But this is controversial. Many teachers argue that,as kids are so different,there is no one-size-fits-all approach;textbooks are widely frowned upon. They also say that the idea of supplied resources impinges on their professional freedom;it’s like being told how to teach.
“Of the 5000 teachers we surveyed last year,92 per cent said they don’t have enough time to prepare for effective classroom teaching.”
Jordana Hunter,Grattan Institute education program director
Jensen said that view was held by a vocal minority. The resources would not be compulsory,and many teachers are crying out for advice. “They’re confused about what to do,and they have to work it out in a timeframe that makes it difficult to make good decisions,” he said. “[The issue] is not controversial outside Australia,” said Jensen. “It’s got mixed up with the autonomy debate.”
Jordana Hunter,the education program director at the Grattan Institute,a think tank,has also called for greater investment in high-quality curriculum resources to help teachers who are floundering under unsustainable workloads.
“Of the 5000 teachers we surveyed last year,92 per cent said they don’t have enough time to prepare for effective classroom teaching and 86 per cent said they didn’t have enough time to plan high-quality lessons,” she said.
“Videos of high-quality lessons would be particularly helpful for new teachers,and those teaching a subject in which they do not have qualifications. Planning lessons on your own is incredibly complex and time-consuming.”
Crippling workloads are a key flashpoint in an industrial relations battle between teachers and the government in NSW. Teachers went on strike on Wednesday,calling for a pay rise and two extra hours of planning time a week.
Some teachers have taken matters into their own hands. During the pandemic,the head of staffing at Ballarat Clarendon College,Reid Smith,watched as British teachers – conscious of the huge variety of remote learning – developed a platform onto which they could download quality-assured videos and resources.
The Oak National Academy attracted support from a charity,and then from the British government. The resources have been viewed more than 150 million times.
Smith and a colleague decided to launch something similar in Australia. It’s called OCHRE,and has pilot funding from the Australian Education Research Organisation,as well as sponsorship from tech company Atlassian.
Smith has no intention of forcing anything onto teachers. They can choose to use bits and pieces,or nothing at all. “But if you’re starting to teach,you don’t have a social or professional network,or if you don’t have the expertise others have access to … we’re trying to provide that sharing,” he said.
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“The element that’s different from Twinkl[an online resource marketplace],or Teachers Pay Teachers,is that it’s checked.”
Hunter said families and teachers would have benefited from Ochre’s resources during the pandemic.
“Investing in a comprehensive bank of high-quality lesson videos across key learning areas is one of the most straightforward things governments can do to build the resilience of our education system to withstand future disruptions,” she said.
Matt Garrett,a primary school teacher at Northholm Grammar in Sydney,uses the OCHRE resources. “I think all teachers appreciate resources that assist them,” he said. “The more tools we’re given to help our job,the better we can help build our children up.”
A spokeswoman for the Australian Curriculum,Assessment and Reporting Authority,which manages the national curriculum,said states and territories were responsible for the document’s implementation in their schools.
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Resources available to teachers included videos of effective teaching practices.
“There are also work samples,which are examples of student work that provide assessment guidance to teachers,connections to the curriculum,teaching and learning tools,as well as links to reports and relevant research available on our website. Over time ACARA will be updating these resources to support the new curriculum.”
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