Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher

[worbod]

Does anybody have a good grasp of the 54/11 option? Do you have to be 54 years and 11 months exactly in order to be able to resign, or can you simply be 54 but not 55?
Say if a teacher resigned under the 54/11 option in 2010 and their birthday was in June. Were they born in 1955 or 1956? If they had been born in 1955 they would obviously turn 55 in 2010 and would have to resign before June, I imagine.
If they were born in 1956 they would turn 54 in 2010 but would not be 54 years and 11 months until May of 2011. Would this hypothetical teacher who was born in 1956 therefore have to wait until 2011 to resign or could they still have resigned under 54/11 during 2010?

 

[Jack Richards]

Haven't heard of that. All I know is with the new age to be getting the pension increasing, and my age bracket most likely not getting said pension, I'll be teaching into my 70s I reckon.

Although most likely my body or mind wont hold up as I see many older teachers retiring at about 65.

 

[raskolnikov]

Haven't heard of that. All I know is with the new age to be getting the pension increasing, and my age bracket most likely not getting said pension, I'll be teaching into my 70s I reckon.

Although most likely my body or mind wont hold up as I see many older teachers retiring at about 65.

You can assess your super at 60. Which is when I'm getting out. No way I'm teaching past 60.

 

[Jack Richards]

You can assess your super at 60. Which is when I'm getting out. No way I'm teaching past 60.

I have another 25-30years max left in me. Way less if I have to do special ed.

How they expect teachers to teach into their 60s is beyond me. Even as a CRT.

 

[Forward Press]

It's draining and exhausting at times, but I can see myself doing this until my 60s. I love it too much at the moment...

I have another 25-30years max left in me. Way less if I have to do special ed.

How they expect teachers to teach into their 60s is beyond me. Even as a CRT.

Quick question - what's a CRT? Apologies if mentioned before.

 

[Jack Richards]

It's draining and exhausting at times, but I can see myself doing this until my 60s. I love it too much at the moment...



Quick question - what's a CRT? Apologies if mentioned before.

CRT is a relief/Sub teacher.

 

[Gibbke]

How they expect teachers to teach into their 60s is beyond me. Even as a CRT.

My ex-wife ensured I'd be doing that..

 

[Jack Richards]

My ex-wife ensured I'd be doing that..

My wife is already planning that.

 

[bUCKET__]

Wife's a teacher too, we had bets on who'd bring covid home first. Turns out it was our 8 yr old today.

And she STILL expects me to teach til I'm 60, ****s sake.

 

[Roylion]

How they expect teachers to teach into their 60s is beyond me. Even as a CRT.

I'll certainly be doing that.

 

[Breustiful]

Safe to say I was feeling burnt out at the end of last year. Student, community and staff apathy almost did me in. So on a whim I decided to apply for an on-going position at a closer school and managed to nab it. Was hard to leave my old workplace, loved it there but felt stagnant at times.

No more driving on the EastLink and now at a school where kids value education (secondary). Haven't used one behaviour management strategy yet, more marking and resource creating though.

Suggest you do it if you find yourself in a rut.

 

[Forward Press]

Safe to say I was feeling burnt out at the end of last year. Student, community and staff apathy almost did me in. So on a whim I decided to apply for an on-going position at a closer school and managed to nab it. Was hard to leave my old workplace, loved it there but felt stagnant at times.

No more driving on the EastLink and now at a school where kids value education (secondary). Haven't used one behaviour management strategy yet, more marking and resource creating though.

Suggest you do it if you find yourself in a rut.

It makes an amazing amount of difference - I actually like going into work now when I don't have to worry about what piece of furniture will get vandalised next.

Workload is higher, but it's more rewarding.

 

[Jack Richards]

Safe to say I was feeling burnt out at the end of last year. Student, community and staff apathy almost did me in. So on a whim I decided to apply for an on-going position at a closer school and managed to nab it. Was hard to leave my old workplace, loved it there but felt stagnant at times.

No more driving on the EastLink and now at a school where kids value education (secondary). Haven't used one behaviour management strategy yet, more marking and resource creating though.

Suggest you do it if you find yourself in a rut.

I'm in that position (took a year contract) after being burnt out 2 years in at Special Ed. Been teaching for 10 years. I'm ongoing at the special ed school.

No way am I wanting to go back if the spot isn't made ongoing.

All my mates have left the school I was at.

 

[JD234]

Anyone here completed their TAE? (Needed to teach VET subjects) The new course and requirements to complete it are laughable considering we already have a teaching degree.
It was a 5 day course where the instructor read word for word from a word document. The assessments and matrix reports that need to be completed are just as bad. Sorry, just needed to vent!!

 

[raskolnikov]

I'm struggling big time at the moment. Half our staff are away with covid putting a big burden on us who are still working. 3 out of 4 periods today I had to take merged classes. It is just sucking me of all my energy and motivation, especially when I feel that there is a lot of disparity in who is getting all the merged classes.

 

[gordo2016]

I'm struggling big time at the moment. Half our staff are away with covid putting a big burden on us who are still working. 3 out of 4 periods today I had to take merged classes. It is just sucking me of all my energy and motivation, especially when I feel that there is a lot of disparity in who is getting all the merged classes.

Same here. I am cooked dealing with behavioural issues from kids I hardly know. Trying to stay positive and soldier on for a few more days until I get a break from it all.

 

[Hamez]

A few contacts at different schools are struggling with staff shortages due to covid/illness. No CRTs resulting in a lot of merged or cancelled classes.

 

[Jack Richards]

A few contacts at different schools are struggling with staff shortages due to covid/illness. No CRTs resulting in a lot of merged or cancelled classes.

My class was split everyday when I got covid. 5 days of no work being done that I set (primary teacher). Even after telling my colleagues to chuck them on Google Classroom as I put my work up there for each student.

 

[Jack Richards]

So the VGSA for Vic teachers went through and passed with a 61% vote for the agreement.

4 years living under the inflation rate to come with a grim forecast that inflation will reach 9% within the next year. Teachers to get 2% a year plus an initial structural change of about 1% in the first year.

Camps and excursion to either be axed or cost parents more as Time In Lieu kicks in for teachers. Teachers also get 1 hour extra non face to face teaching. Won't impact me as my school already does 4 hours of time release.

 

[pepsi]

It's a poor agreement that was pushed hard by the AEU. It's a very good agreement for principal class and a good one for ES staff. Not for teachers however.

 

[Jack Richards]

It's a poor agreement that was pushed hard by the AEU. It's a very good agreement for principal class and a good one for ES staff. Not for teachers however.

No doubt. Our Prin was against the agreement too. He said we teachers and ES deserve more money.

I spoke to the AEU deputy president explained how we are getting less than the inflation. He basically shrugged it off and said all gov departments aren't getting more than 2-2.5% pay increase and that AEU members wanted to focus on workload.

Pretty sure we didn't want to impact kids camps and excursions and be under the cpi increase.

 

[Deliverance]

No doubt. Our Prin was against the agreement too. He said we teachers and ES deserve more money.

I spoke to the AEU deputy president explained how we are getting less than the inflation. He basically shrugged it off and said all gov departments aren't getting more than 2-2.5% pay increase and that AEU members wanted to focus on workload.

Pretty sure we didn't want to impact kids camps and excursions and be under the cpi increase.

Govt departments are under pressure after two years of lockdowns and handouts. Mine had job cuts left right and centre. Count yourself lucky I reckon. They can't cut teachers.

 

[Suspense]

Teachers speak out about 'atrocious' staff shortages crippling many NSW public schools

On a day where Grant's regional school is short a dozen teachers — most sick with COVID — he shows me to a classroom, where a year 12 English class sits discussing their weekends. Laptops are hurriedly opened as Principal Grant sticks his head in the door.

"You guys got a teacher today?" asks Grant. "No, we never have teachers," a student shoots back.

Grant explains that senior students are among the first to be put under minimal supervision, because they can be safely left unsupervised where younger children can't.

As he leaves the room, Grant reflects that he taught the student who yelled out in year 8.

"A lovely kid and you can just see that she's disengaged in those lessons," he says.

"It was like, 'No, we haven't even got a teacher, no one cares about us'. That kind of attitude, which isn't fair, because we do care. Just wish we could do more."

Grant says that only around five to 10 per cent of students are highly motivated enough to do self-directed study.

Cohen is in year 11 at Grant's school, and hopes to study radiology or physiotherapy after graduating.

Some weeks, Cohen says some weeks he'll have a couple of days in a row where he has multiple periods without a teacher.

His description of minimal supervision classes sounds like a kind of glorified babysitting, where a teacher explains the work the class is expected to do, then leaves.

"You don't really have anyone to ask [questions], so you pull out your phone to search it up. Then once you get on your phone, you open up your Instagram," says Cohen.

"You get a bit carried away, because there's no teacher there."

Cohen says his classmates sometimes stream American basketball games online while the teacher's away. Then, when the teacher returns five minutes before the end of lesson to ask where their work is, they haven't done it.

He says he blames himself for his lack of motivation. The missed classes are starting to affect his performance, he says, so his mother is now trying to fill in the gaps at home.

"We had a test a couple of weeks back… and I'm normally pretty good at maths, but I had no idea what was going on."

Down the corridor from the year 12 minimal supervision classes, one of Grant's deputies, Rick works quietly in his office.

He is trying to hold back his anger towards the department, but it overcomes him.

"In all my [35] years of teaching, I've never seen anything as bad as this. It's starting to really affect the welfare of everyone within the school."

Rick sees the system failing his students — 20 per cent of whom are Aboriginal — and that enrages him.

"Ten times a week [kids are] sitting by themselves… and then we get hammered for our HSC results and you think, 'Piss off, dickheads'."

Both Rick and Grant are explicit when asked whom they blame for the current malaise: "F**kwits," Rick says.

 

[Jack Richards]

We just can't get staff.

We have had 2 classroom jobs up but Just can't get applicants that are suitable. Last time we advertised them, we had 2 applicants.

Throw on top the amount of absences we have had (Friday we had 5 away) it's been a headache. We just are splitting classes. If kids have specialist it's a case of "Split them during your planning time or go on the pay back register". I'm owed about 4 hours so far this term but can't see it being paid back as there is no CRTs to get in.

I reckon now is the time to drop your resume into schools to work privately if you are considering CRT'ing. You could be charging $500+ a day.

You will get schools pay it they are that desperate.

 

[bUCKET__]

Good bit of journalism to get coalface perspectives

The teachers are not alright - ABC listen

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged schools across the country like never before, but it's also shone a light on existing issues within the profession such as a chronic shortage of specialised teachers and growing workload stress. Reporter Mayeta Clark follows teachers in public schools in...

www.abc.net.au