AEU Journal May 2023

AEU SA

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOLD CHANGE

Where to next for enterprise bargaining

HOW THE ROADMAP TO ‘WORLD CLASS’ FAILED

by Andrew Bills and Nigel Howard

A paradigm shift

What you need to know

+ The McKinsey approach to management has significantly contributed to educator workload

+ Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell has signaled a move away from the McKinsey ethos

+ The Department must go further to ensure educators are no longer relied upon to volunteer thousands of hours of unpaid time to complete their work

I recently visited several schools and preschools across the state as part of our enterprise bargaining campaign.

It’s clear to me that members continue to be stretched to breaking point. Educators are struggling to stay on top of unsustainable workloads, with work bleeding more and more into time that was once reserved for loved ones and looking after health and wellbeing.

The primary cause of this excessive workload is an unrelenting demand for data, a demand which cannibalises educators’ non-instruction time. Driven by a dedication to students, educators are taking home planning, programming, marking, assessment, and reporting that should be completed during the working day. The Department could not function without your unpaid goodwill. It’s time for that to change.

Your increased workload is a direct result of bureaucratic leadership who, without a background in education, have been directed by multinational education consultants McKinsey & Company. McKinsey’s global MO is to significantly increase accountability measures, attempting to reduce the measure of a site’s success down to a single number. At the heart of this ethos is a lack of trust in educators; a view that teachers are a problem

to be managed. McKinsey has dominated our education landscape for almost a decade. Yet NAPLAN results, the Department’s own measure for success, continue to show students’ literacy, reading, and numeracy plateauing since its inception.

It was heartening to hear Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell signal a shift from the failed measures of the past when he spoke at AEU Branch Council in March. Sound educational concepts, such as acknowledging student voice, valuing student engagement, and prioritising student wellbeing, are coming to the fore under new leadership. Inherent to this model is trust in educators’ professional judgement, and in your ability to understand, engage, and develop learning programs for your students.

I am hopeful that this paradigm shift will lessen the administrative burden and put us on a new path. However, the ongoing expectation to differentiate through individual learning plans continues to fall on educators. Working conditions must be reshaped to reflect the current state of our profession. The demands on educators have radically changed, while the provisions made to educators have remained stagnant.

Your work must be able to be completed within the working day. Educators must no longer be forced

to volunteer thousands of hours of unpaid time each year. Without urgent action, the system will continue to lose quality educators and students will miss out. It’s going to take bold change to address the crisis before us, so that South Australian public education can flourish.

ANDREW GOHL, BRANCH PRESIDENT, AEU SA

The demands on educators have radically changed, while the provisions made to educators have remained stagnant.

▲ Andrew Gohl, AEU President, sits with members at the Campaign Briefing in Naracoorte. ▼ Members at the Campaign Briefing in Port Pirie.

▼ Andrew Gohl, AEU President, sits with members at the Campaign Briefing in the Riverland.

An opportunity for bold change

and practically, which will also positively impact learning outcomes for your students. But we continue to be met by a Department that fails to understand the relationship between industrial conditions and improved learning for students. Instead, educators continue to labour under a system fixated on data collection, administration, and flashy initiatives which are now proven to have no benefit for student outcomes.

Campaign Director, Callum Penley, explains how coming together is exactly what our enterprise bargaining campaign requires.

Last year, the AEU commissioned the University of South Australia to undertake first-of-its-kind research into the changing nature of education work. The purpose was to provide rigorous academic data to inform our bargaining platform. Subsequently titled Teachers at Breaking Point, the research demonstrated beyond argument that industrial working conditions are central to fixing the crisis in public education.

While we commend policy efforts to address the teacher shortage crisis, they do not adequately address a workforce at breaking point. Attraction to the profession is one piece of the puzzle, but quick cash incentives only go so far when considering what educators find upon commencing their careers.

Teachers at Breaking Point shows that half of all South Australian educators plan to leave the workforce in the next five years, which would have a catastrophic impact on a system already falling short for the communities it is supposed to serve. If we are to maintain a quality workforce, the Government must come to the table.

The AEU has a bold plan for a bright future in public education. We’re campaigning to improve your working conditions meaningfully

There is an alarming gap between what we know is needed to rebuild a healthy public education system and what the Department is likely to propose and fund. We urgently need to build momentum both within the profession and our communities.

I met many of you at our recent campaign briefings around South Australia, where we worked to empower you to talk confidently about our enterprise bargaining platform.

Our platform is simple. We want more time for quality teaching, more support for students, and a salary increase commensurate with the value of your work. If adopted, we would see increased non-instruction time, a restriction on new initiatives, an additional adult in every classroom, and an attractive salary to ensure we retain our professional workforce. These are common sense measures that would make a real difference to you and the students you support.

As we take much-needed steps toward improving your working conditions, we need you to spread positive messages about our goals. You are uniquely positioned, as trusted community members, to influence sentiment and build solidarity.

Members like you, on the ground, in sites, are the ones who will drive this campaign. Your relationships with colleagues, parents, and your community are invaluable. Here are some simple things you can do to support us at the bargaining table:

SPREAD THE WORD. Bold change is going to require political pressure, and we need activated sites and supportive communities to create that pressure. We've developed a comprehensive campaign pack with conversation frameworks, and online resources you can print and display at your site, just visit aeusa.asn.au/campaigns

BUILD OUR STRENGTH. The more members we have, the more successful we'll be. You are the face of our union, and the best way to encourage a colleague to join is to describe what being part of the AEU means to you.

SHARE YOUR STORY AND ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. The Department needs to see the impact their inaction is having, and your real-life experiences go a long way in helping us do that. Head to fixthecrisis.com.au to share your story.

I know that every public educator is working extremely hard under tough conditions, but we cannot afford to miss this opportunity. The AEU will continue leading the charge so that together, we can secure bold change for a bright future in public education.

CALLUM PENLEY, CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR, AEU SA

“It’s always powerful to see AEU members coming together to demand fair treatment and a bright future for public education.”

A Voice for Aboriginal people? Yes, it’s union business!

Michele Appleton, a proud Wiradjuri woman and AEU Organiser, explains why a Voice to Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is union business.

Last year, Yalukit Yulendj, our national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education committee comprised of representatives from across Australia, endorsed AEU support for the Yes campaign. This recommendation came from meaningful consultation and an understanding of the vital role our union plays in building an equitable society. Since early this year, we’ve been working actively to support the Yes campaign.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up only 3% of the Australian population. We alone will not be heard. We need the voices of our non-Aboriginal brothers and sisters to amplify our message.

You, as educators, play an essential role in spreading a clear message in your communities. This is a referendum to acknowledge and value

the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the matters which affect us.

As educators, we know the difference equitable and informed systems make for our students, communities, and profession. A Yes vote in the referendum ensures Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are consulted on matters that affect us, our children, and our communities. A Yes vote ensures we can advise decision makers to safeguard our cultural, mental, and physical needs. That’s something all educators and all unions can get behind.

We understand the power of standing together, with one voice, saying Yes. Now let’s make history.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

MICHELE

APPLETON, ORGANISER: ABORIGINAL EDUCATORS FOCUS, AEU SA

Find out more and access resources at aeusa.asn.au/yes

aeusa.asn.au/yes

WHAT IS THE YES CAMPAIGN?

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have asked for recognition in the form of a Voice to Parliament. A referendum will take place later this year, seeking a change to Australia’s Constitution to include this recognition. The referendum question will be 'Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?'

The Yes campaign is encouraging all Australians to write the answer 'Yes' at the referendum, to support the Voice to Parliament.

WHY IS YES UNION AND EDUCATOR BUSINESS?

Equity is union and educator business. The AEU is proud to support a Yes vote. As well as advocating for public educators and public education, the AEU and our members have a long history of standing alongside other communities as they fight for justice and progress.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA LEADING THE WAY

Many of us gathered on the steps of Parliament last term to celebrate SA becoming the first state to have a First Nations Voice to Parliament! It was exciting to stand together and witness this historic moment. Let's harness that momentum for a national Yes vote later this year, to ensure First People are heard at the Federal and State level.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

As an educator, you're a trusted member of your community. Read more about the Yes campaign, then start having conversations with the people in your life about voting Yes at the referendum.

SIGNIFICANT DATES THIS TERM

NATIONAL SORRY DAY: 26 MAY

National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. Find out more at www.reconciliation.org.au

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK: 27 MAY - 3 JUNE

Act today for a reconciled tomorrow. This week commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively. Read more at www.nrw.reconciliation.org.au

NATIONAL NAIDOC WEEK: 2 JULY - 9 JULY

Celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Read more and get involved at www.naidoc.org.au

Keep regional housing in public hands

The AEU commends the Malinauskas Government for establishing an Office for Regional Housing, which will take steps to address the growing shortage of housing for key workers through a government build program.

The lack of regional housing has become severe, and the AEU has been advocating for adequate supply and quality in our next Enterprise Agreement. There are a number of teachers currently living in caravans and motels awaiting suitable housing - a degrading start for educators working to alleviate teacher shortages in country areas.

As well as the quality and availability of housing, the AEU is foregrounding affordability as a key criterion of any new housing. Media reports indicate that when complete, this housing will be sold off to private investors for rent to government employees. Those who have experienced private rental in country regions know that, while a component of private rent is subsidised by government, many private investors will view this as an opportunity to take advantage of educators.

Build a union worth being a part of

It’s important that we all contribute to building our union. Please ask your colleagues to join and ensure their continuity of membership of the AEU community comprising of over 185,000 educators across Australia.

For more information visit www.aeusa.asn.au/join

The AEU believes strongly that government employee housing should be owned and maintained by the government. We will work with other public sector unions to oppose a sell-off to private marketeers and call upon the State Government to keep this new housing under government control and management. South Australia’s housing crisis requires real action, and the AEU will continue to advocate for improvements to your country conditions, which must include a comfortable and welcoming place to call home.

Your Union needs you!

As a member of one of the Union’s standing and consultative committees, your interests and experience can help provide important policy area and insight for Branch Executive and Council.

Nominations are open for committee positions for more information visit www.aeusa.asn.au/committees

The AEU believes strongly that government employee housing should be owned and maintained by the government.

What you need to know

+ Our 21 & Done campaign highlights the excessive workloads all educational staff face at TAFE SA

+ The goodwill of educators is being taken advantage of and a legally binding enterprise agreement is being ignored

+ Take the pledge to support 21 hours of instruction time and no more

For many years, workloads for educational staff across TAFE SA have been increasing.

TAFE educational staff are now working an average of 10 unpaid hours each week. In addition to this excessive workload, the employer is freely misinterpreting the enshrined regulation of our workload, per our Enterprise Agreement.

There are many program areas where educational leadership is unwilling to meet with the staff to discuss the benchmark hours of Instruction and Assessment to help establish reasonable workloads.

The employer is unwilling to recognise the unpaid work being completed outside of the 21 hours of Instruction and Assessment - work which is necessary to ensure quality educational delivery. This is in direct breach of the enterprise agreement and previous workload allocations set prior to this year.

Some key areas no longer recognised within Instruction and Assessment workload include course complexity, class size, student cohort, mode of delivery, vocational placement, travelling, industry-based delivery, RPL assessment, workplace assessment, resource

development, mentoring arrangements, student counselling, delivery planning, industry engagement, professional development, quality assessment and audits, and regular planned TAFE SA meetings.

The employer believes that the above duties should be carried out by lecturers in the 14 hours of administrative time they have allocated each week. This is an unattainable business model developed by the current leadership at TAFE SA and is in breach of our industrial entitlements.

Our 21 & Done campaign highlights the excessive workloads all educational staff face at TAFE SA. It also draws attention to the inconsistencies in how workload allocations are applied across educational programs.

The goodwill of educators is being taken advantage of and a legally binding enterprise agreement is being ignored. Without manageable instruction and assessment time, educators are being pressured to spend personal time developing resources, providing student counselling, and undertaking coordination duties.

Educators must be given the time to perform their skilled work within paid hours so that TAFE can flourish again. Take the pledge to support 21 hours of instruction time and no more. Reclaim your work/life balance.

ANGELA DEAN, ORGANISER: TAFE FOCUS, AEU SA

TAFE educational staff are now working an average of 10 unpaid hours each week.

In addition to this excessive workload, the employer is freely misinterpreting the enshrined regulation of our workload, per our Enterprise Agreement.

STAND

To celebrate TAFE in 2023 and promote the wonderful learning environments on our campuses across the country, the AEU will be hosting a national TAFE photography competition!

The theme of our competition is ‘Life on Campus’ and aims to showcase the vibrant and dynamic atmosphere of TAFE. The competition is designed to encourage creativity and allows for both natural and staged photographs. Judges will be looking for entries which are both well-crafted and portray the vibrancy of life at TAFE.

A winner will be announced for each state, with the state winners participating in a national judging panel to award the overall winner. Each state-based winner will win $1000 and a trip to Canberra. The overall prize will be $5000, a trophy, and publication in the TAFE Teacher magazine. The runner-up will receive $1000.

www.aeufederal.org.au/photography-comp Competition closes, Friday 9 June 2023. Open to enrolled TAFE students only.

A global community of new educators

Key points

+ More than 50 new educators from Australia and abroad met in Perth for two days of learning and connection

+ Delegates discussed the importance of union members remaining informed and supportive of LGBTIQ+ issues in their workplaces, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament

+ The new educators conference is a chance to connect with educators from around the world, and feel support and solidarity

The New Educators conference held in Perth last October was an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding and connection with union matters and build professional relationships with teachers from across metro and regional Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Samoa with a focus on public education.

It was fascinating to hear the stories from further afield, discussing working conditions and expectations of teachers around the world. For me, it was a powerful message about the importance of having a strong, connected union. The conference gave us an opportunity to reflect on why we are teachers, the importance of valuing our profession, and the rights awarded to us through the consistent support of our colleagues as a union.

We explored and were empowered to speak about a range of issues affecting early career educators. We spent time focused on the upcoming Yes vote for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, discussing how to navigate this subject with students, colleagues, and the broader community. We looked at how best to support our LGBTQIA colleagues and students, how to 'find our people’, and were given the

opportunity to deliver a message to the current federal Minister for Education.

For me, it was an opportunity to discuss critical issues my colleagues and I have faced, learn more about my rights, and understand what I can do to help myself and others. I gained a greater insight as to how the union can support me beyond an Enterprise Agreement. While the conference was an absolute whirlwind and finished all too quickly, I built some great relationships with

colleagues and felt incredibly empowered and excited for the future of our profession, my own career, and my future as an AEU member.

...it was a powerful message about the importance of having a strong, connected union.

KATIE MOORE, VALUED AEU MEMBER AND NEW EDUCATOR

EXPLORE CONTEMPORARY INDUSTRIAL, PROFESSIONAL AND WELLBEING TOPICS DIRECTLY RELATED TO EARLY TEACHING CAREERS

FREE EVENT FOR AEU MEMBERS

DAY 1: FRIDAY 19 MAY 9:15AM TO 4:00PM

+ NETWORKING DRINKS

4:00PM TO 6:00PM

DAY 2: SATURDAY 20 MAY

10:00AM TO 3:00PM

OPEN TO AEU SA MEMBERS IN THEIR FIRST 3 YEARS OF TEACHING

Term 2 Planner

BRANCH EXECUTIVE

AEU MEMBER PAC TRAINING

AEU MERIT SELECTION RETRAINING

WELLBEING - PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE CONVERSATIONS

IDAHOBIT

ANNA STEWART MEMORIAL PROJECT

 NORTH WEST

 ELIZABETH MUNNO PARA

 PORT PIRIE

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION

BRANCH EXECUTIVE

 RIVERLAND

COUNTRY EDUCATORS ROUNDTABLE

 FLINDERS

 FAR NORTH

BRANCH EXECUTIVE

 MID NORTH

ENGAGING WITH STUDENTS WITH ASD

 AEU SA AREA MEETINGS Register for your local meeting at aeusa.asn.au/areameetings

WORLD REFUGEE DAY

AEU MERIT SELECTION

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT SKILLS

KING’S BIRTHDAY TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AVAILABLE TO AEU MEMBERS

LEADERSHIP - BUILDING HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS

AEU MEMBER PAC TRAINING AEU MERIT SELECTION RETRAINING

For more information head to aeusa.asn.au/upcoming

Authorised by M.Cherry, Australian Education Union (SA Branch), Kaurna Country, 163 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063.

DECOLONISING THE CURRICULUM

MODERN ASSESSMENT THEORY

SUB-BRANCH SECRETARY

HUDDLE: SKILLS & ADVICE

NEW UNION REPRESENTATIVES LEVEL 1

MANAGING THE LEARNING OF STUDENTS WITH ANXIETY  SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHO EXPERIENCED TRAUMA

VOLUNTEER WEEK | NATIONAL CAREERS WEEK

WELLBEING - PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE CONVERSATIONS

 LOWER NORTH CENTRAL URBAN / EASTERN URBAN

AEU SA NEW EDUCATORS CONFERENCE

NEW EDUCATORS’ CONFERENCE

NATIONAL WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL DAY

NATIONAL SORRY DAY

TAFE DIVISIONAL COUNCIL MEETING

MODERATION AND REPORTING IN CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT

NOARLUNGA / SOUTHERN VALES SOUTH EAST

RECONCILIATION CONFERENCE

MEMBER PAC TRAINING

APPLYING FOR DEPARTMENT TEACHING POSITIONS

NAIDOC WEEK

SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS CLOSE

PROJECT women, union members.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY TRAINING

COUNTRY EDUCATORS ROUNDTABLE

This roundtable is an opportunity to discuss solutions to address complexities in country education. For more information head to aeusa.asn.au/country

has done Its best to ensure that all information provided was accurate at the time of printing.

Why I'm just an SSO

Many years ago, I was told to never say ‘just an SSO’. But in recent years, as classroom SSOs are increasingly treated as expendable, I’ve been made to feel that ‘just SSOs’ is exactly how we’re seen by the Department.

I consider myself lucky, with 15 hours of permanency, but I continue to contend with SSOs from other schools being placed at my site and reducing the additional hours available. Like so many SSOs, I wait every term to find out if I have additional hours, unable to plan for the future. I am consistently pressured to spread my 15 hours over 5 days. I had to fight for the right to negotiate my preferred hours. Everything is justified by budget and the needs of children, resulting in a culture of unstable work.

UNSUSTAINABLE HOURS

SSO work times are being concentrated in the mornings, justified by children’s ‘morning focus’. But children are at school and in need of support all day, and using this justification results in a lack of balance in the work week for SSOs, and an inability to be competitive for extra hours at other sites or at a second job. This means SSOs are unable to move into a sustainable pay bracket. In addition, many of us have been refused additional permanent hours, in spite of years spent working additional hours consistently.

Many schools now refuse to allow SSOs much-needed short breaks. Schools are increasingly applying pressure on SSOs to take no breaks throughout the day.

Throughout my career, I have dedicated hours of unpaid work to my role every week. I do this additional work for the sake of the students and teachers I work with every day, but without that extra work, I know my job would not be sustainable – nor do I believe my job would be secure.

WE'RE FIGHTING FOR SSOS AT THE ENTERPRISE BARGAINING TABLE NOW.

We're fighting for SSOs at the enterprise bargaining table now. Learn about how we're advocating for you aeusa.asn.au/fixthecrisis

What you need to know

+ SSOs are being undervalued by the Department

+ Irregular hours and contracts leave SSOs and support staff vulnerable

+ All educators must come together to demand change

NO CAREER PATH

While SSOs are consistently encouraged to continue upskilling, many of us have been rejected from a site because of the budget needed to employ SSOs at a higher level. SSO work will never meaningfully become a career path if staff aren’t able to progress to both higher pay and more consistent hours of work.

Many of us have had to fight for the rights spelled out in our Enterprise Agreement, such as access to training. This further curtails our ability to grow as professionals. At its best, SSO work is deeply fulfilling. I love seeing students flourish with my support. Sadly, I would now discourage others from pursuing classroom SSO work. Under the pressure of overwork, unstable employment, and contact with the most vulnerable students, SSOs are as much at breaking point as teachers.

It’s time for all educators to stand together and demand respect from the Department. Years of overwork, underpay and under-resourcing has left every one of us at breaking point. I believe in the strength of the union to change that.

CHRIS THOMAS AEU MEMBER, CLASSROOM AND SPECIAL ED SSO

It’s time for all educators to stand together and demand respect from the Department.

Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education & Care

Late in 2022, the State Labor Government established a Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care. A key purpose of the Commission is to investigate the implementation of universal access to three year old preschool.

The AEU has been recognised as a ‘key partner in the delivery of quality early childhood education and care’ by the Commissioner and invited to participate in the 3-year-old preschool roundtable. To inform our work in representing you, and to develop an AEU submission to the Commission, consultation with members was vital.

The AEU recently completed a state-wide consultation process with members and potential members working in the preschool sector. ‘Early Childhood Catch Ups’ were held in person in Mt Gambier, Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Port Augusta, and Port Pirie, and an online opportunity was also provided. Participants attended to provide experiences and expertise around three key questions: What’s working well in your Preschool that you want to maintain if universal access for three year olds is adopted in South Australia? What are your concerns? And, what do you see as solutions to these concerns?

Members have made it clear that any implementation must continue to provide for local flexibility, consider the continuation of highly valued programs such as Play Group, Rural Care, and Occasional Care, and that relationships with families are critical to success in early childhood education and care.

Members expressed serious concerns around fit-forpurpose facilities, capacity in preschools, workforce shortages, further strain on an already under-resourced support system for those with additional needs, and any implementation that could see an exacerbation of disadvantage.

AEU members are calling for an immediate audit of preschool capacity and fit-for-purpose early learning spaces, more accessible professional development, salary and conditions to attract and retain preschool leaders, teachers and support staff, and systemic change and resourcing that will result in timely assessment, support and intervention for those with the highest needs.

About this article

+ Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care recognises the AEU is a key partner

+ The AEU has been invited to participate in the 3-year-old preschool roundtable

+ The AEU held consultation catch ups with early childhood educators and leaders around the state to inform our submission to the commission

JAN MURPHY VICE PRESIDENT, AEU SA

READ THE SUBMISSION ONLINE

Thanks to all who attended a catch up –you are our experts.

Find out more and read the submission online at aeusa.asn.au/RCECEC

Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education & Care consultation session with members in Port Lincoln.

Get to know our Industrial Officers

Our Industrial Officers, Mika and Cecilia, are here to support the AEU and our members at a legal and industrial level.

CECILIA  I’m still new to the role, but so far I’ve been part of researching for enterprise bargaining, researching and writing the AEU submission to the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care, and sorting out award variations that are relevant to our members.

What attracted you to work at the AEU?

MIKA  I am a qualified teacher with over two decades of experience and a qualified lawyer. I have a strong social conscience and believe everyone should get a fair go. Funding cuts have hurt public education and I want to be part of the solution. The AEU wants that, too.

What do you do as an Industrial Officer at the AEU?

MIKA  I handle legal and industrial matters for TAFE SA and the Department. I make sure your rights are protected by going to court when they are not. I provide legal and industrial advice to the AEU President, Secretary, VicePresidents, Executive and Campaign Director. I usually handle state and industry-wide matters.

CECILIA  My partner is a public school teacher, and I’ve seen the ups and downs of a fresh educator as they’re wrung out by the profession. I’ve had industrial experience in the past and wanted to use my knowledge and skills to change conditions and help educators.

What’s the most fulfilling part of your role?

CECILIA  I recently wrote the AEU’s Submission into the Early Childhood Royal Commission. Being able to represent our members’ concerns and ideas through that big platform was something that I found incredibly fulfilling.

What’s the most challenging part of your role?

MIKA  Gathering evidence from members when they are afraid and exhausted. I understand because I’ve worked as a teacher but the trouble is, sometimes I can’t get a case going because no one will put their name to it. This is how the employer is sometimes able to trample your rights and for me, that’s the most challenging.

MIKA  I love getting a fair go for members. I love stopping the employer from taking away your rights. I love holding the employer to its word i.e. the Enterprise Agreement. I love defending TAFE SA and the Department members’ rights. I love making SA great because I think happy workers are effective workers.

CECILIA  Learning all the education terminology and the way the education system functions. I’m from a union and legal background, but everyone in the team (and my partner) has been great in helping me wrap my head around the complex stuff. I’m taking it a day at a time.

CECILIA  Public education should be the most accessible, equitable, consistent, and high-qualityno matter if you’re in Bordertown or East Adelaide. More needs to be done to support our sites, students, and workforce. Quite frankly, what’s happening now isn’t enough.

WE WORK WITH YOU

The AEU is committed to ensuring your work is valued and your conditions are improved. AEU officers support members in achieving positive outcomes both in the workplace and through industrial negotiations with the employer.

If you're having issues at work, contact the Info Unit who can point you in the right direction, aeusa.asn.au/info

Why is public education important to you?

MIKA  A well-funded and resourced public education system is instrumental in ensuring that each of us has the opportunity to live our best life according to our abilities, not our postcode. Education creates skilled, educated citizens who will continue to provide employers with the agile workforce that our state needs.

What’s on the horizon for you this year at the AEU?

MIKA  This year I will be working in the team negotiating an Enterprise Agreement for Department educators. Later in the year, I’ll be working in the team negotiating an Enterprise Agreement for TAFE SA educators. Throughout the year I will also defend your rights at law in the court, the tribunal, or in negotiations each and every time they are challenged.

CECILIA  We’re currently enterprise bargaining with the Department. I anticipate much my first year at the AEU will be dedicated to reforming clauses and strengthening our bargaining platform with legal analysis and research. Very fun!

What are your tips for members facing challenges at work?

CECILIA  It may be intimidating to go to your site leader and say, ‘I’m having an issue’. Instead, banding together with your colleagues (comrades), who may be facing similar challenges, to collectively fight for changes is a great way to get around that fear.

MIKA  Unite and stand strong in your sub-branch. If you don’t have a sub-branch then form one, even if it’s only two people to begin with. Then, link up with us at Greenhill Road. We are the union and we get the best outcomes when we are active together. This is the secret the employer doesn’t want you to know.

MIKA (MICHAELA) TIPPINS (SHE/HER) INDUSTRIAL/RESEARCH OFFICER, AEU SA

 CECILIA TRAN-PHAM (SHE/HER) INDUSTRIAL/RESEARCH OFFICER, AEU SA

Ensuring country educators & students thrive

As a country educator, I understand the importance of stability in our regional and remote communities. Stability is vital to the health of the broader community, the work and wellbeing of our colleagues on site, and the lives of our students.

This is why the AEU is prioritising attracting and retaining educators at country sites through enterprise bargaining and policy development with the Department. We know it isn’t enough to get educators into the country - we need to find ways of keeping them there, by helping them to feel at home.

Enterprise bargaining is happening now. We’re fighting to:

+ Extend country incentives to ancillary staff. We want to ensure every educator feels valued at our country sites

+ Increase the quantum of country incentives and doubling those incentives in the sixth year of country service

+ Create a new ‘Country Educator Leave’ that would function similarly to retention leave

+ Increase the total number of PRT positions in country regions and making all PRT positions ongoing. In addition to improved conditions for country educators, we’re fighting for more time for quality teaching and learning, more support for students, and a salary increase that reflects the value of your work for every educator in South Australia.

In term two, your Country Conditions Standing Committee will host a Country Education Roundtable with Chief Executive Professor Martin Westwell to discuss the benefits and challenges we experience living and working in the country, with a focus on what needs to change to ensure our country communities thrive.

What you need to know

+ The AEU is prioritising both attracting and retaining country educators

+ The AEU is fighting for improved conditions for country educators in enterprise bargaining at policy development

+ Country educators are invited to an upcoming roundtable with Martin Westwell

COUNTRY EDUCATORS ROUNDTABLE

Tuesday 30 May, 4pm Stirling North Primary School

Hybrid event: In person & Teams

Refreshments provided

RSVP at WWW.AEUSA.ASN.AU/COUNTRY

REGISTER FOR THE COUNTRY EDUCATORS ROUNDTABLE

MATTHEW CHERRY VICE PRESIDENT, AEU SA

This roundtable is an opportunity to discuss solutions to address complexities in country education.

Visit aeusa.asn.au/country to register.

SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST NOW OPEN

What you need to know

+ The AEU has launched two new sustainability grants

+ Applications are now open for shade garden and edible garden grants

+ Talk to your site Organiser about applying today

I’m excited to announce 2023 as the inaugural year for the AEU’s Sustainability Grants, offered through our Sustainable Futures Initiative (SFI). The SFI awards grants to subbranches to provide an opportunity for members to show their passion for sustainability through positive collective action. Our two Sustainability Grants provide funding for shade gardens and edible gardens at sites across the state.

The AEU’s Environmental Sustainability Consultative Committee (ESCC) developed this initiative, knowing that many educators and their students are passionate about environmental sustainability issues. The Committee also wanted to create opportunities for environmentally conscious members who are already delivering sustainability content in the classroom to be celebrated.

We know environmental sustainability is a topic deeply felt by you and your students. We also know it isn’t always easy to prioritise sustainability in day-to-day work. These grants provide you with the support and funding needed for both existing and envisioned projects.

The initiative also paves the way for conversations at your site about union membership and collective action, with a positive, practical community project that everyone at your site can support.

We’re excited to receive your applications and to see your gardens come to life.

MATTHEW CHERRY

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST ARE NOW OPEN

Talk to your site Organiser about applying today, or find out more at aeusa.asn.au/SFI

How the roadmap to ‘world class’ failed

It was a simple proposition; through hard work, determination, clear messaging, and a few million dollars paid to one of the largest companies in the world, South Australia would come to be seen as one of the great education systems in the world by 2028.

It was a promise that came with glossy packaging, and having everyone on-message was key. This meant a Departmental executive class with expertise in new public management, and an increase in Education Directors to carry the message to the Principals who would spread the message to educators and, finally, students. The students’ role then became one of performance for performance’s sake: scoring highly in NAPLAN to ensure the Department looked good.

THE STRATEGIC PLAN

The Department’s Strategic Plan, modelled on McKinsey & Co. ‘World Class Teams’ theory, was an expression of money as a motivator, growing corporatisation, and the influence of one of the largest consulting companies in the world.

McKinsey & Co. work under the paradigm of the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM), which represents an ideologically and financially motivated interest in standardised testing as the measure of schooling success, market-based logic, positivity-only culture, the commodification of schools and educators through teacher and leader standards, and the roll-out of ‘teacherproof’ curriculum materials.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Four years into the ‘road map to world class’, South Australia is suffering through an educational crisis. There is a widening gap in student achievement, marked by increased absenteeism from schools, large numbers of young people disengaging, lower retention, and a collapse in the rate of young people gaining SACE certification after 12 years of school. In addition, droves of early career teachers are now resigning before five years of service, and many experienced teachers leaving or planning to leave the profession - directly creating a teacher shortage crisis1

Fallen significantly from the peak in 2016, most significantly for Indigenous students.

There is a significant increase in the number of students who are missing more than four weeks of school a year.

“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

- HL Menken

1. Teachers at Breaking Point

While we do not have the disaggregated data for SACE completion in 2022, there are already red flags. After years of growth, 2022 has seen a significant fall in the number of students completing SACE. Significantly, there are 81 less Indigenous SACE completers in 2022 than 2021.

All SACE data for 2022 taken from Advertiser SACE special and Chief Executive Media release.

Data from the National Schools Data Portal suggests that the public education system has narrowed its vision at great cost over the past four years; defining success by NAPLAN scores and seeking a single number that definitively pronounces public education in SA ‘world class’.

In this article

+ The McKinsey model sought to commodify education

+ This model has led to the current crisis in public education and disadvantaged students falling through the gaps

+ This model has failed. Student performance, engagement and attendance continue to fall

ACCOUNTABILITY

By having a laser-sharp focus on manufacturing higher NAPLAN scores, the Department imagined they could definitively identify ‘good’ and ‘bad’ schools, Principals and Teachers, and performance manage those deemed bad. Strong NAPLAN data became a synonym for good.

By looking only at NAPLAN scores, the Department ignores the influence of inequality in schooling, ignoring the effects of poverty and location. When the Department ignores inequality, they deny the reality of disengagement from mainstream approaches to schooling evident at disadvantaged sites.

When the Department ignores disengagement, they can comfortably blame those sites for the failure of their students. Having defined failure as the fault of sites and teachers, the Department can justify a centralised curriculum and top-down management style.

The message from the Department is clear: turn a blind eye to the students who fall behind and remain focused on achieving ‘world class’.

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The new Department administration has recently put out a call for reimagining the purposes of public education in South Australia. This provides an opportunity for community members, educators, and students to reclaim a focus on providing a holistic, high-quality education for every child – rather than on simplified data and appearances.

When we again acknowledge the concerns of a diversity of voices and seek to understand the real lived experiences of students, the messaging might be more diffuse, the appearance of success more complicated. However, in returning trust to the profession, we will find meaningful solutions for ways forward that don’t leave students behind and educators at breaking point.

ANDREW BILLS AND NIGEL HOWARD CEPSW, FLINDERS UNIVERSITY

...in returning trust to the profession, we will find meaningful solutions for ways forward that don’t leave students behind and educators at breaking point.

Meet the crew supporting you

How can we help?

Our small but mighty Membership team process your applications and payments, keep your records up to date, send timely reminders, and supply tax statements. Every member of the team brings their own unique skills to support you from early career through to retirement.

is…

KATE | ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

I once received a lovely email from a member who expressed heartfelt thanks for the support given by the AEU to her husband who had been put through the mill.

A close second is the day we had a koala in the tree just outside our building, and I got to see it up close while the Fauna Rescue people took care of it!

The days when we open the inbox and it is flooded with membership applications to join the union are the most memorable ones. Every single member makes our union stronger! Once, I opened the mail at work and received an anonymous letter, it read “Thank you for all the hard work you do. You are appreciated”. We feel valued and motivated each time we receive an appreciative comment from a member.

A member rang me to resign from the union as they were taking leave without pay and didn’t think they would need the AEU services. A few months later I received an email thanking me for encouraging them to remain a member while on leave at our reduced rate (basic minimum fee), they had issues with the Department while on leave and the union was able to solve the issue promptly.

Membership should be treated like your insurance policy, if you are not insured prior to an event you will not be covered. I’ve seen this happen many times in my 34 years at the AEU.

Get information & advice from the Information Unit

The AEU Information Unit provides members with advice on questions of pay, leave and general working conditions.

The Information Unit is staffed:

Monday: 8.15am - 5pm

Tuesday to Friday: 10.30am - 5pm

For advice and assistance please phone 8172 6300 or email info@aeusa.asn.au

SANIYA | MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

PAM | MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

My favourite membership memory

Brain Breaks

Quick breaks that help you refocus and return to work feeling centered.

Wordsearch

Desk yoga: seated crescent moon

+ Sitting in a chair with your feed flat on the floor, reach both arms straight up whilst taking a deep breath

+ Touch your palms together, and lace your fingers, leaving just pointer fingers up (finger gun!)

+ Exhale as you bend gently to the right, creating a crescent shape with the side of your body and arms. Repeat on each side until you feel satisfied

+ If you're not sure how this looks, or you'd like to try more desk yoga, there are plenty of resources available online.

From 30 years ago, a cartoon for union publications from Bill Cook, artist and former Vice President.

Two steps forward

Get to know our new AEU SA Women’s Officer, Jaki Heim.

'The younger boys don’t respect the girls. The senior students are selected to be bus monitors. The boys always act up on the bus and won’t do what the girls say and call us names. They do what the boys say because the older boys intimidate them. You just have to accept it.’ –

Year 11 student

In my first week at the AEU, I found this quote in a box of old resources and had to check the year of the publication. If it weren’t for the aged, cream paper, I would have believed this was written last week. The quiet rage expressed by this student will be familiar to many women who attended Australian schools.

In this article

+ Get to know our new Women's Officer, Jaki

+ What does a Women's Officer do in 2023?

+ How to be an ally when your workload is high

It’s a refusal to accept quietly these daily oppressions of women that have shaped who I am today. I pride myself on fighting for a more equitable world, and that starts in childhood. I hope my new role as your Women’s Officer will allow me to continue that fight, which ultimately benefits all genders.

I’ve often been asked what I do as a Women’s Officer. Some view the role as outmoded in the face of equal pay in education. Yet women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people continue to be underrepresented in leadership, decision-making, and union roles, and misogyny continues to flourish amongst both educators and students.

As a proud South Australian public school student and teacher, I know how difficult it can be to fight the good fight when you’re busy putting out spot fires or marking that ever-expanding pile. This year, I’ll be working to educate our members on why the Women’s Officer role exists and how you can be an ally even when your workload is high.

I know our profession is bursting with women and allies who continue to mobilise for a more equitable society and many more who want to join us. If you’re one such educator, I would like to hear from you.

And the excerpt from the beginning of the article? It’s from 1991.

JAKI HEIM WOMEN'S OFFICER, AEU SA

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WOMEN'S PROJECTS?

Contact Jaki, AEU SA Women's Officer at womensofficer@aeusa.asn.au

...women, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people continue to be underrepresented in leadership, decision-making, and union roles...

Vale Pat Buckskin

It is an honour and privilege to write about the life of Pat Buckskin. She made an outstanding contribution to Aboriginal Education in her community, across the state, and nationally. She was a dedicated unionist all of her working life, a passionate supporter of public education, and a strong advocate for her people.

Pat’s involvement in Aboriginal education started in 1972, when she undertook a traineeship and was appointed to Mansfield Park Primary School as the school’s first Aboriginal Teacher Aide. In 1977 Aboriginal Home School Visitor positions were introduced by the SA Education Department and Pat was appointed to one of these positions. In 1987, following the formation of the then Education Department’s Aboriginal Education Unit, Pat was appointed as the first State Manager of Aboriginal Education Workers - a position she held until her retirement in 2009.

I first met Pat at the Black Ball in 1980. She and Lesley Wanganeen approached John Gregory, the President of the teacher’s union at the time, and me to challenge us on what the union was doing for Aboriginal Teacher Aides. At the time, they were non-unionised, award free, employed on a casual basis, had no entitlements, and lacked a career structure, professional development opportunities and common job descriptions.

Pat’s work and consultation resulted in the title ‘Aboriginal Education Worker’ being used for the first time in Australia to reflect the work that was being done. She went on to be instrumental in developing the first Aboriginal Education

Workers’ Award, overcoming blatant institutional racism throughout the long process. Nevertheless, Pat’s strength, resilience and composure always shone through.

Pat was central to the opening of South Australia’s first state urban Aboriginal School, Kaurna Plains Aboriginal School. At the time, some Aboriginal voices pushed for an independent school, but Pat remained adamant that the school must be public. Pat worked with us at the union to arrange for the publication of the prospectus for Aboriginal parents and supported the building of the school at the public works hearings.

Pat worked closely with the union throughout her career, developing our first Aboriginal Education Policy in the 1980s, assisting us in negotiations with the government for Aboriginal Education Teachers to be employed in schools, and guiding us on culturally appropriate programs for teachers newly appointed to Aboriginal Schools.

In 2009, Pat was a worthy recipient of life membership of the AEU.

She has left a lasting legacy. All her life Pat’s efforts, commitment, and championing of Aboriginal Education Workers and Aboriginal education have served as a catalyst for those in positions of influence and authority to recognise and support the need for change.

BILL HIGNETT AEU SA LIFE MEMBER

Professional Learning

The sessions are in real time and allow you to work with other professionals to gain insight and grow as an educator.

FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES

AEU SA New Educators' Conference

+ Fri 19 - Sat 20 May

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: Full AEU SA members in their first three years of teaching

Are you in your first three years of teaching? Join us to talk industrial, professional, and wellbeing skills for new teachers.

Gain insights from guest speakers, take part in workshops to hone your skills, and grow your professional support network.

Topics include classroom management, rights and entitlements, e-safety, and campaigning for job security.

Travel and accommodation support provided to Country members.

Decolonising the curriculum

+ Thur 4 May, 4pm - 5pm

+ Cost: Free for AEU members

+ For: AEU members only

This session explores the systems and assumptions that underpin the current approach to curriculum formation and offers a starting point to begin engaging with First Nations perspectives authentically as an educator.

Modern assessment theory

+ Thur 4 May, 5pm - 6pm

+ Cost: Free for AEU members

+ For: AEU members only

Assessment can be complex. This session explores subjects of professional judgement, reliability, validity, assessment for learning, assessment of learning, standards, performance standards, and norm-referenced assessments.

SBS Skills and Advice Huddle 2023 - Term 2

+ Thur 4 May, 4:30pm - 5:30pm

+ Cost: Free for AEU members

+ For: Sub-branch Secretaries, Workplace Representatives, and Workplace Organising Committee members

This huddle offers short, term-by-term coaching sessions for SBS and WOC members to ensure you fulfill your responsibilities to AEU colleagues at your site.

AEU Member PAC Training

+ Tue 9 May, 1:30pm - 4:30pm

+ Thur 15 June, 2pm - 5pm

+ Tue 18 July, 10am - 1pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU member PAC Representative –new and those wanting to retrain

AEU member PAC training is offered to ensure all AEU members with an interest or responsibility in school human resource matters understand the Enterprise Agreement and other documents in relation to PAC decisions and continue to develop skills as a PAC member.

AEU members will be encouraged to undertake a PAC refresher course every five years.

Your AEU SA membership gives you access to values-based professional learning that helps to develop your practical skills.

New Union Representatives Level 1

+ Thur 11 and Fri 12 May, 9:15am to 3:30pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members in elected positions who have not completed level 1 training previously.

This hands-on, participatory course will ensure you understand your rights and responsibilities as an elected union representative.

Supporting students who have experienced trauma

+ Thur 11 May, 4pm - 5:30pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

Learn to support students who have experienced trauma, manage the resulting behaviours, and engage healthily with individual students using trauma-aware teaching in this session delivered by staff from Berry Street.

Managing the learning of students with anxiety

+ Thur 11 May, 5:30pm - 7pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

Anxiety levels in classrooms have significantly increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This course will explore techniques for working with students with anxiety, helping you to re-engage students who may be struggling.

AEU Merit Selection Retraining

+ Tue 16 May, 4pm - 6pm

+ Wed 7 June, 4pm - 6pm [TAFE]

+ Tue 20 June, 4pm - 6pm

+ Wed 5 July, 4pm - 6pm [TAFE]

+ Wed 19 July, 10am - 12pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members who wish to become an AEU Representative on panels

This is a two-hour retraining session for AEU members that last attended Merit Selection training in 2018. AEU SA Policy requires AEU members to complete Merit Selection Retraining every five years to be eligible to be an AEU Representative on Merit Selection Panels.

Wellbeing - psychologically safe conversations

+ Thur 18 May, 5:30pm - 7pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

Psychological safety exists when individuals or groups feel free/safe to take risks, raise problems, disagree, ask questions, and admit mistakes.

This course explores how psychological safety benefits educators, and how leaders can create cultures of psychological safety.

Moderation and reporting in classroom assessment

+ Thur 1 June, 5pm - 6:30pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

This session highlights the benefits of moderation for improving teaching practice, assessing student work, and reporting to parents/carers helps improve us as educators.

At the end of this session, participants will feel confident engaging in formal and informal moderation processes in their own school and externally.

Engaging with students with ASD

+ Wed 7 June, 5:30pm - 7pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

Planning, maintaining focus, remembering instructions, and juggling multiple tasks are often more challenging for students with ASD. This session will outline specific teaching strategies which benefit both students with ASD and all students in the classroom.

While the focus is teaching strategies, the course will also be of interest to education support staff working one to one or with small groups of students who have ASD.

Leadership - building healthier relationships with parents

+ Wed 5 July, 9am - 12pm

+ Cost: Free for members

+ For: AEU members

Leaders have a responsibility to generate healthy relationships with parents, leading parents to take a greater role in their child's education, as well as improving the culture of the school community.

Jane Wenlock, a researcher in the field, outlines a guiding framework for school leaders to engage parents, including practical strategies to overcome challenges in this session.

AEU SA Reconciliation Conference

+ Fri 2 June

+ Cost: Free for all AEU members

$111 for education staff not currently an AEU SA member

+ For: Strictly limited funded places available for AEU SA members (TRT voucher and travel and accommodation support)

A day focused on work preschools, schools and TAFE members can engage in as demonstration of commitment to reconciliation.

Hear from keynote speakers, Hon Kyam Maher MLC, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Lara Watson, ACTU Indigenous Officer and Natalie Gentle, Reconciliation SA on Narragunnawali.

Check out the AEU SA website regularly for more dates and courses at aeusa.asn.au/upcoming