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MAJEDA AWAWDEH Who Cares About Maths Anyway
MAJEDA AWAWDEH Who Cares About Maths Anyway
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Printed in Australia
ABOUT
"A concise thought-provoking,
and simply written book that every educator and
parent should read."
—Majeda Awawdeh
Table of Contents
Testimonial
List of Abbreviations
Foreword
Acknowledgements
Author’s Note
Introduction 1
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
TABLE OF CONTENTS
John Sweller
Emeritus Professor of Educational Psychology
School of Education
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052
Australia
www.education.arts.unsw.edu.au/about-us/people/john-sweller
List of Abbreviations
PD Professional development
learning centre that would put into practice the principles of Cognitive
Load Theory, which was her PhD field of study.
Erlinda Escoban-Gillies
MEd (Syd)
Sydney, NSW
November 2018
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to all the parents who have poured out their hearts to
me, expressing their frustration and feelings of helplessness. I am
thankful to all the hardworking, under-paid teachers who go through
their careers with little to no acknowledgement. My sincere gratitude
goes to all the students who have been overlooked and were left
frustrated by an education system drowning in bureaucracy and the
need to tick boxes. I have learned a great deal from all of you, and
without your input, this book would not have been possible.
Author’s Note
Note that each state and territory has its own Year 12 exams:1
1
INTRODUCTION
2
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
3
Chapter 1
Curriculum
Conundrum
A
ustralia has always been known as the ‘lucky country’, but it
seems we are not necessarily the ‘smart country’ when it comes
to education.
5
curriculum conundrum
6
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
How
Chapter 3: Is the Australian
Teachers Curriculum Produced? 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
ACARA is responsible for developing the Australian Curriculum. It
University or Teaching College? 34
employsWhat
teamsAreofthe
writers for eachtosubject,
Prerequisites Becomeconsisting
a Teacher?of curriculum
35
Ongoing
experts, Professional
leading academics Development
in each field and representatives 37 of
How Much Does It Cost
relevant professional associations.to Become 7 a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent?
The drafted curricula are sent out for consultation with interested 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
parties, including teachers, parents’ and citizens’ associations,
2017 or Latest Available 41
university educators,
Teachers’ Hours, thePrimary,
Independent
15 Years’Schools Council of Australia
Experience,
and the2017 or LatestCatholic
National Available Education Commission as well 42 as
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining
business, industry and community groups. Needless to say, this 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
causes significant, time-consuming, back-and-forth communication
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
while the curricula are assessed and revised. Some curricula are
Chapter
released4:while
Schools
theyofareThought
still at the revision stage, which could mean 59
that Choosing
they are substantially
a School rewritten even as they are being taught. 59
School Structure 60
TheSchool
ManySystems
Components of the Australian Curriculum 61
Selective High Schools 62
At the
Howbeginning of this
Do Our School chapter,
Systems RankI mentioned
Globally? that the Australian 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Curriculum is the foundation stone upon which the building blocks of
Teaching-Learning
our national education system Process? are based. The curriculum is divided 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
into three multi-faceted dimensions.
Teaching-Learning Process? The first dimension is the three 68
Cross-Curriculum Priorities:
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
1. Sustainability
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
2.
WhyAsian
Aren’tand Australia’s
Schools Meeting engagement
the Needs ofwith Asia
Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
3.
HowAboriginal
Effective Isand Torres
School Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
7 For a full list of board members, see Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
Authority, About us, Board membership, www.acara.edu.au/about-us/acara-
governance-and-advisory-structure/board-membership, viewed October 10, 2018.78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
7
curriculum conundrum
1. Literacy
2. Numeracy
6. Intercultural understanding
7. Ethical understanding
1. English
2. Mathematics
3. Science
5. The Arts
7. Languages
8. Technologies
8
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
What
Chapter Is Wrong
3: Teachers with This National Approach? 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
As I mentioned, ACARA produces the national curriculum by using
University or Teaching College? 34
teams of Whatexpert
Are thewriters, along towith
Prerequisites extensive,
Become time-consuming
a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional
consultation Development The result is that in a fast-
with many stakeholders. 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
paced, ever-changing world where technology, culture, language 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
and Are
pretty
Ourmuch everything
Teachers elseEnough
Being Paid is constantly and
to Attract rapidly
Future evolving,
Talent? 41
the curriculum
Teachers’becomes
Salaries,bogged
Primary, down andExperience,
15 Years’ can become redundant
2017itorreaches
by the time Latest Available
our students. To complicate matters, even 41 as
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
students are being taught the national curriculum, it continues to be
2017 or Latest Available 42
rewrittenMale
behind the scenes, creating
Teacher Numbers Are Declining uncertainty for those teaching
45
it, not
Howto Effective
mention Areour Our
students whose academic results are the end
Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face?
product. 53
Chapter
More4:importantly,
Schools of Thought 59
even though these curricula are mandated,
the Choosing
educationa system
School in each state and territory as well as each 59
School stream
education Structure
8
and school, can interpret them, develop syllabi 60
School Systems 61
and teach the content whichever way they choose.9
Selective High Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
Approach to Pedagogy
How Does Timetabling Influence the
AnotherTeaching-Learning
consideration is Process?
how the Australian Curriculum addresses 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
differentTeaching-Learning
learning styles. Let’s briefly consider how these learning
Process? 68
styles areDo
How catered for, bearing
Bureaucracy in mind that the
and Administration Australian
Impact Curriculum
Teaching? 68
is used as the foundation for teacher training and as the basis 70
Who Is Leading Schools? for
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
their teaching.
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students?
The Australian Curriculum has seven General Capabilities, but 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
howHowwellEffective
do these cater toReporting?
Is School the full spectrum of learners? Are they
73
helping students reach their full potential?
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Typeindependent
8 Government, of LearningorWorks Best?
Catholic. 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
9 Any part of the Australian Curriculum can be downloaded at
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download?view=f10. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
9
curriculum conundrum
There are so many questions here, and we can see that the
issue is that pedagogies are not aligned to create effective teaching.
The big question is, who writes these textbooks? Are they written
by teachers or researchers? Did the authors study methodology?
I have come across many textbooks that are supposed to teach
mathematics, but all they offer is a bunch of scattered questions.
They are confusing, offer no type of structure and do not include
any theoretical or methodical direction.
10
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Each3:year,
Chapter parents in Catholic and private schools are given33a
Teachers
list of textbooks
Teaching to purchase for their child, which are purchased34
the Teachers at
University or Teaching College?
considerable expense. Yet often, they are barely opened. Do you 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher?
ever scratch your head when your child brings textbooks home35 at
Ongoing Professional Development 37
the end
Howof the Does
Much school year to
It Cost that still look
Become brand new?
a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Meanwhile,
Are Our Teachers parents in Paid
Being public schools
Enough are not
to Attract given
Future any list41of
Talent?
books, with the exception
Teachers’ of some15selective
Salaries, Primary, schools that provide a
Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
list of books for mathematics and sometimes science. Thus, there41is
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
a disparity between the school systems and a lack of transparency
2017 or Latest Available 42
as I mentioned in the introduction.
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining It is very frustrating for parents to
45
not know what books
How Effective Are OurtheirTeachers?
children are learning from. 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
In most primary schools, textbooks are almost non-existent,
Chapter
especially 4: Schools of Thought teachers just use downloadable
in mathematics; 59
worksheets.
Choosing a School 59
School Structure 60
You
SchoolwillSystems
recall that I mentioned an interview I conducted with 61
Selective High Schools
a 48-year-old primary school teacher whom I refer to as ‘AC’, who 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
graduated from an elite university in Sydney and has been teaching
How Does Timetabling Influence the
for 26 years (with a total of
Teaching-Learning 16 years in the classroom). This is what
Process? 67
she How
had to
Dosay about
School textbooks:
Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
Q: What textbooks do you use? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
AC: There are no textbooks, and I hate that. There is no 72
Why Aren’t
program andSchools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students?
no structure. 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
HowWhere
Q: Effective areIs School Reporting? to source your teaching 73
you supposed
materials?
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where
AC: I amand When Does
supposed Learning Start?my students’ needs (and
to accommodate 78
What Type of Learning Works
there are many levels in the Best?
same classroom) and create 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
11
curriculum conundrum
12
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
13
curriculum conundrum
Bureaucratic Interference
Back to Basics
14
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
since the3:last
Chapter comprehensive review in 1989, and we must ensure
Teachers 33
the Teaching
curriculumtheisTeachers
as strong as it can be… This includes a greater 34
focus on the basics, including English, maths and the sciences.’ 34
University or Teaching College?
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development
Education Minister Rob Stokes said, ‘This is a once-in-a- 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
generation chance to examine, declutter and improve the NSW 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions?11 39
curriculum
Are OurtoTeachers
make it Being
simpler to Enough
Paid understand and to
to Attract teach.’
Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Whether this review is followed through with an actual overhaul
2017 or Latest Available 41
and/or is adoptedHours,
Teachers’ by other states
Primary, and territories
15 Years’ is yet to be seen.
Experience,
Another2017 or Latest
important Availableof course, is how a ‘pared back’ NSW
question, 42
Male
curriculum Teacher
will Numbers
align with Are Declining
the Australian Curriculum. 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Methodology and Instructional Design
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
In my view, Methodology and Instructional Design are two crucial
Choosing a School 59
factors in the development
School Structure of the Australian Curriculum. For readers
60
whoSchool
may not be familiar with these terms, here is a brief definition
Systems 61
of each: Selective High Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Methodology is an area of pedagogy that involves an analysis
Teaching-Learning
and evaluation of subjects Process?
and the methods used to teach them. 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Methodology is crucial Process?
Teaching-Learning to good teaching practices because68it
enables
How teachers to better
Do Bureaucracy andcater to the different
Administration learning styles68
Impact Teaching? of
Who Is Leading Schools?
students in their classrooms, while also allowing students to become 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
actively involved in the learning process. If methodology was
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
applied
Why to the national
Aren’t curriculum,
Schools Meeting a cohesive
the Needs standard
of Gifted of teaching
Students? 72
would
Whybe delivered
Is There across
So Little all Australian
Transparency in Ourschools. This
Schools for approach
Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
has worked in other countries, such as Finland, where teachers 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where
11 NSW and When
Government, Does
‘NSW Learning
launches Start?
school 78
curriculum review’, Media Releases
What Type of Learning Works Best?
from the Premier, May 14, 2018, www.nsw.gov.au/your-government/the-premier/78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
media-releases-from-the-premier/nsw-launches-school-curriculum-review, viewed
School
October Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
12, 2018. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
15
cu rri culum conu nd rum
16
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
In the3:early
Chapter years of school, Finnish students often stay together
Teachers 33
in a Teaching
class with
thethe same teacher for several years. That way, the
Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
teacher can follow their development over several grade levels, 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
and they are able to learn in what many consider to be a family-like
Ongoing Professional
12
Development 37
environment.
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Whichever method
Are Our Teachers of teaching
Being Paid Enougha school uses,
to Attract it needs
Future to have
Talent? 41
some theory,
Teachers’and this needs
Salaries, to15be
Primary, practised.
Years’ We can see that
Experience,
2017 or
in Australia, theLatest Available is not aligned to create effective
methodology 41
teaching.Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
NowMale
let’sTeacher
look at Numbers
some of Are
the Declining
other reasons Australian schools 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
are failing to teach.
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where Center
12 National and When Does Learning
on Education and the Start? 78
Economy (NCEE) Finland: Instructional
Systems, National
What Type Centre onWorks
of Learning Education
Best?and the Economy, n.d., ncee.org/what-
78
we-do/center-on-international-education-benchmarking/top-performing-countries/
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
finland-overview/finland-instructional-systems, viewed January 11, 2018.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
17
Chapter 2
S
TEM is the four disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics. In the face of poor results on an international
scale in recent years, the Australian Government has been
scrambling to introduce STEM at the primary and pre-primary
level in schools and enhance its teaching at the secondary level.
Historically, at primary level, little to no STEM has been taught,
mainly due to a lack of specialist teachers and/or teachers with
19
t he stem ‘sell’
What Is STEM?
The Australian Curriculum that I outlined in Chapter 1 is responsible
for STEM, which is the part of the curriculum that covers four specific
disciplines: science, technology, engineering and mathematics.13
STEM encompasses three of the learning areas, namely science,
technology and mathematics, and covers the general capabilities
of numeracy, ICT, and critical and creative thinking.14 Engineering is
one of the more common high school subjects addressed by STEM
and cuts across science, digital technologies and mathematics.
20
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
16
programmes
Chapter ) to a 10-year plan starting in 2016 that would restore
3: Teachers 33
the Teaching
focus ontheSTEM and encourage students to take up STEM
Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
subjects during both primary and secondary schooling. 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much The DoesSTEM
It Cost toConnections
Become a Teacher? Project 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Shortly
Arebefore the publication
Our Teachers Being Paidof the National
Enough STEMFuture
to Attract School Education
Talent? 41
Strategy,Teachers’
ACARA—who is responsible
Salaries, for the
Primary, 15 Years’ Australian Curriculum—
Experience,
2017 or Latest
commissioned AvailableAssociation of Mathematics Teachers
the Australian 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
(AAMT) to conduct a research project investigating ‘the effectiveness
2017 or Latest Available 42
of usingMale
an integrated approach
Teacher Numbers Are Decliningto the teaching and learning of
45
STEMHowdisciplines’.
Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
In effect, the STEM Connections Project addressed the first of
Chapter 4: Schools
the National of Thought
STEM School Education Strategy’s two goals: 59
Choosing a School 59
Goal 1: Ensure
School Structure all students finish school with strong foundational
60
knowledge in STEM and related skills.
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
Goal
How Do2: Our
Ensure
School that students
Systems Rankare inspired to take on more
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling
challenging STEM subjects. Influence
17 the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
To some
How extent,Premises
Do School the project also addressed
Impact the each of the Strategy’s
Teaching-Learning Process?
five key areas for national action, namely: 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
1. Increasing student STEM ability, engagement, participation 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
and aspiration.
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
WhyIncreasing
2. Aren’t Schools Meeting
teacher the Needs
capacity of Gifted
and STEM Students?
teaching quality. 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective IsSTEM
3. Supporting School Reporting?
education 73
opportunities within school systems.
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where
16 For more and Whenon
information Does
theseLearning
programs,Start? 78
see Department of Education, Science
What
by DoingType
and of Learning
Primary Works Best?
Connections: 78
Linking Science with Literacy programmes,
May 13, 2014, docs.education.gov.au/node/35769, viewed
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and October 10, 2018.
School
17 Education Affect
Council, op. Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
cit., p7. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
21
t he stem ‘sell’
22
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
The purpose
Chapter 3: Teachers of the program is to instil importance in the value 33
of work and the
Teaching lifelong
Teacherslearning and ensure that students in Years349
University or
and 10 (many of whom will notTeaching College?
complete Years 11 and 12) have34a
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
basic knowledge of how to secure work as well as ‘manage careers,
Ongoing Professional Development 37
change
HowandMuch transitions
Does It Cost in an
to uncertain
Become a and changing future’.21 38
Teacher?
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
WhyAretheOurCorrelation
Teachers Being between STEM
Paid Enough and the
to Attract Work
Future Studies
Talent? 41
Curriculum?
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
The reasoning
Teachers’behind this was
Hours, Primary, basedExperience,
15 Years’ on evidence that STEM
education2017is or
more Latest Available
effective and successful when students are given 42
Male Teacher
the opportunity to learnNumbers Are Declining
the disciplines across various learnings and 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
capabilities and apply them in realistic, authentic ways, hence the
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
collaboration with industry partners.
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
The project also cut across the Australian Curriculum’s Cross-
Choosing a School 59
curriculum Priorities
School Structure of Sustainability and Environment as well as
60
Product
Schooland Force and Motion.
Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
How HowDidDoTeachers
Our School Cope with
Systems theGlobally?
Rank Project? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
The STEM Connections Project
Teaching-Learning Process?Report revealed that participating 67
schools
How found
Do School that mathematics
Premises Impactwastheconsiderably more challenging in
Teaching-Learning Process?
terms of setting up and incorporating in the project than other disciplines. 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
School reports indicate that mathematics was the most 70
Who Is Leading Schools?
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools?
difficult learning area to plan for in the project. Some teachers 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
commented
Why Aren’t Schools that they foundthe
Meeting it hard to integrate
Needs mathematics 72
of Gifted Students?
effectively
Why Is There intoSothose projects that in
Little Transparency were
Our focused on Parents?
Schools for science 73
How Effective
or technologies. Is School
22 Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
21 Australian Curriculum, F-10 Curriculum, Work Studies, Aims, n.d.,
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/work-studies/aims/?searchTerm=
What Type of Learning Works Best?
manage+careers%2c+change+and+transitions+in+an+uncertain+and+changing+fu 78
As Parents, How Doviewed
ture#dimension-content, Our Attitudes towards
October 10, 2018. Learning and
22 ACARA,School Affect Our Children’s
STEM Connections Approach
Project Report, p10. to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
23
t he stem ‘sell’
24
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
26
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
those with
Chapter children). Only 17 per cent of STEM university professors
3: Teachers 33
are Teaching
female, and the ‘traditionally male sectors’ of construction and
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
transport still employ few female STEM graduates at 12 per cent and 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
15 per cent respectively in comparison to education (41 per cent)
Ongoing Professional Development 37
and How
healthcare
Much Does(60 per cent).
It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
A datasheet
Are produced
Our Teachers Being by
Paidthe office to
Enough of Attract
Australia’s Chief
Future Scientist
Talent? 41
states, ‘Australia loses female
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary,talent at every
15 Years’ stage of the STEM
Experience,
pipeline2017 or Latest
despite no Available
innate cognitive gender differences.’27 This 41
excellent datasheet canPrimary,
Teachers’ Hours, be found 15 in
Years’
the Experience,
Appendices.
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher
Research Numbers
and testing Are Declining
have failed to prove the biological 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
argument that boys are better at spatial tasks while girls are better
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
at verbal ones.28 A more likely scenario is that cultural and societal
Chapter
influences4: Schools of Thought
play a role. Using the Program of International Students 59
Assessment
Choosing (PISA) data, Organisation for Economic Co-operation
a School 59
and School Structure (OECD) researchers found that girls in more
Development 60
School Systems 61
gender-neutral countries like Scandinavia outperformed boys in
Selective High Schools 62
STEMHowsubjects, whereas
Do Our School in more
Systems patriarchal
Rank Globally? countries like Turkey, 62
How Does Timetabling
boys outperformed girls. 29Influence the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
However,
How Do School evenPremises
in Scandinavian
Impact thecountries, these results don’t
Teaching-Learning Process?
translate into women’s pursuit of STEM careers. Perhaps another 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration30Impact Teaching? 68
factor is at play: a sense of belonging. Do young women feel
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
27 Australia’s
Are Schools ChiefReally
Scientist,
Using Datasheet
Data to2:Improve
Women Learning?
in Stem: A story of attrition,
72
Australian Government, November 2016, www.chiefscientist.gov.au/wp-content/
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students?
uploads/OCS_Women_in_STEM_datasheet.pdf , viewed October 15, 2018.
72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
28 D Kimura, ‘Sex Differences in the Brain: Men and women display patterns of
How Effective
behavioral Is School
and cognitive Reporting?
differences that reflect varying hormonal influences73on
brain development’, Scientific American, May 13, 2002, www2.nau.edu/~bio372-c/
Chapter 5: Students
class/behavior/sexdif1.htm, viewed October 12, 2018. 77
29 Organisation
Where andforWhen
Economic
DoesCo-operation and Development, Equally prepared78
Learning Start? for
life?:
What How 15-year-old
Type boys and
of Learning girlsBest?
Works perform in school, PISA, OECD Publishing,
78
Paris, 2009, www.doi.org/10.1787/9789264064072-en.
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
30 Ibid. p18.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
27
t he stem ‘sell’
• specialist staff
• well-structured textbooks
• collaboration among staff
• take-up of STEM subjects by students31
28
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
3. Primary
Chapter school teachers are not trained to specialise in teaching
3: Teachers 33
STEM
Teachingsubjects; therefore, implementation of STEM in primary
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching
school syllabi is problematic.College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Solutions
Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Specialist
Are Our Teachers
Teachers BeingandPaid
Support
Enoughfor
to STEM in All Talent?
Attract Future Schools41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
While it’s encouraging that the Australian government is now
2017 or Latest Available 41
throwingTeachers’
millionsHours,
of dollars
Primary,into promoting
15 Years’ STEM in schools,
Experience,
I wonder2017 or money
if the Latest Available 42
is being directed to the right places. It seems
Male
to me that theTeacher
focus isNumbers
more onAre
theDeclining 45
system of teaching STEM, rather
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
than ensuring universities are producing quality, specialised STEM
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
teachers. As it stands, it seems the onus has been put on schools to
Chapter 4: Schools
deliver STEM at all of Thought
stages of education; however, most schools 59 do
not Choosing
have specialist teachers (particularly primary schools), or their
a School 59
Schoolare
teachers Structure
ill-equipped to teach STEM. 60
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
Specifically, I think ACARA and the Education Council should 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
focus on two of the National STEM School Education Strategy’s five
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Areas for National Action:Process?
Teaching-Learning 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
1. increasing teacherProcess?
Teaching-Learning capacity and STEM teaching quality 68
How Do Bureaucracy
2. supporting STEMand Administration
education Impact within
opportunities Teaching? school 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
systems33
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
33 Education Council, National Stem School Education Strategy, op. cit., p6.
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
29
t he stem ‘sell’
30
Chapter 3
Teachers
E
ducation is like a long bus journey. The bus is the curriculum, and
the driver—a teacher—must get their student passengers to their
destination: a quality education to equip them for their chosen career
path. Let’s call it Futureville. If your child were on this bus, you’d want
it to be a modern, high-tech vehicle, but more importantly, you’d
expect it to be driven by a suitably qualified, well-trained, highly
skilled driver who knows the most effective and efficient route to
get your child to Futureville. If the driver is incompetent, no matter
how colourful, high-tech and modern the bus is, the journey will not
be as joyful, and the destination may not be reached.
33
teachers
And just as Australian schools are not all created equal, neither
are universities. The quality of teaching degrees varies considerably,
as do the outcomes, style, methodology and approach to teaching
the degree. In Australia, there are currently 10 non-university
colleges offering primary school Teacher Education.35
34
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
What Are
Chapter the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher?
3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
To become a primary school teacher, a student must complete an
University or Teaching College? 34
undergraduate
What AreBachelor of Education
the Prerequisites or a apostgraduate
to Become Teacher? degree,
35
suchOngoing
as a MasterProfessional Development
of Teaching. The bachelor’s degree is three years. 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
For secondary school teaching, the degree is a minimum of four 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
years
Are forOur
a Bachelor
Teachers of Education,
Being including
Paid Enough the study
to Attract FutureofTalent?
a particular
41
subject Teachers’
area, a double
Salaries, degree (Bachelor
Primary, 15 Years’ of Education/Bachelor of
Experience,
Science)2017or aorMaster
Latest of Available
Teaching. 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Media 2017articles
or LatestinAvailable
2016 highlighted the low ATAR scores 42 of
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining
students being accepted into education degrees at universities in 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
Australia, ranging from as low as 30 to an average of around 70.36
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Some other articles in 2017 proposed that teachers need to further
Chapter
study 4: Schools
before enteringof Thought
the classroom.37 59
Choosing a School 59
Notably, students
School Structure enrolling for a primary school education degree
60
do not
Schoolrequire Year 12 mathematics as a subject, which is alarming
Systems 61
Selective High Schools
when you consider they will be expected to teach mathematics to 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
their students when they graduate. If you take into consideration
How Does Timetabling Influence the
STEM, which we looked at in
Teaching-Learning the previous chapter, you have to wonder
Process? 67
howHowa teacher
Do Schoolwho hasn’t Impact
Premises done Year
the 12 mathematics will impart
knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics68
Teaching-Learning Process? to
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
their students. In other words, they are teaching subjects for which
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
theyHow
haveDoes
no formal qualification
the Distribution and/or little
of Funding experience.
Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Students
Why Aren’twith low or
Schools no ATAR
Meeting who want
the Needs to study
of Gifted teaching can
Students? 72
enrol
Whyin foundation
Is There Sostudies, a one-yearinintensive
Little Transparency preparatory
Our Schools course
for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
to gain the skills necessary to enter the undergraduate teaching 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
36 Western Sydney University, Foundation Studies, www.westernsydney.edu.au/
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
thecollege/courses_and_pathways/foundation_studies, viewed October 10, 2018
What Type of Learning Works Best?
37 N Robinson, ‘Teachers should study postgraduate degree before joining 78
As Parents,
workforce, How Do
Australian Our Attitudes
Education towards
Union says’, Learning
ABC News, and
24 Nov 2017, www.abc.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
net.au/news/2017–11–24/teachers-should-have-postgraduate-degree-union- 79
says/9186450
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
35
teachers
AC: Yes, there was. But it was for one year only—not enough.
They don’t teach you how to be a teacher. It is like teaching
a builder all the theories of building and then putting them
on a construction site. They won’t know what to do. The
theories should be for the engineers, not the builders. The
builders need the practical, hands-on learning. It’s the same
for teachers; we need it to be like an apprenticeship.
It’s not all bad news, though. Since 2016, the New South Wales
Education Standards Authority (NESA) has required future teachers
to meet increased academic standards to study an accredited
undergraduate teaching degree in NSW, which includes a minimum
standard of three Band 5 Year 12 exam results, including one in
English or an approved equivalent.
36
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
teacher education
Chapter 3: Teachersstudents in NSW would need to pass a literacy
33
and Teaching
numeracy the test prior to their final professional experience
Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
placement. This approach obviously impressed other states and 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
was adopted nationally in July 2016.
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
However, teacher accreditation does vary from state to 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
state.
AreOnce a teacher
Our Teachers is registered
Being Paid Enough in to
one state
Attract or territory,
Future Talent? their
41
qualifications areSalaries,
Teachers’ recognised by the
Primary, others
15 Years’ (except in NSW, where
Experience,
teachers2017
fromorinterstate
Latest Available
need to re-register).38 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 ortrained
Overseas Latest Available
teachers go through an extensive process 42
Male Teacher
to be approved Numbers
to teach Are Declining
in Australia. For example, in NSW they 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
need to be accredited by NESA. They also need to be approved
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
by Teach NSW by passing a stringent test, the Professional English
Chapter
Assessment4: Schools of Thought
for Teachers (PEAT) by attaining an ‘A’ grade in each59 of
the four components: Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking as
Choosing a School 59
wellSchool
as the Structure
International English Language Testing System for skilled 60
School Systems 61
migrants (IELTS) by receiving a mark of at least 7.5/9 in each of the
Selective High Schools 62
fourHow
components
Do Our Schooland aSystems
minimum overall
Rank mark of 8/9.
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Teaching-Learning
Ongoing ProfessionalProcess? Development 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning
Accredited teachers must Process?
complete 100 hours of PD every five years 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
(or seven years if they are casual or part-time).39 In the Appendices
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
is a How
detailed
Doesmap explainingofa Funding
the Distribution teacher’s journey
Affect to accreditation,
Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
from Stage 1 (conditional or provisional for students) to Stage 5 (lead 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students?
teacher). 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
38 tes.com, ‘How to navigate registration and accreditation’, August 8, 2017,
Chapter 5: Students 77
www.tes.com/en-au/jobs/careers-advice/pay-and-conditions/how-navigate-
registration-and-accreditation.
Where
39 For andone-page
a useful When Does Learning
‘global journey Start? 78
map’ of teacher accreditation, see NSW
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
Education Standards Authority, Guide to Accreditation, n.d., educationstandards.
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
nsw.edu.au/wps/wcm/connect/10a9587f-ceb6-4bc8-8966-d59e0612e28f/NESA-
School Affect Our Children’s Approach toviewed
GLOBAL-ART_A3+poster.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CVID=, Schooling?
October 4, 2018.79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
37
teachers
38
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
ChapterHow Do Teaching
3: Teachers Salaries Compare to 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
Other Professions?
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
You may be surprised to learn that non-teaching roles within the
Ongoing Professional Development 37
NSWHow
Department
Much DoesofIt Cost
Education attract
to Become much higher salaries than
a Teacher? 38
43
many teaching
How positions.
Do Teaching ForCompare
Salaries example,to let’s
Othersuppose an education
Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future
student with an ATAR of 94 does a combined commerce/accounting Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
degree. When they graduate, they can get a graduate position with
2017 or Latest Available 41
the NSWTeachers’
Department of Primary,
Hours, Education with a Experience,
15 Years’ starting salary of $120,000.
2017another
Meanwhile, or Latesteducation
Available student who’s completing a teaching 42
degree Male Teacher
will most likelyNumbers
be offeredAreaDeclining
graduate teaching position with45a
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
starting salary of $65,000.44
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students 77
43 Department of Education and Training, Jobs at the Department of Education and
Where n.d.,
Training, andwww.education.gov.au/jobs-department-education-and-training,
When Does Learning Start? 78
viewed
What Type of
October 10, 2018. Learning Works Best? 78
As for
44 See Parents,
example,How
NSWDo Our Attitudes
Government, towards
I Work for Learning and
NSW, www.iworkfor.nsw.gov.au/job/finance-
School Affect Our Children’s Approach toviewed
and-administration-officer-clerk-grade-3-4-198498-113139, Schooling?
October 10, 2018.79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
39
teachers
40
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
46 P Dolton,
Chapter O Marcenaro-Gutiérrez, A Still, The Efficiency Index, Which education
5: Students 77
systems deliver, the best value for money?, GEMS Education Solutions, 2014, sro.
Where and When Does Learning Start?
sussex.ac.uk/63813/1/The%20Efficiency%20Index.pdf 78
47 Comparative
What Typetoofother professions,
Learning Works however,
Best? less experienced teachers do 78 not
draw an attractive salary. OECD Library, Teachers’ Salaries,
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and OECD, 2018, data.oecd.
org/eduresource/teachers-salaries.htm, viewed October 10, 2018.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
41
teachers
Australia 59,568.0
Ireland 59,458.9
Netherlands 58,035.7
Korea 53,405.0
Japan 51,593.0
Denmark 51,505.8
Austria 49,961.1
Norway 47,686.9
New Zealand 46,337.2
Spain 45,068.9
Sweden 43,200.8
Portugal 42,488.9
Finland 40,991.1
Bear in mind that this data tells another story when you look at the
total number of hours teachers worked in 2017.48
42
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers
Colombia 1,000.00 33
Netherlands
Teaching the Teachers 930.00 34
University or
New Zealand Teaching College? 921.60 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ireland
Ongoing Professional Development 910.00 37
How MuchFrance
Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?900.00 38
How Do Teaching
Spain Salaries Compare to Other Professions?
880.00 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Australia
Teachers’ 865.27
Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 orIsrael
Latest Available 843.35 41
Teachers’ Hours,
Switzerland Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
817.00
2017 or Latest Available 42
Luxembourg 809.60
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
Germany
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 800.54 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 800.00
Mexico 53
Canada 797.77
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
Slovak Republic 793.80
Choosing a School 59
Denmark
School Structure 784.00 60
School Systems
Austria 779.40 61
Selective High Schools 62
Portugal 778.50
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
Italy
How Does Timetabling Influence the 765.60
Teaching-Learning
Japan Process? 742.10 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Norway 741.00
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
Turkey
How Do Bureaucracy 720.00
and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading
Finland Schools? 673.20 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
The Why
results show
Aren’t that inMeeting
Schools one year,
theAustralian teachers
Needs of Gifted worked more
Students? 72
thanWhy
teachers in many OECD countries, including almost 200 hours
Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
moreHow Effective
than FinnishIsteachers!
School Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students
In 2017, the Productivity Commission’s five-year productivity 77
Where
report, and When
Shifting Does
the Dial, Learning
noted Start?of teacher training and pay,
the issue 78
What
stating: Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
43
teachers
AC: No. I spent four years studying at university, and it was a waste
of time and money. I learned things I never use in the classroom.
It took me eight years to pay my HECS debt. I do enjoy teaching,
but it has taken me so many years to build my confidence and
ability to be an effective teacher, and as I mentioned, I am still a
temporary teacher. At any point in time, I might not have a job. I
do not enjoy the politics and the bureaucracy.
49 Productivity Commission, Shifting the Dial: 5 Year Productivity Review, Report No.
84, 2017, Canberra, www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/productivity-review/report/
productivity-review.pdf, viewed October 10, 2018.
50 World Salaries, Finland Average Salaries & Expenditures, 2005, www.worldsalaries.
org/finland.shtml#average-salary-job, viewed October 10, 2018.
44
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Male Teacher
Chapter Numbers Are Declining
3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
Does the lack of respect for teaching as a career and relatively low
University or Teaching College? 34
rates ofWhatpay Are
partially explain theto overwhelming
the Prerequisites Become a Teacher? (and worsening)
35
Ongoing
disparity Professional
between Development
the number of male and female teacher numbers 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
in Australia? According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
in 2015,
Are Ourstatistics
Teachersconfirmed
Being Paid ‘there weretoconsiderably
Enough Attract Futuremore female
Talent? 41
teachingTeachers’
staff than male.’
Salaries, In primary
Primary, 15 Years’schools, female teachers
Experience,
‘comprised2017 83.2
or Latest
perAvailable
cent of teaching staff (FTE)51 in Catholic 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
schools, 81.8 per cent in government schools, and 77.6 per cent in
2017 or Latest Available 42
Independent schools. The highest
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining proportion of male teaching staff
45
52
wasHow
at theEffective
secondaryAre OurlevelTeachers?
in Independent schools (43.5 per cent).’ 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
These statistics are hardly surprising when you look at
Chapter
Australian 4: workers’
Schools ofaverage
Thoughtweekly earnings by industry. As you 59
can Choosing
see, average a Schoolweekly cash earnings are by far the highest59 in
School Structure
male-dominated industries, such as mining, utilities and finance and 60
School Systems 61
insurance services. Earnings in mining are double that of teaching.
Selective High Schools 62
Note,
How too,Dothat
Ourindustries which predominantly
School Systems Rank Globally? hire women, such62 as
How Does Timetabling Influence the
education and training, arts and recreation and accommodation and
Teaching-Learning
food services, attract much Process?
lower earnings.53 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective
51 Full-time Is School Reporting?
equivalent. 73
52 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Schools, Australia 2015, March 3, 2016,
www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/4221.0Main%20
Chapter 5: Students 77
Features502015?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4221.0&issue=
Where and When
2015&num=&view=, DoesOctober
viewed Learning Start?
10, 2018. 78
53 Australian
What Type Bureau of Statistics,
of Learning 6306.0Best?
Works – Employee Earnings and Hours, 78
Australia, May 2016, www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and PrimaryMainFeatures/
6306.0?OpenDocument, viewed October 10, 2018.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
45
teachers
Average weekly
Award/Collective
total cash earnings
agreement
by industry
Estimate $
Mining 2,488.00
Electricity, gas, water and waste services 1,809.60
Construction 1,545.10
Transport, postal and warehousing 1,502.40
Public administration and safety 1,476.90
Finance and insurance services 1,468.10
Information media and telecommunications 1,349.80
Education and training 1,260.60
Professional, scientific and technical services 1,236.00
Health care and social assistance 1,170.30
Manufacturing 1,146.00
Administrative and support services 811.10
Arts and recreation services 603.60
Retail trade 552.70
46
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Q: Are they
Teaching monitored?
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
AC: No.
WhatNoAreone knows
the if I am teaching
Prerequisites to Become mathematics
a Teacher? or not. I can 35
Ongoing Professional Development
get away with teaching visual arts all day for many days. There 37
How
is no Much
system Does It Cost to Become
of accountability; it isaallTeacher?
down to the individual 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
teacher. I am goodBeing
Are Our Teachers at mathematics
Paid Enoughand enjoy Future
to Attract teaching it, so I
Talent? 41
teach betweenSalaries,
Teachers’ 60 to 90 minutes
Primary, 15 aYears’
day ofExperience,
mathematics. On the
2017 or Latest Available
other hand, if I didn’t enjoy it or was not very good at it, I could 41
Teachers’
just skip it. ThisHours,
job is Primary,
so ‘safe’15 Years’
that Experience,
if I want to, I can teach visual
2017 or Latest Available 42
arts Male
for a whole
Teacher day, and noAre
Numbers oneDeclining
knows or cares. 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
Q: Are you saying that no one monitors what’s happening
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
in the classroom?
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
AC: No, they don’t. No one is in charge of overseeing that
Choosing a School 59
teachers deliver quality lessons. What the focus is on is data
School Structure 60
collection.
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
Q:
HowWhat
Do Our doSchool
you meanSystems by data
Rankcollection?
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
AC: Teaching-Learning
We have data collection
Process? software where we need to 67
report
How Do where
Schoolevery student
Premises is atthe
Impact in their learning outcomes.
Teaching-Learning Process?
It is basically ticking boxes. 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Citing a recent report by the Australian Government’s Productivity
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Commission,
Why Aren’tShifting
Schoolsthe Dial: the
Meeting 5 Year
Needs Productivity Review,54 Ross
of Gifted Students? 72
Gittins,
Whyeconomics
Is There So editor for the Sydney
Little Transparency in OurMorning
Schools Herald argues,
for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
‘We’ve done too little testing of the effectiveness of different ways 73
of teaching and too little dissemination of the results of what testing
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
54 Australian
What Type Government Productivity
of Learning Works Commission,
Best? Shifting the Dial: 5 Year Productivity
78
Review, August 3, 2017, www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/productivity-review/
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
report/productivity-review.pdf
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
47
teachers
55 R Gittins, ‘We need better teaching at every level’, The Sydney Morning Herald,
November 11, 2017, www.rossgittins.com/2017/11/we-need-better-teaching-at-every-
level.html, viewed October 12, 2018.
56 Australian Government Productivity Commission, op. cit., p15.
48
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Let’s 3:
Chapter focus on the Commission’s last point:
Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
To improve
What Areteacher effectiveness,
the Prerequisites a more
to Become rigorous micro- 35
a Teacher?
Ongoing Professional
evidence base about Development
what works in schools and how it 37
should be implemented isBecome
How Much Does It Cost to a Teacher?
required. But existing laws mean 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
that dataTeachers
Are Our sharing Being
between Paidgovernments is poor.
Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Does this lackHours,
Teachers’ of dataPrimary,
sharing15explain why there is no one system
Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest
or methodology Availablein Australia? Is this why the outcomes
for teaching 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining
are so poor? 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
WhatCommission’s
The Other Challenges Do is
finding Teachers Face?
surprising, 53
considering we have had
a set of national standards for teachers since December 2010. The
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers was conceived by
Choosing a School 59
the Ministerial Council
School Structure for Education, Early Childhood Development60
and School
Youth Affairs
Systems (MCEECDYA, now the Education Council) in 2009. 61
Selective High Schools 62
The
How Australian
Do Our SchoolInstitute
Systems for Rank
Teaching and School Leadership
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
(AITSL) assumed responsibility for the standards in July 2010, and
MCEECDYATeaching-Learning
endorsed them Process?
in December 2010. The standards 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
comprise a set of seven standards
Teaching-Learning Process? that ‘outline what teachers should 68
57
know andDo
How beBureaucracy
able to do.’and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
Standard
How Does the1: Know students
Distribution and how
of Funding theyOur
Affect learn.
Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Standard
Why Aren’t2:Schools
Know Meeting
the content and how
the Needs to teach
of Gifted it.
Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
Standard 3: Plan
How Effective for and
Is School implement effective teaching and learning.
Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and
57 Australian When
Institute Does Learning
for Teaching Start?
& School Leadership, Australian Professional 78
Standards
What Type for Teachers, n.d., www.aitsl.edu.au,
of Learning Works Best? viewed July 15, 2019. 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
49
teachers
1. professional knowledge
2. professional practice
3. professional engagement
50
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
he mentioned
Chapter his ATAR was 37. This alarmed me and prompted me
3: Teachers 33
to ask him some
Teaching mathematics questions. One of these was:
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
1 1
__ + __ =?
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development
3 5 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
His
Howanswer:
Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough
2 to Attract Future Talent? 41
__
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
8
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
...'
He added proudly, ‘I can simplify that to 1/4
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male
I gave himTeacher Numbers to
a few seconds Are Decliningbefore I asked, ‘How can
celebrate 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
the answer be smaller than one of the fractions you added?’
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
He shook his head and said, ‘I don’t know what you mean.’
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
This teacher
Choosing is currently teaching in the public school system.
a School 59
School
No one Structure
would raise a concern about the answers he is giving60 to
School Systems 61
his students, as I did in the interview. No one is evaluating what he
Selective High Schools 62
delivers
How in Dothe
Ourclassroom.
School Systems Rank Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
The Teaching-Learning
second experience was another interview I conducted with
Process? 67
a student
How Do in his finalPremises
School year of aImpact
secondary
the education degree at one of
Teaching-Learning Process?
the top universities in Sydney. I asked about his method of teaching 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Pythagoras’ theorem (a simple Year 8 topic). He was embarrassed
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
to admit
How that
Doesthetheonly thing heofknew
Distribution about
Funding Pythagoras’
Affect theorem was
Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
that it has something to do with a right-angled triangle. I suggested 72
Why Aren’t
he revise Schools
the topic Meeting
before the Needs
he enters of Gifted Students?
a classroom. 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How ATAR
Low Effective Is School Reporting?
requirements often raise the question of whether 73 or
not teachers become teachers because they are passionate about
Chapter 5: Students 77
the profession or because they simply cannot get into university to
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
do something
What Type else. It is disturbing
of Learning to think the latter might be true.
Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
51
teachers
Hattie claims, and I agree with him 100 per cent, it is not the
teachers who are the problem, but the system in which they are
expected to teach. He writes:
The current debate is very much focused on the ‘teacher’, but such
an approach places too much responsibility on one person. It falsely
implies that if only we can ‘fix the teacher’, all will be well; it ignores
the many other influences and conditions of success outside the
control of the individual teacher. There is no way that a system will
make an overall difference to student achievement by working one
teacher at a time.
52
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
What
Chapter Other
3: Teachers Challenges Do Teachers Face? 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
Q: What
What is
Areyour
the biggest dailytochallenge?
Prerequisites Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
AC:
HowOh, thanks
Much Doesfor asking
It Cost the question.
to Become I am a hardworking
a Teacher? 38
teacher. I start mySalaries
How Do Teaching day at 8Compare
a.m. andtodo not Professions?
Other go home before 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract
4:30 p.m. I am happy to do that, but my problem FutureisTalent?
having 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
many students in my classroom with a broad range of abilities.
2017 or Latest Available 41
I teach a Year Hours,
Teachers’ 1 to Year 2 (composite)
Primary, 15 Years’ class. In my class, there
Experience,
are 2017 or Latest
students fromAvailable
Year 1 to Year 3 levels of ability. It is a 42
huge Male
job Teacher
for me to Numbers Are Declining
accommodate all these differing abilities 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
in one classroom. At the end of the day, I am one person.
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
I do not have an assistant or anything like that. I am not
Chapter 4: Schools
complaining of Thought
about the number of students in the classroom. 59
IChoosing
could teach 35 students if they were the same or have 59
a School
School abilities.
similar StructureHowever, teaching such a variety of abilities 60
School Systems 61
is so challenging. Inevitably, some will be left behind. I know
Selective High Schools 62
we
Howare
Do supposed
Our Schoolto createRank
Systems individualised
Globally? programs, but it 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
is just not doable sometimes when you have no guidance.
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
There
How Do is School
no PD Premises
I can do to help the
Impact me to develop such a skill.
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
An accreditation system is now in place where teachers can 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
earn accreditation to climb the pay scale. However, this is easier
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
saidWhythan done.
Aren’t SchoolsTo Meeting
earn—and keep—accreditation,
the Needs graduate
of Gifted Students? 72
teachers
Why Ismust
Theremeet minimum
So Little work hour
Transparency in Ourrequirements and fulfil
Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
PD obligations. But many schools will not hire graduate teachers 73
on a full-time basis or are not willing to give them time off (and pay
Chapter 5: Students 77
for them) to undertake PD.
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
53
teachers
54
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
supported
Chapter by the teachers’ union, PD in Australia has little incentive
3: Teachers 33
for teachers; theyTeachers
Teaching the are simply expected to attain a certain amount34 of
University or
PD with little reward. Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
John Hattie sums this up eloquently in What Doesn’t Work37
Ongoing Professional Development in
How Much Does It Cost to Become a
62 Teacher?
Education: The Politics of Distraction. He says: 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
… teachers cannot do it on their own: they need support, they 41
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent?
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
need to collaborate with others in and across schools, they
2017 or Latest Available 41
need to develop
Teachers’ Hours,expertise,
Primary, and theyExperience,
15 Years’ need excellent school
2017 Further,
leaders. or Latest supportive
Available and great systems are needed 42
Male Teacher
to support Numbers
and nurture Are Declining
great leaders. But more often the 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
debate is about improving teacher education, introducing
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
performance pay and other such distractions.
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
The message from all this is clear. Despite there being a national
Choosing a School 59
curriculum, a national
School Structure system of testing (Year 12 exams/National
60
Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN]) and
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
national standards for teachers, there is still a lack of coherence, 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
collaboration and, above all, support for educators of our children in
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Australia. I emphatically agree
Teaching-Learning Process?with Hattie that teachers cannot 67do
it onHow
theirDoown.
School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
However, teachers who
How Do Bureaucracy choose the profession
and Administration because they
Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
are passionate about it, not because they cannot get to something 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
else, should have the initiative to do small things in their classrooms.
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t
One thing atSchools
a time.Meeting thegoing
It is not Needstoofchange
Gifted Students? 72
the world or the
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
system,
How but at least
Effective it mayReporting?
Is School have an impact on 25 children in one 73
classroom.
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
62 J What
Hattie,Type
What of
Doesn’t WorkWorks
Learning in Education:
Best?The Politics of Distraction, June 2015,
78
www.visible-learning.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/John-Hattie-Visible-
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
Learning-creative-commons-book-free-PDF-download-What-doesn-t-work-in-
School Affect Our Children’s Approach top19.
education_the-politics-of-distraction-pearson-2015.pdf, Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
55
teachers
As Ghandi said, ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’
AC: I believe our children are being let down by the system,
and there are four reasons:
56
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
In the
Chapter next chapter, I’ll look at how schools are navigating
3: Teachers 33
the Teaching
challenges we’ve looked at, including teachers, principals,
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
bureaucracy and—the big issue for parents—reporting. 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
57
Chapter 4
Schools of
Thought
W
e often hear, ‘Oh, that’s a great school,’ or ‘Do you know any
good schools in the area?’ Schools seem to be labelled good
or poor. But what defines a ‘good’ school? Its results? Its sense of
community? Its ideology? Its teachers? As a parent, what factors
influenced your decision?
Choosing a School
What school will you send your child to? It’s a topic of conversation
that crops up as soon as our children are born, sometimes even
before.
59
schools of t hought
School Structure
Australia has several stages as well as different systems of education.
Before starting formal education, though, a child’s development
in their first two years of life is dependent on their parent(s) and/
or carers. Then, as parents return to work or have another child,
there are the options of occasional care, day care, nannies or—
increasingly these days—grandparents.
60
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
According
Chapter to the Australian government’s Future Unlimited
3: Teachers 33
website, ‘All schools
Teaching must be registered with the state or territory
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
education department and are subject to government requirements 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
in terms of infrastructure and teacher registration.’64
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries School Systems
Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
AustraliaTeachers’
has a wideSalaries,
choice of non-government
Primary, and independent schools,
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
which can be faith or value-based (e.g., Catholic, Jewish, Islamic, Anglican, 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’
Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Uniting Church, Seventh Day Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Adventist, Presbyterian) or philosophy-focused
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining (e.g., Rudolf Steiner
45
& Montessori).
How EffectiveSome Are Ourstates also have schools constituted under
Teachers? 46
Whatacts
specific OtherofChallenges
parliament, Dosuch
Teachers Face?
as grammar 53
schools, Indigenous
community schools and schools that specialise in meeting the needs of
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
students with disability. Some schools also cater for students at severe
Choosing a School 59
educational risk due
School Structure to a range of social/emotional/behavioural or other
60
risk factors.
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
Over
How Do theOurpast
School two decades,
Systems student enrolments in non-
Rank Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
government schools have been on the rise. According to a
Teaching-Learning
2013 report by McCrindle Process?
Research, the trend was part of ‘a broader 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
trend towards paying forProcess?
Teaching-Learning services that were once government 68
provisions.
How Do From privateand
Bureaucracy hospitals to theImpact
Administration privatisation
Teaching?of public
68
Who Is Leading Schools?
transport options and even the growth of toll roads, Australians 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 7165
are increasingly likely to pay for something that they value.’
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
However, thereSchools
Why Aren’t are signs this trend
Meeting might
the Needs ofbe reversing,
Gifted with more
Students? 72
66
students
Why Isenrolling
There SoinLittle
government
Transparency schools in Schools
in Our 2015. for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
64 Australian Government, Future Unlimited, ‘Schools in Australia’, n.d., www.studyinaustralia.
gov.au/english/australian-education/schools,
Chapter 5: Students viewed October 10, 2018. 77
65 McCrindle Research, ‘A Snapshot of Schools in Australia 2013’, n.d., www.mccrindle.
Where and When Does Learning Start?
com.au/wp-content/uploads/Snapshot-of-Schools-in-Australia-2013_McCrindle- 78
Research.pdf,
What Type viewed October
of Learning 10, 2018.
Works Best? 78
66 Australian Bureau of Statistics, Schools, Australia,
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and 2017, Summary of Findings,
www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4221.0main+features22017,
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
viewed October 10, 2018.
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
61
schools of t hought
62
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
government
Chapter school systems.68 So, is the system of schooling even
3: Teachers 33
relevant? If schools
Teaching have different ideologies, faiths or values, how
the Teachers 34
much does that come into play as long as they are all striving 34
University or Teaching College? to
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
achieve optimum academic results from their students?
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
If we consider the effectiveness of Australian school systems 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
based
AreonOurthe latest Being
Teachers Year 12 exam
Paid results
Enough in NSW
to Attract (2017),
Future the top
Talent? 41
five ranked schools
Teachers’ werePrimary,
Salaries, selective government
15 Years’ schools, and only
Experience,
2017 or Latestschools
three non-selective Availablemade the top 10.69 Competitiveness41 to
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
get children into free government selective high schools continues
2017 or Latest Available 42
to intensify, with children going
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining through rigorous tutoring to
45
passHowentry exams.
Effective AreThere has been a rise in parents forging their
Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face?
residential location to ensure their children get into higher ranking, 53
non-selective government high schools. The NSW Department of
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
Education includes the following warning on its selective school
Choosing a School 59
information page:
School Structure 60
School Systems 61
School principals are required to check claims of residency
Selective High Schools 62
status
How Doand Ourcitizenship against
School Systems Rankschool records… Offers and 62
Globally?
How Does Timetabling Influence the
enrolments will be cancelled if the placement was based on
falseTeaching-Learning Process? 70
or misleading information. 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
ThereTeaching-Learning
has also been Process? 68
an interesting increase in property prices
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
near ‘good’ schools. In a 2016 report by John Haisken-DeNew et al.,
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
theyHow
found ‘thatthe
Does theDistribution
release ofofinformation about
Funding Affect high-quality
Our Schools? schools
71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
(“good news”) increases property prices by 3.6 per cent ($36,000 on 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective
68 World Economic IsForum,
SchoolTheReporting? 73
Global Competitiveness Report 2016–2017,
www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2016-2017/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitiveness
Report2016-2017_FINAL.pdf,
Chapter 5: Students viewed October 10, 2018. 77
69 Better Education, HSC School Ranking 2017 (NSW), n.d., www.bettereducation.com.
Where and When Doesviewed
au/Results/Hsc.aspx?yr=2017, Learning Start?
October 11, 2018. 78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
70 NSW Department of Education, Selective high schools and opportunity classes, 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
Information for applicants, education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-
and-opportunity-classes/year-7/information-for-applicants,
School Affect Our Children’s Approach toviewed October 11, 2018. 79
Schooling?
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
63
schools of t hought
• The class sizes are small, and the classrooms are spacious.
• Children don’t start school until they turn seven, and school
days are shorter.
64
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
• Discipline
Chapter 3: Teachers is present but not overbearing, and disruptive 33
behaviour
Teaching is minimal.
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
• There
What Areis low reliance on to
the Prerequisites technology, but there are lots35
Become a Teacher? of
Ongoing Professional
class discussion. Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
•HowThere is no testing
Do Teaching or Compare
Salaries exams until age 18.
to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
• Homework is mandatory
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary,and is expected
15 Years’ to be done.
Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
• Significant parental
Teachers’ Hours, involvement
Primary, and public confidence in
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest
teachers Available
and the school system. 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
•HowChildren
Effectiveare
Areall treated
Our equal, and every child is valued; 46
Teachers? no
What Other Challenges
streams or sets. Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 4: Schools
• Teachers areof well
Thought 59
trained, highly valued and well paid, and
professional
Choosing a Schooldevelopment is ongoing. 59
School Structure 60
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
65
schools of t hought
FINLAND AUSTRALIA
Relaxed atmosphere; Disciplined atmosphere;
teachers maintain calm control teacher demands control
Large class sizes, often in
demountable or cramped
Small class sizes in spacious conditions/composites;
classrooms no air-conditioning
other than the principal and
administration rooms
Mandatory uniform at most
No uniform and teachers are schools; teachers usually
addressed by their first name addressed formally
Children start school at age five;
Children don’t start school until school days are not overly long,
they turn seven, and school but commuting and before/after-
days are shorter school care can add significantly
to the child’s day
Discipline is present, and
Discipline is present but not disruptive behaviour is common
overbearing, and disruptive at many schools; classroom
behaviour is minimal management takes up a high
portion of the day
High reliance on technology for
Low reliance on passive learning (e.g., online
technology but lots of class mathematics programs,
discussion reading eggs, etc.)
Regular testing, annual exams
No testing or exams until age 18 and national testing, including
NAPLAN, Year 12 exams, etc.
In most schools,
homework is mandatory and
Homework is mandatory and is is expected to be done; some
expected to be done schools are now adopting
‘no homework’ policies
66
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Significant parental involvement Parental involvement by parents
Teaching theconfidence
Teachers in who choose to be involved; 34
and public varied confidence in teachers
teachers and theorschool
University Teachingsystem
College? and the school system73 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development Some schools have remedial 37
or
Children are all treated equal, classes for gifted children; other
How Much Does It Cost
and every child is valued; no to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare children are Professions?
to Other treated as a cohort 39
streams or sets rather
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future than as individuals
Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Teachers receive adequate
2017 or Latest Available education but insufficient 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ training;
Experience,professional
2017 or Latest Available development is required but42
Teachers are well trained,
Malevalued,
Teacherwell
Numbers difficult to fulfil; teachers are 45
highly paid, Are Declining
How Effective Are Our Teachers? paid just above the average 46
and professional development salary, definitely not to the
What Otheris ongoing
Challenges Do Teachersextent Face?that the salary is an 53
attractive alternative to working
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought in the private sector. Highly 59
Choosing a School valued? Questionable! 59
School Structure 60
School Systems 61
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Selective High Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
Teaching-Learning Process?
How Does Timetabling Influence the
It seemsTeaching-Learning Process?
logical to have mathematics and English at the beginning 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
of the day while students Process?
Teaching-Learning are still fresh and alert. How many school 68
timetables
How Dodo this? Not and
Bureaucracy many. In primary Impact
Administration schools, the factors 68
Teaching? for
Who Is Leading Schools?
timetable planning are usually around teachers’ availability and, 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
increasingly, administrative considerations.
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why
In Aren’t
high Schools
schools, Meeting is
timetabling the Needs
more of Gifted
complex, Students?
with many variables72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
at play.
HowThe school
Effective Is staffing allocations do play a significant part, but
School Reporting? 73
I do not think that administrative considerations would be a major
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
73 Recent increases in government school enrolments may indicate this perception 78
isAs Parents,
changing, or How
it mayDo Our Attitudes
indicate loss of faithtowards Learning and system and/or
in the non-government
School
financial Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
considerations. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
67
schools of t hought
68
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
• Seventy-seven
Chapter 3: Teachers per cent of teachers say their workload has 33
increased
Teaching in the last year, and just 2 per cent say it has
the Teachers 34
University
decreased. or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
•Ongoing Professional
Twenty-six per centDevelopment
of teachers say they are working more 37
Howthan
Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
55 hours per week (up from 23 per cent in the 2015 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are survey) and another
Our Teachers Being Paid45 per centto
Enough say moreFuture
Attract than 45 hours (up
Talent? 41
from 42 per
Teachers’ cent inPrimary,
Salaries, the 2015 survey).
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
• There
Teachers’hasHours,
been significant growthExperience,
Primary, 15 Years’ in the number of teachers
2017 believe
who or LatestitAvailable
is getting more difficult to retain teachers, now42
Male
up to Teacher Numbers
69 per cent fromAre58 Declining
per cent in 2015. 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
•What Otheronly
While Challenges Do Teachers
17 per cent Face?are considering leaving
of teachers 53
the profession, this number has increased from 14 per cent
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
in 2015.
Choosing a School 59
•School
For Structure
these teachers, workload is by far the biggest issue, with 60
School Systems 61
74 per cent saying it would be the most important factor in
Selective High Schools 62
Howany
Do decision
Our Schoolto Systems
leave, upRank
fromGlobally?
66 per cent in 2015. 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
Q:
HowWhat is thePremises
Do School ratio of Impact
teaching theto paperwork hours you
Teaching-Learning
spend at school? Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
AC: I love teaching, so I spend as much time as I can on 70
Who Is Leading Schools?
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools?
actual teaching (especially mathematics and English), but 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
there are aSchools
Why Aren’t lot of non-teaching
Meeting the NeedshoursofI need
Gifted to do as well, 72
Students?
such
Why IsasThere
paperwork
So Littleand ticking boxes.
Transparency in OurISchools
would say it is 1:1. 73
for Parents?
On a regular day, I will spend an hour doing other things to 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
every hour I spend teaching.
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
69
schools of t hought
AC: That is true, but I have been in the same school for 12
years. It’s never happened that my contract hasn’t been
renewed. In saying that, nothing is guaranteed.
Q: Why is that?
70
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Q: So it is the
Teaching theTeachers
principal who decides who stays and who goes? 34
University or Teaching College? 34
AC: What
Yes, ofArecourse; they maketothe
the Prerequisites decisions.
Become It comes down
a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development
to two factors: what connections you have in the inner circle 37
Howprincipal
(the Much Does andItthe
Cost to Become
people around a Teacher?
him or her) and if you are 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
aAre
male
OurorTeachers
a female. You Paid
Being are more
Enough likely to be Future
to Attract favoured if you
Talent? 41
are aTeachers’
male. Also, it is not
Salaries, easy to
Primary, 15 remove a teacher once they
Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
are permanent so they play it safe. A temp is easier for them. 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
HowHow Does
Effective Are Ourthe Distribution of Funding
Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Affect Our Schools?
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
As we have seen, not all schools are equal. There are many schools
Choosing a School 59
that School
are desperate
Structure for better premises, more teachers and more
60
resources. The Gonski Report has addressed the issue of needs-
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
based funding in detail. Unfortunately, though, the politics of 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
distraction always appear to get in the way of action.75 Federal Labor
How Does Timetabling Influence the
leader Bill Shorten has pledged
Teaching-Learning Process?billions of dollars to education67if
76
theyHow
win Do
theSchool
next election.
Premises It’s a shame
Impact the that children’s education is
always dependent on how their parents vote. Education should 68
Teaching-Learning Process? be
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
a priority for all Australians and all governments, regardless of their
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
political
Howleaning.
Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
75 GHow Effective
C Savage, ‘Give Is SchoolFunding
a Gonski? Reporting? 73
myths and politicking derail schools debate’,
The Conversation, July 9, 2015, www.theconversation.com/give-a-gonski-funding-
Chapter 5: Students
myths-and-politicking-derail-schools-debate-44308 77
76 Australian
Where andLaborWhen
Party, Bill’s
Does Media Releases,
Learning Start? 78
‘Public
WhatSchools
Type ofInLearning
Every State And Territory
Works Best? To Benefit From Labor’s Investment’,
78
October 11, 2018, www.billshorten.com.au/public_schools_in_every_state_and_
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
territory_to_benefit_from_labor_s_investment_thursday_11_october_2018,
viewed School
OctoberAffect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
15, 2018. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
71
schools of t hought
72
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Why
Chapter Is There
3: Teachers So Little Transparency in Our 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
Schools for Parents?
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
In primary schools, parents have minimal contact with teachers. Have
Ongoing Professional Development 37
you How
ever Much
tried to phone
Does a teacher
It Cost or book
to Become a meeting to see a teacher
a Teacher? 38
and How
wereDo given the run-around?
Teaching In primary
Salaries Compare to school, there are no exams/
Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract
assessments shown to parents other than NAPLAN. CommunicationFuture Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
from the school comes via a generic weekly newsletter (not student-
2017 or Latest Available 41
specific Teachers’
news); you won’t
Hours, hear 15from
Primary, theExperience,
Years’ school, especially not a
teacher,2017
unlessor Latest
there isAvailable
an issue with your child. 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
How Effective Is School Reporting?
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
The twice-yearly reports produced by primary schools are also very
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
generic. They don’t really say anything specific about the student.
Choosing a School 59
As they are handed
School Structure out at the end of the term, students and parents
60
haveSchool
no opportunity
Systems to query or discuss the report’s contents. 61
Selective High Schools
Parents (and sometimes teachers) have no idea how these grades 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
were determined.
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Teaching-Learning
It’s not much better inProcess?
high schools. Parent-teacher interviews 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
are done once or twice aProcess?
Teaching-Learning year. With an allocation of a mere five68 to
seven
How minutes per teacher,
Do Bureaucracy andit’s rather like speed
Administration Impactdating, and in large
Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
schools, the teacher might have a photo of the student to remind 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
them which child they’re talking about. Cases of mistaken identity
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
are quite common.
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
Like
How primary
Effectiveschool,
Is Schoolhigh school reports tend to be generic73
Reporting? in
nature and are handed out at the end of term, giving students and
Chapter 5: Students
parents little or no opportunity to follow up or query any concerns. 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
73
schools of t hought
Reports are usually distributed twice a year; the first one at the
end of term 2—just before the 2–3-week July holiday—while the
second one is handed out at the end of the school year, just before
the long summer break. From a parent’s point of view, this means I
need to wait half a year to see how my child is performing. That’s a
bit too late to work on their weaknesses. It also means my child is
uninformed about their own performance. The next time I am given
a report is at the end of the year, just before the long holiday. The
following year, my child is in a new class with a new teacher. And the
story repeats. So, are these reports effective for learning? I doubt
it. As a parent of three children who went through primary and high
schools, I found the reports almost useless.
Now, let’s turn our attention to those who are most affected by
the education system, schools and teachers: the students.
74
Chapter 5
Students
I
recently chatted with three students who attend local government
schools in different areas of Sydney. These are some of their
comments:
77
st udent s st udent s
st udent s
ve looked at We’ve
schoolslooked
and how they shape
at schools our students
and how they shape our students 5.
We’ve
ct their education looked
based on at schools
school system,and how they
ideology, shape our students
faith,
and affect their education based on school system, ideology, faith, 6.
and next
s, etc. In the affectchapter,
their education
we will based
look on school
more system,
closely at ideology, faith,
teachers, etc. In the next chapter, we will look more closely at
teachers,
influenceparents’ etc. In
on education as the
well next
as the chapter,
broader we will look more closely at
influence on education as welleffects
as theofbroader effects of Hi
erceptions.parents’
However,
public
influence
parentalon
perceptions.
education
influence
However,
as well
is also
parental
as the broader effects of
pertinent
influenceinis also pertinent in affecte
public to
pter as it relates perceptions.
theas direct However,
impact parental influence is also pertinent in
this chapter it relates to itthe
has on their
direct children
impact it has on their children very p
hey become, thisand
chapter asthey
it relates
whilebecome, are,and to the direct impact it has on their children
students. metho
before they while they are, students.
before they become, and while they are, students. makin
Where and When Does
Where andLearning Start?
When Does Learning Start? Ha
Where and When Does Learning Start?
s an oldThere saying:is an ‘Education
old saying: starts ‘Education
at the mother’sstarts at the mother’s yet he
Nowadays,There is an we old should
knee.’ Nowadays, of course, at
of course, saying:say ‘Education
we the
starts at the mother’s
parents’
should say at the parents’ chang
knee.’
Children learn Nowadays, of course, we should say at the parents’
knees.from Childrentheir learn
parents,
fromsiblings and other
their parents, siblings and other and w
knees.
s from therelatives
moment Children
they learn
are born,from their upparents,
soaking language,siblings and other end o
from the moment they are born, soaking up language,
relatives
sms, values, emotions fromand thetraditions,
momentas they
wellareas born, soaking up language,
our faults
mannerisms, values, emotions and traditions, as well as our faults
mannerisms,
udices. Suffice it to say, values,
by the emotions
time a childand traditions,
starts preschoolas well as our faults
and prejudices. Suffice it to say, by the time a child starts preschool A
and
ary school,or
they prejudices.
are already Suffice it to say,
of by the they
time ahave
child starts preschool
primary school, athey product
are already what a product of what they have
or primary
at home—good and school,
bad. they
They aremayalready
have aimpeccable
product of what they have
learned at home—good and bad. They may have impeccable
learned
s or not. They mayat home—good and bad. Theybemayable have impeccable
manners orhave
not.goodTheylanguage
may have skills
good andlanguage skills and be able
manners
their name; or not.able Theyto may haveowngood language skills and be able
to they
writemaytheirbe name; they tie
maytheir
be able shoelaces,
to tie their own shoelaces, Once
mpathy toto write peers,
their name; they may be able
show empathy to their peers, follow abide
their follow instructions and to tie their
by own
instructions
shoelaces,
and abide by towar
r not. show empathy to their peers, follow instructions and abide by
rules—or not. influen
rules—or not.
social
What Type of What
Learning
TypeWorks Best? Works Best?
of Learning influen
What Type of Learning Works Best?
9, Professor John Hattie
In 2009, addressed
Professor the question:
John Hattie ‘What
addressed the question: ‘What who s
In 2009,
est in education?’ ToProfessor
answer John
this Hattie
question,addressed
he looked the
at question: ‘What
works best in education?’ To answer this question, he looked at
works
s of learning, best in education?’ To answer this question, he looked at
namely:
he studentsix areas of learning, namely:
1. theofstudent
six areas learning, namely: 77 J H
1. the student Ach
he home 2. the home influ
2. the home 78 J H
he school 3. the school of T
3. the school org
he curricula 4. the curricula
4. the curricula
78
78
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
5. the
Chapter teacher
3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
6. teaching and learning approaches
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
His research found 195 influences and effect sizes that directly
Ongoing Professional Development 37
affected learning
How Much outcomes
Does It Cost to on the spectrum
Become a Teacher?of very negative 38 to
77
veryHow
positive, with theSalaries
Do Teaching mid-point beingtothe
Compare hinge
Other point. Using this
Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future
methodology, he ‘found that the key to making a difference was Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
making teaching and learning visible.’
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Hattie has since updated his data twice, most recently in 2015,78
2017 or Latest Available 42
yet he Male
concluded that ‘the story underlying
Teacher Numbers Are Declining the data has hardly
45
changed over time—even
How Effective though some effect sizes were updated
Are Our Teachers? 46
and What Othersome
we have Challenges Do Teachers
new entries Face?
at the top, at the middle and at the53
end of the list.’
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
Choosing a School 59
As Parents,
School Structure How Do Our Attitudes towards 60
School Systems 61
Learning and School Affect Our Children’s 62
Selective High Schools
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
Approach to Schooling?
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Once a Teaching-Learning Process?
child is in the school system, the foundation of their attitude67
How Do School Premises Impact the
towardsTeaching-Learning
learning and discipline
Process?is already set in place before other
68
influences
How Dolike the school
Bureaucracy andthey attend, their
Administration teachers,
Impact their peers,
Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
social media and public perceptions come into play. Parental 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
influence is no longer all-powerful, but it remains significant. Parents
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
whoWhyshow genuine
Aren’t interest
Schools in their
Meeting child’s of
the Needs learning and are engaged
Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
77 J Hattie, ‘Hattie Ranking: 195 Influences And Effect Sizes Related To Student
Chapter 5: Students
Achievement’, Visible Learning, n.d., www.visible-learning.org/hattie-ranking-77
influences-effect-sizes-learning-achievement,
Where and When Does Learning Start? viewed October 11, 2018. 78
78 J What
Hattie,Type
‘The of LearningofWorks
applicability VisibleBest? 78
Learning to higher education’, Scholarship
ofAsTeaching and Learning in Psychology, Vol 1(1),
Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning andMar 2015, 79–91, www.dx.doi.
org/10.1037/stl0000021.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
79
students
with their school must surely have a positive effect on their child’s
attitude towards learning.
79 A Broinowski, ‘Testing times: selective schools and tiger parents’, The Sydney
Morning Herald, January 24, 2015, www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/testing-times-
selective-schools-and-tiger-parents-20150108–12kecw.html, viewed October 11, 2018.
80
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Does
Chapter 3: Teachers the Wearing of Uniforms 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
Give Students the Sense of Belonging?
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
In many countries, most schools do not have uniforms. In Finland,
Ongoing Professional Development 37
for example,
How Much there
Does Itare
Costnoto school
Becomeuniforms.
a Teacher?However, there are 38
compelling arguments
How Do Teaching in favour
Salaries Compareof to
uniforms, saying they give
Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent?
students a sense of pride and belonging to their school community. 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
There is also the benefit of no pressure to keep up with fashion
2017 or Latest Available 41
trends, particularly for students
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, who come
15 Years’ from less well-off families
Experience,
2017schools,
(and many or Latest including
Available private schools, have second-hand 42
clothingMale Teacher
pools). Numbers
Whether Are of
the lack Declining
distraction by having everyone 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
look the same has any bearing on students’ performance in the
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
classroom is debatable. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that once
Chapter
students4:leave
Schools of Thought
school, many jobs require uniforms. 59
Choosing a School 59
School Structure
Are Australian Students Happy? 60
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools 62
It’s safe to say that in Australia, the primary wish of parents for their
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
children is simply for them to be happy, and there’s evidence that
How Does Timetabling Influence the
happy children learn better.
Teaching-Learning According to PISA 2015, teenagers who
Process? 67
feel How
part Do
of aSchool
schoolPremises
community andthe
Impact enjoy good relations with their
Teaching-Learning Process?
parents and teachers are more likely to perform better academically 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
and be happier with their lives.80
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
But what aspects of schooling can affect students’ happiness?
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
According to the
Why Aren’t first Meeting
Schools OECD PISA assessment
the Needs of Giftedof students’ well-
Students? 72
being, bullying
Why Is Thereis So
oneLittle
of the key issues affecting
Transparency students’
in Our Schools happiness,
for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 81
particularly with today’s prevalence of social media. Children who 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
80 PISA
What2015,
TypeCountry Overview,
of Learning Australia,
Works Best? www.compareyourcountry.org/pisa/
78
country/aus?lg=en, viewed October 11, 2018.
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
81 Organisation
School for Economic
Affect Co-operation
Our Children’s and Development,
Approach to Schooling?‘Are students
79
happy?: PISA 2015 results: students’ well-being’,
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the PISA in Focus, No. 71, OECD
Publishing, Paris, 2017, www.doi.org/10.1787/3512d7ae-en.
Sense of Belonging? 81
81
students
are bullied find it hard to escape, unlike ‘back in our day’ when all
we had to do was go home and close the door.
82 OECD Newsroom, ‘Most teenagers happy with their lives but schoolwork anxiety and
bullying an issue’, April 19, 2017, www.oecd.org/newsroom/most-teenagers-happy-with-
their-lives-but-schoolwork-anxiety-and-bullying-an-issue.htm.
83 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, ‘Are students happy?,
op. cit.
84 M Phillips, ‘Korea is the world’s top producer of unhappy school children’, Quartz Media,
December 4, 2013, www.qz.com/153380/korea-is-the-worlds-top-producer-of-unhappy-
school-children, viewed October 12, 2018.
82
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students
Happy students 77
are one thing, but how engaged are they in learning?
You Where andchild,
ask your When‘How
Doeswas
Learning Start? day?’ and their response
your school 78
What Type of Learning Works
is, ‘Boring.’ Sounds familiar? Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
83
students
84
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
according3:toTeachers
Chapter the time use data, the percentage spending some time33 on
this activity
Teaching increased from 24 per cent to 69 per cent for the ages 4–5
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching
years through to 12–13 years.’ College?
85 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing
Most Professional
schools Development
allow students to carry mobile devices with them 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
at school and, of course, they also have the use of laptops, which 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
haveAre
access to Wi-Fi. Being
Our Teachers SomePaidschools
Enoughhaveto aAttract
mobile phone
Future policy, 41
Talent? for
86
example, Mount St
Teachers’ Benedict
Salaries, College
Primary, in Sydney’s
15 Years’ north. While the
Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
NSW government does not yet have a policy banning mobile phones 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
in schools, it has launched a review ‘into the non-educational use of
2017 or Latest Available 87 42
mobile devices in NSW schools’.
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
DoWhatGifted Students
Other Challenges DoNeed
Teachers More
Face? Inspiration and53
Challenges
Chapter toofKeep
4: Schools Them
Thought Engaged in Learning?
59
Choosing a School 59
As ISchool
mentionedStructure in the previous chapter, the Australian Curriculum 60
appears
School to Systems
give little guidance to schools as to how to engage and 61
Selective High Schools
teach gifted students. Another issue is lack of teachers equipped 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
with the skills to teach these children.
How Does Timetabling Influence the
GiftedTeaching-Learning
students in primary Process?
school are often not identified. There 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
is the usual reporting fromProcess?
Teaching-Learning the teachers and NAPLAN, which cannot 68
diagnose
How Do above the 80thand
Bureaucracy percentile. TheseImpact
Administration students often complain
Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools
85 Australian InstituteReally Using
of Family DataThe
Studies, to Improve
LongitudinalLearning? 72
Study of Australian Children
Annual Statistical
Why Aren’t Report 2015,
Schools Melbourne,
Meeting 2016, p112,
the Needs www.growingupinaustralia.gov.
of Gifted Students? 72
au/sites/default/files/asr2015.pdf, viewed October 11, 2018.
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective
86 Mount St BenedictIs Collect,
School‘Mobile
Reporting?
Phone Policy’, Mount St Benedict College 73
Orientation Handbook, October 2017, p49, www.msben.nsw.edu.au/Future-
Families-Information/Year-7-2018/Information/Orientation%20Handbook%20
Chapter 5: Students 77
for%20Y07%202018.pdf, viewed October 11, 2018.
Where and When Does Learning Start?
87 NSW Department of Education, Strategies and Reports, Review into the non-
78
What Type
educational ofofLearning
use WorksinBest?
mobile devices 78
NSW schools, October 4, 2018, education.
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
nsw.gov.au/about-us/strategies-and-reports/our-reports-and-reviews/mobile-
School Affect
devices-in-schools, Our October
viewed Children’s Approach to Schooling?
11, 2018. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
85
students
about being bored at school and, with time, they lose interest in
learning and might develop behavioural problems. Many students
who are labelled as problematic are found to be highly intelligent.
Student Performance
Do We Need NAPLAN?
86
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Chapter 3: Teachers 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
88
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
• social
Chapter background – around OECD average, stable since
3: Teachers 33
2006the Teachers
Teaching 34
University or Teaching College? 34
• immigrant
What Are thestudents – better
Prerequisites than OECD
to Become average, stable
a Teacher? 35
Ongoing
sinceProfessional
2006 Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
ItHow
is interesting
Do TeachingtoSalaries
note, however,
Compare to that while
Other the performance
Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future
gap between girls and boys in mathematics is growing, boys lag Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
considerably in collaborative problem-solving, a critical skill for
2017 or Latest Available 41
studentsTeachers’
once they finish
Hours, their education
Primary, and enter the workforce
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
(PISA, 2015). 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
IfHow
weEffective
look atAre
theOur
PISA 2015 results in mathematics from 46
Teachers? an
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face?
international perspective, we can see that Australia is lagging. 53
Indeed, the trend for the results of Australian students in mathematics,
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
reading and science has been downwards between 2003 and 2015
Choosing a School 90
59
compared to students
School Structure around the world. 60
School Systems 61
Selective
Data tableHigh Schools
for Mathematics performance (PISA), 62
How Do Our School
Boys Systems Rank Globally?
/ Girls, Mean score, 2015 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Teaching-Learning
Location Process? Boys Girls 67
How Do School
Singapore Premises Impact the
564 564
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
Hong
How DoKong, China and Administration
Bureaucracy 549 Impact Teaching?547 68
WhoChinese
Is Leading Schools?
Taipei 545 539 70
HowMacau,
Does the Distribution
China of Funding
540Affect Our Schools?
548 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Japan
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs 539 of Gifted Students?
525 72
Switzerland
Why Is There So Little Transparency527 515
in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective
EstoniaIs School Reporting? 522 517 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
90 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Mathematics 78
As Parents,(PISA)
performance How Do Our2018,
(indicator), Attitudes towards Learning and
data.oecd.org/pisa/mathematics-performance-
School
pisa.htm, Affect
viewed June Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
4, 2018. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
89
students
Other than PISA, another useful source for gauging the performance
of Australian students is tests run by the International Association
for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). These tests
are known as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science
Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy
Study (PIRLS). TIMSS tests have been conducted internationally
every four years since 1995, which ‘enables countries around the
90
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
world to 3:measure
Chapter Teachershow effective they are in teaching mathematics 33
and Teaching
science. the
Entering
Teachersinto its third decade and seventh cycle of data34
University or Teaching College?
collection, TIMSS is a well-established international assessment… 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
the longest of any international education study.’91 PIRLS tests have
Ongoing Professional Development
92
37
been running
How Muchsince
Does 2001.
It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Education at a Glance
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
The OECD also produces a report called Education at a Glance,93
2017 or Latest Available 41
which it Teachers’
claims is ‘the authoritative
Hours, Primary, 15source for information on the state
Years’ Experience,
2017 or
of education Latest the
around Available
world’, which ‘provides key information 42 on
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining
the output of educational institutions; the impact of learning across 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
countries; the financial and human resources invested in education;
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
access, participation and progression in education; and the learning
Chapter 4: Schools
environment of Thought of schools’. The latest edition59
and organisation is
interesting
Choosingbecause it also presents ‘a new focus on fields of study,
a School 59
School Structure
investigating both trends in enrolment at upper secondary and 60
School Systems 61
tertiary level, student mobility, and labour market outcomes of the
Selective High Schools 62
qualifications
How Do Our obtained
School in these Rank
Systems fields’.Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
How Do Australian Students
Teaching-Learning Process?Rank Globally? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
According to the PISA 2015
Teaching-Learning results, which specifically looked68
Process? at
15-year-old
How Do students around
Bureaucracy the world, Australian
and Administration students are two
Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
years behind some of their top overseas peers in subjects like 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
mathematics and science, and their performance in problem-solving
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
has Why
also Aren’t
declined. Australia’s
Schools Meetingmedia
the Needswasofquick
GiftedtoStudents?
pick up on this,
72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
91 TIMMS & PIRLS International Study Center, ‘About TIMMS 2019’, timssandpirls.
bc.edu/timss2019/index.html,
Chapter 5: Students viewed October 11, 2018. 77
92 TIMMS & PIRLS International Study Center, ‘PIRLS and ePIRLS Around the World’,
Where and When Does Learning Start?
timssandpirls.bc.edu/latest-news/epirls-around-the-world.html, 78
viewed October 11, 2018.
93 Organisation
What Typefor ofEconomic
LearningCo-operation
Works Best? and Development, Education at a Glance 78
2017: OECD Indicators, 2017, OECD Publishing,
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and Paris, www.oecd-ilibrary.org/
education/education-at-a-glance-2017_eag-2017-en
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
91
students
But while Australia has managed to stay above the OECD average,
Munro and Bagshaw also point out that the report reveals our students
are ‘behind Slovenia, New Zealand and Vietnam in scientific literacy,
while it lags behind the Netherlands, Estonia and Poland in reading.’
Our weakest subject internationally is mathematics, falling behind
several countries, including Sweden, Russia and Ireland.
New South Wales is faring worse than Victoria, where ‘45 per
cent of students are not mathematically proficient or are unable to
use mathematics in “real-life situations”’, the article states.
It’s also interesting to note, says Bagshaw and Munro, that ‘in
Australia, on average, the first-generation children of migrants performed
significantly better than both Australian-born and foreign-born students.’
94 K Munro, E Bagshaw, ‘Australian school students two years behind world’s best
performing systems’, Sydney Morning Herald, December 6, 2016, www.smh.com.
au/national/education/australian-school-students-two-years-behind-worlds-best-
performing-systems-20161206-gt4w8p.html
92
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
report has
Chapter caught the eye of Australian politicians. For example,
3: Teachers 33
it was discussed
Teaching in Tasmania’s state parliament in August 2017 34
the Teachers as
University or Teaching College?
part of a debate on the Education Amendment Bill 2017 (No. 46). 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
The Honourable Ivan Dean APM, MLC, member for Windermere,
Ongoing Professional Development 37
highlighted
How Much theDoes
following
It Costfindings:
to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
The report
Are Our foundBeing
Teachers that only 71.7 pertocent
Paid Enough of Future
Attract Australian 15-year-
Talent? 41
olds areTeachers’
achieving baseline
Salaries, standards
Primary, 15 Years’inExperience,
the three key areas of
2017based
education, or Latest
on Available
the latest PISA assessment, and only 80.3 per 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
cent of children are attending ‘organised preschool learning’ for at
2017 or Latest Available 42
least a year, according to 2014 figures.
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
By comparison, 81.4 per cent of Finnish 15-year-olds are achieving
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
the minimum standard in reading, maths and science, and 99.8 per
Chapter 4: Schools
cent of children of Thought
attend organised early schooling in Finland, which 59
wasChoosing
the top-ranked
a School country for quality education… 59
School Structure 60
Australia has been ranked 39 out of 41 high- and middle-income
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
countries... in achieving quality education, in the latest international 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
report to find that the country is falling behind in basic measures of
How Does Timetabling Influence the
teachingTeaching-Learning
and learning. Only two countries in the world within that
Process? 67
organisation fall behind
How Do School us – Impact
Premises Turkeythe
and Romania. All the others are
Teaching-Learning Process?
far in excess of our position in education.95 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools?
Amy Lamoin, director of policy and advocacy of UNICEF 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Australia, said, ‘Education is such a strong predictor of life outcomes
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
and Why
we’re setting
Aren’t a fairly
Schools concerning
Meeting trajectory…
the Needs There’s certainly
of Gifted Students? 72
a decline
Why Is in realSo
There terms
Littlein the education
Transparency space
in Our in Australia,
Schools partly
for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
because we have yet to see education reform that goes beyond 73
funding-model debates.’96
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
95 Parliament of Tasmania, Education Amendment Bill 2017 (No. 46), August 23, 2017,
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
www.parliament.tas.gov.au/lc/dean/20170823%20-%20Education%20Amendment
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards
%20Bill%202017%20%28No.%2046%29.pdf, viewed Learning
October 11,and
2018.
96 Ibid. School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
93
students
When the PISA 2015 report was released, the then Federal
Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, said:
97 Ministers for the Department of Education and Training Media Centre, ‘Minister
urges cooperation to address ‘worrying’ education results’, December 7, 2016,
ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/minister-urges-cooperation-address-
worrying-education-results, viewed October 11, 2018.
98 A Piccoli, A, ‘Federal government needs to stop Gonski funding row so we can
fix schools’, The Sydney Morning Herald, December 12, 2016, www.smh.com.au/
opinion/the-federal-government-needs-to-stop-bickering-about-gonski-funding-
so-we-can-start-fixing-schools-20161212-gt9hro.html, viewed October 11, 2018.
94
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Meanwhile,
Chapter Federal Shadow Minister for Education Tanya
3: Teachers 33
Plibersek
Teachingreacted with a tweet. ‘These results show exactly why
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College?
@AustralianLabor believes in extra needs-based funding for our 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
schools.’99
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
Needs-based funding, of course, is a reference to the Gonski 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
model,
Are which I will discuss
Our Teachers as part
Being Paid of the
Enough to crucial issue of
Attract Future funding41in
Talent?
ChapterTeachers’
7. Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
A
ustralian-born mum Jenny has sent her son to the same public
school she attended as a girl. She takes time off work to volunteer
at the school and be available to help her son. She volunteers as
much as she can, yet she feels ‘locked out’.
97
parent and public perceptions
system. Parents are the ones who choose which school(s) their
child will attend, although there may not actually be a choice. They
might not be able to afford school fees, so there is no choice other
than the local government school, or they may live in a remote area
where there is only one school. But for those parents who do have
a choice, let’s look at what factors come into play.
When you ask the Finnish parent which is the best school, they
will likely answer, ‘The closest one.’
When you ask the Australian parent, they may come up with any
of the following:
98
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
• Reputation/recommendation.
Chapter 3: Teachers Parent often listens to the
33
recommendations
Teaching the Teachers of other parents, friends and family 34
University or Teaching College?
members to help guide their choice of school. 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
•Ongoing Professionalties.
Tradition/family Development
Parent sends their children to a school 37
Howbecause
Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
‘Dad went there, and so did his father’. Sometimes 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are aOur
school is chosen
Teachers because
Being Paid extended
Enough to Attractfamily
Future(e.g., cousins)
Talent? 41
also attends.
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
• Parent works
Teachers’ there.
Hours, If a parent
Primary, is aExperience,
15 Years’ teacher, it’s not uncommon
2017
for or Latest
their child toAvailable
attend the same school where they teach. 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
How Do the Education Background and 53
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face?
Expectations of Parents Play a
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
Role in Student Education?
Choosing a School 59
School Structure 60
For migrant parents, they may have received an excellent education
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
in the country from which they came, and surely, they expect their 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
children to receive an education of equal quality. By contrast, if
How Does Timetabling Influence the
they came from a countryProcess?
Teaching-Learning where education standards were poor— 67
perhaps even
How Do non-existent—they
School Premises Impactmaythe have few expectations and
Teaching-Learning Process?
are just grateful their child is receiving an education. Or they might 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
be driven to ensure their child receives a better education than they
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
did to give
How them
Does thethe chance to
Distribution of succeed.
Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
For
Why Australian-born parents,
Aren’t Schools Meeting the most
Needswill haveStudents?
of Gifted received a full 72
education—at
Why Is There least until Transparency
So Little Year 10—andin their attitudefortowards
Our Schools Parents?their
73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
child’s education may be more relaxed. By putting their faith in 73
whichever school they send their child to, they are confident he or
Chapter 5: Students 77
she will receive a decent education, just as they did. On the other
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
hand, if they
What Typehad
of aLearning
government
Workseducation
Best? and felt it was inadequate,
78
theyAs
may striveHow
Parents, to send
Do Ourtheir child to
Attitudes a fee-paying
towards Learning school
and to give
them a better chance to excel academically and professionally. 79
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling?
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
99
parent and public perceptions
Schools are generally grateful for the time and money parents
put in, as without it, things like canteen staffing, new buildings and
equipment would have to be paid for out of school funds, or they’d
just have to go without until the government grants them some
money.
100
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Do 3:Parents
Chapter Teachers Play a Role in Schools’ Attitudes 33
Teaching the Teachers 34
towards Transparency?
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
Q:
HowWho
MuchdoDoes
you think
It Costruns the school?
to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
AC: At my
Are Our school,Being
Teachers it is the
Paidparents.
Enough IttoisAttract
so important for the 41
Future Talent?
principal to beSalaries,
Teachers’ liked and accepted
Primary, by the
15 Years’ community. He will
Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
do anything to achieve that. 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
From my Male Teacher
many Numbers Areschools
observations, Declining
build different circles 45 of
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
parents around them. Some circles are closer than others. The inner
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
circle is usually made of parents who have some connection or
Chapter 4: Schools
relationship with theofprincipal
Thoughtor the close-to-principal staff. And the 59
outer circle is amade
Choosing of migrant parents who have not yet integrated
School 59
School
in the StructureYet there are other circles made of parents60
community. of
School Systems 61
the same cultural backgrounds, such as second-generation Greeks,
Selective High Schools 62
Chinese,
How DoLebanese or Indian.
Our School SystemsThis
Rankstructure
Globally?makes it very hard 62for
How Does Timetabling Influence the
someone who does not belong to one of these groups to integrate
Teaching-Learning
in the school community. Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
What
How Do Are the Different
Bureaucracy Parenting
and Administration Impact Styles
Teaching?and 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Their Impact
Distribution on Students?
of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Q:
WhyWhat do So
Is There theLittle
demographics
Transparencylook likeSchools
in Our at yourforschool?
Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
AC: About 50 per cent are second-generation migrants and
Chapter 5: Students
the rest are Aussies. 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
101
parent and public perceptions
102
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
How Do
Chapter Parent/Carer
3: Teachers Attitudes towards Different
33
Teaching the Teachers
Subjects Affect Their Children’s Attitudes? 34
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Do you ever say to your children, ‘Oh, I was awful at mathematics,’ or
Ongoing Professional Development 37
‘I was a great
How Muchspeller,’
Does It as if mathematics
Cost to Become a and English ability are purely
Teacher? 38
genetic
Howrather than dependent
Do Teaching on teaching
Salaries Compare andProfessions?
to Other other factors? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Westpac’s
Teachers’2017 Numeracy
Salaries, Study
Primary, revealed
15 Years’ that ‘half of Aussie
Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
adults couldn’t help a Year 10 student with their mathematics’ and 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
‘31 per cent of Australian adults experience mathematics anxiety’.100
2017 or Latest Available 42
KeithMale Teacher
Barnett fromNumbers
EppingAre Declining
North Public School was recently 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
honoured as the most outstanding primary teacher in the country
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI). Keith says,
Chapter 4: Schools
‘As a child, I hatedofmathematics
Thought because I didn’t think it had any 59
relevance
Choosingto my life, until a phenomenal teacher showed me all the
a School 59
School
amazing waysStructure
it could be used.’101 60
School Systems 61
Selective High Schools
I always say, the best thing parents can do to help their children 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
to love and eventually excel in mathematics is to bring it to life. In
How Does Timetabling Influence the
other words, show them how
Teaching-Learning essential and relevant mathematics67
Process? is
in our
Howdaily
Do life. When
School I usedImpact
Premises to shopthewith my children, we played a
Teaching-Learning Process?
game where each one of us had to add up all the items in the trolley 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
before we reached the register. The closest to the correct amount
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
wasHowthe winner.
Does the (I tried to let them
Distribution win every
of Funding Affectnow
Our and then!)
Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
100 Westpac, ‘New Australian
How Effective Is School research supports need to make maths a national
Reporting? 73
priority’, Media Releases, May 1, 2017, www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/media/
media-releases/2017/1-may-1, viewed October 11, 2018.
Chapter 5: Students 77
101 J Morphet, ‘New survey reveals half of Aussie adults couldn’t help a year 10 student
Where
with their and When
maths’, Does Learning
The Sunday Telegraph,Start?
September 3, 2017, www.dailytelegraph. 78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
com.au/news/nsw/new-survey-reveals-half-of-aussie-adults-couldnt-help-a-year- 78
10-student-with-their-maths/news-story/82cba6073efcd7855443c3a046b91a5b,
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
viewed October
School 11, 2018.
Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
103
parent and public perceptions
Another tip: Parents can talk about fractions when they share
a pizza or a cake. Instead of talking about a slice, talk about an
eighth or a quarter. And when you talk about interest rates going
up, include your high school child in the conversation. Very simple
things like this can make a difference.
104
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
are well 3:
Chapter run; if the children have homework, they do it there so they
Teachers 33
don’tTeaching
have to the
do itTeachers
when they get home late and tired. They are usually 34
fed a snack, and those who don’t have homework can take part34
University or Teaching College? in
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
activities with their peers. Whether children find such long days at
Ongoing Professional Development 37
school
How exhausting
Much Does and are disadvantaged
It Cost in comparison to their peers
to Become a Teacher? 38
whoHowonly Do
attend duringSalaries
Teaching school Compare
hours is atomatter
Otherfor debate.
Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Do Parents Have the Added Pressure to
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’
Monitor Hours,Children’s
Their Primary, 15 Years’
CyberExperience,
Interaction at
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male TeacherHome Numbers Are Declining
and at School? 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
In a What
worldOther Challenges
of social media,Doparents
Teachers Face?
have 53
the added worry of their
children constantly being online. We hear horror stories of children
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
being cyberbullied or groomed by paedophiles. Most parents are
Choosing a School 59
clueless about who
School Structure their children talk to online and what they are
60
talking about.
School The genie is out of the bottle, so to speak. Perhaps the
Systems 61
Selective High Schools
best approach is to have open, frank talks with our children about 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
cyber safety, and let them know that they should talk to a trusted family
How Does Timetabling Influence the
member,Teaching-Learning
parent or otherwise, if they ever feel unsafe or bullied. Some
Process? 67
children
How don’t like sharing
Do School Premisesthings
Impactwith the their parents but will confide
Teaching-Learning Process?
in an aunt, uncle or grandparent. For parents who feel they lack the 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
knowledge to cope with all this, they can try discussing it with other
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
parents
Howeither
Doesat thethe school or via
Distribution parenting
of Funding websites/blogs.
Affect Our Schools?It’s hard71
to
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
strike a balance between prying into our children’s lives and respecting 72
theirWhy Aren’t
privacy Schools
while keepingMeeting the Needs
them safe. Schoolsof Gifted Students?
generally make students72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
awareHow ofEffective
the dangers of cyberbullying
Is School Reporting? and online stranger danger 73
these days, too, but by all accounts, it is still widespread.
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
105
parent and public perceptions
106
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Trust –3:ATeachers
Chapter Crucial Factor in a School’s Success and
33
Teaching the Teachers 34
a Teacher’s Career
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
While the media only tends to report negative experiences, there
Ongoing Professional Development 37
are How
manyMuch
positive
Does Itstories
Cost tothat are anot
Become reported. However, the
Teacher? 38
importance
How Do of mutualSalaries
Teaching trust between
Compare schools
to Otherand parents cannot 39
Professions? be
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough
overstated, and it ties in with respect. to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
We 2017 or Latest
entrust our Available
children to the education system on the 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
understanding they will come out with the knowledge and skills they
2017 or Latest Available 42
need forMale
adulthood/further education;
Teacher Numbers Are Declining we trust our schools to keep
45
our How
children safe;Are
Effective weOurtrust the teachers to look after our children
Teachers? 46
and What
instil Other Challenges
the right values andDo Teachers Face?
lead by example. 53
Chapter 4: Schools
In some schools,ofminimal
Thought 59
trust by parents makes teaching almost
impossible.
ChoosingTeachers
a School are terrified of coming into physical contact 59
withSchool Structure
students as they can be accused of inappropriate physical 60
School Systems 61
contact, leading to suspension and even possibly deregistration.
Selective High Schools 62
Primary
Howschool
Do Ourteachers or teachers
School Systems Rank of children with disabilities find
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
this particularly tricky as physical contact is sometimes necessary.
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
To
Howfoster trust and
Do School respectImpact
Premises in schools
the and teachers, parents need
Teaching-Learning Process?
to be careful how they speak about teachers in front of their children. 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the DistributionTutoring of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
So, what actionSchools
Why Aren’t do parents takethe
Meeting when theyofare
Needs dissatisfied
Gifted Students?with their
72
child’s
Whyprogress?
Is There SoPerhaps it is a lack ofinfaith
Little Transparency Our and trustfor
Schools in Parents?
our schools
73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
and teachers that has led to the explosion of tutoring services in 73
Australia. There’s no doubt that tutoring is a growing industry, and it
Chapter 5: Students 77
is largely unregulated. There are a few types of tutoring practices:
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
107
parent and public perceptions
3. agencies that match a student with a tutor (there are many of them)
108
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
I trust3:aTeachers
Chapter dentist, not a teacher, to fix my teeth, and hence, as33a
parent, I trustthe
Teaching a Teachers
teacher, not a dentist or an accountant, to teach 34
University or Teaching College?
my child. An accountant might know numbers, but teaching maths 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
is a completely different skill. I believe teaching is a vocation, an
Ongoing Professional Development 37
art and
HowaMuch
gift that
DoesisIt not
Costgiven to everyone.
to Become a Teacher? We need to be very 38
careful
HowhowDo and
TeachingwhatSalaries
our children are taught
Compare to Other and by whom. It is way
Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future
more challenging to teach a concept correctly if it has already been Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
taught incorrectly.
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
Parents who are considering tutoring for their student are
2017 or Latest Available 42
wise to Male
look Teacher
to specialised professionals
Numbers Are Declining who should have higher
45
qualifications and Are
How Effective moreOurexperience
Teachers? than school teachers; otherwise, 46
whyWhat Other money
pay more Challenges Do Teachersthey
for something Face?can get for free from the53
schools? The same goes for the size of the groups; if the group size
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
in the learning centre is equal or exceeds the size of the classroom
Choosing a School 59
in the school, it
School Structureis not going to benefit the child. 60
School Systems 61
The NSW Department of Fair Trading has a Tutoring Tips for
Selective High Schools 62
Parents
Howfact
Do sheet
Our School available on itsRank
Systems website with translations in Arabic,
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence
Chinese, Hindi, Korean and Vietnamese. the 103
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
103 NSW Department of Fair Trading, ‘Tutoring’, n.d., www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
buying-products-and-services/buying-services/education-and-training/tutoring,
As Parents,
viewed OctoberHow Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
9, 2018.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
109
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Vision for
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing Professional Development 37
Success
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
I
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
n the previous chapters, I discussed the main factors that impact
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
Australia’s
How Doeseducation system,
the Distribution including
of Funding Affectthe
Ourcurriculum,
Schools? STEM, 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
teaching, schools, students and parents. It’s evident that Australia has 72
Why Aren’t
important issuesSchools Meeting
to address if it isthe Needs
to stem theofdecline
Gifted Students? 72
in results attained
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
by our
How students
Effectivevis-à-vis the
Is School rest of the world. In my view, these are
Reporting? 73
the three main concerns that need to be tackled immediately:
Chapter 5: Students 77
1. flat-lining or declining results in numeracy and literacy
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best?
2. insufficiently-trained teachers, particularly for STEM and 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
specialist subjects
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
111
vision for success
If they do have a vision, who knows about it? And how do we get
educators, parents and students on board?
So, who should fix it and how? If we are to seek new leadership
in education, it needs to be drawn from those who recognise that
our children and their education are our future.
You may not have heard of it, but in December 2008, all education
ministers (federal, state and territory) signed the Melbourne
112
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Declaration
Chapter on Educational Goals for Young Australians.104 This is33a
3: Teachers
20-page declaration
Teaching that addresses two main educational goals 34
the Teachers for
University or Teaching
young Australians, namely: College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence37
Ongoing Professional Development
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
Goal
How Do 2: Teaching
All youngSalaries
Australians become
Compare to Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
• successful
Teachers’ learners15 Years’ Experience,
Salaries, Primary,
2017 or Latest Available 41
• confident
Teachers’ and creative
Hours, Primary, individuals
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
• active and informed citizens
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
The Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Youth Affairs signed similar declarations in 1989 (in Hobart) and in
Chapter
1999 (in 4: Schools of
Adelaide). Thoughtthe 2008 Melbourne Declaration, the
However, 59
Council claims,
Choosing a is different because ‘in contrast to earlier declarations
School 59
School Structure
on schooling, [it] has a broader frame and sets out educational goals 60
School Systems 61
for young Australians’.
Selective High Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
The 2008 declaration begins with an overview of our education
How Does Timetabling Influence the
system, Teaching-Learning
stating in the Preamble:Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Australia has developed
Teaching-Learning Process?a high quality, world-class 68
schooling system, which
How Do Bureaucracy performs strongly
and Administration against other 68
Impact Teaching?
countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation 70
Who Is Leading Schools?
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools?
and Development (OECD). In international benchmarking of 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
educational outcomes
Why Aren’t Schools for 15-year-olds
Meeting in the Students?
the Needs of Gifted 2006 OECD 72
Programme
Why Is Therefor SoInternational Student
Little Transparency Assessment,
in Our Schools forAustralia
Parents? 73
ranked among the top 10 countries across all three 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
education domains assessed. [my emphasis]
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
104 Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
(Australia), Melbourne declaration on educational goals for young Australians,
As Parents,
Melbourne, How
2008, Do Our Attitudes towards
www.nla.gov.au/nla.arc-93985, Learning
viewed and
October 11, 2018.
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
113
vision for success
Despite this rosy picture, Australia has slipped outside the top
10 since 2006. So, does this mean the vision isn’t working? Or is it
that other countries are just improving faster than Australia? And if
other countries are improving and Australia is not catching up, does
this mean that Australian education is not aligning with the vision of
excellence?
114
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
So, what
Chapter actions have the Australian and state governments
3: Teachers 33
taken since 2008
Teaching in working towards this vision?
the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Are We Getting a Return on Our Investment?
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
As I mentioned in Chapter 5, funding for education has been a 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
hot topic
Are Ourof Teachers
debate, particularly since the
Being Paid Enough release
to Attract of the
Future PISA 2015
Talent? 41
report where both
Teachers’ sides of
Salaries, the government
Primary, admitted something is
15 Years’ Experience,
2017 with
really amiss or Latest Available
Australia’s education system. 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
This2017 or Latest
raises Available
an important question. If education were a business42
and youMalewereTeacher Numbers Are
a shareholder, Declining
would you be satisfied with your45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
return on investment? The statistics on government expenditure on
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
education report that total expenditure (including primary, secondary
Chapter 4: Schools
and tertiary) of Thought
increased by 3.9 per cent from 2015 to 2017. And with 59
a federal election
Choosing looming in 2019, politicians have made promises
a School 59
Schooleven
to spend Structure
more.105 On the other hand, performance results 60
School Systems 61
are flattening or even declining. If we are going to pour an
Selective High Schools 62
increasing
How Doamount
Our School of Systems
money Rankinto Globally?
education, surely we should 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
expect to see academic results improve, not decline or flat-line? 106
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
How Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
Why Aren’t Schools Meeting the Needs of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
How Effective Is School Reporting? 73
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and
105 Australian LaborWhen Does
Party, Bill’s Learning
media Start?
releases, op. cit. 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
106 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 5518.0.55.001 - Government Finance Statistics,
As Parents,
Education, How 2016-17,
Australia, Do Ourabs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/5518.0.55.001
Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach
Main+Features12016-17?OpenDocument, to Schooling?
viewed October 11, 2018. 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
115
vision for success
The Gonski model is named after David Michael Gonski AC, who,
in 2010, was commissioned by the Labor government to head up a
panel and make recommendations regarding education funding. The
report is known as the Gonski Report and its vision was as follows:
116
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Further,
Chapter no student in Australia should leave school without
3: Teachers 33
the basicthe
Teaching skills and competencies needed to participate
Teachers 34
University or Teaching
in the workforce and lead College?
successful and productive lives. 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
The system as a whole must work to meet the needs of all
Ongoing Professional Development 37
Australian
How Muchchildren, nowtoand
Does It Cost in the afuture.
Become The panel believes
Teacher? 38
that
How Do theTeaching
key to Salaries
achieving this vision
Compare to OtherisProfessions?
to strengthen 39
the current national schooling reforms through Talent?
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future funding 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
reform.107 [my emphasis]
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
When the Federal government changed to a Liberal/National Coalition
2017 or Latest Available 42
in 2011, the report was effectively shelved,
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining but then (under pressure)
45it
was How
resurrected
Effectiveand
Arewatered down. States were invited to sign up46
Our Teachers? to
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face?
the reforms recommended in the report, which included Victoria, NSW, 53
the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Tasmania and South Australia, and
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
were to share needs-based funding over a four-year period.
Choosing a School 59
School
Six Structure
years later, our politicians are still fighting over Gonski—over60
School Systems 61
who gets what and how and when it will be distributed. Clearly, when
Selective High Schools 62
government
How Do OurgetsSchool
involved, nothing
Systems happens
Rank quickly. Meanwhile, after
Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling Influence the
Giving a Gonski, only to have the report shelved after the 2013 Federal
election,Teaching-Learning
we now have Gonski Process?
2.0, published on April 30, 2018. 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
ThisTeaching-Learning Process?
new review is called the ‘Review to Achieve Educational 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Excellence in Australian Schools’ and was commissioned by
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
the How
Turnbull
Does government
the Distribution(we have now
of Funding Affecthad a Gonski report
Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning?
commissioned by both Labor and Liberal Coalition governments) 72
Why Aren’t
to ‘build the Schools
evidence Meeting
base the Needs to
needed of Gifted
ensureStudents? 72
the additional
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
funding providedIs School
How Effective by theReporting?
Australian Government is spent 73 on
proven initiatives that make a difference to student outcomes’.108
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
107 Gonski et al, op. cit., p15.
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
108 Independent Schools Council of Australia, ‘What is Gonski 2.0?’, n.d., www.isca.
As Parents, How Do viewed
edu.au/blog/gonski-2-0, Our Attitudes towards
October 15, 2018. Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
117
vision for success
We need our country’s leaders to rise above politics for the sake
of our children’s future!
109 Ministry of Education and Culture, ‘Vision for higher education and research in
2030’, n.d., www.minedu.fi/en/vision-2030, viewed April 20, 2019.
118
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
A key
Chapter 3: feature
Teachersof this plan is an ‘online brainstorming platform 33
for higher
Teachingeducation
the Teachers and research’ in which students, staff and 34
University or Teaching College?
stakeholders can participate. The platform is also available ‘for 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
public debate’.
Ongoing Professional Development 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher?
Recent (summer 2017) results from the brainstorming method 38
How Do Teaching Salaries Compare to Other Professions? 39
haveAre come up with two
Our Teachers Beingmain
Paidthemes
Enoughto to address: ‘first,Talent?
Attract Future a need 41
for
more experts
Teachers’with an academic
Salaries, Primary, 15degree and new kinds of skills,
Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available
and second, a need for a culture of working together and visionary 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
know-how evolving from it.’
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher
To conclude, I’d Numbers Are Declining
like to present this summary of the Finnish 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
education system by Marianne Matilainen.110 I think you’ll agree that
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
it’s obvious where we are going wrong:
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
• Teachers*
Choosing a School 59
School Structure
high quality 60
School Systems 61
Selective High
autonomy Schools 62
How Do Our School Systems Rank Globally? 62
How Does Timetabling
• Student-centred Influence the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
How Dosupport
School Premises Impact the
Teaching-Learning Process? 68
How Doconstructive
Bureaucracy learning
and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
•HowTrust
Does the Distribution of Funding Affect Our Schools? 71
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
no national
Why Aren’t tests of the
Schools Meeting learning
Needsoutcomes
of Gifted Students? 72
Why Is There So Little Transparency in Our Schools for Parents? 73
no school
How Effective ranking
Is School lists
Reporting? 73
*Note that teachers are at the top of the list!
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
110 MAs
Matilainen, Finnish education model – pedagogical
Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and approach, n.d.,
www.ims.mii.lt/ims/files/EducationmodelFinland_Marianne.pdf,
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? viewed October 10, 2018.
79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
119
vision for success
Singapore
120
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
We will
Chapter be exemplary in the discharge of our duties and 33
3: Teachers
responsibilities.
Teaching the Teachers 34
University or Teaching College? 34
We will
Whatguide ourPrerequisites
Are the students to be good and
to Become useful citizens of 35
a Teacher?
Ongoing Professional Development
Singapore. 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
We
Howwill
Docontinue
Teachingto learn and
Salaries pass to
Compare onOther
the love of learning to 39
Professions?
Are Our Teachers
our students. Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017win
We will or the
Latest Available
trust, support and cooperation of parents and 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
the community so as to enable us to achieve our mission.
2017 or Latest Available 42
Maleteachers
*Again, Teacher are
Numbers Are Declining
prioritised. 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Otheralso
Singapore Challenges
places Do Teachers
emphasis onFace? 53
the public and parents’ role
in education.
Chapter 4: Schools of Thought 59
We can only
Choosing succeed in our mission with the full support and
a School 59
School Structure
confidence of parents and the community. We seek to work together 60
School Systems 61
with them as partners, to develop our children to their fullest
Selective High Schools 62
potential.
How Do Education
Our SchoolwillSystems
make our children’s
Rank Globally?future and in turn, they
62
How Does Timetabling Influence
will determine Singapore’s future. the
Teaching-Learning Process? 67
How Do School Premises Impact the
A Teacher’s
Teaching-Learning Process? Vision 68
How Do Bureaucracy and Administration Impact Teaching? 68
Who Is Leading Schools? 70
Q:
HowWhat
Doesisthe
your vision forofbeing
Distribution able
Funding to teach
Affect properly? 71
Our Schools?
Are Schools Really Using Data to Improve Learning? 72
AC:
Why First
Aren’twe needMeeting
Schools structure—structure in the
the Needs of Gifted classroom, 72
Students?
in
Whythe textbooks,
Is There in Transparency
So Little the methodology. Second,forwe
in Our Schools need 73
Parents?
accountability—someone making sure that every teacher is 73
How Effective Is School Reporting?
accountable.
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
121
vision for success
Is There a Solution?
There is always a solution! Australia can learn a lot from the education
systems of other countries, particularly those who rank higher than
us. In the Introduction, we looked at some of the best education
systems in the world. Let’s recap on two of these: Singapore and
Finland.
Two of the top education systems in the world are at the opposite
ends of the spectrum in their approach to and style of education. So,
what makes them both so successful yet so different? The answer:
112 Global Systems of Education, ‘Finland: Educational Utopia?’, September 23, 2017,
www.globalsystemsofeducation.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/finland-educational-
utopia.
122
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Bear 3:
Chapter in Teachers
mind, however, that Singapore and Finland are relatively
33
(but Teaching
obviouslythe
notTeachers
totally) homogenous in comparison to multicultural
34
University or Teaching College?
Australia. This raises a crucial question: 34
What Are the Prerequisites to Become a Teacher? 35
Ongoing
How does Professional
Australia’sDevelopment
education system synergise with its 37
How Much Does It Cost to Become a Teacher? 38
people’s
How Do Teaching cultures,
Salaries faiths
Compare toand values?
Other Professions? 39
Are Our Teachers Being Paid Enough to Attract Future Talent? 41
Teachers’ Salaries, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 41
Teachers’ Hours, Primary, 15 Years’ Experience,
2017 or Latest Available 42
Male Teacher Numbers Are Declining 45
How Effective Are Our Teachers? 46
What Other Challenges Do Teachers Face? 53
Chapter 5: Students 77
Where and When Does Learning Start? 78
What Type of Learning Works Best? 78
As Parents, How Do Our Attitudes towards Learning and
School Affect Our Children’s Approach to Schooling? 79
Does the Wearing of Uniforms Give Students the
Sense of Belonging? 81
123
My Vision for a
World-Leading
Australian Education
System
“You have your way.
I have my way.
As for the right way, the correct way,
and the only way, it does not exist.”
—Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
W
e would all prefer our children to relax or play sports after
school and not have to study to fill the gaps in their education
at considerable expense to us as parents, right?
So here are five key points that form my vision to make Australia’s
education system one of the best in the world:
125
M y Vi s i o n f o r a W o r l d - L e a d i n g A u s t r a l i a n E d u c a t i o n S y s t e m
126
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
List of References
Chapter 3: Teachers
Teaching the Teachers
University or Teaching College?
34
34
33
Australian Labor Party, Bill’s Media Releases, ‘Public Schools In Every State And
Territory To Benefit From Labor’s Investment’, 11 October 2018, viewed 15
October 2018, www.billshorten.com.au/public_schools_in_every_state_and_
territory_to_benefit_from_labor_s_investment_thursday_11_october_2018
Bagshaw, E, Ting, I, ‘NSW universities taking students with ATARs as low as 30’, 27
January 2016, www.smh.com.au/national/education/nsw-universities-taking-
students-with-atars-as-low-as-30–20160125-gmdvr6.html
128
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Hattie, J, What Doesn’t Work in Education: The Politics of Distraction, June 2015,
www.visible-learning.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/John-Hattie-Visible-
Learning-creative-commons-book-free-PDF-download-What-doesn-t-work-in-
education_the-politics-of-distraction-pearson-2015.pdf
Kimura, D, ‘Sex Differences in the Brain: Men and women display patterns of
behavioral and cognitive differences that reflect varying hormonal influences
on brain development’, Scientific American, 13 May 2002, viewed 12 October
2018, www2.nau.edu/~bio372-c/class/behavior/sexdif1.htm
Ministers for the Department of Education and Training Media Centre, ‘Minister
urges cooperation to address ‘worrying’ education results’, 7 December
2016, viewed 11 October 2018, www.ministers.education.gov.au/birmingham/
minister-urges-cooperation-address-worrying-education-results
Ministry of Education and Culture, ‘Vision for higher education and research in
2030’, n.d., viewed 10 October 2018, www.minedu.fi/en/vision-for-higher-
education-and-research-in-2030
Morphet J, ‘New survey reveals half of Aussie adults couldn’t help a year 10
student with their maths’, The Sunday Telegraph, 3 September 2017, viewed
11 October 2018, www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/new-survey-reveals-
half-of-aussie-adults-couldnt-help-a-year-10-student-with-their-maths/news-st
ory/82cba6073efcd7855443c3a046b91a5b
130
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
NSW Department of Education, Strategies and Reports, Review into the non-
educational use of mobile devices in NSW schools, 4 October 2018, viewed
11 October 2018, www.education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/strategies-and-reports/
our-reports-and-reviews/mobile-devices-in-schools
131
List of References
OECD Newsroom, ‘Most teenagers happy with their lives but schoolwork
anxiety and bullying an issue’, 19 April 2017, www.oecd.org/newsroom/most-
teenagers-happy-with-their-lives-but-schoolwork-anxiety-and-bullying-an-
issue.htm
Parliament of Tasmania, Education Amendment Bill 2017 (No. 46), 23 August 2017,
viewed 11 October 2018, www.parliament.tas.gov.au/lc/dean/20170823%20
-%20Education%20Amendment%20Bill%202017%20%28No.%2046%29.pdf
Piccoli, A, ‘Federal government needs to stop Gonski funding row so we can fix
schools’, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 December 2016, viewed 11 October
2018, www.smh.com.au/opinion/the-federal-government-needs-to-stop-
bickering-about-gonski-funding-so-we-can-start-fixing-schools-20161212-
gt9hro.html
Plibersek, T., ‘These results show exactly why @AustralianLabor believes in extra
needs-based funding for our schools.’ Twitter, 29 November 2016, viewed 11
October 2018, www.twitter.com/tanya_plibersek/status/803747467082612736
Productivity Commission, Shifting the Dial: 5 Year Productivity Review, Report No.
84, Canberra, 2017, viewed 10 October 2018, https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/
completed/productivity-review/report/productivity-review.pdf
Quality indicators for learning and teaching (QILT), Teacher Education, viewed 10
October 2018, https://www.qilt.edu.au/study-areas/list/study-area/teacher-
education?type=2&&searchString=Education%20in%20Primary%20Teaching
132
Majeda Awawdeh, PHD
Sani, N, ‘Mum’s gone to Finland. One parent’s lesson in why Finnish children
excel at school – and love it too’, SchoolGuide.co.uk, 7 April 2014,
www.schoolguide.co.uk/blog/mums-gone-to-finland-one-parents-lesson-in-
why-finnish-children-excel-at-school-and-love-it-too
Savage, G.C., ‘Give a Gonski? Funding myths and politicking derail schools
debate’, The Conversation, 9 July 2015, https://theconversation.com/give-a-
gonski-funding-myths-and-politicking-derail-schools-debate-44308,
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/student-diversity/gifted-and-
talented-students
TIMMS & PIRLS International Study Center, ‘About TIMMS 2019’, viewed 11 October
2018, www.timssandpirls.bc.edu/timss2019/index.html
TIMMS & PIRLS International Study Center, ‘PIRLS and ePIRLS Around the World’,
viewed 11 October 2018, www.timssandpirls.bc.edu/latest-news/epirls-around-
the-world.html
133
List of appendices
134
APPENDIX 1
Australia’s Chief Scientist, Datasheet 2:
Women in STEM: A story of attrition
135
List of appendices
136
APPENDIX 2
137
In Who Cares about Maths, Anyway?, Dr Majeda Awawdeh, PhD
addresses the top issues with Australia’s current education system
in her honest, analytical overview. Over the course of the book,
teachers, students and parents are given the opportunity to
explore the deep-seated problems of their current school system,
including a lack of teacher training and development, one-size-fits-
all curricula and unfocused government funding.
Along with this insightful analysis, Dr Awawdeh introduces a long-
term vision that can improve the system for all involved, resulting in
the progression of student success and higher ranking worldwide.
Individuals looking for in-depth research in the area of the Australian
education system will find her book a valuable resource in their quest
to solve the problems today’s students face.
AUD 25.99