Paul Kidson, Australian Catholic University; Herb Marsh, Australian Catholic University, and Theresa Dicke, Australian Catholic University
A major survey of Australian school principals finds they are copping abuse from parents and students on top of huge workloads. Many experienced leaders say they might leave the profession.
Australia’s teachers are predominantly Australian-born, female, and non-Indigenous. Most hail from middle-class backgrounds with urban upbringings, and are less likely to have disabilities.
Erin Siostrom, University of the Sunshine Coast; Reece Mills, Queensland University of Technology, and Theresa Bourke, Queensland University of Technology
Research shows plenty of people think about becoming teachers. We also know mid-career teachers’ expectations don’t match reality once they make it to the classroom.
Research shows one way teachers could take more control over their wellbeing at work is by ‘job crafting’. This involves making changes to your job to make it more meaningful.
A key aspect of Education Minister Jason Clare’s draft plan is recruiting more First Nations teachers. But it is missing details and an emphasis on decolonising schools.
It’s not just COVID-19. Low salaries, subpar working conditions and lack of resources in the classroom are three of the reasons why teachers are abandoning the profession.
A new report comes at a critical time. Every year, between 5% and 9% of Australian students do not meet year-level expectations in literacy or numeracy.
Education Minister Jason Clare says completion rates for teaching degrees are 50% compared to 70% for other degrees. This sounds alarming but there is a different way to look at the figures.