AEU Journal Vol 42. No. 2 | March 2010

Vol 42 I No.2

Official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

March 2010

AEUJOURNAL SA

SPECIAL FEATURES N N

Curriculum Focus: Maths and Science

N N

SSOs: AEU campaign results in permanency

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FPERAT E SUI D RE N ST’S VIEW

AEU JOURNAL

Permanency won pages 14 – 15 SSO members talk about the benefits of permanent employment.

Debunking the Myths of My School

Maths and Science

pages 12 – 13 Professor Alan Reid takes apart some of the disinformation around the My School website.

page 10 Mike Roach comments on the government’s plan .

L E T T E R S TO T H E E D I TO R

TOP LETTER

*Winner of TOP LETTER!

Dear Editor, There is merit in having discussions about National Curriculum approaches across Australia, however, deeper thinkers would sense the lack of sincerity and question the motivation behind the approaches used by the Federal Government.

A key question and a simple observation underpin my assertion. The supposed mass of parents begging for this to be implemented, lest their child be ruined for life for moving interstate, need to ask the question – what rates as more important, the quality of teacher your child is exposed to on a daily basis, or the precise content of material delivered?

The style of delivery and positive relationships the teacher builds with their pupil base has a far greater influence on the child’s capacity to learn than debate about strict content. So why is it then government agendas seem so dismissive of the former and so focussed on the latter?

The observation centres on timelines.

How can a profession, given less than three months, seriously analyse, critique and digest all the implications imposed by the National Curriculum? This may include the prospect of deciding which choice subjects to discard

to make way for history for example. This is nothing short of an insult to those in schools who take such matters seriously. And to then assume (according to the declared timelines) they will take on board the multitude of issues surrounding the implementation of this, act upon it, and print final documents some three months later for delivery in January 2011, borders on the absurd. Most schools would wait twice as long for the approval of an air conditioner.

The continued politicisation of education in Australia is doing nothing to improve the lot of those from impoverished and disadvantaged backgrounds. I implore people across all spectrums of business and industry to connect with leaders in schools and hear first-hand why many are so disheartened. I

Stephen Walker, Stuart High School

Very personal support from the AEU The times we all need the most help are perhaps those when we are sick or injured.

As teachers, we tend to be “crack hardy”, avoid taking time off because of the impact on our students and will, at the drop of a hat, put ourselves in the path of a speeding bullet to protect the kids.

In 2002, doing just that, I injured my back.

WorkCover was approved and rarely used, even though the injury resulted in prolonged periods of total immobility. Imagine my sur-

Australian Education Union | SA Branch 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 8272 1399 Facsimile: 8373 1254 Email: journal@aeusa.asn.au Editor: Craig Greer AEU Journal is published seven times annually by the South Australian Branch of the Australian Education Union.

AEU Journal 2010 Dates Deadline Publication date #3 April 23 May 12 #4 May 28 June 16 #5 July 23 August 11 #6 August 27 September 15 #7 October 15 November 3 Subscriptions: Free for AEU members. Nonmembers may subscribe for $33 per year.

Print Post approved PP 531629/0025 ISSN 1440-2971 Illustration: Simon Kneebone Cover: Matt Walker Printing: Finsbury Green Printing Advertise in the AEU Journal. Reach over 13,500 members across South Australia.

8272 1399 journal@aeusa.asn.au

Got something to share with AEU members? Write a letter to the editor AND WIN !! (see below). Email it to:

journal@aeusa.asn.au prise when earlier this year DECS decided to order me to a review with the undeclared view to finalising my injury claim.

The doctor doing the review (using criteria that was not enunciated and a totally nonnegotiable set of criteria) decided a figure, with no discussion, that would compensate me once and for all for what may be a retirement with poor mobility or limited opportunity to work if my condition worsened. Fortunately, a friend of mine said “Have you contacted the AEU for advice?”

I approached Bernadette Mulholland at the AEU who immediately went into bat for me. She organised an alternate opinion, took responsibility for the copious legal paperwork, went to the Worker’s Compensation Tribunal for me and kept me reassured and posted. Finally she brokered a settlement.

She worried for me, organised for me and did the stressful and time consuming things that few of us have the time and skills to undertake.

This level of support and professionalism reminds me why I am a proud and long standing union member.

I

Jude Hines, Deputy Principal Blackwood High School

*Best letter in each AEU Journal will receive two tickets to an Adelaide Symphony Orchestra concert.

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Australian Education Union | SA Branch Registration & Info: www.aeusa.asn.au

AEU PRESIDENT’S VIEW

NAPLaN FOR RECEPTION?

It’s time to refocus our energies beyond EB

You must be kidding Dr. Hill!

As this journal was being finalised, the state was in the final week of the state election campaign. This posed some difficulties when writing this column as who could say with any authority, four days before the election, what the outcome would be?

One thing is for certain, by the time you are reading the AEU Journal, we will have a newly elected government in South Australia. Whether this is a newly formed ALP Government or a Liberal Government, I am of the firm opinion that it is time for the AEU to move out of Enterprise Bargaining dispute mode. Implementation of Stage 1 of the decision and ensuing negotiations have created the opportunity for the industrial parties to develop a more positive working relationship. This has certainly been assisted by the current state government’s decision to administratively implement the “independent umpire’s decision” quickly and without fuss. Implementation of matters such as Teacher Step 9, Preschool Director 4, School Leadership and TAFE classifications are currently being finalised between the AEU, DECS and DFEEST. There are still a number of issues from the Arbitration which are outstanding.

The Industrial Commission has yet to rule on workload and modes of employment matters, however they have undertaken to release their decision in sufficient time to enable DECS and DFEEST to resource

changes for 2011. Once Stage 2 of the decision is handed down, we will make sure that AEU members are informed of the details via the AEU e-news and faxout to sub-branches.

As we move beyond the arbitration, we must focus our attention federally on the Rudd Government’s Education Revolution.

Issues such as the National Curriculum, National Partnerships and National Standards are on our doorstep and require an in-depth analysis as to their impact on Public Education and AEU members’ rights and entitlements. The ‘Stop League Tables’ campaign is being strongly supported across the nation and this is also reflected in the local commitment of AEU SA subbranches to take action should the Federal Government fail to implement measures which prevent the publication of league tables. On 12 April, the Federal Executive of the AEU will assess the Federal Government’s response to the Stop League Tables campaign and determine whether further action is required with respect to non-cooperation with NAPLaN in May. At a state level, we will need to analyse the various policies and election campaign commitments of the newly elected government. Numerous policies and announcements have been released by the various parties in the lead up to the election and whilst some are a welcome relief as they address issues that the AEU has long campaigned on, other proposals are not consistent with AEU policy. Once we know who we are working with beyond the election, with respect to the State Government and particular ministers, we will know where to focus our attentions for the betterment of Public Education in our preschools, schools and TAFE. On behalf of AEU staff I wish you a safe and restful Easter break, I In solidarity, Correna Haythorpe AEU President

Anna Stewart Memorial Project Solidarity in Diversity Anna Stewart Memorial Project is an annual cross union women’s program to honour Anna Stewart, a leading trade unionist and to facilitate greater involvement of women in the trade union movement. The AEU will fully fund two members to attend the program and is now seeking nominations from women who are interested in taking part this

24 May – 4 June 2010 year. Nominations from Indigenous women are particularly encouraged.

Information and a half page expressions of interest to AEU Women’s Officer: Tish Champion, AEU | SA Branch 163 Greenhill Rd, Parkside 5063

by Thursday 1 April, 2010.

E: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au T: 8272 1399

The recent suggestion by Dr Peter Hill, head of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) that NAPLaN testing be extended to reception students should come as no surprise.

In the first place, the crude logic of NAPLaN would suggest the identification of deficiencies in literacy and numeracy skills through a test conducted early in Grade 3 is really pointing the finger at problems in learning that occurred in Grade 2. Behind those problems are the ones that occurred in Grade 1, and beyond that in reception.

Secondly, the conducting of NAPLaN tests in reception establishes ACARA’s preferred method for comparing the academic performance of schools, namely finding “groups of schools with students of similar abilities on commencing school” (My School Technical Paper p. 1).

Currently, ACARA’s My School website creates so-called “statistically similar” schools using the very imperfect Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA). Comparison of “similar” schools is based on these very quickly discredited ICSEA values.

The ACARA Technical Paper acknowledged that ICSEA was a “proxy measure” in the absence of students’ reception commencement abilities.

Hill’s attraction to NAPLaN testing of reception students is that the data so obtained would enable the grouping of “similar” schools made up of students with similar NAPLaN results.

The subsequent tracking of “valueadded” learning attached to the year level cohort, and within that to each student through an ID number (Gillard’s “unique student identifier”) has the attraction of removing the controversy surrounding some of the glaring anomalies created within the ICSEA groupings of “statistically similar schools”.

For Gillard, it is the ideal political solution. Educationally reprehensible, but the likely way of the future of early childhood education.

I To read the full version of this article from AEU Research Officer Mike Willis and more on the Rudd/Gillard transparency agenda go to:

www.aeusa.asn.au/ issues.html 5

TAFE ISSUES

A R B I T R AT I O N STAG E 2

Urgent investment required in TAFE

National Teacher Salary Comparison – October 2011

TAFE

Two reports which reveal the extent of the under-funding of TAFE and the consequences for thousands of people who are missing out on training and education as a result have been released in the past week.

The reports are an AEU survey of over 2,600 teachers and managers working in TAFE around the country and a research paper prepared by the Centre for the Economics of Education and Training (CEET) at Monash University.

The survey of AEU members conducted during February and March this year reveals: • 70 per cent of teachers and managers believe their TAFE did not have sufficient resources to meet industry needs, particularly in the local community.

• 58 per cent of teachers and managers said they had been forced to turn away students in the last two years.

• 46 per cent said there were student waiting lists for courses at their TAFE campus.

In releasing the survey results AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos said: “The survey reveals that TAFE institutes are unable to meet the growing demand from students and industry because they are so starved of funds. Students are being turned away or forced to wait in trade areas like engineering where there are critical national skills shortages.”

The Monash University report reveals that government spending per hour on public vocational education and training declined by 12 per cent between 2003 and 2008. The report also shows that to reach the ambitious COAG targets for the number of Australians with post-school qualifications, an additional $200 million must be spent on average every year between 2009 and 2020. The report confirms the AEU’s view that despite fan fare of the Education Revolution TAFE has been systematically starved of funding.

The release of the reports coincides with the launch of the Invest in Quality; Invest in TAFE campaign by the AEU. The AEU is seeking commitment from the Federal Government to higher funding for TAFE and an urgent injection of money in the May Federal Budget.

I State of our TAFEs survey go to:

www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/ 2010/TAFEsurveyreport.pdf Monash University CEET report go to:

www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/ 2010/CEETreport2010.pdf

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Salary Maxima – top scale

Northern Territory

$ 80,480 TAFE $ 74,657

Queensland

$ 83,308 TAFE $ 83,361

Western Australia

$ 88,190 TAFE $ 81,662

South Australia

$ 83,009 TAFE $ 81,800

New South Wales

$ 84,759 TAFE $ 84,759

ACT

$ 78,837 Victoria

TAFE $ 78,380

$ 81,806 TAFE $ 79,500

Read more about salaries at:

Tasmania

www.aeusa.asn.au

$ 78,509 TAFE $ 75,880

What is to come?

The Industrial Relations Commission handed down its recent arbitration decision in two parts.

Part One, handed down in February, addressed salaries and classifications. Part two, to be handed down later this year, will include items such as modes of employment, workload protections, and country conditions.

The IRCSA’s strategy of handing down the arbitration decision in two parts has enabled the payment of salary increases earlier than if they were delayed until a full decision and drafting of a new award. Salary increases have been applied administratively by the employer, while the award is finalised. The final award, when ratified, will include a number of clauses covering matters which were agreed to between the parties such as clauses on paid maternity leave and seconded teachers.

During the arbitration hearing the employer did not just argue against the merits of the union’s clauses on modes of employment and country incentives, they also put forward legal argument that the commission should not arbitrate on a number of clauses important to improved modes of employment and country incentives allowances.

The IRCSA Decision 1 does provide some joy for educators as they determined these matters can be considered on their merits in Decision 2. (See website for full details)

Modes of Employment The AEU is seeking improved employment arrangements to include clearer definitions of permanent work, contract or fixed term/ task work and casual work. The provisions

would ensure fixed term/task employees who are employed in the same position for more than 12 months would be deemed to be ongoing. These changes are being sought as the levels of contract and casual employment have risen to unacceptable levels. In seeking these provisions the AEU hopes levels of permanent employment increase.

Workload Protections The AEU is seeking improvements in the workloads of all members which are contained in 39 pages of the AEU Draft Award. The AEU’s award application, seeks workload improvements for all classification levels across schools, preschools and TAFE. For example, for teachers and leaders we seek improvements in face-to-face teaching load, class sizes, leadership load, meeting times and overtime payments.

Country Allowances The union’s award application seeks to improve country incentives for school and preschool teachers. The AEU is seeking an increase in the annual country incentives allowance and an extension of payments to those in their 5th – 10th years. TRTs would also become eligible for country incentives if the union claim is accepted. Our claim includes a provision that leaders be paid the top country incentives allowance increment for the period of their tenure. Additional incentives are sought for employees in country Aboriginal and Anangu Schools. I

V I CE P R E S I D E N T ’ S V I E W

CO M M U N I C AT I O N S

Surrounded by national forces It’s getting harder and harder to keep up with the national agenda in education.

David Smith AEU Vice President

Communications turn a corner Many of you will have noticed a change to our email communications this year and some may have clocked the revamped AEU website, a “lite” version of which went live last week.

Our communication survey conducted in late 2009 showed that more and more AEU members are engaging in electronic forms of communication, namely email, so in response we have broadened our email delivery. Where in the past we have sent emails regularly to both DECS and TAFE members, we will now break it down further by sending ‘e-news’ to the various sectors within DECS to supplement the whole membership e-news.

The ‘e-news’ will provide regular updates on important information to all members with links to information around campaigns, industrial issues, general news, podcasts and other media.

It’s extremely important we have your current preferred email address on record so that you are not missing out on information vital to all AEU members.

Want to be on our list?

Contact AEU membership with your preferred email address on: T: 8272 1399 E: membership@aeusa.asn.au The new AEU website has features that were absent in the old version such as its own video player (YouTube is blocked in most schools), RSS feeds, news filtering, integration with our membership database, ability to edit HTML and more. It will give us more flexibility in content publishing, thus providing you with a richer user experience.

That’s tech jargon for “it’s better”.

In order to allow members to register for AEU events and courses, we chose to go live slightly ahead of schedule, so keep an eye on the site over coming weeks for significant additions, especially in the Your AEU section of the site.

I Craig Greer Communications Coordinator

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www.aeusa.asn.au

under the auspices of COAG. The recently re-badged Australian Curriculum, with its many unanswered questions, is being revealed for consultation state by state. South Australia’s turn was in early March.

Concurrently, there is the Teacher Quality National Partnership and we are involved in consultations about the National Professional Standards for Teachers. Will it be a means of ensuring professional development or will it be used for accreditation of teachers? Or will it be an ill-fitting combination of both?

The AEU was represented at all of the Professional Standards consultations and we are currently collecting the responses from those representatives.

It’s highly significant that, apart from the AEU representatives, one of the nonmetropolitan consultation sessions was cancelled because not enough teachers registered. That is regrettable in its own right, but it also hints at the enormous drag on our human resources of all the currently competing demands.

With all of those national initiatives and expectations, my head is spinning, as are the heads of many of our members.

That’s not the end of it, though.

Next to emerge is the Low SES National Partnership. Leave aside just how much of a partnership it truly is, this one has had the result of presenting a diagnostic review of low SES schools.

The reviews began early in Term 1 this year and involve a team of people entering the school for sometimes three days.

While it is too soon to draw many conclusions about the reviews themselves, there have been some concerns raised already.

One school, chosen, let’s not forget, because of its low SES ranking, is rated as Category 5 on the DECS scale of disadvantage. That takes some thinking about.

We are not opposed to the national nature of many of these initiatives. It’s just that there are so many and they’re coming at teachers, students and schools at such a rate and with such fervent emphasis. It makes you wonder just what the real national agenda is.

I

To access our new website go to:

The AEU has recently been involved in a number of consultations about aspects of the new national education front, and each of them brings floods of questions and concerns. I have counted nine current national imperatives facing South Australian educators and administrators.

Each of them has major implications for us and will take many hours by many people to understand and then implement.

Some we know already and we have formed coherent responses to them.

NAPLaN testing, the heart and soul of the data in ACARA’s My School website, is one such, as is the nationally determined A–E grading scheme.

The My School website, a newer initiative, has been misused by so many, especially in the eastern states press, to form school league tables. The Sydney Morning Herald published handy Primary and Secondary school A–Z lists showing every school’s ranking. Detailed analysis of the website leaves many more concerns: the means of calculating ‘like schools’ is particularly flawed, and there are grave contradictions between the ISCEA rankings and other means of calculating disadvantage, including DECS’ own.

Hanging off the NAPLaN results are some other nationals, including the LNNP, the Literacy and Numeracy National Partnership. That project’s success is to be measured by results in this year’s NAPLaN tests.

Its stated aim, admirable in itself, is to deliver measurable and sustained improvements in literacy and numeracy, but there are also reform expectations and we are told we cannot expect ‘business as usual’.

Whose expectations? Whose definition of reform? And could the curriculum be uncomfortably converted to test preparation, and could we see an unhealthy retreat from other worthy and beneficial parts of the curriculum, just to illustrate the successful enactment of the ‘reform’?

Yet, while the AEU, schools, teachers, students and communities are grappling with those elements, other national expectations continue to appear. Several are

NEW AEU ORGANISER

V I CE P R E S I D E N T ’ S V I E W

Closing the gap requires immediate action The draft Indigenous Education Action Plan 2010 has potential but needs serious refinement.

AEU Welcomes Danny Ellis Former AEU Executive member and Aboriginal educator Danny Ellis was appointed to the role of AEU Organiser – Aboriginal Focus at the beginning of 2010.

AEU Journal caught up with Danny for a chat about his background in education and the AEU. Journal: How long have you been working in the education sector?

I have worked in the area of Aboriginal Education for over 12 years. I started as a trainee AEW at Pennington Junior Primary School. After that I worked for a year at Le Fevre High School and also for a short time at Seaton High School where I was once a student.

Journal: What was your role prior to taking up the job at the AEU? For the last ten years I have worked as an ACEO at Ross Smith Secondary School.

Journal: How long have you been a member of the AEU? My involvement in the AEU has stretched over the last ten years. In that time, I have actively fought for better wages and working conditions for all Aboriginal members such as cultural leave provisions and better wage outcomes for our lowest paid ACEOs and SSOs. I have been a member of the Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee for ten years and I was the Aboriginal representative on Branch Executive for six years.

I am looking forward to the challenges of my new role and working with all Aboriginal members to make sure we continue to have a strong voice through the AEU.

Get involved: The Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee (AECC) meets twice per term at the AEU to discuss current issues related to Aboriginal educators and makes recommendations to AEU Branch Executive. If you would like to come along, give Danny a call on:

T: 8272

1399 or email E: dellis@aeusa.asn.au 8

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Australia is a relatively prosperous country, but our prosperity is shared very unevenly. We have some of the best equal opportunity legislation in the world but its impact, in practical terms, for the most disadvantaged Australians is negligible, except in isolated cases.

As a group, Aboriginal people are undoubtedly the least advantaged in our community. Whatever index is consulted, whether it is health, employment, education, housing, mortality or incarceration rates, Aboriginal people fare badly.

In 2006, 21% of 15-year-old Aboriginal adolescents were not participating in schooling. By contrast, five percent of non-Aboriginal adolescents were not participating. Furthermore, Aboriginal students were half as likely to continue to Year 12.

In recent years, there have been some gains. The retention rate for Aboriginal students completing school has doubled in South Australia in the last decade, and a host of individual Aboriginal students excel, despite the odds. However, many Aboriginal students are in hard-to-staff or remote schools, with a high turnover of staff and an over representation of beginning teachers, who often require much greater levels of mentoring and support.

Within this context, MCEECDYA (Ministerial Council for Education, Early Childhood Development and Youth Affairs) is developing a national Indigenous Education Action Plan 2010 – 2014, as part of the agreement of governments across Australia to take urgent action to close the gap between the life outcomes of Aboriginal and non–Aboriginal Australians. They key domains addressed in The Draft Plan include readiness for school, engagement, attendance, literacy and numeracy, quality teaching and post-school pathways.

The AEU (SA Branch) recently provided feedback on the Draft, which is ambitious and comprehensive, but, in all honesty, very similar to a multitude of other plans

that have been promulgated by Federal and State Governments for some decades.

Aboriginal educators and activists have often stated they have been inundated for years by surveys and plans, but the rate of progress is painfully slow.

There are some very positive aspects in the Draft. These include an emphasis on access to preschool education, partnerships with families, active recognition and validation of Aboriginal cultures, improvements in literacy and numeracy, increased numbers of Aboriginal teachers and leaders and better post-school pathways.

An obvious weakness is the four-year time frame. The AEU is advocating a 25 year agenda, with annual reviews every five years. Short-term plans raise expectations. However, programs that are heralded with fanfare but lack consolidation and continuity are invariably ineffectual.

In addition, the Draft places an undue emphasis on NAPLaN testing, just like the My School website, as an accountability measure. It contains statements such as “lifting transparency of outcomes at the school level” without any realistic recognition that without tangible incentives to attract and retain highly experienced teachers and leaders to the hardest-tostaff schools, much of this type of rhetoric is simply pie in the sky. Our feedback from the SA Branch reflected this discrepancy, albeit more elegantly and diplomatically!

In essence, the intent and scope of the Draft are welcome, but its flaws are largely those of the Deputy Prime Minister’s misguided obsession with so-called performance indicators that take little account of the complexity and context.

Every sensible person with an ounce of decency wants to close the gap. Some would even dare to envisage a future where there is no gap. We would be well on the way to achieving this if we simply acted on what we already know and offered immediate and genuine incentives to attract and retain the most skilled and experienced educators to the communities that need them now.

I Anne Crawford, AEU Vice President

T E AC H F O R A U ST R A L I A ties could not afford to send lecturers to schools to observe students on teaching practice. Bureaucrats also wouldn’t have to deal with the understaffing of education faculties and their ageing academic profile.

And by reducing staff even further, there would be cost savings. Education faculties are already seen as largely unprofitable, because they don't have the same capacity as business schools, for example, to raise funds. Although education is branded a ‘national priority area’, it’s still starved of money. Faculties have not been adequately compensated for the shortfall in revenue created when HECS rates were reduced for education courses.

On a crash course You wouldn’t call someone a doctor on the basis of six weeks of training, so why is it different for teachers? Erica Cervini explains.

Let’s face it, education faculties get pushed around because they have low status and priority in the eyes of university bureaucrats. Universities get involved in gladiatorial fights over who wins medical faculties, but they don't fight over education faculties. And universities aren’t all racing to introduce education courses, but they are falling over each other to offer law as a way to attract students and bring status to their institutions.

Teach for Australia is not going to fix problems faced by education faculties or magically improve the status of teaching.

International reports have already indicated how teacher quality is one of the keys to improved student performance.

So, instead of borrowing ideas from the US (Teach for America began in 1990), Australia should look to countries such as Finland, whose students come top of the class in OECD surveys on maths, reading and science. The country must be doing something right with its teacher training.

Here’s a novel idea to tackle the doctor shortage in the western suburbs and in rural areas: take some science graduates, give them six weeks’ training and then parachute them into a job. They can hone their knowledge and skills as they examine their patients. I doubt anyone would take the suggestion seriously. Patients would baulk at the idea of having doctors with six weeks’ training and no practical experience treating their illnesses. But the idea of accelerating non-teaching graduates into teaching jobs is being considered in Queensland and is a reality in Victoria.

What does Melbourne University’s involvement in TFA say to regular education students? Under the new Melbourne model, the diploma in education has gone from one year to a two-year masters in education. Why bother, when you can do a sixweek course, then a part-time diploma?

Of course, I am not alone in criticising TFA. One letter-writer to The Canberra Times said TFA sends a message to the “70,000 serious current teacher education students, and all of those who might follow them, that their professional education is a fraud”.

For example, teaching qualifications are prescribed by law and Finnish teachers do a minimum of five years of study to complete their bachelor and masters degrees. And teaching in Finland is seen as an important profession and is a competitive course for students: only 10 per cent of students who apply for education courses secure a place.

Forty-five graduates, who joined Teach for Australia last year, have recently started teaching in Victorian secondary schools after completing a six-week course at Melbourne University. They will spend 80 per cent of their work time in the classroom and 20 per cent studying for their diploma in education.

Roslin Brennan Kemmis, the head of education at Charles Sturt University’s Wagga Wagga campus, says the scheme “devalues the status of teachers”, while Central Queensland University’s Ken Purnell believes it fails to prepare teachers adequately for the classroom.

Contrast that statistic with the sobering figures released at the end of last year by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Between 2007 and 2008, there was a 5.1 per cent decrease in the number of students starting teacher-training courses.

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The Federal Government, which is bankrolling TFA to the tune of $22 million during the next four years, describes the scheme as innovative. The Victorian government is contributing about $7 million. The scheme is an insult to teachers, education academics and trainee teachers.

One of the other dangers of a TFA-like scheme is that university bureaucrats could embrace it and impose it on education faculties. Just imagine what they could do.

For a start, they could do away with teaching rounds.

In 2003, I began reporting on my blog Third Degree that some education facul-

Erica Cervini is a freelance writer based in Melbourne Read other education related articles on Erica’s blog at:

www.blogs.theage.com.au/ thirddegree/ 9

CURRICULUM FOCUS

During 2010, the AEU Journal will feature some of the many curriculum areas AEU members teach to students in South Australian public schools. In this issue we focus on science and maths, two subjects often topical due to the difficulties faced by the education system in producing and then retaining high quality teachers. The State Government has recently announced a substantial funding package to do just that, but some in the field are wondering if and how their plans will materialise.

A former winner of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching, Hamilton Secondary College teacher Mike Roach has been teaching both maths and science since taking a part-time teaching job while studying chemical engineering in 1971.

“They were screaming out for teachers so I took on a few afternoons and one morning per week. I decided I liked it so I went full-time the next year. At that time, hundreds of teachers came out of industry to teach as the wages were equivalent to that of an engineer.”

Mike started work at Henley High and

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then took on a key teacher role at Marion High as part of the Physics Focus School project, an innovative professional development program that freed up specialists to mentor physics teachers in metropolitan high schools.

“Unfortunately, most of those that went through the program have now retired and there are very few physics or science teachers left in the bucket. And there are very few new graduates coming out,” says Mike.

With some similarities to the Federal Government’s controversial Teach for Australia program, a re-elected Rann State Government, along with training for over 100 existing teachers, will attempt to remedy this by fast tracking up to 40 maths and science graduates into teaching jobs.

The ALP says each graduate will receive incentives including: financial support to complete a one-year post graduate course, a guaranteed job in a state school, support from a mentor teacher and further training to become regional leaders in their subject area. According to the ALP, the post-graduate course in their plan is significantly longer than that of Teach for Australia –

“maths & science”

From one Mike to another: fund this properly and it may just work

12 months, not less than two – and apparently aimed at retaining graduates in the profession rather than preparing them for industry. These are notable positive differences to Teach for Australia. But teachers like Mike Roach are warning success will hinge on serious investment in high quality professional development for existing teachers, some of whom may not have completed more than Year 11 or 12 studies in maths and science.

“There’s a lot of professional development that needs to be done in order to skill teachers up and it will be much harder for those with less background in maths and science to come up to speed quickly.

As a DECS Learning Technologies ICT coach, I go around to schools to provide teachers with professional development on how to download tools from websites like Scootle, how to use interactive whiteboards and other technology related skills. While DECS subsidises some of this, many teachers are doing this kind of PD in their own time and often at their own cost,” he says.

Mike believes there needs to be more incentive for teachers to take on extra training and development which will add significantly to their already heavy workloads. “One way to entice quality students into maths and science teaching speciality would be to remove HECS fees with a two or three year bond in the country, guaranteed return to city after maybe three years and the reintroduction of teacher mentors – retired teachers willing to travel into country areas as support. And for existing teachers, providing financial incentives for people to take on extra PD is perhaps a way to get around the problem of a maths and science teacher earning more than a history teacher, for example. Maybe you do have to reward people for doing extra professional development,” says Mike.

The ALP’s proposed maths and science program is a significant positive step toward fixing the current teacher shortage in these subject areas. However, as expert teachers like Mike Roach suggest, the State Government must back it up with appropriate investment in professional development. If it is not, it will be seen as nothing more than an attempt at winning back some of the votes it will have lost from South Australian educators over the past couple of years.

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ÂRESOURCES:

Some online maths and science teaching links courtesy of Mike Roach:

www.scootle.edu.au toolboxes.flexiblelearning.net.au/ www.mathsonline.com.au www.mathletics.com

AWARD

I N D U ST R I A L

Life long activist honoured at AEU Federal Conference

On Probation?

Aboriginal educator Pat Buckskin receives life membership of the AEU. In speaking to Pat Buckskin’s nomination, SA President Correna Haythorpe told Federal Conference, that although Pat had not held any official positions in the structures of the union, she had made an outstanding contribution to Aboriginal education and the AEU at local, state and federal levels.

Pat is a proud Narrunga/Kaurna woman who grew up in a family of 10 children in the Riverland. She completed her primary education at Monash Primary School and after moving to Adelaide in the 1960s, worked in factories packing biscuits and eggs.

Conference delegates were told Pat’s involvement in Aboriginal education commenced in 1972 when she undertook a traineeship and was appointed to Mansfield Park Junior Primary School as the school’s first Aboriginal Teacher Aide. Ten years later in 1982, Pat moved to the Elizabeth Education Office following her appointment as an Aboriginal Home School Visitor. During this appointment Pat was the major instigator and advocate for the establishment of Kaurna Plains Aboriginal School which at the time was the first public Aboriginal school established in an urban setting in Australia.

In 1987, following the formation of the Education Department’s Aboriginal Education Unit, Pat was appointed as the first State Manager of AEWs, a position she held until her retirement on 25 September 2009.

In recognition of her contribution to the Aboriginal community, her involvement in sporting activities at the local, state and national level, membership of the South Australian Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association and membership of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC), Pat was named South Australian Aboriginal of the Year in 1991.

The union activities for which Pat is best and most widely known have been her role in the development of the Aboriginal Education Workers’ Award, her work in the AEU Federal Office on the Ara Kuwaritja Kutu Project, her efforts in promoting AEU membership to AEWs, her advocacy for Aboriginal Education Teachers to be appointed to support Aboriginal students in mainstream schools and her drive and commitment in getting 140 AEWs from around Australia to participate in a nation-

1 Pat Buckskin with AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos after receiving her life membership.

al forum in Canberra discussing their professional and industrial issues.

The South Australian Aboriginal Education Workers Award was the first culturally based education award in Australia and during its development, Pat was seconded to the union as an Industrial Officer, representing the union in the Industrial Commission. Pat’s work with Bill Hignett on the Ara Kuwaritja Kutu Project – Pitjantjatjara for “Towards a New Way” – resulted in the publication of a groundbreaking report in 1994 which prompted the Northern Territory and Queensland to make changes to their AEW awards. An Associate Diploma was developed by University of South Australia for AEWs and an Australian Vocational Training System Project was developed to trial an integrated on and off the job training program to meet the needs of AEWs. Pat as a union delegate participated as a member of the steering or management committees on a number of these national initiatives.

Correna Haythorpe mentioned that the granting of a life membership to Pat was an historic moment for the AEU; she is the first Aboriginal woman member to be granted life membership and also the first para-professional member in the SA Branch to be granted life membership. I

Are you a permanent teacher and recently received a letter from DECS advising that you are on probation? Call the AEU Information Unit on T: 8272 1399 Section 15 of the Education Act states: 1) Subject to this Act, the employing authority may appoint such teachers to be officers of the teaching service as the employing authority considers appropriate.

2) An officer may be so appointed on a permanent or temporary basis.

3) The first appointment of an officer to the teaching service may be made upon probation.

4) The probation shall be for such period of effective service (not exceeding two years effective service) as may be determined by the employing authority.

So, if you have had previous appointment, e.g. a contract, then your appointment as a permanent teacher is not your first and therefore you cannot be placed on probation.

The AEU discussed the issue of probation many years ago with DECS and it was agreed then that DECS was not going to use that section to place permanent teachers on probation. Note: the Act only says ‘may’.

However, during 2009, DECS initiated a significant change in employment procedures and an unknown number of members were sent letters informing them that having gained permanency they were being placed on probation. Two aspects of these letters caused concern. Firstly they breached the Act for any of those members who had previously had contract appointments; the permanent appointment was obviously not their first. Secondly, as the issue of probation was not mentioned in their letter of appointment and the probationary letter came sometime later, it constituted a change in their contract of employment and as such could not be imposed on them.

This year, DECS has modified the letter sent to teachers on their first permanent appointment. A copy of a letter we have sighted quoted the Act incorrectly, suggesting that Section 15(3) referred to the “the first permanent appointment of an officer to the teaching service may be made upon probation”.

The AEU has written to the chief executive asking him to remedy the situation.

In the mean time as well as contacting the AEU, we suggest you write to Michael Papps at DECS and ask him to correct the situation by taking you off probation.

I Ken Case, AEU Organiser

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M Y SC H O O L W E B S I T E

The My School myths Professor Alan Reid takes apart some of the disinformation around the My School website.

It is only a month since the My School website was launched with great fanfare at the end of January. In the short time since, the warnings issued prior to the launch by many educators about the possible negative effects of the website are being realised.

More than this, even if you accept the accuracy of NAPLaN tests, the fact is they give us very narrow and limited information.

They don’t tell us anything about the quality of a school in relation to important aspects of schooling such as social and cultural outcomes.

The dominant information that appears on the current version of My School about each school is its annual NAPLaN (national assessment program - literacy and numeracy) results. NAPLaN is used currently by schools as a diagnostic tool to assess standards and to target areas for improvement in literacy and numeracy. This is a useful function.

After all, NAPLaN was not designed for this purpose. Understanding NAPLaN results as a representation of the quality of a school is a corruption of its original purpose.

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However, now that My School has been introduced, NAPLaN has moved from being an aid for assisting teaching and learning, to being a high stakes test which purports to measure the quality of a whole school and then compare it with other schools.

We are told that more information about schools may be added in the future. But since we don’t know what that might look like, we can only assess the version of My School that currently exists. This task is made more difficult by a number of myths which need to be dispelled if we are to move to a situation where My School can become a useful tool in Australian education.

MYTH 1 My School captures the quality of a school Proponents of My School in its current form say it is only one piece of information about a school. Parents can gather other data to complete the picture. This is a bit of a stretch. Many people don’t have the time or the knowledge to piece together the full range of information about a school, so they will tend to rely on a single source such as My School. After all, it is officially sanctioned information.

Unfortunately, the NAPLaN test results, as they appear on the My School site, project a scientific objectivity which masks the fact that like any such tests, they contain measurement errors.

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MYTH 2 Publishing school results on My School will help to increase quality in education Minister Gillard claims My School will arm parents with information that will enable them to put pressure on principals to improve NAPLaN results. Apart from the incorrect assumption teachers don’t try unless pressure is exerted by parents, this proposition ignores a number of things. In particular, it fails to recognise the evidence from other countries like England which shows testing, when it becomes high stakes, has deleterious effects on the quality of education.

The most well known effect is that school systems and schools will begin to expect teachers to teach for the NAPLaN test in an effort to improve individual school and state results. In Victoria last week a regional director issued an instruction that schools should prepare students well in advance of the test; and many principals around the country freely admit many months of practice tests and coaching are spent preparing for the tests. And who can blame them?

Apart from a school’s reputation riding on the results of a test done on one day by one set of students, the national partnership deal with the States insists that if NAPLaN results are not improved, the system and its schools will get less I money. There is a lot at stake.

MYTH 3 My School information will not be used to establish “simplistic” league tables.

The dangers of league tables of schools are now well recognised, not least by Minister Gillard who has described them as “simplistic”. These include the impact on many school communities of being publicly labelled and stigmatised through comparisons with other schools made on the basis of such limited information. The My School site attempts to side-step this danger by comparing each school with 60 ‘like’ schools.

There are two problems with this approach. First, it is very difficult to establish ‘like’ schools, as has been demonstrated by the many puzzling school groupings that exist on the site.

Second, since no action has been taken to prevent the My School data from being used to create across the board league tables, newspapers in New South Wales, Tasmania, the ACT and Queensland have begun to create such tables anyway.

Indeed, there is now a private company which is producing and selling league tables based on the My School data. The cost to many fine school communities will be counted in the coming years.

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MYTH 4 My School will help the government to target resources to schools Recently Minister Gillard used this myth when she announced an extra $11 million in funding to disadvantaged schools, claiming the grant was made as a response to data from the My School website. Of course such a claim is disingenuous. The fact is NAPLaN results have been available to governments and school communities and systems for many years, well before the development of the My School site. It is great that extra money is flowing into schools, but making claims like this only undermines the case for My School.

There is another troubling aspect to

M Y SC H O O L W E B S I T E

Photomontage: Matt Walker

the resources argument. It suggests quality improvement in schools is just a matter of identifying some low NAPLaN scores and throwing money at the problem.

Unfortunately it doesn’t happen like that.

Learning outcomes are influenced by a range of social and cultural as well as educational factors, many of which are deep seated. These have to be identified and worked on over time.

There is no quick fix. And yet, under the national partnership arrangements, unless NAPLaNscores are improved quickly, schools and systems will lose money! I

MYTH 5 My School will help parents to select schools The fifth myth upon which the website is based is that information like this will help parents select schools. It suggests people should shop around for schools as though they are consumer items like plasma TVs. This tends to create the impression education is a commodity, rather than a public good. It diminishes the sense of school community – that feeling of all working together to make this a great school – because it assumes if

you are unhappy you simply choose somewhere else to send your child.

Further, it promotes the belief everyone is in a position to choose. In fact, choice is limited to those who can afford the school fees or the relocation or transport costs if the chosen school is a long way away. It ignores the fact that in many states, government schools are zoned.

You can’t just decide to move to another school if it is not in your zone. It also assumes that the ‘top’ schools will be able to take all comers. They won’t be able to of course and so people who don’t get their choice, or who can’t choose will feel they are being short changed. In short, choice does not exist for a large percentage of the population.

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further from the truth. I have yet to meet an educator who would disagree with the premise good education demands good information.

Indeed, it is precisely an interest in real accountability that is motivating opposition to the current version of My School which, for the reasons outlined above, may well diminish rather than enhance quality.

MYTH 6 If you oppose My School you are opposed to transparency and accountability

If a large number of doctors were aware that a drug or some aspect of medical practice might harm patients, would we object to them banning the drug or practice until we are sure there are no toxic effects? If not, why is this different? In this case we have many in the education profession taking a stand in relation to a so-called accountability policy which may do harm to school communities and students. They should not be pilloried for this. Rather it is incumbent on those who disagree with their case to demonstrate why they are wrong; not to impugn their motives.

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Somehow proponents of My School have been able to promulgate the myth that opposition to aspects of My School is synonymous with opposition to accountability and transparency. Nothing could be

Alan Reid is Professor of Education at University of Adelaide.

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SS O P E R M A N E N C Y

SSOs win permanency AEU Journal interviews some of the many SSOs recently converted to permanent Last year the AEU called on the support of sub-branches to help secure the conversion to permanency of a large group of School Services Officer members who had worked in DECS for many years, but were still in contract or casual positions. At that time, according to the DECS 2007 Annual Report, more than 60% of all SSOs were employed either on contract or as casuals.

The criteria for conversion to permanency work against our SSO members, and this was a key focus of our award application for the arbitration case last year. Many members provided statements based on their own situations of precarious employment despite many years of service with DECS.

“The campaign was highly successful with DECS offering a ‘one-off’ conversion to permanency which resulted in almost 500 SSOs and ECWs gaining permanent employment in the later part of 2009.”

SSOs

A conversion to permanency campaign was organised in parallel with our award application. The campaign was multifaceted and included protests on the steps of Parliament House, letters to the editor and most importantly, letters to the chief executive written by hundreds of individual members highlighting their particular circumstances, and sub-branches in support of these members. The media also focussed attention on the unacceptably high rates of casual and contract employment and was generally very sympathetic to our campaign.

By any standards the campaign was highly successful with DECS offering a ‘one-off’ conversion to permanency which resulted in almost 500 SSOs and ECWs gaining permanent employment in the later part of 2009. The AEU is hopeful Stage 2 of the Arbitration Decision will assist many members who were not appointed to permanency through this process. Here are the stories of some of our members who gained permanency as a result of the AEU campaign.

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SSOs at Port Augusta West Primary School MICHAEL LANGE, ICT SSO Journal: How many years did you work as a casual?

Michael: From the beginning of 2001 when I started as a trainee SSO at the school of the air, until late last year when we became permanent staff members. I couldn’t make any long-term plans, things could suddenly change like a drastic cut in hours or no hours at all.

Journal: What difference has permanency made in your life?

Michael: I now have permanency at two primary schools – 17.5 hours at one and 15 hours at another. The best thing about being a permanent employee is my new house! I signed the deal on the last day of the first homebuyers grant too! I had applied for a loan a few years before but they saw I had no job stability or guarantee.

Journal: How has permanency improved work outcomes?

Michael: When I first started out in IT support I worked for four schools – it was very messy – funding was made up from other budgets. It’s good to finally have some recognition. I wasn’t able to improve anything, I was just IT support and not able to look at new programs or other ways of doing things, whereas now I can.

Journal: When did you join the AEU ?

Michael: I joined right from the start because I believe it’s good to have a union for whenever you need someone to turn to. I don’t always believe in striking – it depends on the issue.

KAYE NOWAK, SSO Journal: What was the worst part of working on casual contract?

Kaye: I was a casual for 14 years and the sense of not knowing whether you’ve got a job every time school ends means you’re unable to plan.

Journal: How do you feel about permanency?

Kaye: I feel like it’s a reward for all those years of effort! We like where we are and it’s nice to feel we belong.

Journal: Why did you join the AEU? Kaye: I joined five years ago as I felt it was important to give us an extra voice.

Journal: What did you think about the arbitration result?

Kaye: It’s better than nothing but we’ve still got a way to go.

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SHARON GERTIG, SSO Journal: How long were you on casual contracts?

Sharon: I worked for different schools as a casual SSO since 1997.

Journal: Did you get permanency at all the schools?

Sharon: I only got permanency at Port Augusta West Primary School, even though I’ve worked at Port Augusta High School for more than 10 years – that was disappointing.

Journal: How does permanency make you feel?

Journal: How do you feel about the arbitration result?

Sharon: I feel valued as an employee because I have a base.

Michael: I’m glad it’s been resolved – I was getting a bit frustrated. We could have got a little bit more but considering how long it dragged out it’s sort of a relief and at least it’s something.

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Journal: Why did you join the AEU? Sharon: I had been with the PSA for eight years and joined the AEU two years ago because it’s more education oriented and most people at PAWPS are AEU members.

SS O P E R M A N E N C Y Journal: Were you happy with the arbitration result?

Sharon: I thought it was fantastic. I know teachers won’t get everything they want but it was more than what was offered initially. It’s a step in the right direction. I

KAREN GREBENSHIKOFF, SSO Journal: How did being a casual affect your life?

Karen: I wasn’t permanent for 11 years – it was so scary because I’m a single mum with two kids, a mortgage and car payments. It was the not knowing if you would get something the following year and Centrelink were very difficult.

Journal: How has permanency improved things?

Karen: Stability! It’s like a weight’s been lifted off my shoulders. I’m even planning for a holiday at the end of the year because I know what I can factor in financially.

Journal: How does it feel as a group of SSOs all receiving permanency?

Karen: We’re happy and on top of the world!

Journal: Why did you join the AEU? Karen: Katrina Hanlin was doing a drive five years ago – it’s good to be in the union.

Journal: Is it a relief to have an arbitration decision too?

Karen: It was good but I would prefer the back pay went back a little further.

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Journal: How long were you a casual SSO? Simone: I was casual for 13 years at different schools in Port Augusta.

Journal: What makes casual employment so difficult?

Elizabeth Special School (ESS) Principal Ian May says as soon as DECS announced the plan to offer permanency to SSOs, ESS applied on behalf of all eligible staff members. Six of nine were awarded permanency.

“The first benefits of having permanent hours for SSOs are for the staff themselves.

It’s recognition of their work; more security for themselves; it raises their professional profile; allows them more training and development opportunities; and raises morale and confidence,” Ian says. “It used to be stressful for these SSOs at the end of every year. There was the potential I could lose staff (looking for other work) and time was wasted renewing contracts and schedules. Having permanent staff creates long-term stability and allows for long-term school planning. These SSOs are of outstanding calibre and our school is lucky to have them.”

Ian says the three SSOs who did not receive permanency were on the cusp of eligibility requirements. “I am having it reviewed by DECS but don’t know how long it will take or the outcome.”

“It would not be possible for all SSOs to be permanent. Much of the funding the school receives is based on student need meaning if students’ needs change year by year, funding may increase or decrease.

Secondly, if the student moves school the funding tracks with that student. So a degree of casual workforce that is responsive to short-term need will always be required.”

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GAYLE PELLEN, SSO Journal: How did becoming permanent change your life?

Simone: It makes things a lot more stable now I know I have a job to come back to.

Gayle: I was nonpermanent for 11.5 years and permanency means I feel more stable. I personally believe we should be acknowledged after working for so many years so it’s a good feeling. Last year I had breast cancer – in a crisis it’s good to have the reassurance of permanency.

Journal: Why did you join the AEU?

Journal: When did you join the AEU?

I joined because Katrina Hanlin is our site rep and we support whatever she says!

Gayle: I joined eight years ago – I strongly believe in the union and think there’s a really big need for them.

Simone: Never knowing from year to year if you had a job to come back to – it was always quite unstable and hours would vary even term to term because I worked with children with special needs.

Journal: What is it like being permanent?

Journal: Was arbitration a positive result?

Simone: Anything going in the right direction has got to be positive. It might be very slow moving but it’s getting there. I

Journal: How did you feel the about arbitration result?

Gayle: It was a pretty good outcome. In

the current economy it was important to give a little as well.

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GLORIA TROWER, SSO Journal: How long were you on casual contracts?

Gloria: I was a casual for eight years. It was stressful never knowing where your job’s leading.

Journal: How did it feel to get permanency?

Gloria: I got 15 permanent hours on top of 12.5 contract hours and it feels excellent!

It’s like a huge weight has lifted knowing I have a small amount of money there.

Journal: Are you an AEU member?

Gloria: I’ve been in the AEU for six years – my father was a union man. You should back the group who’s working to get you a better deal.

Journal: Was the arbitration result good?

Gloria: It was really good but dragged out. In the end the government had the money in reserve so it makes you wonder why they make us fight so hard.

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JANICE ANTONIO, SSO Journal: What was the worst part of being a casual?

SSOs

SIMONE SHUPELIUS, SSO

SSOs at Elizabeth Special School

Janice: I was on contract for more than six years and the worst part is waiting at the end of the year or not knowing throughout the summer holidays if you had a contract.

Journal: How did it feel to get permanency?

Janice: Really great. It makes my life a lot easier knowing I’m going to have that money each year. I have 15 permanent hours and 12 contract.

Journal: Why did you join the AEU?

Janice: I joined a couple of years ago as they seem to be involved in anything and everything that comes up. They’re fighting for us so we need to join them to help the fight.

Journal: How do you feel about the arbitration result?

Janice: Alright, though the amount of time it took to come through it’s like the government don’t understand.

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OPINION

DER...

Educator and author Stephen Orr wonders what the digital education revolution will do to foster thinking and learning.

My Uncle Roy was the original Kevin Rudd. Money burnt holes in his pocket.

Every time he saw an old bomb, or the wreck of a car, he’d buy it and store it in his rat-infested shed, waiting for the day he’d do it up, sell it and reap the rewards.

Sadly, for Uncle Roy that day never arrived.

Kevin has his own money issues. In the rush to buy his way out of the GFC he’s splurged billions, not always wisely. Only time will tell, but his fingers have already been burnt by Pink Batts. I’m concerned that Kev’s about to do an Uncle Roy with millions of laptop computers (net-books, notebooks, whatever), the PM’s so called ‘toolbox of the 21st century’ that will, apparently, turn all of our kids into techno-savvy, new-age smart bombs, their brains pulsating with calculus and Shakespeare.

But what if, shockingly, all that glitters ain’t gold? What if these slim, flashing, beeping miracles of the new age don’t make our kids smart?

Frankly, I can smell snake oil. I can’t see that twenty years worth of computerising (my term) has done a terrible lot of good.

I see class rooms full of kids that can’t spell, work out what to do with an apostrophe or tell their effect from their affect.

Given, they can instantly access the latest population figures for Mongolia, but is that really what we want them to know? I teach classes full of 13-year-olds that don’t know their squares from their square roots – knowledge and skills that, despite the present rhetoric, may be more useful than chat-room updates on what’s about to happen in Summer Bay. The problem is, politicians don’t always know best. Just because they have the money doesn’t mean they know how to spend it. There’s no point asking teachers, of course, they’ll just start ranting about extra support, smaller classes and better wages, and how’s that ever helped education? As with Uncle Roy, it’s much more important to get the wallet out, and open.

That way you can see something for your money, even if it is left in a shed or sold to the nearest Cash Converters.

What if this issue is not so much about too little, as too much information? What if small, developing minds respond best to a drip-feed of new facts and figures, concepts and skills, instead of a cyberscape crowded with information they don’t really know what to do with it? What if the

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real issue is teaching and learning: small classes full of excited teachers that can lead kids on a journey, instead of dumping them in front of Kevin’s gleaming new toolbox?

I can hear what you’re saying: What a throwback, a Luddite (a group of textile workers, opposed to mechanisation, who rioted and smashed their new machines in the early 19th century). Well, proudly am I Lud, if that’s what it takes. After all, the purchase of new looms only benefited the few, the technocrats, leaving the average Joe voiceless and penniless in dark, damp factories. Why is technology always embraced without someone asking a few, simple questions?

Does every kid really need a statesponsored laptop? Kevin Rudd’s Digital Education Revolution (DER) promised a computer for every Australian student in Years 9-12. To date only one state (NSW) has managed to outfit even a single year level with their computers. Meanwhile, the NSW government is spending $280 million over four years to provide network connectivity to all of its school. Like restoring an old Austin, one thing leads to another.

In WA only 27 schools have received their computers and in states like Queensland the tyranny of distance is causing officials to worry if there’ll ever be fast enough broadband to make the deal worthwhile.

Some metropolitan schools can only pick up a signal in certain rooms. Meanwhile, patient principals are complaining their new computers only come with a two-year warranty. What happens after that? Kids, of course, won’t damage their computers – kids never drop anything, never spill Coke and certainly never leave their stuff on the bus.

Despite all this, you can’t stop progress, even (or perhaps especially) if you don’t know what it is. We need to ask if Uncle Kevin’s computers are just another distraction to an already distracted demographic.

Perhaps, in truth, it’s not so much a case of the harm they’ll do as the good the $2 billion might have done.

One day there’ll be millions of old laptops, locked in a room, covered with a tarp, gathering dust. Meanwhile, despite our beloved spell-check, our kids will have lost touch with their language, a set of simple marks that unlock the key to everything we know, think or feel about our culture. Despite MYOB and scientific calculators, they’ll still struggle to know how much change they’re due from a carton of milk. Perhaps, then we won’t be sneering at the Luddites.

To close, yes, this was written on a laptop, but only with the aid of a dogeared dictionary.

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OHS&W

AEU members subjected to violence should not be left to fend for themselves writes Bill Hignett.

1. Endorsing the following principles at a sub-branch meeting: • All members have a right to a safe and healthy workplace

• Inappropriate student and parent behaviour will not be tolerated • The leadership must create a climate within the workplace that values the safety and wellbeing of staff • Failure to support members after a critical incident at the workplace is an industrial issue

2. Insisting that the workplace: • Has a critical incident policy, plan or procedure that includes assaults, threats or abuse directed at staff • Promotes the employer’s employee assistance program to staff • Encourages social and emotional support among staff during critical incidents • Is supported by a regional office presence which is visible to all staff after the incident • Staff are briefed on the critical incident and staff members’ questions are answered prior to leaving the workplace on that day.

Further support and assistance can be offered to the sub-branch by contacting the AEU Information Unit (details right). I

CONTRIBUTE to the AEU JOURNAL or WEBSITE

and WIN!!

1st PRIZE: Sony Full 1080 HD Digital Video Camera valued at $1500

2nd PRIZE:

Can you write, photograph, video, draw, Photoshop or Flash?

Two nights at “Bayview”, North Beach, Wallaroo, York Peninsula

If you’ve got articles, videos, photos, animations, letters,

To view: www.stayz.com.au/68950

cartoons or virtually anything that can be printed or

3rd PRIZE:

published online, send it to the AEU Communications team for your chance to win one of three prizes this year.

Two tickets to see the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra in the Botanic Gardens

Important Information: • All items must be relevant to AEU members and/or Public Education.

• Items for print in the AEU Journal must arrive by each deadline (see dates on pg 3).

• Items for the website will be published on receipt.

• Please email all contributions under 5MB to: journal@aeusa.asn.au.

• Contributions over 5MB please burn to CD/DVD and post to:

AEU Journal Office, 163 Greenhill Rd, Parkside SA 5063.

• Publication of all items will be subject to editorial approval.

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8272 1399

have reported there has been no police presence at all.

Members calling the AEU Office have reported they have felt isolated and alone after these incidents and expected to return to work immediately as though nothing had happened.

In a meeting with the AEU, the chief executive Chris Robinson made it clear he does not endorse this approach and supports the immediate calling of police if a staff member has been assaulted, threatened or subjected to abuse. He undertook to raise this issue with regional directors and investigate if the induction program for newly appointed principals could include a session on critical incidents and the safety of staff.

The role of the AEU sub-branch is critical in ensuring the health and safety of the members at the workplace. It is a shared responsibility that requires a commitment of all of the members in the sub-branch and which can be facilitated by the sub-branch secretary. Suggested strategies include:

:

On 24 February this year, a teacher was attacked with a brick and robbed of $400 while on yard duty at Swallowcliffe Primary School. The serious nature of this incident led to it being widely reported in the media. However, it is but one of a number of critical incidents reported to the AEU Office this year.

Other incidents reported have included: a teacher feeling so terrorised by students that he moved out of his house to live in a caravan, two teachers threatened with abusive and filthy language by a parent with a history of abuse, a teacher’s car being “egged” after disciplining two students, an intruder in school uniform attacking a student until teaching staff intervened and a teacher who was punched in the face, had her hair pulled and wrist fractured by a student.

A disappointing feature of these reported incidents is the lack of visible action by the regional education offices and the fact the wellbeing of teachers and staff has come second to that of students.

In the Swallowcliffe incident, even though two crimes had been committed, the police were not called to the school until 90 minutes after the assault took place. In all of the other incidents members

AEU Information Unit – Monday – Friday from 10.30am – 5pm

Your rights to a safe workplace

WOMEN’S FOCUS WOMEN’S FOCUS

It’s time to pay up Women still have quite a way to go to achieve pay equity.

My mother, bless her soul, had very old fashioned ideas when it came to women, work, domestic responsibilities and family.

The basis of most of my mother’s beliefs about social construction and order centered around one key factor: “If a woman decides to have a child (note ‘woman’ – not ‘couple’) she should stay home and care for that child.” And my favourite comment after the birth of my first child in 2001: “Women who have children should

stay home and look after them and free up more jobs for the men.” Eventually she conceded that perhaps it was ok to free up jobs for men and childless women but her basic opinion never changed.

Whether due to past or present social culture, or men having had a head start, or women being slow off the mark or perhaps even held back, the fact remains that women are extremely over-represented in the lower income and casual employment arena. Having achieved equal pay 40 years ago, we are still no closer to pay equity.

At the age of 58, Kathryn Bigelow,

Director of the Hurt Locker is the first woman to ever win an Oscar for Best Director. It has taken 82 years for a woman to finally crack one of the toughest glass ceilings.

Hollywood statistics confirm that Pay Equity remains a challenge for the future and not, as many believe, a victory of the past. A recent study of the 250 top Box Office films highlighted the fact that women comprised only 16% of the top movie making jobs such as directing and producing.

In 1970, the AEU (formerly SAIT) successfully campaigned for equal pay for equal work for all teachers in SA. AEU activist and anti-discrimination campaigner Jean Pavy was appalled at the disparity between the salaries of men and women teachers. It was her belief that a 20th Century ruling by the Commonwealth Industrial Relations Commission, that women required less wages than men

Jean Pavy Awards 2010 Jean Pavy was a committed activist and office holder in SAIT, before she died in 1995 at the age of 86.

The Jean Pavy Award was initiated by the Australian Education Union (SA Branch) in 1995 when, as the South Australian Institute of Teachers (SAIT), it recognised the work of the South Australian educator, union activist and feminist, Jean Pavy, by granting an award in her name. This was to be given to the highest achievers, identified

by SSABSA, in Women’s Studies Stage II. Jean was a member of the Equal Pay Council of Australia, which formed in 1960.

She also set up the Equal Pay Committee in SAIT. In 1962 Jean became president of the Women’s Branch of SAIT. Her biggest challenge as president was for equal pay for women. This became the SAIT Campaign for Equal Pay. The Equal Pay Committee mounted an unsuccessful case to the Teachers’ Salaries Board who ruled that any decision to adjust salaries was a political one and should be made by the government. The Liberal Government of the time also side-stepped the issue by declaring it was an industrial matter, which should be handled by industrial courts and tribunals.

Sadly, Jean had to fight both politicians and members of her own union to achieve equal pay for women. The hard work of Jean and her committee was eventually rewarded with the first of five Equal Pay for Equal Work salary increases being granted to teachers in South Australia in 1966. The final increase was awarded on 3 July 1970.

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The recipients of this year’s Jean Pavy Award are Myall Tarran from Christies Beach High School and Sophie Schumacher from Brighton Secondary School. Their inspirational teachers were Karen Zilm and Deborah Smith.

Myall is the first male student to receive the award and says taking part in women’s studies opened his mind to a new way of thinking. “The first question I was asked in women’s studies was, ‘why is pink a girl’s colour?’ I’d never thought about this as I figured that this is just the way it is.

Looking into the way society and values are constructed has been a big part of the course and it’s helped me look at the world and think about it in a different way.”

Sophie Schumacher from Brighton High School says her teacher Ms Smith’s passion for the subject rubbed off. “I really

enjoyed learning about inspirational women in history such as Burmese leader Aung Sang Su Kyi; she is an amazing woman who has sacrificed so much for her people after being imprisoned by the military junta in her country.”

Sophie says that through the women’s studies course she came to understand more about society’s focus on the superficial traits of women.

“Girls are rarely complimented on things other than their looks. It’s a mentality that young girls have; they’ll tell you how good your hair looks or how nicely dressed you are but don’t often comment on positive personality traits like sense of humour, for example. It’s very superficial.”

The AEU congratulates both students for their dedication and commitment to women’s studies in 2009.

I

Tish Champion, AEU Women’s Officer | phone: 8272 1399 | email: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

WOMEN’S FOCUS

because they were not responsible for providing for dependents was draconian.

There is a common public misconception that the current Pay Equity debate is obsolete. Many would argue the battle for equal pay for equal work was won in the 60s. Fortunately, in industries such as education, this is the case. On the surface we no longer experience disparity between the salaries of men and women doing the same work in education. So, why the big campaign for pay equity? Why a test case for pay equity in the Federal Industrial Relations system? Why should those of us in education care?

This debate is as relevant to us as it is to any woman in Australia. While teaching may be a feminised profession, it is fair to say the proportion of female teachers decline with the increasing age of students and higher earnings. It is particularly noticeable that the tertiary level, is con-

The key to equality is Education – want to make a difference?

Education is definitely one of the keys to developing better pay equity around the world. There are approximately 72 million children who do not attend school and the majority of those are girls. The AEU encourages members to support the ‘One Goal – Education for All’ campaign, which aims to put pressure on world leaders to end poverty by ensuring all children have access to a quality education.

“1GOAL is a campaign seizing the power of football to ensure that education for all is a lasting impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. ”To find out more - Visit:

www.join1goal.org.au

“Equity on pay and workforce participation for women will be a top priority for Australian unions over the next 12 months.”

Sharan Burrow, President ACTU sidered to be the more prestigious sector and the one where women struggle to obtain managerial positions. Basically, within education, women are more likely to work part-time and have more non-tenure and non-decision-making positions. All of those factors contribute to women’s disadvantage on the pay roll, workforce engagement and retention and long-term wealth.

In November 2009 a report of the Parliamentary Committee on Employment and Workplace Relations noted there still exists a 17% gap between the salaries of men and women in Australia. The pay gap is so big that on average women have to work 63 days more a year just to earn the same income.

Pay equity is a term used to represent gender pay gap, labour force participation, realistic access to higher paid positions and leadership and educational opportunities. Even after 40 years of ‘equal pay’ in Australia, women still lag well behind men in the Australian workforce in terms of actual earnings, participation and genuine representation across employment levels.

Over time the AEU has successfully campaigned for system and policy changes, which have improved, not only the working and family friendly conditions for women but increased their access to permanency and the higher earning positions. Initiatives such as part-time opportunities for school leaders and changes to the merit

1 2010 IWD: Hundreds of women marched in support of gender pay equity. Above from top right: Group – Sister Act, Singer – Mika, AEU contingent and guest speaker, Sharan Burrow.

selection policy have helped to open up opportunities for many women. While the sector specific statistics within DECS continue to be so unbalanced, the fight is not over and the battle is not won.

“Equity on pay and workforce participation for women will be a top priority for Australian unions over the next 12 months.”

Sharan Burrow, President, ACTU. I

Check out the ASU’s website to support their current pay equity case and send Julia Gillard a “kiss”.

W:

www.payup.org.au 19

CO M M E N T

A matter of trust Julia Gillard should look beyond New York for a model that works Belair Primary School teacher and Subbranch Secretary Leanne Miller has good reason to doubt the merits of Julia Gillard’s My School website, high stakes testing and the arguments supporting it; she’s seen a different public education model that works perfectly well, in Canada.

“I’ve made two trips to Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) in recent years, the first time I did some relief teaching and the second time I did an exchange with a local teacher,” says Leanne. “The first thing that struck me about school life over there was the almost complete absence of competition. I think some people believe that being competitive raises standards, but I didn’t notice a significant difference in the level of academic achievement over there.”

Leanne says that in BC, public educa-

tion is strong and well respected and the support for teachers from parents and the wider community is noticeably different to what she’s experienced in Australia.

“My husband and I both felt that with the media and the public you were very supported as a teacher. If schools say they need more money or smaller class sizes or more SSOs, the public said ‘yes, if teachers say they need it then we agree with them, they are the ones that know’. I think unfortunately we aren’t given the same level of respect here; we have a lot of teacher bashing.”

Despite Julia Gillard’s claims that “parents are hungry for information”, the My School website provides very little contextual information and sets up schools, teachers and communities for

PRESCHOOL UPDATE

Universal access to 15 hours DECS continues to roll out the implementation of 15 hours of preschool education in an increasing number of Category 1 preschools and child parent centres. Ninety-eight centres took on the increased provision of preschool hours which are funded through the Federal Government’s universal access initiative, providing additional 0.2 salary for each FTE classification in the preschool centre.

A further 38 Category 1 centres are due to take up implementation from the beginning of Term 3. These centres have been advised of their additional resourcing and have been

20

allocated a dedicated DECS officer to support them through the preparation and early implementation phases.

Some members currently involved in the program are expressing concerns regarding the management of additional program hours and the subsequent effects on their workload and capacity to access breaks and non-contact periods. Members are reminded of their Award entitlements to breaks such as a minimum 20 minute meal break between sessions and agreed entitlements regarding non-contact time. Part-time staff should be accessing

unfair public criticism.

Leanne Miller says that while parents have a right to as much information as possible about their child’s education, teachers who are working hard every day to deliver high quality learning outcomes should be afforded some level of trust by the government, the media and the general public.

“Parents here in Australia want to be informed and want to have a say in things; this can be a positive thing. In BC, the parents also like to be informed but they also trust that you know what you are doing, you’re not quizzed and challenged all the time. This doesn’t mean that Canadian teachers are slack; they’re still delivering good curriculum, but I think they’re just allowed to get on with the job of teaching without all this public scrutiny.”

Remember the days when students just went to their local school to get an education? While it may be a distant memory for many of us, according to Leanne, it’s perfectly normal in Vancouver.

“There is no issue of shopping around for schools over there. Here in Adelaide it’s competitive; each school wants to be better than the next. We seem to go out of our way to demonstrate this to the parents of prospective students. In Vancouver, parents trust that each school is delivering the same set of outcomes and is going to nurture their child in much the same way.

All of this happens without competition and testing. The children I taught were achieving the same in literacy and numeracy as their equals here but without this incredible focus on testing, practicing for testing and the public reporting of data.

And on the subject of data, the results speak for themselves. When they are tested and compared internationally, Canadian students achieve consistently higher scores than the majority of Western nations.

It begs the question – if they can “perform” so well without websites that lead to the naming and shaming of schools, why can’t we?

I their non-contact time on a pro-rata basis.

Preschool members who believe their entitlements are adversely affected by the introduction of Universal Access should raise the matter with their Director. Members in child parent centres who are concerned with workload and entitlements should raise the matter with their Principal through the PAC. The AEU plans to conduct a survey of members in preschools and CPCs early next term in order to identify any recurrent issues being experienced as a result of the implementation of Universal Access. It is hoped that information provided through the survey will assist those members in centres preparing for take-up in Term 3.

I Howard Spreadbury, AEU Lead Organiser

A E U 2 0 1 0 T R A I N I N G A N D D E V E LO P M E N T P R O G R A M

CO U N C I L DAT E S F O R 2 0 1 0

TERM 1 | 2010 AEU/DECS MERIT & PAC TRAINING

Branch Council Meetings

DATE

VENUE

TIME

Upcoming dates for 2010 are: Saturday, 27 March Saturday, 29 May Saturday, 14 August Saturday, 20 November

Friday 9 April 2010 (hols)

AEU Parkside

9.30am – 4.00pm

TAFE Divisional Council Meetings

Merit Selection Training

Book online at: www.decs.sa.gov.au/HR1/pages/default/training_dates/

2010 UNION MEMBER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Thurs 25 March

9.15–15.30

Skills for Members Workshop 1-day course to develop members’ confidence in decision-making forums.

Meeting procedures, assertive communication and public speaking are covered in a workshop format.

Who can attend: All AEU members.

Fri 26 March

9.15–15.00

New Branch Council Delegates Course 1-day course to develop members’ confidence in being an active participant as a delegate in AEU Branch Council.

Who can attend: All AEU Branch Council delegates and alternate delegates.

Wed 7, Thurs 8, Fri 9 July

9.15–16.00

Conflict Resolution through Mediation A high demand 3-day course facilitated by Professor Dale Bagshaw and practising mediators, covering the theory and practice of mediation. Participants must commit for all 3 days.

Who can attend: Leaders, OHSW and AEU reps and activists who are members.

Fri 13 August

9.15–15.00

Non-teaching Staff and SSO Contact Officers

N OT I CE B OA R D

1-day day course for AEU SSO contact officers and non-teaching PAC reps on resolving workplace issues effectively through various school decision making structures and processes and their role in supporting and informing non-teaching members.

Who can attend: Non-teaching staff reps on PAC and member SSO contact officers.

Fri 19 November

Upcoming dates for 2010 are: Friday, 26 March Friday, 28 May Friday, 13 August Friday, 19 November

9:15-15:00

Potential Delegates Course 1-day course introducing members to AEU decision making processes.

Who can attend: AEU members.

All courses are held at the AEU unless otherwise specified.

For more information on courses, relief funding or to register go to:

www.aeusa.asn.au

A D M I N I ST R AT I V E O F F I CE R VAC A N C I E S

Australian Education Union | SA Branch

Administrative Officer Vacancy The term of office of this position will end on 31 January, 2013

Organiser (School Services Officer Focus) The SSO Organiser will undertake specific responsibilities in relation to School Services Officer members of the union and will develop union activism in all membership sectors by identifying, motivating, leading and educating workplace representatives, activists and members.

The job and person specification and details of the selection process for this position are available from Irene Tam on 8272 1399 (email: aeusa@aeusa.asn.au).

Applicants must address the requirements of the job and person specification in their application.

Leave without pay may be negotiated for AEU members whose employer is a state government agency.

Applications must reach the Branch Secretary, AEU (SA Branch), 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside, SA 5063 by Friday 23 April 2010.

This position will be filled by appointment at Branch Council on 29 May 2010.

The 5th International Middle Years of Schooling Conference AT: Adelaide Convention Centre ON: Monday, 6 September 2010 THEME: Our Worlds: Connecting in the Middle • • • • •

Professor Paul Deering | Hawaii USA Professor Gary Stager | USA Professor Erica McWilliam | Qld Aust Dr Thelma Perso | NT Aust Robyn Barratt | SA Aust

For information and registration go to:

sapmea.asn.au/conventions/ middleschool2010

Teachers Golf Day Echunga Golf Club:

(corner Echunga and Dolman Roads)

Monday 12 April 2010 (2nd Monday of the holidays) Registration: 8:30am Shotgun Start: 9:00am Cost: $25.00 Dress: No jeans please!

Bookings: www.sateachersgolf.com Kym Briggs: Sheidow Park School Phone: (08) 8381 8911 Email: ksbriggs@tpg.com.au • Open to all PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE education workers and friends • BBQ lunch provided

Member Subscription Rates New subscription rates incorporating the recent salary increase will apply from 1 April 2010. For more info go to:

http://is.gd/aJhKn 21

N OT I CE B OA R D

Members’ Market VICTOR HARBOR Holiday Hse: Enjoy a Break! Beautiful renovated 3BR hse walking distance of beach, skate park, shops, restaurants and the city centre. ‘Home away from Home’ with all facilities. Lge yard, great for relaxing and enjoying a BBQ and wine under the Pergola.

T: 0413 920 554 E: crupi@chariot.net.au

HOLIDAY HOUSE, 'NORTH BAY', CARRICKALINGA: Architecturally designed new two storey beach house. 4BR, 3 bath, 2 living areas, European stainless kitchen, extensive decking and views. Suits 2 families. Sleeps up to 10. Play equipment for the kids.

View: www.stayz.com.au and visit North Bay at Carrickalinga for rates & availability. T: 0403 015 964

FRANCE – SOUTH: Lovely Village House. Languedoc region. T: 0403 314 928 (Julie) www.myfrenchhome.com.au

HOLIDAY RENTAL: Yorke Peninsula: Brand new upmarket esplanade beach house ‘Manyana’ at Wool Bay (near Edithburgh). Features incl. spa, plasma TV, DVD, stereo, dishwasher. Tastefully furnished &

quality equipment, 3BR, sleeps up to 7. Enjoy panoramic sea views, beach walks, walk to jetty, good fishing etc. Avail. sch. hols, L/weekends, weekends etc.

Info/bookings: T:(08) 8832 2623 W: www.countrygetaways.info MARION BAY: ff, near new hse.

Gateway to Innes National Park.

Sleeps 8, 3BRs, large living area, TV and DVD. Spacious balcony w. outdoor setting and BBQ. Only 5 mins to Willyama Beach and 5km to National Park. Info/bookings: E: kireland15@gmail.com

Kangaroo Island Getaway KI RURAL RETREAT: Attractive self cont. large country home surrounded by garden and native bushland on 260 acres. Great for families or couples escape. Sleeps 2 to 12; 2 bath, 2 queen beds, 2 spacious living areas, laundry, patio. From $120/night.

T: 0407 790754 a.h.

E: semurphy@optusnet.com.au

HOLIDAY GETAWAYS VICTOR HARBOR: Kangaroo Island HOLIDAY HSE: All Seasons Lakefront Getaway: Set in bushland beside Harriet

Stunning self-contained luxury colonial home in the picturesque surrounds of Encounter Lakes, Victor Harbor. Priv. secl. sandy beach and lake at your back door!

4BRs. Sleeps 8. 2 spacious living areas. 2nd bath, 3 toilets & laundry. Huge lawned backyard.

Lakeside Getaway: Stunning modern villa at Encounter Lakes, Victor Harbor. Only 100m to clean, sandy beach and lovely reserve.

5-min. walk to scenic Esplanade, walk/bike trail, cafes, restaurants

SAIT Conveyancers We offer AEU members: • Free advice on real estate queries.

• 25% off the Statutory or Land Brokers Society recommended fee structure.

• Expert and experienced professional work with Mortgages, Transfers, Strata Plan and Plan of Division Lodgments, Caveats, Discharges of Mortgages – indeed, all facets of conveyancing work.

If you are buying or selling or are involved in any real estate matter, either through a land agent or privately, consult us.

Contact Anne Walker or Simon Willcox Phone: (08) 8410 6788 Fax: (08) 8410 6799 Located at SATISFAC / Level 3 / 400 King William Street

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and general store. 3BRs. Sleeps 6.

Spacious Lounge/ Fam/Dine rm. 2 way bathroom, separate toilet & laundry. Info/bookings: T: 8344 7921 M: 0419 868 143 E: foumakis@hotmail.com www.victorharborholidayhomes. spaces.live.com

River and on Vivonne Bay, (Aust’s best beach), is Kangastay a 3BR fully equipped and comfortable holiday house. Close to all major attractions (Seal Bay, Remarkables, Admiral Arch and more) and great to relax, swim, and fish. Sleeps 6, linen provided, winter special discounts. Available for rent all year. Prices start at $100/night.

Book through the owner at kangastay@gmail.com or T/text Ros on: 0407 215 345.

HOLIDAY RENTAL NORMANVILLE: South Shores Holiday Villa #25. 3BR (sleeps 8).

Secure gated community behind the dunes at Normanville. Golf, horse riding, pools, beach, lawns, cafes. Avail. all year incl. school holidays. T: 0413 155 460 www.stayz.com.au/23983

Kangaroo Island HOLIDAY COTTAGE 2BR cottage nestled in woodland at Vivonne Bay. Close to beach and Harriet River, visited nightly by wildlife, abundant birdlife during the day, well located for touring popular KI attractions. Self cont., air con, full size stove, BBQ. Quaint, romantic and cosy! Sleeps up to 4 at $95pn. T: (08) 8341 9185 W: www.ravencottage.com.au E: enquiries@ravencottage.com.au

FOR SALE: WILLIAMSTOWN 5 acre tranguil property Are you looking for a magnificent country property near Gawler with beautiful surrounds? Solid brick 4BR home, 2 with BIR’s, 1 with full wall bookcase, rooms are spacious, all in top condition.

Garden shed, Security system, low maintenance garden recently relaid solid drive, dog yard, mains water. T: 8524 6043 Reduced to: $469,950. Inspect by app.

N OT I CE B OA R D PORT ELLIOT HOLIDAY HOUSEALL SEASONS ESCAPE Stunning newly built, a/c, 4BR (sleeps 8), self-cont. holiday hse in heart of picturesque Port Elliot.

Metres to main street cafes, shops, restaurants,galleries. Short stroll to scenic Horseshoe Bay, sandy beach - swim, surf and fish. Easy walking/ bike trails and local/ regional tourist attractions eg produce markets, wineries, Steam Ranger Cockle train. Ideal for individuals/groups and family getaways in all seasons! Special rates all year round. Info/bookings: E: jack.k@live.com.au W: www.allseasonsescape. spaces.live.com

HOUSEBOAT: (near Mannum) There is still plenty of water for recreational boating. Shoulder and off peak seasons are the best ones to relax and enjoy the river.

AEU members are offered a 10% discount during these times.

Bundara accommodates up to 10 people. T: (08) 8277 8751 Visit us at: www.bundara2.net/ E: tandu.prucha@bigpond.com

ABSOLUTE SEAFRONT HOUSE Stunning summer beach, dolphins - wine - seafood. House (neg) or beach or balcony suites from $45 per double. Min 4 nights. from

$45 per double, mid-wk off-peak.

Kingston near Robe.

T: 8338 2316 a/h: 0402 922 445

ROOM FOR RENT: Share 3BR house with 2 others in Gawler. $70 per week plus expenses.

T: 0409 486 088

FOR RENT: f.f. private apartment in Glenelg for holiday or weekend rental. Heated pool, spa, steamroom, sauna, gym etc. Plasma TV, 100m to beach.

T: 8376 3747 or 0403 606 052

35mm SLIDE SCANNING Adelaide and Hills: Do you have old 35mm slides gathering dust and deteriorating?

Have them professionally scanned at high resolution and transferred onto CD. 17 years exp., reasonable rates. T: 0401 590 875 WORKSHOP: Stress management, personal development and learning difficulties: Brain Gyman introductory workshop. Movements to ‘switch on’ the brain.

T/fax: 08 8768 2537 E: gibbons@seol.net.au

SEAFRONT HOLIDAY HOUSE: Yorke Peninsula “Oceanfront Escape” 2-storey holiday house w. pergola overlooking beach & farmland on other side. V. secluded, sleeps 9, 4 BRMs, full kitchen,

barbecue, DVD, VCR, TV, Billiard table, fish cleaning room (great fishing). Peaceful and relaxing, great beach for kids to swim and explore. Contact Brenton on: T: 0409 864 682/(08) 8387 1659 E: bjejstevens@bigpond.com

CEDUNA BEACH HOUSE: Self-cont, beachfront, BBQ, DVD, LCD TV, R/C aircon, Sleeps 6.

Corporate rates AEU members.

Main street and jetty 5 min walk.

Available all year round for short or long term stays.

Ceduna Visitor Info Centre: T: 1800 639 413 & 08 8625 2780

GO SCUBA DIVING WITH ELITE DIVE ACADEMY: Are you a diver, but haven’t been in the water for a while?! Get $50 off a PADI Tune-Up program to refresh your skills. Contact: T: (Steve) 0413 134 827 E: info@elitediveacademy.com.au W: www.elitediveacademy.com.au CIVIL CELEBRANT: Dr Tom Haig weddings, renewal of vows, commitment ceremonies, funerals and baby namings. First class personalised services with AEU members receiving a 10% discount on services upon request.

T: 85311726 or 0439 687 529 E: tomhaig@internode.on.net W: www.tomhaig.com.au

FOR SALE: Certified organic cosmetics & personal products. www.bodytune.mionegroup.com CAMERON CAMPER TRAILER FOR SALE: Sits on 6’ by 4’ trailer with electric brakes and water tank. Opens out to create a 17’ by 7’ space. A full annexe is also included. Good cond. $3,200 T: 85324559 or 0407324559

HOUSE SITTING: Professional couple seeking house sit in Adelaide and environs, from late July to late October 2010.

Non-smokers and house proud.

Have wide experience in home renovations, domestic repairs and gardening. Good with animals and understand the need to leave any house sit in at least as good condition as found.

Contact Chris & Eleanor Oyston T: 02 6236 3008 E: oystons@iinet.net.au

Advertise in Members’ Market for FREE! Rent, sell, buy or offer goods and services. Send ads to:

journal@aeusa.asn.au