Between May and July 2017, one in five teachers considered leaving the profession. Why? Because of continuing high levels of on the job stress, and problems associated with work-life balance. And almost half of the teachers surveyed said they felt…
Parents of children who attend Victorian public schools are being treated as worthless. The State Labor Government has introduced laws giving schools the power to silence parents and remove their rights. Concerns over the Safe Schools and Doctors in Schools…
Australian schools have been rocked by yet another blow. 2017 NAPLAN test results reveal poor performance across the nation. Early indications from the data are that students’ writing skills have gone backwards over the last 6 years. No surprises here.…
‘Backwards by default’ is the most appropriate way to describe the Senate’s decision, on 23rd June 2017, to pass the Gonski 2.0 $23.5 billion funding model for Australian schools. It’s the extreme height of political pragmatism with regard to the…
Less than four weeks into the school year and Australian public school teachers are preparing to strike over an apparently crushing workload. The new Enterprise Agreement, sought by the Australian Education Union (Victorian Branch), is driven by negotiations perceived to…
Australian education is in dire need of overhaul. If you need evidence, look at the 2015 exam results recently released by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The PISA exam, which is administered every three years, measures 15 year-old…
Sexuality education happens in schools. It might be in the intended curriculum – via an open and transparent agreed-upon set of content and standards. It might be in the hidden curriculum, with its opinions, values, attitudes, and approaches that might or…
Public schools are valuable assets. Most occupy prime real estate in central locations – ensuring ready access to students who live within reasonable proximity. Public schools are often seen as the heartbeat of their community. The local Church and the…
Schools face problems. The view that money – or more of it – is the universal solution creates a lot of confusion. The Gonski school funding model hasn’t disappointed in that regard. It has become less about an appreciation of…
Among the successful educational leaders with whom I work, there is one core group driven by compassion. They see their calling – to ensure all students are given every possible opportunity during their school life – as having few boundaries.…