Today, state and federal education ministers will meet in Canberra to discuss the teacher shortage. In their first in-person meeting for more than a year, they will also speak to principals, teachers and education experts about the crisis. Not only do we need more people to take up teaching as a career, experienced teachers are leaving the […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Australia’s teacher shortage won’t be solved until we treat teaching as a profession, not a trade
‘It hurt my heart and my wallet’: the unnecessary test stressing teachers before they even make it to the classroom
There is no shortage of articles about how teachers are stressed, due to their complex jobs and high workloads. But what is happening before they make it to the classroom? There are lots of reasons why Australia has a teacher shortage and my new research sheds light on one deterrent that is not often talked about. This is the […] … learn more→
The most recent efforts to combat teacher shortages don’t address the real problems
States have recently focused their efforts to reduce the nation’s teacher shortage by promoting strategies that “remove or relax barriers to entry” to quickly bring new people into the teaching profession. California, for example, allows teacher candidates to skip basic skills and subject matter tests if they have taken approved college courses. New Mexico is replacing subject skills tests […] … learn more→
We cannot love something without knowing it: young people, science and direct experience
Imagine for a moment that it was not possible to read books. That we were only aware of them through the stories and reviews that came to us through other people. Imagine that we could only watch a football game through television. That a stadium could not be accessed to watch a match live. Even more so, that […] … learn more→
Best education apps you must try in 2022
The Internet has made education widely accessible and affordable. Today, you have the freedom to learn anything, from anywhere and at a low cost, or even for free. You only need a device, an internet connection, and the right platform. This article will inform you about the top four most comprehensive education platforms you must […] … learn more→
Australia spends $5 billion a year on teaching assistants in schools but we don’t know what they do
This Friday, state and federal education ministers will meet for the first time since the federal election. The stakes are high. Ministers meet as teacher shortages and workload pressures are dominating education headlines and severely stressing schools. We need to address teacher supply concerns and better support the teachers who are already in schools. But as our new research shows, we can’t […] … learn more→
Community and school gardens don’t magically sprout bountiful benefits
While it is widely understood that community and and school gardening have innumerable health, well-being and educational benefits, it’s important to realize these benefits don’t magically appear when gardens take root. Over the past six years, I’ve worked closely with educators, community workers, activists and community members in Tio’tia:ke/Montréal as we created, funded and sustained gardens and garden teams at schools […] … learn more→
From the teaching of literature to literary education
The teaching of literature, as we traditionally know it, began in the 19th century with mass literacy and schooling. In that context, it was a priority to transmit a series of values to students, usually related to the principles of emerging and historical nationalities. Since those beginnings, the teaching of literature has undergone drastic changes in […] … learn more→
5 of the biggest threats today’s K-12 students and educators face don’t involve guns
While many American students and their parents worry that the next mass shooting could happen at their school, schools are also facing a number of other threats that do not involve guns. Many of these threats are related to the mental health of educators and students. From 2018 to 2021, both before and during the pandemic, I spent […] … learn more→
If Australian schools want to improve student discipline, they need to address these 5 issues
NSW is in the middle of overhauling its approach to suspensions and expulsions. Under a proposed plan due to start in term 4, students can only be sent home a maximum of three times a year. This is designed to reduce the high number of sanctions against vulnerable children in public schools. But it has been met with opposition from teachers, […] … learn more→