said the affected schools were “located within the high security risk areas of the northeast geo-political zone”. Students of the […]

Opinion

How do we future proof education from this government?

How do we future proof education, and in particular public education in NSW and Australia, from the Federal Government and the Minister for Education, Christopher Pyne? Students First, as the title implies, is the Coalition Government’s policy purported to support education systems and schools. The claim is to enrich learning outcomes for ALL students and […]

Cartoon – December 2013

AUSTRALIAN Teacher Magazine’s cartoonist, Linus, gives his take on the latest education issues.

Using holidays to their full potential

AS teachers we are a privileged bunch. We are fortunate enough to receive some 11 weeks of holidays each year. Over the last few weeks I have been watching others work their regular 9 to 5 shifts, just waiting for their four weeks annual leave. I even ask myself how they do it, because I […]

Funding model groundhog day

AFTER a series of gymnastic moves the great Olga Korbut would have been proud of, Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne was likened to a Dr Seuss character (How the Grinch Stole Gonski). The continuing confusion over a national school funding model for the next four years and beyond — and an Australian Curriculum review — […]

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How do we future proof education from this government?

Classroom

Smith’s positive approach contagious

WITH instructions from the headmaster to explore ways to improve student wellbeing at his school, Matt Smith was given the green light to implement a Positive Education program for the students. The coordinator of student wellbeing programs at Brisbane Grammar School drew on the work of Dr Suzy Green, a clinical and coaching psychologist at […]

School VET salon is voted a beauty

PERFECTING deluxe manicures and pedicures is all in a day’s work for Hampton Senior High School VET students. The West Australian school’s beauty program was established early last year and opened to the public as a training salon in May. With initial issues including funding, location, sustainability and on-the-job training, principal Eleanor Hughes says community […]

Smith’s positive approach contagious

Red Frogs are happy to help

WITH thousands of excited teenagers flocking to schoolies hotspots around Australia, unburdened by exam stress and ready for some unbridled fun, S-press takes a closer look at school leaver celebrations, and what kind of safety measures are available. S-press journalists spoke to Andy Gourley, founder of schoolies and university support network Red Frogs Australia. Gourley […]

Top 10: Celebrity high school dropouts

Becoming a high school dropout is widely considered to be a career-stopper, or at the very least a giant hurdle in your career goals. However, there are several world famous and highly successful exceptions that prove that this isn’t exactly a rule of thumb. Despite never receiving that lauded high school graduation certificate, these members […]

Burnham brings ’50s flair

HAVING always had an interest in both the style and social graces of the 1950s, Emma Burnham has found the perfect way to express her take on the era by taking part in the Miss Pinup Australia competition. This is the first time the Year 1 teacher has entered the national competition in which contestants […]

Bramsen’s space science odyssey

NEIL Bramsen has always had an interest in space science and education, so the idea of pursuing professional learning in this area naturally excites him. But he never would have thought that as a result of this intensive pursuit of further learning, he would be named as the only Australian educator selected to take part […]

PD

InBrief: PD

English appointment The Australian Association for the Teaching of English welcomes a new president this year. Garry Collins brings to the role 30 years of experience as a secondary school English teacher and department head and at present is working as a part-time teacher educator at the University of Queensland. Collins took his first role […]

Association focus

The Australian School Library Association (ASLA) is proactive in providing leadership and support for school libraries and the promotion of teacher librarianship in Australia. Our vision is that qualified teacher librarians, and well resourced and staffed school libraries ensure excellence in learning for every student. Our activities include providing professional learning through face-to-face and virtual […]

InBrief: PD

Modules designed to help school principals become literacy leaders in their communities

LITERACY plays a significant part in a student’s success at school and beyond, so it’s a principal’s business to be effective literacy leaders within their school. In an effort to provide professional development in this area, the Association of Independent Schools Western Australia (AISWA) is running a series of modules this year. “Principals as Literacy […]

Technology

Morffew’s helpdesk success

TECHNOLOGY glitches are usually nothing more than a painful annoyance for teachers and students, but an inventive program at Taroona High School in Tasmania is helping to turn technical problems into opportunities for student growth and leadership. The ‘technology helpdesk’ initiative sees students from Year 9 and 10 volunteer to be available to assist younger […]

InBrief: iPad fundraising, Learning coding, Literacy and numeracy website

iWalk on right track GOLD COAST – Highland Reserve State High School will be able to buy more iPads for use in classrooms after a fantastic community fundraising effort. Its iWalk for iPads event raised more than $10,000. Students were sponsored to walk around a set track and those who raised the most money were […]

InBrief: BYOD, Screen It competition, Free computers

Evolving digital resources

Q. How can I keep abreast of changes and new developments in educational technology? A. As we celebrate Facebook’s 10th birthday, there is certainly common understanding that technology is continuously being improved and taking us on a new and exciting journey. Within education, these changes can be overwhelming and difficult to implement, simply due to […]

App Review: Physics Toolbox (Mechanics)

This app provides a portable means for students to practise questions related to topics covered in mechanics, using a medium that is commonplace, lighter, cheaper and far trendier than the textbook. Another advantage is that the app includes 140 questions from a range of topics with worked solutions, explaining in detail how the answer is […]

Tech expo delight

ROBOTICS and a 3D printer were just some of the technological delights to be experienced at New South Wales’ Camden Haven High School, which hosted its Inaugural Technology Expo as part of an initiative to educate parents and students in the ways new technologies are used across the schools’ different faculties. Joanne Kaul, president of […]

Careers

First Year Out: Bronwyn Aitkin

The decision to return to university after 10 years of professional working takes courage and conviction. Bronwyn Aitkin gave up her career in the hospitality industry to tackle a Health Science and Diploma of Education degree. Now she is putting her study into practice teaching home economics and health at Victoria’s Gladstone Park Secondary College. […]

InBrief: Career Awards, Retirements, Appointments

RETIREMENT Stephen Nicholas, principal of Great Lakes College Senior Campus, has retired. He has been at the college in New South Wales since it opened in 2002. Nicholas — who has worked in several Sydney schools during a 38 year career — told the Great Lakes Advocate he originally wanted to study economics, but accepted […]

First Year Out: Bronwyn Aitkin

Bates’ consultative approach natural

THE Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) this year is celebrating 125 years in existence and current president Kevin Bates is keen on ensuring the organisation’s continued strength, influence and relevance for the next 125 years and beyond. Bates believes a calm, cool and collected approach has been a key to his success in the job. But […]

Outdoor educators getting practical experience and a great track record

THE university’s name might be different, but those who enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Outdoor and Environmental Education at Federation University can expect the same high quality standard that has kept this course thriving for more than 10 years. Despite the University of Ballarat changing its name to Federation University and taking over Monash […]

Page enjoys a new chapter

DESPITE having more qualifications than many teachers who have been in the profession for decades longer than she has, Shaileigh Page knows she still has plenty to learn when it comes to her teaching practice. The 28-year-old completed her PhD studies in September last year, and has taken up a fulltime teaching role at South […]

Editor’s Picks