AEU Journal August 2020 by Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

Vol 52 I No 3

Official publication of the Australian Education Union (SA Branch)

August 2020

AEUJOURNAL SA

A WIN FOR ALL u Managing

u Celebrate!

Support Staff Week of Action preview.

ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING

workload: Better outcomes for you and your students.

AEU SA

INSIDE:

W EEK

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

CELEBRATI

Springbank to stay open

P O R T S TA

RU N N I NG H E AD

AEU SA Support Staff Week 24 – 28 August 2020 SSOs | ECWs | AEWs

ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING

28.08.20

Wear it Purple Day is about showing LGBTIQ+ young people that they have the right to be proud of who they are. It is about creating safe spaces in schools, workplaces and public spaces to show LGBTIQ+ young people that they are seen and supported. How will you celebrate Wear it Purple Day 2020?

To register your event or for further information:

Australian Education Union | SA Branch For further info, tips and actions,

go to our website

8: www.aeusa.asn.au

Email your pics to: journal@aeusa.asn.au

W W W. W E A R I T P U R P L E . O R G

naidoc.org.au

NAIDOC Week 8-15 nov 2020 #NAIDOC2020 #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe

2 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

Artwork: Shape of Land by Tyrown Waigana

The Rainbow Serpent came out of the Dreamtime to create this land. It is represented by the snake and it forms the shape of Australia, which symbolises how it created our lands. The colour from the Rainbow Serpent is reflected on to the figure to display our connection to the Rainbow Serpent, thus our connection to country. The overlapping colours on the outside is the Dreamtime. The figure inside the shape of Australia is a representation of Indigenous Australians showing that this country - since the dawn of time - always was, and always will be Aboriginal land. facebook.com/NAIDOC

@naidocweek

/WEARITPURPLE

@WEARITPURPLE

CONT E NTS PRESIDENT’S VIEW

UNION TRAINING

COVER: A win for all. Springbank to stay open. See article on page 7. Photo: Tony Lewis

THE NEXT OUTBREAK

FOCUS ON REASONABLE WORKLOADS

PRESCHOOLS AND THE AEU

The threat of COVID-19 is not over. Schools need a better plan.

Australian Education Union [SA Branch] 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 Telephone: 8172 6300 Facsimile: 8172 6390 Email: journal@aeusa.asn.au Editor: Jonathan Goodfield Graphic Designer: Jo Frost

Doing everything for everyone doesn’t help us or our students.

COMPLEXITY DOLLARS

GREAT WORK IN ABORIGINAL EDUCATION

Who decides how it is used and what can you spend it on?

Early childhood learning at Port Augusta is a community affair.

07 SPRINGBANK SAVED

AEU Journal is published once per term by the South Australian Branch of the Australian Education Union.

Months of uncertainty for students, parents and staff are over.

Deadline Dates

Publication Dates

#4 September 25

October 14

Subscriptions: Free for AEU members. Non-members may subscribe for $33 per year. Print Post approved PP 100000753 Print: ISSN 1440-2971 Digital: ISSN 2207-9092 Printing: Lane Print

INTRODUCING MEMBER SERVICES

AEU(SA) acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of the nation and the traditional custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

The team on the front line of member assistance.

09 Appreciation for the work of AEU members and staff in 2020.

10 SUPPORT STAFF WEEK OF ACTION

www.aeusa.asn.au

Talking with Director and Branch Executive member, David Coulter.

A preview of Week 6’s celebration of these vital staff.

14 PUBLIC EDUCATION BY NUMBERS Do we need a broader view of school’s purpose?

16 TERM 3 TRAINING, MOSTLY ONLINE Upcoming union training and professional learning.

18 OVERCOMING GENDER STEREOTYPES Gender blindness when raising kids is harder than you think.

19 TEN THOUSAND THANK YOUS Members rise to the defence of the Teachers Registration Board. AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 3

COVID perpetuated the notion that students/ children were ‘asymptomatic’ and unlikely to spread the virus. Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy confirmed the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee guidelines which insisted there was no need for social distancing in classrooms, citing a report based on an examination the spread of 18 coronavirus cases (nine students and nine staff) from 15 schools. When the report was released it had not been peer reviewed.

Be prepared for the next outbreak AEU Campaign Director Andrew Gohl looks at the COVID-19 response so far, and argues schools need to plan again for new cases. At the time of writing, Victoria has just surpassed 300 new cases in a day and New South Wales is struggling to control an outbreak emanating from a hotel. Worryingly, many of the new community-spread cases are untraceable. Meanwhile a cluster of 147 cases at Al-Taqwa College in Victoria has included 76 students, 28 staff and 16 close contacts, with 27 remaining under investigation. So far, South Australians have been lucky by comparison, with one new case and four deaths in total. There are a few reasons for this – a prompt response from the State Government, a compliant population, a lower population density, and most cases linked to traceable overseas travellers. We accept that even for our medical experts, and for state and federal governments, the response to COVID-19 has been policy on the run, as we continue to learn more about the way the virus is transmitted and the varying 4 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

“It is evident that schools and preschools are not magically immune from COVID-19.” effects upon humans. However what has become apparent is the tension between prioritising the health of people versus prioritising the health of the economy. We’ve seen the horrific effects in the USA when people aren’t put first. The Prime Minister and Premiers stood side by side with their respective Chief Medical Officers as they described the evolving situation and national and state responses. It became obvious that our political leaders were using medical officers to deliver a mixture of medical and political messages about the management of the virus. One virus, many varied political responses based on medical advice. Political leaders and the media

On the basis of this report the Prime Minster argued that schools should remain open to allow for essential workers to stay working, and that everyone was an essential worker. Politicians and medicos were slow to acknowledge that schools are staffed by vulnerable adults. Many precariously employed members lost pay and the Government had to be dragged kicking and screaming by the AEU to address these losses. Some members are still suffering financially. In addition, schools relying upon funding from educating migrant students have an unclear future. Having spent the last week of Term 1 and all holidays preparing for online delivery South Australian educators were compelled back to the workplace exhausted and fearful in Term 2. Members were fully aware that while playgrounds remained closed, classrooms were open. If playgrounds were a risk then a class of 29-plus in an enclosed space were doubly so. The lived experience of educators in learning spaces and yards was that students were not socially distancing and that the capacity of the system to provide the necessary hand sanitisers and cleaning regimes was limited, despite the Minister’s assurances. It is evident that schools and preschools are not magically immune from COVID-19. Despite the rhetoric, our borders are not totally closed and there are still overseas and interstate travellers entering South Australia. The most recent case is an overseas traveller arriving from Victoria. We must plan again for new cases in our schools, and for the strong likelihood that some will be untraceable. The AEU will seek further meetings with the Minister to ensure a planned, logical and safer response for members. n

PRESIDENT’S VIEW

Focus on reasonable workloads

f cus on teaching and learning

Your wellbeing and the learning environment of your students are inexorably linked to your workload, and it should be addressed at all levels, according to Branch President Lara Golding. “We simply cannot do everything for everyone without impacting on our own wellbeing or the quality of our teaching.”

s important as it is, your work does not need to consume every waking (or sleeping) moment. In fact, it is important to your wellbeing and the quality of your interactions with your students and children that it does not. While we are all professionals and we will always work hard, our workload should never be excessive or unreasonable. We all know that we are best in the classroom or on the preschool floor when we are well-rested and able to properly focus on our students and children. Being a professional means making informed judgements about what aspects of your work are necessary or valuable, and what aspects are not. To properly tackle workload, we need to address it systemically, locally and individually. As a union, we will continue to strive towards reducing workloads for all our members. We won $15 million for complexity in our schools and a cap on teaching time for preschool teachers in the last round of enterprise bargaining for schools. These are small gains in the

system, but undoubtedly steps in the right direction. The fight is by no means over. AEU members will continue to lobby state and federal governments for additional funding and systemic workload reductions for schools, preschools and TAFE. As part of AEU’s Focus on Teaching and Learning, AEU members are acting collectively with their sub-branches to make a big difference to their workloads. Sub-branches across the State have been highly successful at improving their workloads through focussing on teaching and learning. For example, some schools have made significant changes to their local reporting requirements by working collaboratively with each other, the PAC and their principal. It is undeniable that the way that we report to parents and caregivers has changed significantly over the last few decades. Gone are the days of the single telephone in the front office and gone are the days of the handwritten reports passed from teacher to teacher. We are now communicating with our families in a huge variety of ways at many times of day, week and year: emails, round table assessments, traffic lights, three way interviews and the many online platforms. It’s great that we can connect with the families of our children and students in new ways but we cannot allow reporting to become more important than teaching.

Following the huge upheaval in the system and the cessation of most extracurricular activities due to COVID-19, now is a good time to collectively review what you are doing in your own time. Sub-branches are encouraged to discuss what you and your school community really value, and what has the most impact on your students and children. Have a professional conversation about what aspects of your work are meaningful for your students or children, and what aspects have minimal impact. We all recognise that some afterhours activities, such as parent-teacher interviews are useful, but others have less educational value. Prioritise and limit out-of-hours activities, and work with your PAC and principal to establish a calendar of events for the year that is reasonable. New initiatives should only be introduced when time is allocated or other work is removed. We simply cannot do everything for everyone without impacting on our own wellbeing or the quality of our teaching. While the strongest action on workload is collective, you can also take steps to address your own workload. It’s ok to set limits to your working day so that you are at your best with your students or children. All employees have a right to reasonable workloads and if yours is not reasonable, discuss workloads with your sub-branch or you can lodge a workload grievance by writing to your PAC, preschool work group, Education Director or Education Manager. If we support each other and act collectively we can make a difference to our work and public education in this State. This is what being in our union is all about. n In unity Lara AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 5

CO M PLE X ITY

How far does your complexity dollar go? Branch Vice President Dash Taylor Johnson reflects on what Complexity funding really means for schools.

census data, One Plan eligibility criteria (students with a verified disability, Aboriginal students or students who are in the care of the Minister) are key determinants in arriving at the final figure. Overall, 15 schools will receive over $100,000 while 5 will receive the minimum of $2720 and another 107 less than $10,000; an average per school is just under $30,000.

So what can you spend it on? The key purpose is managing workload. What will make a difference? Extra staff? Release time? Collegial planning? Can you afford a fraction of time appointment – 0.2 is a day a week contract? How many TRT days does this equate to? How many SSO hours can be considered? What will will you do with the resource you invest in? What difference to workload will this make?

iStockphoto

Member action during the enterprise bargaining last year resulted in a $15 million additional investment per annum for schools for ‘Complexity’. (Preschools and TAFE were not included.) Who gets it? How much? Who decides how it is used and what can you spend it on? Manifested in the Exchange of Letters, the companion piece to the 2020 Enterprise Agreement, on page 3 we read that this resource is: “to be deployed at the site level to assist teachers in managing their workload relating to complexity.” It goes on to provide more guidance: “How funds will be used will be determined after consultation with the PAC, who must take into account how the funds allocated to their school can be used most effectively.” Consultation means that you, as a member of the sub-branch, get to be 6 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

Complexity (noun): The state or quality of being intricate or complicated. part of the conversation, just as you also do as a member of staff. Your elected representatives on the PAC should consult with you and present the members’ views as democratically established. That’s their job.

$15 million sounds like a lot, but how far does it go? Late in Term 2, each school was informed of the amount allocated for 2020, with half of it available now. The funding per school varies from $2720 to $158,914 calculated through a formula that considers total student enrolment and complexity thresholds of 5% and 10% of this total. Using the Term 3

In planning extra staffing you need to know the standard salary rates for employing teachers and support staff. These can be found in your school resource entitlement statement (RES). In particular in Appendix One of the 2020 RES Notes (updated June 2020) at: http://bit.ly/resnotes2020. From this table, you can see, for example, a full-time teacher will cost $112,259 a year, a Coordinator 1 – $123,053, and an SSO 1 – $64,422. TRTs are $542 a day. The rates are fixed for the rest of 2020 and include leave loading, superannuation, payroll tax, workers compensation and long service leave on-costs. The reason for “standard rates” is to ensure that there is no incentive for schools to employ less experienced/less costly staff. This complexity funding will also apply in 2021 and 2022, so what you learn for the rest of this year will inform future management of this resource. The AEU will be collecting case studies to share member experiences and the impacts on workload as a result. Be part of the consultation; be part of making a difference; be union! n

SCHOOL R EVI EW

1Members from Springbank Secondary College AEU sub-branch include (from left) Karen Jones, Amelia Pickard, Leah Markey, Katie Liebrecht, Anna-Maria Zupancic, Wendy House (Principal), David Rogers (Sub-branch Secretary), Wendy Lowes, Linda Thurlow and Gary Rosser. Photo: Tony Lewis.

Springbank saved Months of uncertainty for students, parents and staff are over with the announcement on 2 July that Springbank Secondary College will remain open. Principal Wendy House reports.

n March 5 this year the Minister for Education John Gardner announced a review of Springbank Secondary College with the view to closing the school at the end of the year. I was informed that the school was too small and that a majority of students in our zone were choosing Unley High School. Publicly there were incorrect claims that our enrolments were declining. This is the second round of processes aiming to close the school. In October 2015 the school (then Pasadena High School) agreed to explore a merger with Unley High School. In late 2016 (after a challenging community consultation) parents voted not to merge with Unley. Later that year, the Labor Government committed to keep the school open and invest $10 million in refurbishments. A business plan was developed with Department for Education (DfE) support, and implementation of that plan commenced in 2018. A partnership with

Flinders University and the Australian Science and Mathematics School was established to create a STEAM focussed school. A basketball academy was embedded within the business plan. By the end of 2019, almost all of the milestones of the business plan were met. The school’s enrolments have increased every year since 2017 and it is in a strong financial situation. In February 2019 the school was rebadged as Springbank Secondary College with a new vision and mission to create a small-by-design, inclusive school (incorporating the basketball academy). The announcement of the Ministerial Review was a shock to the whole school community, and the media shared the announcement with unsuspecting parents arriving on March 5 in the morning to drop off their young people. This review process is described in legislation. A review panel of education and community members was convened, including AEU nominee Jan Murphy and

“The challenge for staff, students and families was to continue the amazing redevelopment work, while fighting for the school to remain open... all through a global pandemic.” Ministerial and DfE Chief Executive appointed panel members. A call for submissions was promoted across the community. Friends of Springbank Secondary College rallied to push for written support to retain the college through submissions to the panel and letters direct to the Minister. As the COVID-19 pandemic developed, the school’s Governing Council and continued over page 3 AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 7

SCHOOL R EVI EW

AE U M E M B E R S E RVICE S

Springbank continued...

Introducing the AEU Member Services

organisations such as the AEU and Mitcham Council pushed for the review to be abandoned. But that was not to be. The challenge for staff, students and families was to continue the amazing redevelopment work and focus on improving outcomes for all young people through interdisciplinary and inclusive education practices, while fighting for the school to remain open... all through a global pandemic. We knew some students were even more at risk if this school closed. Extraordinary efforts of staff continued throughout the review process to ensure that the students’ wellbeing and successes were paramount. Throughout the four-month process of submissions and review, staff witnessed the impact of the stresses upon the students while working in a bubble of uncertainty about their own work futures. Letters, videos and submissions of support from parents, grandparents and community members helped sustain the teachers, SSOs and leaders through this anxious time. The review panel had a significant responsibility concerning the future of 200 students and almost 50 staff. The confidentiality required added challenge for members the review team (including myself and the school’s Governing Council chairperson). Once the panel had concluded and recommendations were formally made to the Minister, it was up to him under current legislation to make the final decision regarding the future of Springbank. It was not looking promising. In the midst of a critical incident on Thursday 2 July, the principal received a call from the Minister announcing his decision to keep the school open and to establish a statewide enrolment zone for Springbank, giving the school’s former zone to Unley High School. A fabulous outcome after a distressing and challenging four months. The AEU was present and supporting from day one of this review process. AEU support throughout this process for individual members, for the staff generally and for the school as an important public education entity, was truly valued and important. Thank you to the AEU Executive, committees and leaders for your support! n 8 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

Member Services was created as part of the implementation of the Branch restructure this year and provides assistance to members with issues arising from their employment. Information and Advice The AEU Information Unit provides expert advice on employment conditions exclusively to AEU members. Our team, including highly skilled Information Officers, regularly answers questions from TAFE, schools, preschools, and Central and District Offices. We address concerns covering all classifications. This includes answers to questions on pay, leave, general working conditions, country incentives, under- and over-payments, work health safety, workers compensation, workplace grievances, PAC matters, performance development, PAC, legal matters, Step 9 and enterprise agreement implementation. The AEU Information Unit is staffed for phone calls from 8.15am to 5.00pm on Mondays, and 10.30am to 5.00pm, Tuesday to Friday. For information and advice call or email (details below).

Member Assistance The AEU has a team of Industrial Organisers who provide organising and industrial assistance to members who require more extensive assistance. For example this might include

advice and support on workplace grievances, industrial disputes and performance management. Referral is via a request for assistance by telephone or email to the Information Unit. Assistance is only provided to those who were financial AEU members at the time the concern occurred.

Workers Compensation If you are injured at work the AEU is there to assist you. The union has specialist officers who can advise you on the processes around the lodging of a workers compensation claim. Through our partnership with Lieschke & Weatherill Lawyers legal support is provided to members whose claims proceed to the SA Employment Tribunal.

Legal The AEU has a Legal Officer who assists with legal and Teachers Registration Board matters. Additionally members are entitled, in accordance with the AEU’s legal defence rules, to representation in work-related criminal law cases. This is done through our partnership with Wallmans Lawyers. n

AEU INFORMATION UNIT Mondays: 8.15am – 5.00pm Tuesday to Friday: 10.30am – 5.00pm

)8172 6300

Qualified AEU Officers standing by to answer your enquiry A service for AEU members only For advice and assistance call us or email: info@aeusa.asn.au

B RA NCH S ECR E TA RY ’S R E PO RT

Rising to the challenge Working collectively and professionally, and engaging in new modes of learning and communicating, AEU members and staff have led the way, writes Branch Secretary Leah York.

“The unpredictable nature of the pandemic has shown us that we need to plan for a variety of communication and meeting modes.” hank you for being a member of the AEU, together with almost 200,000 other educators across Australia.

The high value of being a union member in these challenging and unpredictable times is undeniable. Educators have worked above and beyond the usual high workload and work complexity during the pandemic, especially as many South Australian communities had also experienced the tragic effects of bushfires. As uncertainty threatens to continue for some time, as evidenced in Victoria and overseas, members are strengthened by the collective of our union.

Members in many sites have reported that staff are working more collectively in supporting one another, problem solving and being pro-active in planning for the implementation of the School and Preschool Education Staff Enterprise Agreement 2020. This is a great opportunity to continue working collectively to focus on teaching and learning – to focus on what we professionally judge to improve our teaching and our students’ learning outcomes whilst limiting the administrative ‘add-ons’ that make our workload excessive and unsustainable. Collectivism is a powerful force in the consultative process that is your right as an employee. The PAC clause in the Enterprise Agreement states: “Consultation involves the sharing of

information and the exchange of views between the Department and the employees and genuine opportunity for employees to contribute effectively to the decision making process and a bona fide opportunity to influence the decision making.” Preschools and TAFE operate under similar principles, so demand your right to participate and support your colleagues to do the same. Perhaps this can be seen as a positive that has come from the COVID-19 crisis. I’m proud of the way AEU members and staff have led the way with such professionalism in the public education sector, despite the lack of respect many political figures and bureaucrats have shown us. In the first half of 2020, in the face of uncertainty the AEU’s Information Unit has responded to almost 3000 queries from members, and assisted numerous members with complex issues that have never been navigated before. (Please check out the expertise of our Information Unit team as outlined left on page 8). We have also welcomed the involvement of many members using new modes of communication. It has been pleasing to see the enthusiastic response to our online meetings, workshops and information sessions. Over 3500 AEU members have participated in union education and training opportunities so far this year. Your engagement has

provided us with an opportunity to further explore the best ways we consult with you in the future. Whilst we are now visiting sites and holding limited face-to-face meetings, the unpredictable nature of the pandemic has shown us that we need to plan for a variety of communication and meeting modes, including for Area meetings and Branch Council. Campaign Organisers have kept in contact with sub-branch secretaries, AEU reps, workplace organising committees and members using Zoom, teleconferencing and various modes of social distancing. In doing so, we have welcomed the involvement of a number of members who do not usually attend AEU meetings or training. We are upgrading our technology to meet these challenges in a more effective and efficient way. On the whole, our shift to new modes of communicating and meeting with members has been well received – and we have appreciated your patience, particularly during those peak times when we have had an understandable influx of requests for information or assistance. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all AEU staff for their willingness and enthusiasm to embrace different ways of working with AEU members and to ensure our organisation could operate in the event of a total lockdown. n If you have any queries or comments please email me at:

8: leah.york@aeusa.asn.au AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 9

S UPPO RT STAF F W E E K 2020

Time to celebrate support staff The AEU Support Staff Week of Action in Week 6, 24–28 August, is a week to thank staff undertaking these vital roles in our schools and preschools, writes Jan Murphy, Branch Vice President.

AEU SA Support Staff Week 24 – 28 August 2020 SSOs | ECWs | AEWs

The theme for the 2020 Support Staff Week is ‘Support Staff – Essential for Learning’, which acknowledges School Services Officers (SSOs), Early Childhood Workers (ECWs) and Aboriginal Education Workers (AEWs). We know that sites could not function without you and everything you do helps support young people to achieve their potential. It’s a week when we celebrate, but it’s also a week when we take action to improve the working lives of our support staff colleagues. ‘One Staff – One Union’ is more than just a slogan – it’s the way members at a site should operate to ensure all members are heard and all members work together to achieve the best outcomes. Member actions will vary, depending on where your sub-branch or member group is at in your activism and support for SSOs, ECWs and AEWs. It’s all about taking the next step in increasing membership, ensuring consultation and building union power at your site.

ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING

Make sure support staff members are represented Ensuring you have a member as non-teaching rep on the PAC and having an SSO contact person who attends your workplace organising committee or sub-branch meetings to make sure SSO matters are on the agenda might be your next step. If you’re an SSO, ECW or AEW, find out who your reps and other members are and how you can engage with the sub-branch or member group and get support staff matters on the agenda. continued over page 3

1 0 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

*SAVE THE DATE

24 – 28 August 2020 ESSENTIAL FOR LEARNING

Make the new entitlements happen

s well as outcomes that benefitted all members, there are several key wins for support staff in the 2020 Enterprise Agreement. Your action in Support Staff Week might focus on ensuring that they are implemented. Winning entitlements is one step; working with your member colleagues to make them happen comes next.

Additional PSP funding to continue The additional $1 million per year won by members for the Preschool Support Program (PSP) will continue. Preschools are now informed of their full year’s base allocation of PSP funding at the start of the year. ECWs employed with this funding should be on nothing less than full year contracts. Apart from a small number of circumstances, such short term backfill, or a position funded under the PSP for those children eligible for an individual, higher level of support, ECWs should not be employed on short term contracts. Term-by-term contracts must now be the exception, not the rule.

Conversions to permanency to continue Ancillary Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure documents clearly outline criteria for conversion to permanency for SSOs and ECWs. If you’ve been in a position for at least two years, you’re not on underperformance, you were appointed through a merit based process and your position in the school or preschool can be identified as ongoing, you can seek conversion to permanency. Permanency criteria for AEWs are outlined on page 10 of the Enterprise Agreement. Check the Agreement and policy and procedure documents for all the details or contact the AEU Information Unit for further advice. Sub-branches or member groups

should identify those who meet the criteria and endorse their conversions to the PAC or staff group. Permanency is not guaranteed but working with your member colleagues to seek conversion is a great first step.

Site-based reclassification of SSO and ECW from level 1 to 2 Principals and Preschool Directors will continue to have the delegated authority to reclassify SSOs and ECWs from level 1 to level 2. Sub-branches and member groups should endorse these reclassifications for eligible members to the PAC. A similar process for the conversion of AEWs from level 1 to 2 is also to be established.

New higher increment for SSOs, ECWs and AEWs at level 3 and above In previous agreements AEU members won an additional increment and salary step for those at level 1 and 2 with a relevant qualification. This has been extended to all ancillary members at levels 3 and above.

Review of AEW classification structure and ECW work level definition and new AEW 6 classification

vital funding. Many ICT SSOs are employed via this funding so this is an important win.

Complexity funding in schools An additional $15 million per year will be allocated to schools to assist with managing teacher workload relating to complexity. Sub-branches are developing positions to put to the PAC as to how this funding could be used. SSO and AEW members, make sure you’re part of the conversations in your sub-branch. n Appreciation and acknowledgement of your work is important, but this about more than coffee and cake. What action will you undertake to improve the working lives of your SSO, ECW and AEW member colleagues? If you need further information on ensuring these wins make a difference for you, speak with your AEU representative, raise them at your next AEU meeting, and follow up with the Information Unit on: 8172 6300 if you need more advice or support.

“Of course, coffee and cake are important too. Enjoy!”

AEU officers and members will be engaged in this important work.

TOIL for public holidays If you are not paid for public holidays but eligible to use TOIL, your relevant manager will now need to provide a reasonable opportunity for you to accrue TOIL for these days.

ICT funding continues After initially being at risk, members won the maintenance of this

ACTION For resources and actions for Support Staff Week 2020 celebrations, such as: • Certificate of Appreciation. • Information on member actions. Go to the AEU SA website at:

www.aeusa.asn.au

AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 1 1

I NT E RVI EW

you don't exceed this. There was a formula for non-contact time, lunch and so on, but it meant that some preschool teachers were working 27 to 30 hours a week face-to-face. This victory in the Enterprise Agreement aligns us more closely with our junior primary colleagues.

iStockphoto

Preschools and the AEU The AEU Journal spoke to Preschool Director David Coulter about his work and the union. benefit from our union in things like our enterprise bargaining. I tell people that there's a lot of work the AEU does in the background. We resolve many matters outside of enterprise agreements, and if we don't have membership fees to engage staff to represent us on a day-in day-out basis then as preschool teachers and ECWs we would be in a less comfortable position. To me it's a collective responsibility to support the people who support us. JOURNAL: Is being an AEU member more difficult for site leaders? David Coulter has been an early childhood teacher since 1980. He has worked in a range of communities around the State and is currently Director at Darlington Children’s Centre. He has been active on the AEU’s Early Childhood Consultative Committee “on and off” since the early ’80s, and has represented the sector on Branch Executive since 2007. JOURNAL: Why do you think preschool staff should join the AEU? DAVID: I've never needed the union because of an issue with my employment, but my ethics say we should all be working collectively because we all 1 2 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

DAVID: Personally I've always been really upfront with my line managers that I'm a member of the union, and they’ve been very respectful of that. I've never felt it was an encumbrance. JOURNAL: What do you see as the key win for preschools in the 2020 Enterprise Agreement? DAVID: I think the 24 hours a week limit for teaching face-to-face was a significant advance. Our workload protection for teachers had been the span of hours – 36.25 hours a week – and some people in Flinders Street thought you can fill up as many hours face-to-face as you like as long as

JOURNAL: If the AEU could win one change for preschools in future, what would it be? DAVID: Some additional resourcing for preschool directors is needed – and for that resourcing to be built into the staffing allocation rather being viewed as additional. In schools, a principal’s teaching and administration time is defined as part of the role and category of the school. I'd like to see something similar for preschools. JOURNAL: You are an AEU nominee on the Teachers Registration Board (TRB). What is your role there? DAVID: I started with a three-year term as a deputy member, and now am on my second term as a full Board member. We have a governance role for overseeing TRB operations, such as maintaining a register of teachers and promoting the importance of education and the role teachers have in that process. Board members also participate in a number of other structures. For example I’m a trained panellist member now for the accreditation of initial teacher education programs in South Australia. We have a role on panels for matters of teacher competence and/or inappropriate behaviour. It's important work, but I have to stress that the number of teachers who come before these hearings is very small. Board members also have consultative functions. I for example am on a group working with stakeholders across the early childhood sector to address matters such as supporting teachers moving from provisional to full registration when they work in very small sites. continued over page 3

RU N N I NG H E AD

ABO R IG I N A L FOCU S

Great work in Aboriginal Education JOURNAL: Why do you see it as important to have experienced educators on the Board? DAVID: When we are upholding the professional standing of teachers in the community, I think it's important that we have a mix of people on the Board who are practising in the field. And on matters of teacher competence you probably want someone who understands the responsibilities and needs of being a teacher in a classroom. I think the union’s position’s really strong on this – the TRB is funded entirely by registration fees, and those who are funding it should actually contribute to its management. JOURNAL: Can you tell me a little about your involvement with the de Lissa trust? DAVID: Lillian de Lissa was only 20 years old in 1905 when she was appointed as the director of the first kindergarten opened by the Kindergarten Union of SA (KUSA), and she was involved in establishing the Adelaide Kindergarten Training College for teachers in 1907. KUSA established the Fund in 1977 in her honour. It is held by the Public Trustee and provides assistance for research in the area of preschool education. I have been part of a transitional board for the Fund. The deed for that trust needed to be tidied up and modernised – the original deed was written back when the AEU was the SA Institute of Teachers. My role was to support the view that this significant amount of money continues to benefit early childhood teachers and promote early childhood education in South Australia. JOURNAL: Does it do that mainly through scholarships? DAVID: Yes. The new board will govern the Fund and develop mechanisms for others to offer scholarships for postgraduate study and research. It will be made up of representatives from the AEU, Early Childhood Australia and the University of South Australia, as well as a number of Ministerial nominees. n

1Mandy Dempsey speaking at the AEU Federal Conference in Melbourne in February this year with AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe. Photo: Anthony McKee.

AEU Lead Organiser Anne Beinke profiles the work of Port Augusta Children’s Centre, recipient of the Arthur Hamilton Award. Based at Carlton School, the Port Augusta Children’s Centre, was chosen from nominations around Australia to receive the AEU Arthur Hamilton Award for outstanding contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education. Centre leader, Mandy Dempsey, a proud Kokatha woman, accepted the award on behalf of her staff at the AEU Federal Conference in Melbourne in February this year. Mandy has worked tirelessly and sometimes against the odds to set up Aboriginal specific programs which promote attendance and engagement in early years education. Those programs include:

Way to Play, a community radio show combining entertainment with

information to promote early childhood education services to Aboriginal families. Developed with Port Augusta’s Aboriginal community, and featuring elders and community members sharing stories and singing in language, and local preschool children singing and being interviewed as well as jokes and stories, this innovative celebration of culture reaches out to families who find it difficult to connect to services.

Out and About Playgroup, a transition playgroup, which gives Aboriginal families with two-year-olds a relaxed introduction to the preschool routines and expectations. It has supported families gain a sense of belonging in preschools across Port Augusta and Quorn, and feel confident that their children can manage on their own. continued on page 15 3 AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 1 3

OPI N ION

P U B L I C E D U CAT I O N

IN SOUTH A U ST R A L I A

Public education by numbers doesn’t add up If we are going to be a world class education system, do we need to a broader view of the purpose of public schools? asks Graham Wood, AEU Campaign Organiser (Leaders Focus). The South Australian Department for Education (DfE) measures school improvement based on NAPLAN and SACE results. The message schools receive from the DfE is that they only value what can be scientifically measured. Numbers fail to represent the complex reality of life in schools, and downplay the importance of the social and democratic purposes of schooling. The DfE has created a situation that marginalises aspects of education that are not easily measured. This thinking does not align with the ‘Statement on Public Education in South Australia’ that was created to guide our work. 1 4 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

“An education system that focuses too narrowly on achievement and performance risks creating schools where discovery, understanding and wellbeing are undervalued.” Literacy and numeracy knowledge and skills are important, but the DfE’s current approach to school improvement fails to recognise that schools prepare our students for roles as citizens, and community members, as well as workers. Public schools are places where students from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences mix together, learn to appreciate and respect their differences, and develop understandings and dispositions needed to contribute to democratic life in a multicultural

society. They are places of diversity and inclusion, accepting and educating students regardless of their economic circumstances, family backgrounds, abilities, geographic location, culture or beliefs. Public schools teach students to engage with, critically understand and respect different cultures and beliefs in our society without favouring or emphasising a specific worldview or set of cultural assumptions or practices. They are a major means by which our continued over page 3

RU N N I NG H E AD

ABO R IG I N A L FOCU S CONT I N UE D...

“Education at Port Augusta Children’s Centre... is for the whole family.” society can develop young people with dispositions, values and skills to go beyond individual self-interest and contribute to the common good. These are essential capabilities for citizens in a modern democratic society. Public schools teach students to think critically and creatively, work collaboratively, act ethically and responsibly, engage productively with difference and develop a commitment to contribute to improving the communities they live in. An education system that focuses too narrowly on achievement and performance risks creating schools where discovery, understanding and wellbeing are undervalued. Successful schools improve student academic performance by connecting their students to the school through effective wellbeing programs. They teach their students to ask pertinent and productive questions, how to say “I don’t know”, and to understand that successful learning requires experimentation and making mistakes. In these schools students learn from and with one another in caring communities that value moral as well as academic learning. The current DfE logic suggests that if all schools are part of a data-informed accountability system that has the right balance between support and pressure then all schools can succeed to a high level. This is too simplistic. Social education background is a significant factor in school results. We need to stop pretending that improving our test results is all that we need to do to become a world class education system. Educators who work in schools understand that there are important skills, knowledge and dispositions students need if they are going to successfully use the democratic process to improve the lives of the people in the communities in which they live. n Read the ‘Statement on Public Education in South Australia’ (April 2017), available on the DfE website at https://bit.ly/SoPEiSA

continued from page 13 3 Attendance and enrolments have increased for three-year-olds as well as for children who previously were not attending and were almost ready for school.

Men behaving Dadly, an outreach program designed to encourage men to spend time playing with their children. Held at local parks and the beach with a barbecue, bike repairs, and sharing of time, it has allowed Aboriginal men to engage positively with their children. Instead of just being the enforcer of rules, they became co-players and have shared fun, as well as building stronger relationships and trust – all in a happy and healthy environment.

Mentoring Parents into study to support early childhood education. Mums at the centre wanted to learn more, so Mandy and her staff ran parenting sessions, then supported the mums to build confidence and go out to training. They set up Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education for this cohort to study together through the local TAFE with the support of Pika Wiya Learning Centre (a local Aboriginal Health Service). This year six women have completed their studies and gained their qualification, and are now working in preschools across Port Augusta, three at Port Augusta Children’s Centre.

Bush Kindy and Cultural Workshops. Mandy and her staff set up cultural workshops at bush kindy (Mambray Creek, National Park), so while children were engaging in bush kindy, adults were spending time with elders learning painting, basket weaving and stories. Families then had the opportunity to share this with their children. They also replicate this at a bush playgroup at Mambray Creek.

Kungka Tjuta (‘Many Women’), a women’s group that was started at Davenport by centre staff because they identified a need for a safe space for women where they could come to cook, paint, weave, learn stories and skills,

and to share and learn more about their culture. These women have built their confidence and now go out into community to share their knowledge and skills with other families. This has supported an increase in attendance of children at school and preschool as well. The centre’s attendance strategy was developed after listening to Aboriginal families and altering services to suit them. Preschool attendance increased from 47% in Term 4, 2018 to 84% in Term 2, 2019. According to Mandy, “We can provide all these amazing programs but without the ability to build relationships and provide a space Aboriginal families want to come to, these would not be a success. “We pride ourselves on employing Aboriginal staff with a focus on employing from a variety of local families which creates connections through the community. We also work hard to employ the best staff for each program while aligning Aboriginal staff percentages with percentage of Aboriginal children in the early years in Port Augusta, which is close to 50%. “Education at Port Augusta Children’s Centre for Aboriginal families is for the whole family and anyone who considers themselves family are encouraged to engage in the service. We promote learning and engagement for children aged 0-8 years and their families and often work collaboratively with local youth services as we believe families are more likely to engage if they can all be together.” Mandy’s commitment and dedication to educating and empowering Aboriginal children and their families is nothing short of inspiring! A well deserved winner of this award presented in honour of Arthur Hamilton – a proud Palawa man who passed away in 2004 leaving behind a legacy of a strong consciousness for equity and social justice, crosscultural awareness, recognition of Indigenous peoples and the elimination of racism within the Australian Education Union and in schools. n AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 1 5

M E M B E R E D U C AT ION PRO G RA M – T E RM 3

Professional Development TRT Professional Learning Series

Tuesday 8 September 4.30pm – 6.30pm WORKSHOP 3: Understanding the impact of trauma. Tuesday 24 November 4.30pm – 6.30pm WORKSHOP 4: Dealing with difficult people. AIM: These sessions focus on issues faced by TRTs in the workplace and in their professional career. OPEN TO: AEU TRT members. COST: Free in 2020.

Q&A Session with Penny Wong Thursday 30 July

4.00pm – 5.00pm

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented profound challenges for all of us. During this unprecedented health crisis, the labour movement has been guided by the values of justice and fairness. Frontline workers have put themselves at risk to keep us safe, to care for the sick, to teach our children, and to make sure we continue to have access to the essentials. While these are challenging times, we have demonstrated that, together, we will get through this. Together we are helping many Australians through this crisis – like the wage subsidy, which is keeping workers in their jobs.

As we look to Australia’s recovery from this crisis, we must look to our collective strength as a movement and our commitment to the principle that no one should be left behind, to help make Australia more prosperous, more equal and more resilient.

Senator Penny Wong welcomes the opportunity to meet virtually with members to discuss Labor’s priorities as we look to the recovery from this crisis. OPEN TO: AEU members only. COST: Free.

Thursday 30 July 9.15pm – 3.30pm 9.15pm – 3.30pm

OPEN TO: AEU Reps who have not previously attended the AEU SA 2-day union education course. (Strongly recommended for newly elected Workplace Reps/SBS). COST: Free. TRT/Travel assistance may be available.

Non-teaching staff PAC Info Session

4.30pm – 6.30pm

OPEN TO: AEU SA SSO members who are interested in learning about PAC or furthering their knowledge of PAC business. COST: Free.

Tuesday 15 September

OPEN TO: All AEU member. COST: Free. 1 6 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

Monday 28 September

4.00pm – 6.00 pm 4.00pm – 6.00 pm

10.30am – 12.30pm

OPEN TO: AEU Members who were Merit Selection panel trained in 2015. COST: Free.

NOTE: If you were trained in 2015, you need to attend a retraining session before the end of January 2021, otherwise your training will be removed from the AEU system as it will no longer be valid. The AEU Policy is to only accredit training attended on our system and therefore we cannot recognise “sitting on a panel” as being equivalent to attending a training or retraining session.

Conflict – Skills for Band B Leaders Thursday 6 August

5.00pm – 6.00pm

AIM: To explore conflict in all its forms and four principles of responding to conflict. OPEN TO: AEU members only. COST: Free.

OPEN TO: AEU members. COST: Free.

[in person] - 2-day course

AEU members on PAC update

Monday 17 August

Tuesday 29 September

New Workplace Reps Course

Thursday 27 August

Tuesday 4 August

TRB: Provisional to (Full) Registration

Union Training

Friday 31 July

Merit Selection Retraining

4.30pm – 6.30pm

10.00am – 12.00pm

Merit Selection Training

Merit selection training is now offered by the Department as online only training. This training is required for panellists but does not automatically qualify you to be an AEU representative on a panel. To be an AEU panellist you will need to ensure you have completed a short AEU supplementary training that focuses on your responsibilities and ethical decision making as an AEU panel representative. See article opposite on page 17 for more information, or visit our website to register for supplementary training. *At this stage some events may be in-person or online depending on circumstances. Check our eNews and website for updates.

For further info or to register: phone: 8172 6300 email: training@aeusa.asn.au website: www.aeusa.asn.au>events & courses

Teachers Learning Network Online Workshops OPEN TO: AEU SA Members. COST: $33.00 per session (Incl. GST).

Assessment and Reporting Series

Tuesday 28 July 5.30pm – 6.30pm Promoting feedback from teachers to students. Tuesday 28 July 7.30pm – 8.30pm Digital technology for assessment.

Supporting Students Series Tuesday 28 July Engaging students with ASD.

Tuesday 28 July Engaging students with ADHD.

Leadership Series [Communicating as a Leader]

Wednesday 30 September SESSION 1: 9.30am – 11.00am Challenging conversations with students. SESSION 2: 11.30am – 1.00pm Challenging conversations with colleagues. SESSION 3: 1.30pm – 3.00pm Challenging conversations with parents.

6.00pm - 7.00pm

Health & Safety Training

7.30pm – 8.30pm

Health and Safety Representative Training

Wellbeing Series

Tuesday 11 August 5.30pm – 6.30pm Supporting students with anxiety and depression.

Aboriginal Perspectives Series

SA Unions commenced training for Health and Safety Representatives from July as a mixture of Face-to-Face and Real Time Delivery. The training schedules are available on their website:

www.saunions.org.au/training-courses/state-hsr-training/

Tuesday 11 August 4.30pm – 5.30pm Using the Uluru ‘Statement from the Heart’ in your classroom.

There are courses specifically for Department for Education HSRs, but If you would prefer, DfE HSRs are welcome to attend one of the State generic courses. Each course has a code which you need to include on your enrolment form. If you have any concerns or queries regarding the schedule, please contact:

Wednesday 19 August 7.30pm – 8.30pm Supporting students with challenging behaviours.

Otherwise your Enrolment Form can be sent direct to: saunions@saunions.org.au

Early Childhood Series

Helen Adams: hadams@saunions.org.au

FUTU R E OF M E R IT

AEU adds depth to Merit Selection training

he Department for Education (DfE) recently launched its new online Merit Selection training, and put a revised Merit Selection procedure online for consultation. DfE will now only provide online training, and has reduced its documents to just Merit Policy and Procedure. The AEU fully reviewed the proposed procedure and provided DfE with comprehensive feedback on changes to future Merit Selection processes. There were a few changes that gave the AEU cause for concern. Particularly worrying is that the new procedure appears to give complete power to the chairperson regarding variations to the panel and gender and cultural representation, and it also seems to remove any affirmative

strategies for employees who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. The AEU is also concerned about the removal of face-to-face training. The new DfE online Merit Selection training is extremely easy to complete but sadly lacks any depth in the ethics and morals related to participating in a Merit Selection process. Some members report having completed the DfE online training in 20 minutes, which is very alarming given that it is meant to prepare people for involvement in extremely important processes. Training needs to impart an in-depth understanding of not only the merit selection process but the role of fairness, equity and ethics. For this reason the AEU has deter-

mined that members will be required to complete a supplementary AEU training session in order to be registered as an AEU panellist. These sessions will be approximately 1-hour via Zoom, and will be scheduled from the start of Term 3. Members who complete the DfE online training will need to provide evidence of completion of that training and then register to complete the AEU supplementary training which will focus on the morals and ethics of merit, and what to monitor during a Merit Selection process to ensure fairness and equity. Session dates can be found on the AEU website at: www.aeusa.asn.au> events & courses. Tish Champion AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 1 7

8: tchampion@aeusa.asn.au

RU NMNEIN’S NG HFOCU E AD S WO

Why should gender stereotypes limit our children? AEU Women’s Officer Tish Champion reflects on the difficulty of overcoming the gender divide.

1 The Champion family – (from left) Charlie, Tish, Chris and Darcy (front). ideos launched by Our Watch almost two years ago, titled 'Because Why?' are a must watch for every teacher and parent in Australia. These short videos are a valuable reminder for everyone that gender stereotypes do nothing to enhance equity in Australian society.

“True gender blindness is harder than you think.”

Because why? Because, during my 22 years as a teacher, 12 years as the Women’s Officer for the AEU, and as the parent of two boys, I have always prided myself on not perpetrating or promoting gender stereotypes. Unlike my mother, I was going to raise two boys who did not have preconceived ideas of what it means to be a woman or a man.

I was going to teach my sons and the students in my classes that there are no confines based on gender. I chose books where the girls were the heroes and the dads did the cooking and ironing. I encouraged my oldest son to do tap dancing when he showed an interest and let him grow his hair long – way before it was cool! I embraced the boy in my class who wore a tutu every day and firmly deterred any teasing from others. I always insisted that my husband and I shared domestic chores and treated each other with respect and equality. But...

I grew up in a house with 11 people, including four brothers and three sisters. Just one example of the gender divide in my childhood home was the fact that the boys ate dinner first and the girls ate last. Because why? Well, aside from the fact that we couldn’t all fit around the table at the same time, it was ‘because’ the girls had to clear the table, do the dishes and sweep the floors after dinner while the boys went to watch TV. The girls bathed the little ones, took them 1 8 | AEU SA Journal – August 2020

to bed and read them stories but my one older brother was never expected to share this responsibility. Because why? Well, just ‘because’!

On reflection I think that I, like so many others, have a lot to learn about gender equity, gender balance and challenging gender stereotypes. We are not going to bridge any gaps and raise children who do not see gender as a

constraint with token efforts. Giving boys dolls and girls toolkits won’t do a thing if they see mum doing all the washing, ironing, cooking and cleaning while dad goes to ‘work’. Reading books where dad is doing the housework and mum is an astronaut won’t help if we openly question why a boy is doing ballet or wearing a pink top. It is in fact the subtle things that will stick. True gender blindness is harder than you think. Every day we inadvertently say or do something that reinforces perceived differences between being a boy or a girl. We hear and see things that we should challenge but usually don’t. You (run, walk, clap, laugh) like a girl! She looks like a boy with her hair cut so short. Why is he wearing makeup? Dad is always driving the car while mum is always the passenger. Dad does the ‘man’ jobs (mowing, painting, fixing) and mum does the ‘woman’ jobs (washing, ironing, cooking). So many subtle messages that we send to children every day that promote the notion that girls and boys (men and women) are different and should do things expected of their gender. I see it in my own home. I see it in my own children. I hear it from friends and family. “Oh wow, your son is going to do early childhood teaching. I didn’t think guys taught in the early years.” I do it myself. I recall the only male winner of the AEU Jean Pavy Award challenging me in 2010 for presenting him with a plant while the female recipients were given flowers. It was a classic example of explicitly treating people differently based on gender. I need to start calling it. I need to truly start living it. We will never have true gender equality while we continue to perpetuate gender norms. We must all challenge gender stereotypes that limit genuine opportunity for all. n

ACTION

For videos and other resources on overcoming gender stereotypes go to: https://becausewhy.org.au

T EEACH XCHA E RS NG RE ETGEIACH STRAT I NGION BOA R D

Ten thousand thank yous

ast term we saw Minister Gardner try to rush legislation through to change the composition of the Teachers Registration Board (TRB). Major changes proposed include a requirement for only three teachers to be on the Board, and the AEU and other unions no longer nominate Board members. At the beginning of June, in conjunction with the Independent Education Union (IEU), we launched a petition to present to Parliament in order to promote greater scrutiny of the legislation, with the ambitious target of collecting 10,000 signatures in only two weeks. Real signatures on paper, not an online petition! AEU Organisers hit the road, delivering petitions and reply paid envelopes to hundreds of sites, most of which were only tentatively opening their

doors to visitors post-lockdown, with instructions to collect signatures in a COVID-safe way. We reached out to members in all sectors including TAFE, to education staff who were not members, to members of other unions, and parents and community members. Their support was amazing, and we were close to our target by mid-June and have now well exceeded our target. Late last term, the TRB Bill was passed by the Legislative Council with amendments supported by Labor, the Greens and SA Best to ensure minimum 50% teachers on the Board and retain AEU and IEU nominees on the Board. Members had been engaged most of this year in a letter writing campaign to the crossbenchers in the Legislative Council, and the presentation of hun-

dreds of these letters to these parliamentarians was crucial in securing these amendments. The Bill now will return to the House of Assembly for further consideration. At the time we go to press, we plan to present our petition to the House of Assembly in the week beginning July 20. n

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AEU SA Journal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; August 2020 | 1 9

We’ve made a promise. To be a champion for our teachers - the way they’re champions for our kids. So that even on days that feel a little tougher than usual, you can be sure someone’s there to care for your health and wellbeing.

Lisa, THF member

We’re for teachers – that’s our promise. To find out more about what we can do for you, head to teachershealth.com.au/promise

Eligibility criteria and conditions apply. Teachers Federation Health Ltd ABN 86 097 030 414 trading as Teachers Health. A Registered Private Health Insurer. THF-AEU/SA-07/20

AEU SA Journal – August 2020 | 2 0