Public Education Voice June 2012

PUBLIC EDUCATION VOICE JOURNAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION UNION - ACT BRANCH • June 2012

PUBLIC EDUCATION WEEK 2012 GIRALANG PRIMARY

CELEBRATING

MEMORIAL WALL

EDUCATION

TOBRUK

40 Brisbane Ave Barton ACT 2600 • P (02) 6272 7900 • F (02) 6273 1828 • www.aeuact.asn.au

CONTENTS

1

2

From the Acting Secretary President’s Report

Indigenous News: Page 8

2012 Branch Council Meeting Dates

2

Sub-Branch News

3

NSWTF Women’s Conference

4

Pedagogy: Rats of Tobruk Memorial Wall

6

8

Reconciliation Awards

9

Celebrating Public Education

10

Public Education Awards

12

O H & S

13

Indigenous News

2012 Award Recipients: Page 12

Industrial Report

14

‘Bush Schools of the Hall District’ 15 New Educator Happenings

16

TAFE Works / TAFE VP Report

18

Focus on ESOs

20

Professional Experience and Beyond at University of Canberra 21 New Educator Happenings: Page 16

Member Profile

22

FROM THE ACTING BRANCH

REPORT FROM GLENN FOWLER

There has been much to occupy AEU officers in recent times, and I express sincere thanks to members for working with us to confront each new challenge.

In coming weeks we will be asking you to “give a Gonski” by undertaking one small lobbying task. We are on the verge of something truly historic with regards to the funding of our schools, and we will need your help so that governments convert a very promising report into law by the end of this year. As Dr Jim McMorrow’s recent analysis makes clear, a continuation of the current arrangements for funding Australia’s public schools would be calamitous, with the equivalent of 7000 teaching positions being lost in public schools and an extra $1.3 billion going directly into private schools, many of whom do not need the money. The National Partnership money has been good for our students, but Gonski’s recommendations are far grander, and the money needs to flow now. Resources delayed are resources denied for the children of Australia.

The fruits of our highly successful ETD Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement campaign in 2011 are now being seen after we welcomed the new document at the end of April. Salaries are more competitive, new teachers are better supported, school counsellors are better recognised and the complex work that our principals do is finally being reviewed. These and other benefits could not have been achieved without our collective strength, and I urge you to make potential members aware of this fact.

In May, Branch Council endorsed a list of commitments that we will be asking all parties and candidates to sign up to in the lead-up to the ACT Election

this October. In the schools sector, they concern implementing a truly needsbased funding model, an end to so-called “efficiency dividends” in education, some protections around ‘empowerment’, an increase in permanent positions, a commitment to nationally competitive salaries, embedding “teacher learning communities” within schools, funding any changes to school category and principal classification, increasing the commitment to the Early Childhood School model, and addressing the workload concerns of preschool teachers who are experiencing a raft of new federally-driven compliance procedures. There are also calls for every child in every public school in every suburb to have appropriate access to teacher librarians, school counsellors, English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) support, literacy and numeracy field officers and Reading Recovery resources.

In the TAFE sector, the AEU welcomed the ACT Government’s abandonment of the so-called “University of Canberra Institute of Technology” (UCIT) proposal which threatened to strip-mine the diploma and advanced diploma offerings of CIT. However, we watch events in Victoria with horror, as the conservative state government has made Victorian TAFE colleges “just another provider”, compelled in many instances to compete for students with fly-by-night, profit-driven private companies who offer four-day diplomas.

The Gillard Government’s reforms are worrying also, as they introduce HECS-style loans which threaten to push the costs of training away from governments and on to students, the more debt-averse of whom will surely be less likely to engage in vocational education and training. In the context of out Territory election, the

AEU is asking all aspirants to apply the National Training Entitlement only to the public provider in CIT, and to extend the entitlement beyond the minimum first attempt at a Cert III qualification. Further, we seek a commitment to best practice regulation of all VET providers to weed out any potential shonks. From 1997-2009, the CIT has experienced a 33% reduction in funding (federal and territory combined) per nominal hour of course delivery. The candidates who promise to show their support for the CIT by turning around this shameful situation will no doubt receive the support of our membership. Of course, our CIT members are particularly concerned that the recommendations of the recent ACT Worksafe report into the handling of bullying allegations become embedded in CIT management practice. We continue to support our members in having their complaints addressed, largely through the Commissioner of Public Administration.

It is easy to be sidetracked by the sensationalist nature of Australian politics and media reporting at the moment. Whilst the circus continues, the union movement continues to kick goals both within and outside the education domain. In recent times, Federal Parliament has legislated on the Superannuation Guarantee, the Mining Rent Resources Tax, Safe Rates for truck drivers, the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission which unfairly targeted construction workers and, of course, the Paid Parental Leave scheme. And we should not forget the historic decision regarding Equal Pay for low paid community sector workers.

Never lose the pride you have in being a union member.

Glenn Fowler Acting Branch Secretary

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 1

BY PHIL RASMUS

By the time you read this column, Public Education Week will be over for another year.

I trust that you took some time during the week to celebrate in some way the achievements of students in our public schools.

I hope you managed to visit the Civic Library to admire the exhibition of artworks produced by our students.

I hope you were able to attend the Public Education Awards at Reid CIT to congratulate the winners of the various awards. I hope that you managed to participate in your own school’s celebration of this important week.

Reconciliation Week at the end of May gave us the chance once again to celebrate the achievements of all those involved in Indigenous education.

Thanks to Melba Copland School for hosting this year’s Reconciliation Awards.

By now you will have received your pay increase, and back pay, resulting from the recently endorsed Enterprise Agreement. Perhaps this will provide you a timely opportunity to remind those non-members at your workplace that these increases are a direct result of the efforts of the AEU’s negotiators, whose salaries are funded by members’ fees. Don’t be shy in encouraging those who willingly accept these benefits, to join the AEU. ACT Education Minister Dr Chris Bourke addressed March Council and subsequently attended a meeting of the AEU Executive in May. He was closely questioned by Executive

members on a number of matters of concern, particularly some of the more unsavoury financial implications of the so-called School Empowerment model.

Personally, I was impressed by his open manner and willingness to listen rather than lecture. A refreshing change. You may be aware that the AEU will seek from each major party in the upcoming ACT election a number of commitments in support of public education.

Members at CIT will be breathing easier now that the ill-conceived proposal to create some sort of new institution out of various bits of CIT and the University of Canberra seems to have been permanently shelved.

AEU members at any worksite should take heart from the recently publicised successful identification of bullying and harassment issues at CIT. If you or others at your school are undergoing similar problems, please don’t hesitate to contact one of the AEU School Organisers to seek help.

Phil Rasmus Branch President

2012 BRANCH COUNCIL MEETING DATES: Branch Council meets on the following Saturdays in 2012 at J Block Theatre, Reid Campus CIT from 9:00am - 12 noon.

Please arrive by 9:00am as a quorum must be present by 9:30am or the meeting lapses. Papers are available from 8:45am. Tea and coffee is also provided but please bring a mug.

• 23 June • 18 August • 22 September • 27 October • 24 November For the information of new Councillors, Business Papers are forwarded through the Union’s maildrop via Sub-Branch Secretaries at least 1 week prior to the meeting.

This is your chance to have your say!

CIL COUN ER ND REMI urday t a S 9am e 23 Jun eid CIT R

Next Journal Deadline:

20 August 2012.

Contributions to the journal can be sent to: priority1@aeuact.asn.au

PAGE 2 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

SUB-BRANCH

NEWS

By Schools Organisers bill book and sue amundsen Many schools experienced extreme low temperatures during the first week of this term. Some rooms were recorded as low as 14 degrees. This is not acceptable as a suitable working environment for any staff or students.

The Workplace Health and Safety Representative at your school should be notified immediately if this happens and a report provided to the Principal.

Workload Workload is again the No 1 issue on a daily basis for teachers. Teachers and executive need to consult on the workload at their school. With every new Professional Development course comes new ideas and methods adopted by schools to increase teacher awareness and enhance quality teaching for their students. This can be overwhelming for already overloaded teachers. It involves preparation of new materials, accessing additional resources and changes to programming and planning which apparently all takes place in the allocated release time each week that is already being used for completing individual assessment, following up on behaviour issues, producing teaching materials, meeting with peers to discuss programs and special events not to mention filling out absence records and keeping on top of that never ending trail of emails that apparently now need immediate responses.

Staff need to let their principals know if the workload is unmanageable. If your school does not yet have a Workload Committee then the setting up of a committee should be a priority that is discussed at the next staff meeting. [See clause Q2 School Monitoring of workload and practice in the new EA for details].

Mutual Recognition of Your Teacher Registration

hours per week in secondary schools (Pro rata for Part Time teachers).

There are a couple of critical steps you must take when you are looking to have your registration recognised in other jurisdictions. First, you must notify the ‘new’ jurisdiction of your intention to register with them. That, with your application initiates action – police check and all the things required of you when you register here. BUT, you are able to teach for 28 days while all the checking is undertaken in all other jurisdictions except Tasmania. You also have to pay the registration fee in every jurisdiction in which you register. So, the 28 days period of grace is really the only apparent benefit.

Members continue to have the right to discuss issues of contention, professional and industrial, in their workplace with their colleagues without fear or favour. Members also retain the right to be supported by the AEU without fear of disadvantage or discrimination. The employer has an obligation to consult with employees and the employees have an expectation that they or their representatives will be participants in decisions that affect their work practices.

[Section G6]

Some Things Don’t Change with the New EA The 8:30 – 4:51 time frame is for purposes of pay and leave only. Any concerns about hours of attendance should be directed to the AEU office.

Your lunchbreak remains at 30 minutes [total, minimum] within the ‘lunch time’ parameters. There are numerous models for break time across the system with some that are split on days when you have a rostered duty but the 30 minutes is an industrial entitlement and is locked in. That break is separate from the recess breaks with which teachers and assistants should be provided.

Meeting times are still negotiable and the meeting schedule should be reviewed at least once each year. Don’t meet simply to hear or transmit information that may be passed on in different format.

Face to face teaching times continue at a maximum of 21 hours 30 minutes per week in primary schools and a maximum of 19

Professional Pathways plans are still part of a teacher’s professional responsibilities to be negotiated by the teacher and their supervisor and signed off by them and the principal. The goals set are to be achievable, realistic and agreed by the teacher and their supervisor.

Under the ACT Work Safety Act 2011 [Division 5.6] you may refuse to do work that has a perceived high risk of harm to yourself or others until that risk is assessed and addressed. As an employee your responsibility is to notify your employer [or the delegate] of your concerns. You cannot be targeted, disadvantaged or discriminated against for taking that action.

Casual relief teachers should be treated with great respect and provided a few fundamentals such as toilet breaks and lunch breaks. They should also be provided with feedback to assist them in future placements.

Ultimately, every member has the right to work in a safe and healthy environment and if we can achieve that across the board then we are making good progress.

Bill Book and Sue Amundsen Schools’ Organisers

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 3

NSW TEACHER’S FEDERATION

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

BY SASCHA COLLEY

As the AEU ACT Branch Women’s Officer I was pleased to have been invited to take a delegation of four AEU Women members to Sydney to attend the New South Wales Teachers Federation Women’s Conference in March. Our ACT Branch was represented by Ingrid Bean, Sarah Nand, Elizabeth Lorenz and Trish McEwan. This conference was a wonderful opportunity for us to hear inspiring speakers and attend workshops.

The keynote speaker was Eva Cox, a highly respected feminist, academic, and activist, whose work has informed and inspired a generation of women. Eva had the difficult job of challenging us and getting us thinking about what the future might look like.

We also heard from Nina Funnell, an inspirational young woman who is a passionate feminist, studying for her PhD, lecturing at the University of NSW, is a freelance journalist, an Anti-Violence campaigner, NSW Young Australian of the year, and a board member for the NSW Rape Crisis Centre. A number of workshops were attended throughout the day with themes including bullying, complaint procedures, knowing your rights and how to best support Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) students and staff in our workplaces.

Here are reports from our AEU Women members who attended the conference: Ingrid Bean

On the afternoon of Friday 30th of March, my colleague Trish and I drove up to Sydney for the NSW Teacher’s Federation Women’s Conference. After much hilarity at getting lost in the CBD we eventually

found our way to our hotel and were able to have a relaxing evening in preparation for the day ahead.

The conference itself was a wonderful day. Sitting in the lecture theatre, I was heartened to be in the company of so many women who cared about teaching and unionism as much as I do. It was fascinating, and rather disappointing, to learn of the “sticky floors’, “glass walls’ and “glass ceilings” that still keep women at the lower-paid end of the employment spectrum. And this is even decades after the laws that mean women get paid the same as men for doing the same job, and the fact that females consistently outperform males in education.

I attended a workshop about Work Health and Safety, which clearly illustrated the passion women teachers have for their jobs. Even in the face of dangerous and dirty work (dealing with violent students, having to change the nappies of students with physical disabilities etc.), we still do our best to put the needs of the students first. However, this workshop also highlighted the extreme need for Education Departments to support teachers dealing with these situations; for the education of the students, and the safety of our teachers. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to attend this event, and recommend it to all other women activists.

Trish McEwan

It was a great privilege to have attended the 2012 NSW Teachers Federation Women’s Conference. The conference proved to be an inspiring and interesting experience which reminded every delegate of their worth as a teacher and

union member. There was a great feeling of camaraderie and collective spirit.

For me the experience of attending the conference, meeting other delegates and sharing our stories and experiences reminded me of the importance of our profession. It is very rare that we as teachers are afforded the quality time we need to stop and reflect on our professional experiences and aspirations.

The conference gave me an opportunity to reflect on my teaching career and the significance of our work as teachers. I highly recommend the conference or any similar opportunities. I felt proud to be a part of such an important event and to have spent time with so many inspiring women and public school teachers.

Elizabeth Lorenz

The NSW Teacher’s Federation Women’s Conference 2012 held in Surry Hills on Saturday 31 March, was an inspirational place to be. Women from all over NSW and five of us from Canberra joined together to be a part of this learning journey. There were exceptional female speakers sharing their research and experiences that impact on women’s lives first and foremost and how this filters through society in general. We were informed by Dr Rae Copper, Sydney University Business School Senior Lecturer and Research Fellow that statistically, ‘girls out-perform boys throughout their education,” and still “women are paid less than men, no matter what figure is used, or what industry or occupation we analyse.” We were shown the data and graphs that represented a historical perspective of women’s employment through- out their lives and how our roles as carers of our own children and then our parents in

PAGE 4 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

A WOMAN’S PLACE IS IN HER UNION

later years impacts on our wage earning ability. Nothing new there but I have never participated in a lecture on the subject before and it seems to be one of the things I keep informing other women when I talk about the weekend.

communities to petition against this and to call for a referendum to change the constitution to acknowledge the First people of Australia and to remove racist undertones from the Australian Constitution.

Another influential aspect of the conference was the unique and moving Welcome to Country by Aunty…… This beautiful woman, well into her eighties danced and moved in front of us with such grace and poise to meaningful lyrics and music that led to many tears in the house. And she went on to tell us that she stills plays football with her grandchildren and that she wasn’t scared to tackle them to the ground. It was a heartfelt speech and another example of an exceptional speaker.

I would thoroughly recommend that other AEU members consider applying for these conference opportunities when they are available. You are looked after extremely well by the union with lovely accommodation, money to cover extra expenses and socially it was a great time.

The most moving aspect of my time at the conference was in the workshop with ANTAR- Australian for Native Title and Reconciliation. We discussed how the Australian Constitution does not recognise the prior occupation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (First People). ANTAR is working collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elders and their

Sarah Nand

This was my first experience of attending such an event, so I was unsure what to expect! I am so glad that I had the opportunity, as I found the event very inspiring.

On so many levels, the experience was hugely worthwhile. Firstly, I had the opportunity to meet other public school educators. In itself, I found this such an enriching experience. Sharing stories and experiences, it was clear that a passion for teaching and learning, a love for public education and a belief in the

access of education for all, was a common driving factor for us all, no matter how different our journeys, experiences!

The conference itself fell on my birthday!

As a lifelong learner with an experience of teaching in ACT and the UK, the conference offered me the gift of being reminded of our value and worth as teachers, and an opportunity to reflect on my own personal journey that got me there. The conference opened with the most beautiful welcome to country I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.

It set the tone for a unifying, celebratory and inclusive day in which we were all reminded by ourselves and by each other of the value and significance of education, the power and opportunity it unlocks and our role as teachers and educators.

The conference also highlighted the need and necessity as women and union members, to actively engage with our Unions to promote and support positive change in public education. One of the main things I have taken away from the conference is my experience that at the core of all the delegates I met and spoke to at the conference, all had a very strong and visual desire to teach and educate to the best of their ability for both themselves and their students. I was overwhelmed, stunned and saddened by the many and various obstacles that so many have encountered in their desire to do so. This definitely cemented for me the notion that ‘A woman’s place is in her union. Thanks so much to the AEU for the opportunity. It was both a privilege and a pleasure.

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 5

GENERIC

TITLE HERE

GIRALANG PRIMARY SCHOOL

RATS OF TOBRUK MEMORIAL WALL Giam, consecte doloborpero deliquat. Landipit ad tismod delestin velisi endre core tiscinis atet eros

BY SUE AMUNDSEN nullupt atinit prat. Ut lore ming et vendrem nisi.

1941

The second year of the war had begun with a series of impressive British and Commonwealth successes against the Italians in Libya. Australian troops led the advance. But a rapid German offensive quickly reversed these early victories.

All that stopped the Germans’ march on Egypt was the defiant garrison at Tobruk.

Since 1999 Giralang Primary School has continued to develop a strong connection with the Rats of Tobruk. There were over 100 Rats of Tobruk residing in Canberra but sadly many have now passed on.

The Rats of Tobruk are special guests at ANZAC Day ceremonies and attend Christmas lunches at the school each year. They have become an integral part of the school culture assisting in the development of student’s knowledge and enhancing their understanding of such an important part of Australian history. The service and sacrifice of these men and all the Australian servicemen they represent now have a personal connection for these students. As a result of this association Giralang Primary School has become the official custodian of the Rats of Tobruk Ceremonial Banner.

The Governor General in 2008, Michael Jeffery, wrote to the school and in this

letter he stated ‘I encourage you to continue and further strengthen this relationship with the Rats of Tobruk as it is vital for today’s students as future leaders to understand and appreciate the nation’s past.’

At the 70th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony held on ANZAC Parade in April 2010 Trish Keller the Principal of Giralang made a commitment ‘that the Giralang school community would always support the ACT Rats of Tobruk Association in as many ways as they possibly could’.

As the recipient of ‘Best Veteran and Community Involvement ‘in the ANZAC School’s Award Giralang received a certificate, plague and a cheque for $500.00. The school then applied to the Department of Veteran Affairs for a school grant to establish a Rats of Tobruk memorial wall. They were successful in winning the grant and set about completing Stage 1 of the project.

For eight long months, surrounded by German and Italian forces, the men of the Tobruk garrison, mostly Australians, withstood tank attacks, artillery barrages, and daily bombings. They endured the desert’s searing heat, the bitterly cold nights, and hellish dust storms. They lived in dug-outs, caves, and crevasses.

The defenders of Tobruk did not surrender, they did not retreat. Their determination, bravery, and humour, combined with the aggressive tactics of their commanders, became a source of inspiration during some of the war’s darkest days. In so doing, they achieved lasting fame as the “Rats of Tobruk”. – Australian War Memorial

PAGE 6 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

On Friday the 4th of May Stage 1 of the memorial wall was officially opened by Her Excellence the Governor General Quentin Bryce. There were a number of official visitors including the ACT Minister for Education, Dr Chris Bourke. Duncan Smith provided the Acknowledgement to Country and speeches by Principal Trish Keller, Ken Gillam, President of the local Rats of Tobruk Association, and Quentin Bryce followed.

Ken Gillam spoke of the need for people to meet each year to remember how important it is to be free and to acknowledge that Australians are lucky to have a ‘wonderful free life’ and to be ‘proud of what we have.’

The Governor General talked about the courage and endurance of the men in Libya in 1941 and the unique humour that Australians have that maintains them through these situations. She described the soldiers in Afghanistan as the modern counterparts of the Rats of Tobruk and made particular reference to children and their experiences at a school in the war zone in Afghanistan.

The children of Giralang will remember this occasion but they will also remember the words of the Governor General as she spoke to the audience but particularly and so eloquently to them.

Giralang Primary, according to the local Rats of Tobruk, is ‘the school with the ANZAC Spirit’.

Their banner, which holds a special place in Australian history, now stands proudly, encased in a beautiful jarrah cabinet, on the memorial wall in view as you enter the main entrance to Giralang Primary School.

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 7

BY PATRICK CHAPMAN

My name is Pat Chapman and I am the Indigenous Education Officer at Melba Copland Secondary School and Canberra High School.

I am writing about two successful programs that we have up and running, the Indigenous Art Group and the Indigenous Reading and Writing Program.

students to explore and take pride in their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage while also building up their patience and respect. It provides them with great mentoring skills as they will be able to pass on their Indigenous knowledge to family and friends. It also opens the door to another career path that the students may choose to follow later in life.

The Indigenous Art Group runs on Monday’s and Friday’s at Canberra High and Tuesday’s and Thursday’s at Melba Copland. The group is run by local artist Peter Finegan.

Peter is a Murawari man from Brewarrina NSW and generously donates his time to come into both schools to work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

By NAIDOC Week (July 1–8) the students will have enough artwork to hold a joint exhibition between the two schools and West Belconnen Child and Family Centre.

This event and will be the first of many opportunities for them to show their art to the community and also be commended for the hard work that they have put into their paintings over the past year.

The purpose of the art group, besides teaching some of the styles and techniques of Indigenous art, is to encourage the

The Indigenous reading and writing program runs at Melba Copland Secondary School every Wednesday and Thursday. It

is run by University of Canberra Student Vicki Shaw. Vicki has gone out of her way to assist the Aboriginal students at Melba Copland strengthen their literacy skills.

The main focus of this program is to encourage students to take an interest in reading and to also to write their own stories. The program ties in well with the Indigenous Art Group as the students have been asked to write a story to accompany their artwork. The stories the students have written so far are great, and we are planning to publish them, along with the stories and photos from the art grou. These will be launched on Indigenous Literacy Day. Neither of these programs would have achieved the success they have without Peter, Vicki and the leadership staff at Melba Copland and Canberra High. Their continued support will ensure that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will continue to achieve academically and take pride in and share their culture with the wider community.

Patrick Chapman and Peter Finegan work with students at Melba Copland Secondary School.

PAGE 8 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

RECONCILIATION

AWARDS BY sascha colley

The AEU Reconciliation Award acknowledges and fosters the great work of our AEU members and individuals who work towards Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in our public schools and TAFE centres.

These awards are funded through the Bernie Hearn Fund which was established in Bernie’s memory after his death in 1990. Bernie was a strong advocate for Reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples and an Organiser in the ACT AEU office for many years.

During the organising of this event I decided to pull out Bernie Hearn’s file to find out who he was and why this award was established in his memory. I came across a mystical manila folder that contained documents and information gathered throughout Bernie’s career. It began in the late 1970s when Bernie first came to work in this office. Back then it was called the ACT Teacher’s Federation.

The folder included handwritten job applications, old newsletters typed on typewriters with hand drawn political cartoons, and nominations for various conferences or positions on scraps of paper and old coasters. Reflecting on this file I realised how far the union movement has come since the late 1970’s. I also realised that our values of social justice and protecting people’s rights are still at the core of all that we do.

Reading over Bernie’s file, I was reminded of how far we have also come in our journey towards Reconciliation. I also felt acutely aware of how far we still have left to travel. We are by no means there yet and I believe that as individuals and as a nation we can never stop working towards improvement in all areas of our society and Reconciliation.

Bernie understood the importance of Reconciliation for Indigenous and NonIndigenous people. Throughout his life

he worked hard to enlighten others to the plight of Australia’s Indigenous people.

It’s of great importance to the Australian Education Union that Reconciliation is something that we continue to work towards. As such, we acknowledge and celebrate individuals who do the same.

The 2012 AEU Reconciliation Award went to Narrabundah Early Childhood School teacher Meredith Regan for her approach to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and children and the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives within all of her teaching.

Commendations were also given to Peter Finegan and Vicki Shaw. Peter, a volunteer at Melba Copland Secondary School and Canberra High School, teaches Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art techniques.

Vicki works as an assistant at Melba Copland Secondary School with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in order to improve their literacy skills.

AEU Reconciliation Award: Meredith Regan Narrabundah Early Childhood School.

AEU Reconciliation Certificates of Commendation: Peter Finegan Melba Copland Secondary School and Canberra High School volunteer; Vicki Shaw Melba Copland Secondary School.

Meredith Regan, Minister for Education Dr Chris Burke, Vick Shaw and Sascha Colley at the Reconciliation Awards.

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the Australian Education Union • PAGE 9

CELEBRATING Public Education Week 21-25 May 2012, was a celebration of the achievements of public schools and TAFE. Public Education Week provided an opportunity to highlight the excellent work of teachers, students, parents, support staff, departmental officers and the wider community. Congratulations to all public schools and TAFEs!

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PUBLIC

EDUCATION

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 11

PUBLIC EDUCATION EDUCATION PUBLIC

AWARDS AWARDS The AEU Public Education Awards for 2012 were presented on Thursday 24th May at a wonderful ceremony and drinks function involving School Network Leaders, principals, managers, teachers and support staff from within Education Training Directorate (ETD) and the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT), as well as MPs, MLAs and representatives of various education and community organisations.

The Public Education Award (for AEU members) went to Latham Primary School teacher Lalangi Abhayapala for the fantastic community links she has established through the preschool.

A commendation was also given to Mount Rogers Primary School teacher Nicole Mengel for her community singing programs.

The recipient of the inaugural Friend of Public Education Award was public school advocate Trevor Cobbold from Save Our Schools.

Peter Cobbold, Nicole Mengel, Glenn Fowler and Lalangi Abhayapala at the Public Education Awards.

Congratulations to all recipients of this year’s Public Education Awards!

AEU Public Education Award: Lalangi Abhayapala Latham Preschool.

AEU Certificate of Commendation: Nicole Mengel Mount Rogers Primary School.

AEU Friend of Public Education Award Trevor Cobbold

PAGE 12 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

excessive workloads and responding to violence

We have been visiting Sub-Branches listening to members as they list issues yet to be resolved following the endorsement of the Enterprise Agreement. There are a few of those and I am sure the list will continue to grow over the months but in the main it all comes back to workload and this is at every level and across sectors. It is left to each site to organise their local arrangements - meetings, patterns of work, professional responsibilities, professional learning and individuals’ personal responsibilities. Often it appears to be untenable and frequently members are overwhelmed but the expectations that it will be done remain.

Workload is a growing issue for Work Health and Safety Representatives [WSR] and how one assists a colleague in such circumstances is sometimes not immediately evident. However, the first step is always to have them take their issue to the Sub-Branch Workload Monitoring Committee [WMC] (and every Sub-Branch is required to have such a committee) for review. The assumption underpinning the clauses in Section Q of the Enterprise Agreement [School Monitoring of Workload and Practice] is that there are “...outdated non-mandatory programs...” to be shed and that there are more efficient ways of doing things if you stop to reflect [Q2.2].

If members with the assistance of the WMC can’t find those easily then it is left up to the School Network Leader to pull a more efficient program/approach out of a hat. Systemic initiatives generate additional load and the demands made of members are often unreasonable. The AEU must be involved in a consultative process with the ETD before any new

initiative is introduced [Q3.1, 3.4, 3.5].

If it turns out that there are no further efficiencies to be had and the simple truth reveals that we are dealing with an indisputable issue of excessive workload then follow the steps below...

If there is no improvement in work arrangements and the member continues to experience work induced stress, advise them to fill and lodge an Accident and Incident Report [A&I] available either on line http://www.cmd.act.gov. au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/117439/ accrepform.pdf, at your front desk or through you, the WSR.] They should see their doctor and IF the doctor determines that they are experiencing high levels of workplace-generated stress and directs them to take time off to regroup and regain their equilibrium they should also lodge a Comcare claim to recover any time they are required to take off and expenses incurred. http://www.comcare. gov.au/forms__and__publications/ forms#claims We have no desire to see any of our members falling over as a result of unreasonable workloads so it is always best to work from a preventative perspective, however the steps listed above are important for all of us.

A perennial issue confronting WSRs in sites across the territory is students’ inappropriate, violent behaviours and how to provide assistance to colleagues.

For physical assaults have the member lodge three reports – Police report, A&I report, and a Comcare claim regardless of whether they take time or not. Make certain they see their doctor immediately, take photos of any cuts or bruising and contact Injury Management to alert them to the fact that the incident has occurred and organise a Case Manager as a matter

of urgency. Arrange for an immediate Risk Assessment to be undertaken with assistance from Shared Services/ Injury Prevention, the AEU and other stakeholders, and get a Risk Management Plan in place before the student is even considered for a return to the site.

For verbal assaults, members should still lodge A&I reports to ensure that there is a ‘paper trail’ should the student’s behaviour deteriorate further or a member finally succumbs to the abuse and requires additional time out to rebuild. If that happens then the Comcare claim should go in as well. If verbal abuse by students is a common experience members should note the incidents briefly in their diaries, and at the end of a week submit one A&I Report with an attached sheet listing the incidents. Contact the AEU office for further instruction and support if required.

The Workplace Health and Safety Forum 2012 –”How am I supposed to help?

What can I do?” will be held early in Term 3 on August 8. Speakers from ACT Workcover and others will assist in defining your role in sticky situations.

Bill Book Schools’ Organiser

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 13

INDUSTRIAL

REPORT by peter malone

As the increased salaries finally reach your bank accounts, it is timely to remind ourselves what AEU members achieved through their concerted industrial campaign in 2011. It is also timely to remind non-members that the benefits they are receiving came from the hard work of their union colleagues and it is time for them to get with the strength.

So, what have we won in the Schools Sector?

• I nitial year salary increases of 7% for top-of-the-scale classroom teachers, 6.1% for executive teachers, 15.6% for deputy principals, 5% for principals, 9.5% for experienced casual teachers and 19.7% for casual interns.

These increases make our salaries comparable to those in NSW. See the table further in the bulletin for full details of salary increases across the life of the next EA. • A combined cumulative increase of 7.15% over the second and third years of the agreement, with the agreement expiring on 30 September 2014.

• S taged abolition of the bottom three principal salary levels so that in 2014 all principals are paid to at least category 4 level. This will see principals currently earning $104,283 (category 2), $109,043 (category 2+/3), and $113,804 (category 3+) earning $133,357 by the end of the agreement.

Note that by 2014 the bottom principal salary will be almost $12,000 above deputy principal level.

• F or school psychologists/counsellors, a payment of $8,000 per year in addition to salary increases. This means that a

top-of-the-scale school counsellor will earn almost $20,000 per year more in 2014 than they do currently.

• T he removal of the flawed Teaching Leader proposal and a commitment to negotiation and agreement with the AEU before the implementation of any future scheme that arises in the context of the national professional standards.

• T he creation of up to 20 Executive Teacher (Professional Practice) positions to support the enhancement of classroom teaching across our system.

• A formal review of principal salary structure which will commence next year with a full-time project officer who will consult principals as part of the project. The AEU will monitor progress through the EA Implementation Committee.

• G reater certainty around the implementation of school autonomy.

workers. The agreement will expire on 30 June 2013.

• C asual teachers can now include periods of temporary contract employment as part of the period to trigger conversion to more secure employment. This will be applied retrospectively.

• A new short term temporary employment category of “Teaching Only” has been created. Eligible casual teachers may choose to opt into this category once they have taught for two consecutive semesters.

• A merit selection process may occur at anytime during the two year eligibility period for streamlining conversion to permanency (not just prior to the acting or the start of the temporary contract) and the acting or contract may be in positions with the same selection criteria (not just the one position).

So, what have we won in the CIT?

• A new reference to a working contribution of 36 hours and 45 minutes over a 42 week period and to provide for the ability to negotiate flexible hours of attendance with your supervisor and to raise a dispute if agreement cannot be reached. (NBthe minimum 30 hours of attendance has been removed so teachers can negotiate less than 30 hour attendance)

• 3 .5% salary increase effective from 18 August 2011and 3.5% from 1 July 2012. These increases will apply equally to all permanent, temporary and casual teachers and are the same as provided to all ACT public sector

• T he current classification structure has been maintained but the specific qualifications needed for each level of Band 1 teachers, ASTs, STPs, Band 2s, Band 3s and Band 4s have been identified.

• W ording in the EA to make it clear that teachers should only work with ICT in an educational and not technical sense.

• A n agreed template to assess any new initiatives with regard to resourcing and workload implications.

PAGE 14 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

• T he duties expected of casual teachers have been clarified and casual teachers will be paid if a scheduled class is cancelled within 24 hours notice (a casual teacher would still need to attend the workplace to receive this payment) • N ew clause added which provides for a $75 per day allowance for teachers who perform commercial work overseas. This allowance is in addition to all normal travel and accommodation costs.

• T he teaching load reduction for delivery of degree programs increased to 15% of the delivery hours and scholarly work required to be done equivalent to that reduction. Delivery of associate degrees does not attract a reduction but a grandfathering arrangement

applies to teachers in existing ANU Associate Degree programs.

• T hese clauses have been re-written to provide for a streamlined approach to professional development. Teachers’ individual PD allocation should be more easily accessed through their agreed Performance Management Plan. Two new funds are created: the Qualifications Acquisition Fund and the Strategic Priorities Fund. These replace the old Fellowships and Institute Initiative funds. The Professional Fund Committee no longer exists.

For a copy of the full Enterprise agreements go to our website: www. auact.asn.au and click on Working Conditions

Congratulations to you all!

This Enterprise Agreement battle is over but further battles will need to be fought, and we must never be complacent.

Many new teachers have entered our workplaces in 2012, if they don’t know about the successes of 2011, please make sure you tell them.

As individuals we rely solely on the goodwill of our employer. As a collective we can forge positive change.

The AEU – stronger together!

Peter Malone Assistant Secretary (Industrial)

‘BUSH SCHOOLS OF THE

HALL DISTRICT’ There is a photographic exhibition still open in the old Hall Primary School celebrating the history of ACT regional public schools.

Bush Schools of the Hall District has been a popular display and presents glimpses of education facilities, teachers and students from the late 19th and early 20th century.

The AEU has been asked to alert members to the fact and to put out a request from VHDPA to encourage you to provide any historic information you may have to the association. They are seeking photos, anecdotes and contacts to help them build this exhibition into a memorable collectors’ piece for the Centenary year. If you have information or know of people who do please contact the association president and acting curator Alastair Crombie at 62302977 info@hall.act.au; or write to Hall School Museum, PO Box 43, ACT 2618. Alastair will also provide details about accessing the current exhibition (or the Museum, or about joining the ‘Friends of the Hall School Museum’).

The ‘Village of Hall and District Progress Association’ [VHDPA] and Friends of the Hall School Museum plan to expand the exhibition next year and have a centenary exhibition celebrating the contribution of teachers and public education to the development of the region.

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 15

NEW EDUCATOR

HAPPENINGS AEU NATIONAL NEW EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE 2011

I had the privilege of accompanying two ACT delegates, Jennifer Lawrence from Stromlo High School and Ella Hungerford Sheaves from Red Hill Primary School, to the AEU’s National New Educators’ Conference from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 October 2011. Delegates from locations as remote as the Torres Strait and the Northern Territory and Western Australian outback, made the trek to Adelaide to meet with beginning teacher delegates from each of the states and territories.

The program was a stimulating one.

Delegates heard a characteristically passionate overview of professional issues including the crucial federal review of schools funding from AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos. We were then treated to a thorough analysis of the NAPLAN data and how it relates to resourcing by former public school principals and activists Chris Bonnor (author of The Stupid Country) and Bernie Shepherd. Australian Institute for Teaching and Learning (AITSL) CEO Margery Evans then took delegates through the standards process and how it relates to teachers. Woodcroft Primary School (South Australia) Principal Pat Cavanagh spoke engagingly about the impact of the Australian Curriculum on teachers on those at the chalk face. A series of workshops of discussions took place within groups of various sizes prior to the conference dinner that evening.

On Sunday, we were addressed by Janet Giles, the Secretary of SA Unions, who spoke about the importance of recruiting and campaigning for better outcomes.

Further group discussions rounded out the Sunday program.

One of the ACT delegates, Ella Hungerford Sheaves, gives her impressions of the conference:

The weekend had begun on an inspiring note. As we prepared to head out for dinner on the Saturday night we were all excited about educational issues and looking forward to the following day’s proceedings. That was when we found out QANTAS had been grounded!

Not only were concerns about how we were going to get home now at the forefront of our minds; our thoughts also went out to our fellow unionists. It’s a sad day when the decisions of an individual at the top of a hierarchy disenfranchise not only workers, but the nation.

Yet whilst the neo-liberal agenda empowers the high paid individual at ‘the top of the ladder’, our discussions as we networked over dinner showed that notions of social equality, community consciousness and unity are still well and truly alive.

Enter QANTAS pilot.

The restaurant broke into a raucous applause, as our union was made aware that a QANTAS pilot was in our midst.

He received a hero’s welcome as we showed that we did not blame him or his fellow union members for the grounding of the planes.

Sunday gave us the opportunity to come together as New Educators from across the nation and realise that we are not alone; that many of the issues we are faced with are endemic system- wide; and that if the government wants to retain quality teachers and New Educators they need to listen to our concerns. We are all time poor. We entered this profession with an understanding that our core business would be teaching and learning; unfortunately bureaucracy is taking an ever-increasing foothold in our lives. Our

schools need to be adequately resourced and staffed so that school employees can effectively do their jobs. Anyone who has entered a new profession will understand how overwhelming it can be. Support and mentoring are crucial for anyone ‘learning the ropes’ of a new workplace and/or profession. Some states and territories are slowly ‘getting it right’, by factoring in extra face-to-face release time for both New Educators and their mentors and effectively maximising the potential of their employees. It is pleasing that the ACT has gone down this path.

Effective support and mentoring for New Educators needs to be uniform across the country.

Throughout this conference, the importance of teacher unionism was brought home to me: Our union acts as our voice. As a collective body it helps ensure that education policy isn’t only driven by governments and economists, but is informed by us as primary participants. As teachers and staff within the education sector we need to band together, uniting our colleagues and communities, to continue to effect change and advocate for social justice.

Bundanoon: The NSW Teachers Federation Beginning Teachers Conference 2012.

For the second time, a delegation of ACT New Educators attended the Bundanoon Conference from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 March 2012. Their participation was fully funded through the generous sponsorship of Teachers Mutual Bank, Teachers Health Fund and First State Super.

Workshops included those on pedagogy and planning, classroom management, AEU campaigns and activism, and how

PAGE 16 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

to avoid “sticky situations” at work.

Attendees from the ACT were Gold Creek’s Henry Warre and Aaron Kingma, Stromlo High School’s Susan Richardson, Red Hill’s Ella Hungerford Sheaves, Richardson Primary’s Dannielle Fisher and Lake Tuggeranong College’s Steve Barnard.

Here are a few reports: Aaron Kingma:

What a fantastic experience for any new (or new-ish) teacher! I can honestly say that I learned more about teaching than I have in any other two- day period. Not to mention the fun I had, the friends I made, or the opportunity to visit a beautiful and historic town in rural NSW. The weekend started with a road trip where Glenn filled us in on all of the current Australia- wide happenings and campaigns relating to public school teachers. Once in Bundanoon, we were treated to a great night of networking and socialising. Saturday saw us mingling with our NSW counterparts and being given invaluable advice and direction in curriculum planning, management and our rights and responsibilities at work.

Saturday night saw the ACT team win the trivia competition as well as the door prize of a fantastic digital camera (courtesy of

Teachers Mutual Bank) that is being used daily by my students. The ACT vs NSW snooker competition did not go quite as well, although that can clearly be put down to their much larger membership base. Throughout the two days, we were presented with a plethora of relevant and engaging information in every session and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough. We had a blast, and it definitely never felt like work!

Dannielle Fisher:

We were given the opportunity to express any concerns or problems we were facing and talk through some of the ideas we had. We were able to speak with principals from the NSW region and get tips and information on excellent teaching. It was an invaluable experience that has allowed me to gain an understanding of what happens within the union and how they can best support me in my teaching and professional learning.

Henry Warre:

Teaching is a ‘full on’ profession and keeping abreast of the broader political and cultural changes that occur in the teaching arena is simply overwhelming.

The AEU provides clear context and

will support me in understanding and learning about these changes. Also, the celebratory nature of the weekend was great. It was pleasing to see that teachers from around the country can get together and have a really good time. The networking was refreshing and constructive.

Steve Barnard:

What a weekend – getting the opportunity to network and socialise with 70 other new educators on a sponsored trip out of town! The days were rich with highly informative seminars dealing with issues from classroom management through knowing our rights and obligations as new educators. In the evenings, we were given the opportunity to forge new friendships and create some great memories – of which there are now lots. The experience will not be soon forgotten.

Teachers currently in the first and second year in the ACT system should keep their eyes peeled for notification of next year’s event.

Glenn Fowler Acting Secretary

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 17

TAFE WORKS / TAFE VP

REPORT

BY MIKE FITZGERALD AND JANET HARRIS WorkSafe ACT Report Of course we all want a respectful safe workplace free from bullying and harassment.

There has been much focus on this of late, in the media and in the government.

What does it mean? It means we should all be able to come to work with confidence, pride, and a sense that we are respected, important, valued members of our organization. It means we can expect to be treated decently, not harassed or shouted at, or humiliated or embarrassed.

Governments and courts and commissions are all agreed: this is a right that we all have in Australian workplaces.

You may be wondering what the report into bullying at CIT is about. Some members have felt their workplace was not as described above and have brought claims and complaints to CIT which they feel were not appropriately dealt with. The AEU, together with those members, brought this matter to the attention of WorkSafe ACT and a report resulted.

On 11th April 2012 this WorkSafe ACT Report was served on CIT along with an Improvement Notice. The report found that CIT had failed to meet its duty under the Work Safety Act 2008 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. The Improvement Notice includes 10 directions which have the goal of creating at CIT an adequate system for preventing or responding to allegations from its workers of bullying and harassment arising from their work as part of CIT’s undertaking. The full report may be accessed from the website: http://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/news/ view/1312/title/investigation-into-bullyingat-the CIT has been directed by the WorkSafe ACT Commissioner to comply within 6 months to the directions.

and allegations of misconduct or underperformance;

Key among these 10 directions is the requirement for CIT to: - ‘Examine and review CIT’s current policies and procedures in relation to the prevention and management of bullying and harassment of staff to ensure they clearly identify in what circumstances allegations of bullying should always be the subject of an independent investigation as well as what process will be used and who will decide what level of investigation is appropriate in all other cases’ - ‘Take active steps, in addition to this, to build staff confidence in the policies and procedures in relation to prevention and management of bullying and harassment of staff’ - ‘Test staff confidence in the bullying and harassment complaints process at regular intervals [this could be done through a range of measures such as regular staff surveys with questions testing this specific issue as well as analysis of independently conducted exit interviews]’ This WorkSafe ACT Report was tabled by the Minister, Dr Chris Bourke, in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 1st May 2012.

The Minister’s speech was scathing of the current CIT practices exposed in the Report and may be accessed in full via the Hansard transcript for Tuesday May 1st 2012. The Minister supported the WorkSafe ACT report by also issuing his own directions to the CIT.

• Systemic issues relating to CIT; • I ndividual matters already referred to him; and • A ny individual matters that the Commissioner determines have relevance for the points above.

The Canberra Times on 28th May reported some 39 complaints before the Commissioner. The AEU cannot comment upon the nature of these individual complaints. However we understand that many contain allegations which are yet to be verified.

CIT will: • i nvestigate all new client complaints, employee disputes, employee applications for review of management actions and allegations of misconduct or underperformance not previously reported to CIT; • m anage any reviews and investigations already underway through to conclusion; • r eport to the Commissioner for Public Administration on the process for handling these matters as part of action taken under the Improvement Notice; and

Individual Complaints

• c onduct fact finding, investigations and other procedures in a fair and transparent manner and in accordance with the relevant industrial agreements, law, policy and the principles of natural justice.

The Commissioner for Public Administration will examine and make recommendations about:

Clients and /or staff may refer any of the above matters to the Executive Director, Governance and Executive Services,

• Matters relating to the way CIT has managed client complaints, employee disputes, employee applications for review of management actions

Ms Carolyn Grayson Tel: 02 6207 4957, Email: Carolyn.Grayson@cit.edu.au

The Process Now

Continued next page

PAGE 18 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

In person: CIT, Room A119, Reid Campus, Constitution Avenue, Canberra By mail: GPO 826, Canberra ACT 2601 In circumstances where a complainant may perceive a conflict of interest or has limited faith in this internal process then the AEU suggests that the matter be referred directly to the CPA for independent investigation.

Suspected breaches of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 or previous legislation may also be referred to the Commissioner for WorkSafety, Mr Mark McCabe. In addition Respect, Equity and Diversity (RED) Contact officers may be confidentially approached.

The AEU is aware that members’ perception of the WorkSafe ACT Report will vary, dependent upon personal experience, their local workplace culture and management styles. The AEU is also aware that a number of members may remain reluctant to raise complaints at this time. Should any member require support please contact Mike Fitzgerald at the Union office on 62727900.

Complying With the Improvement Notice Meg Brighton (Director, Continuous Improvement and Workers’ Compensation in the Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate) has been appointed to oversee the compliance by CIT with the WorkSafe ACT Improvement Notice directions. CIT has established a CIT Improvement Action Group (IAG) of Adrian Marron (Chief Executive),Meg Brighton, Nicole Stenlake (Special Project ManagerWorksafe)), Shane Kay (Acting Deputy CE Operations), Michele Delaine (Director, Centre for Organisational Capability) and Carolyn Grayson (Acting Deputy CE Governance) This group has the role of overseeing the development of a CIT plan for compliance with the Improvement Notice directives.

A second group has been established; the CIT Worksafe Improvement Consultation Group (WICG) including; Meg Brighton, Nicole Stenlake, Shane Kay, and Union

representatives Peter Malone (AEU Assistant Secretary Industrial), Mike Fitzgerald (AEU Organiser) and Leila Walter (CPSU Organiser). This forum will permit consultation on strategies to comply with the 10 Worksafe directions and will ensure staff consultation during the process.

properly heard and an impartial decision made about the possible ways for it to be addressed. It may include the identification of a network of trained people within CIT who can respectfully and with full management support deal with these matters.

Outcomes Sought by AEU from the Improvement Notice Processes

Long Term Solution Requires Increased Funding to CIT

The outcomes that the AEU wishes to see from the Improvement Notice process are:

One of the key factors in the creation of the current environment in CIT has been the pressure placed on staff by budgetary cuts. The Union continues to lobby the ACT and Federal Governments to increase funding of CIT so as to provide less stressful and healthier workloads for staff. In the context of the ACT election in October this year, members are also encouraged to contact your local candidates and push for a better deal for CIT.

1. C larification and revision of all relevant processes contained in the Enterprise Agreements, CIT policies and applicable legislation. This includes: • e nsuring that there is no duplication of processes for the handling of the various types of issues/complaints and • d iscussion of the current EAP provision to staff.

AEU members will be consulted throughout this process to ensure that the policies are appropriate and will, in fact, work. The AEU has requested that CIT provide additional resources and teaching release to facilitate member engagement in these consultation and policy review processes.

2. A greed processes for implementing cultural change within the organisation. We believe that an agreed Code of Professional Practice is particularly important to achieve this.

3. E stablish a reconciliation/mediation framework for future issues/ complaints. This should involve a process that allows people to have their complaint

The CIT funding vs education output equation is simply not working.

Successive ACT and Federal Governments have reduced the combined CIT funding per nominal hour by 33% between 1997 and 2009, while expecting the same or increased educational outputs. At the same time they have chosen to not monitor the workplace stress and behavioural implications of these actions. The negative impact of these cuts on the culture at CIT must not be ignored any longer by government.

Either the funding of CIT must increase to appropriate levels to support Government determined targeted outputs or else the output targets must be reduced to levels commensurate with the funding levels. Which will it be, Ministers?

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 19

FOCUS ON

ESOs the next agreement

As surprising as it seems, the current non-teaching staff Enterprise Agreement (EA) will expire in a few short months in June 2013. That means you should all be thinking about those things that remain unresolved in the EA in your mind. What needs to be further improved or developed and what needs to be removed or amended significantly to make your work manageable? In the meantime there are issues coming to the surface that should be addressed under the terms of the agreement.

you with the opportunity. Clause R4 identifies a process through which temporary employees who have worked continuously for at least 2 years will be appointed to a system position, without further merit process. Those of you who were on contracts all of 2011 will be the first to experience this development but all of you may have already experienced one part of the process in the guise of contract assessments. If you have any questions or concerns about the process contact the AEU office for assistance.

Preschool assistants should be provided with adequate time and facilities (computer access) to enable them to assist the teacher with preparation and programming (Cl N1.4) during their ordinary hours of work. If preparation and programming time are not adequate for you at this point you should request a review of the work arrangement by the Workload Monitoring Committee.

Every site has or should have a WMC as it is requirement under the terms of the teachers’ EA and its role is to determine an equitable distribution of that workload. With the pressure to implement the National Quality Standards (NQS) weighing heavily on primary sites and in particular on the preschool teachers and assistants the “adequate time” referred to in the EA is significant. Don’t hesitate to contact the AEU office if you have any questions concerning either the time factor or the implementation of the NQS at your site. The organisers would like to hear of the impact of NQS on your work arrangements.

School Assistants have a tough job. You work with students with challenging behaviours always and tolerate a lot of unpleasantness as a normal part of your work. How many of you put in Accident and Incident Reports (A&I) for every incident of physical and verbal abuse?

There are good reasons to do so and not only because it is the law. You create a written record of the incidents associated with a particular student and with that record it is possible to create a clear picture of the level of resources required to meet the needs of the individual. It also provides a foundation of evidence should you ever find yourself lodging a Comcare claim for workplace stress or psychological injury. Finally, if/when the student moves to the next site the detailed record of behaviour is vital for the preparation of the receiving staff to be able to provide the best environment for the student to be able to achieve the best outcomes. If you want, keep a ‘running record’ of the incidents in your diary and submit a single A&I report at the end of each week with a summarised attachment of the incidents.

For those of you who have been trying to get a permanent position with ETD for years remember that the current agreement finally should provide

Thank you to all of the assistants who assisted the various groups who participated in the Public Education Day performances at City Walk in Civic last month. The feedback from both the supporting parents and passersby was all positive and appreciative.

We will be visiting all Sub-Branches over the next few weeks to listen to concerns of members across the board. If you are unable to make it to the staff room to catch up on such a visit we are available to meet you and the ESOs separately at a time convenient to all so don’t let any opportunity slip past. We’ll see you in your Sub-Branch soon.

Bill Book Schools’ Organiser

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

SEARCH FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION: OUR STUDENTS DESERVE THE BEST

If you need assistance in completing a Comcare claim or the A&I report please contact the AEU office.

PAGE 20 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION www.aeuact.asn.au

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND BEYOND AT

UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA

BY STEVE PROVINS

Professional Experience is an important part of the learning for beginning teachers and is provided through a partnership between universities, schools and you, the members of the profession.

Professional Experience really is the jewel in the crown! Taking on a Preservice Teacher has some wonderful advantages – it is the best professional development exercise that you can undertake: you are developing the next set of teachers, exploring the latest pedagogical strategies, becoming informed about the latest curriculum developments, challenging and enhancing your own pedagogical strategies. You become aware of new teaching resources and above all you have another adult in the room!

The introduction of the National Professional Standards for Teachers and the commencement of the ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) have allowed the two teacher education providers in the ACT, University of Canberra (UC) and Australian Catholic University (ACU), to renew their Professional Experience programs together.

The renewed program in the ACT is based on an important principle of professional respect and trust, and also on the research based findings that perhaps the most important aspect of professional experience is the engagement in the professional community of a school or centre.

UC and ACU work with around 200 schools and centres in the delivery of professional experience. Between and even within these schools there is a huge diversity of practice.

Acknowledging this, the universities have developed a common guide to practice which is intended as a framework for schools and centres to use in developing great professional experience opportunities in their own setting. We recognise that our mentor teachers have a huge capacity to support new

teachers in ways that work in their school and with their students. As such we have endeavoured not to be overly prescriptive.

The universities will continue to support schools in this important work. Already, for example, over 300 teachers representing all sectors have begun a high quality mentor training program. Over the coming months there will be a coordinated effort to build the capacity of teachers in the schools and centres of the ACT to support those joining our profession.

ACT teachers have been very supportive of the Preservice Teacher program at the University on Canberra (and many others including the ACU, Deakin, Monash and Charles Sturt). All these universities are supportive of each other in a competitive placement situation and we also now acknowledge the influence of programs like “Teach for Australia” and “Teach Next”.

All these factors affect the availability of placements for UC students.

The role of the AEU in supporting professional experience as part of maintaining a strong profession has been essential and the recognition of mentoring as a normal part of professional practice in the latest EA is another example of the ACT leading the way.

Steve Provins Placements Coordinator Former member of the AEU ACT Branch (1976 – 2011)

PROFESSIONA

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 21

MEMBER

PROFILE Lana Read, Principal MacGregor School

Why did you choose teaching?

I know it sounds clichéd, but I think teaching ‘chose’ me. I can remember as a child, playing school teachers with my sister; I was always the teacher, of course! She would sit in the front row of my ‘classroom’, with all of our dolls and teddies taking the other places. I made all of them work really hard in ‘class’, and I used to read stories to them too! I loved it, even then. There’s just something so special about our profession, it’s got to be one of the few jobs in the world that can be so demanding and exhausting and yet so absolutely rewarding at the same time.

Describe your career pathway.

I came into teaching (officially) as a mature age student, in 2000. When I finished Year 12, I had actually started working in the public service…but I didn’t last long doing that! I married at a young age, started a family straight away, and was really happy as a stay-at-home mum. A post-baby fitness phase, led me to undertaking training as a fitness instructor and personal trainer; a job I enjoyed for almost a decade; and as far as I’m concerned, my first formal teaching role! However, it wasn’t until I began my ‘real’ teacher-education training, that I knew I was finally finding a career that would become my life-long passion.

I trained as a primary teacher, and started teaching at North Ainslie Primary, but I soon became very interested in the transition of primary students into high school, and undertook further study in Middle-Schooling. This led me to a whole new world, and a P-10 school, Gold Creek. Working with adolescents, from year 7-10, was not something I had ever planned on doing, but I loved it! In my second year at Gold Creek I won my

first executive position and even had an opportunity to act in the deputy principal role. A 12-month stint in Central Office as an assistant manager in HR followed, and this really opened my eyes to the ‘bigger picture’ of the education world. I would recommend an office stint to anyone. I learned so much! But, 12 months was definitely enough for me at that point in my career, I needed to be back in a school, and I took on a HD at Amaroo School, as deputy principal of the senior school, before securing a substantive DP role at Evatt Primary. Eventually, all of my stars aligned and I have found myself as the first (substantive) female principal of the wonderful Macgregor Primary School.

What are the most rewarding aspects of your current position?

I am constantly amazed and inspired by the people around me. I have introduced a series of initiatives to the staff this year, and they have grasped them with both hands. The energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism they show and their commitment to developing a true Professional Learning Community is phenomenal. When I see them sharing best practice, seeking and providing feedback to each other, as well as to the students, I know we are well on the way to achieving the goals in our strategic plan. Watching staff grow and learn is as

rewarding as watching students do the same…and I know that the stronger our teachers are as practitioners, the better the student outcomes will be.

What advice have you received from a colleague or mentor that has resonated with you throughout your career?

1. “ Stay true to your values and beliefs, and never let anything get in the way of maintaining your integrity.” These three things will always guide you in making the right decisions, and you’ll never regret your actions.

2. “ Feed the teachers, or else they will eat the students!” Great advice and a great book too!

What does AEU membership mean to you?

In one word, support. Through the AEU we know we are working together towards common goals and that our rights and conditions are always being protected. There is a huge sense of commonality and security in the bringing together of so many professional individuals, under the one banner.

PAGE 22 • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • Public Education Voice

AEU Membership Application

ACT Branch Application for Membership I hereby apply for membership of the ACT Branch of the Australian Education Union and if admitted agree to abide by the Rules of the Union.

AEU Rules can be found at www.aeuact.asn.au /about-us/ I agree to pay to the AEU fees owing in accordance with the Union’s schedule of subscriptions. I understand that my fees will be adjusted automatically in line with salary movements.

I recognise that I must inform the Union of any other salary or status adjustments otherwise I will not be a fully financial member and may not be eligible for the full range of services.

I understand that the Union’s Rules require me to give written notice of resignation.

PERSONAL DETAILS (Please complete all sections) Surname

EMPLOYMENT DETAILS School/Workplace/

Mr/Ms/Miss/Mrs/Dr

CIT Centre & Campus

Given Names Home address Postcode

Home phone

Current level Gross Salary [Go to www.aeuact.asn.au/join-us for the salary steps]

Mobile number Work Email

 I wish to be identified as an Indigenous Member

SECTOR  Primary  Preschool  Secondary  TAFE  Associate* (Retired/Student Teachers) * Associate Members need only sign, date, attach payment or complete credit card details. Go straight to signature box.

STATUS  FULL TIME  PART TIME

 Permanent OR Contract   Permanent OR Contract  Load

%

 CASUAL (Schools) – Average days per week [tick ONE]  0-1  2-3  3+  CASUAL (TAFE) – Average hours per week [tick ONE]  0-6  7-14  15-20

CLASSIFICATION  Teacher  Assistant  Youth Worker  Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Education Officer  Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Education Worker  Other (please specify)_____________ I hereby authorise the Australian Education Union (ACT Branch) to access my salary and other employment details from the Education and Training Directorate for the purpose of updating AEU Membership records.

Signature Date of application

Public Education Voice • Official Journal of the AEU - ACT Branch • PAGE 19 PLEASE MAKE SURE PAYMENT DETAILS ARE COMPLETED OVER PAGE

AEU Membership Application

ACT Branch PRIVACY STATEMENT:

 Monthly Direct Debit [Bank/Credit Union]

The AEU will not sell or provide any information regarding AEU – ACT Branch members to third parties. The AEU’s Privacy Policy may be viewed at www.aeuact.asn.au and a copy is available from the AEU Office on request.

11th of each month or next business day I have completed the DDR Authority below to have my subscription deducted from my bank or credit union account.

Direct Debit Request Form and Service Agreement Request for debiting amounts to accounts by the Bulk Electronic Clearing System (BECS)

Payment Details Please select ONE of the following: I am paying by…

Fortnightly Payroll Deduction



I authorise the AEU to contact ETD to commence fortnightly deductions at the appropriate rate as soon as possible.

Name Signature AGS No

OR Monthly Credit Card



11th of each month or next business day Please debit my credit card automatically Visa 

Bankcard 

I/We [Insert your name in full] [Surname or Company/Business Name] [Given Names or ACN/ARBN] request you, until further notice by me in writing, to debit my/our account described in the schedule below, any amounts which the Australian Education Union – ACT Branch [User ID No. 066127] may debit or charge me/us through the Bulk Electronic Clearing System. I/We understand and acknowledge that: 1. The Financial Institution may in its absolute discretion, determine the order of priority of payment by it of any moneys pursuant to this Request or any authority or mandate.

2. The Financial Institution may in its absolute discretion, at any time by notice in writing to me/us, terminate this Request as to future debits.

3. The User may, by prior arrangement and advice to me/us, vary the amount or frequency of future debits.

4. Any queries to be directed to the Debit User in the first instance.

5. It is the responsibility of the customer to have sufficient funds in the account by the due date to permit the payment by BECS or bank charges may apply.

6. I/We understand the information supplied will not be used for another purpose.

7. Statements will be issued upon request.

Customer Signatures [joint signatures may be required]

MasterCard 

Cardholder’s name

Customer Address

Card Number

CSC

CSC: Turn over your credit card and look for the number printed on the signature panel. You are required to enter the last three digits.

Expiry Date

Manager [insert name & address of financial institution]

/

Cardholder’s signature

Amount $

The Schedule (Note: BECS is not available on the full range of accounts. If in doubt, please refer to your Financial Institution) Insert name of account which is to be debited

OR

BSB [Bank/State/Branch No.] Account Number

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