Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 11/11/2009
Reporter: Tony Jones
‘And Tony, of course, we’re also making profound reforms on the question of teacher quality and school leadership. We understand the most important thing to learning is the transaction between a teacher and a student, and if we can increase the quality of that, we can increase what’s happening quality-wise in our schools. That’s why, once again, we’re investing more than half a billion dollars in improving teacher quality and school leadership, including some reforms people thought this country would never see.’
Now this is interesting! Julia Gillard has made a point here that I totally agree with and I think we’ve known for a long time. What makes a difference is the transaction between teacher and student. Improving teaching and learning in classrooms will ‘increase what’s happening quality –wise in our schools’. I agree!
‘Our new reforms for teacher quality have already started to deliver in NSW a system where a teacher can accredit as a leading or accomplished teacher, a teacher with special skills and they will be paid six figure salaries to go to disadvantaged schools to teach in those classrooms that need them the most because the kids are most at risk of falling behind – literacy and numeracy and the educational benchmarks we need them to attain.’
Ok, so where am I going? To become a Leading Teacher in a Victorian school is near impossible. There just aren’t many positions, and if you want your speciality to be teaching and learning in a classroom, because that’s what you love to do, then it’s even harder. This makes sense and I sincerely hope this happens. Lets value quality classroom teachers and give them access to promotion.
I’m not so sure about other issues brought up in this interview, because I really need to know more, but I felt a ‘tinge’ of hope when I read this. All students, regardless of demographics have a right to reach their potential, to be literate and numerate. Australia is not third world, we have no excuse.
Cheers Nina Come on, share your thoughts with me! Follow the link to read the full transcript – it’s interesting reading…
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 