THOUGHTS FOR PRESERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (28)

One of the sad transitions that has occurred over the past forty years has been the gradual turn of student performance issues back onto teachers. It used to be that genuine (real) non-effort on the part of students became a concern shared by teachers with parents. Together then would exhort students toward greater engagement. These days, the minimal outcomes achieved by students with such dispositions is blamed back onto teachers in an almost sole fashion.

Teachers are hammered if children don’t achieve, notwithstanding the commitment of the child and the support of home. Teachers are handed few bouquets but are regularly clouted about their heads by figurative brickbats. Small wonder the joy of teaching is so short-lived and so full of dissolution for many classroom educators. So many graduate teachers don’t last more than five years before forsaking the profession.

School leaders need to be affirmative, forthright, bold and adventuresome. They ought not to be so worried about preserving our future that we are frightened to have counter opinions. They do not have to agree with everything offered by superordinates.

Leaders and teachers should contribute to educational debate in a living ‘two way’ transactional manner. They ought not be people who respond with ‘how high’ when told to jump. Often the command to leap comes from those who would not know and who have not been anywhere near schools for eons of time.

Educators need to participate in healthy and robust educational debate, not being weakly acquiescent to the opinions or demands of others.

For government to deny heritage listing for the old Darwin Primary School is to deny the genesis and discount the history of NT Education. That decision must be reversed for the sake of honouring students and staff who were pioneers and forerunners of what has since transpired.

—————————

The CDU population study (NT News 1/7) confirms the government needs to do much more to encourage residents to stay in the Territory. Those leaving if disaffected will tell stories about their time up here which will hardly encourage others to think about moving to the NT. Double jeopardy.

————————————

The CDU (NT News 29/6) is curtailing courses, cutting staff and boosting its Sydney annex for international students. How does that fit with the university’s plan to accomodate and school over 1,000 mostly international students in Darwin as part of the city expansion? I do not understand.

—————————————-

There is far too much misuse of mobile phones happening in both primary and secondary school situations. Cyber bullying is part of the issue, ongoing distraction from learning another. Phones should not be allowed in classrooms and the Education Department should take system ownership of a phone ban policy.

————————————-

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (27)

Over many years I came to appreciate two fine student qualities.

* One was the quality of imagination with which children and young people are imbued and blessed.

* The other was the simple, creative and often unique ways in which students tackled problems and arrived at solutions to issues.

These were qualities that added to the contribution and impact that was offered by students elected by their peers to representative councils.

When talking with students, I used to urge upon them the fact they ought to work hard to retain their qualities of imagination into their adult years. When imagination diminishes, problems often grow to take on quite significant proportions.

Similarly, my engagement with students was to urge upon them the fact they should always consider issues carefully but retain the personal confidence necessary too be significant problem solvers.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (26)

My mission statement grew from a leadership program conducted by Dr Colin Moyle of Deakin University (Geelong, Victoria, Australia) in the early 1980’s. Dr Moyle in emphasising the importance of direction and surety of track through life challenged us each to develop a mission statement of 25 words or less. I gave this a lot of thought and developed the following:

To fulfil and be fulfilled in organisational mode – family, work, recreation;

To acquit my responsibilities with integrity;

To work with a smile in my heart.

This statement was and is at the base of all my emails and on the reverse of my business card. it has for me been a reminder, guidance and a focus.

Do others have statements of mission or purpose? I would strongly suggest that all educators consider developing a succinct but strong statement of mission or purpose

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (25)

As a principal over time, it seemed to me two things (among others) were important.

1. It was of critical importance to separate the personal from the professional in terms of relationships. I feel it impossible to be a good boss or empathic leader if those one os leading are one’s personal ‘buddy’ friends and mates. Separation can enhance respect and make leadership easier.

My advice to all teachers is to consider the need for this professional/personal separation.

2. I felt it important to be a person who lead by doing and not by saying. Directing others without being prepared to go there oneself does little to enhance leadership. It is far more important to be respected than liked.

It is ‘doing’ not merely ‘saying’ that is so important and too often overlooked .

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (24)

Some years ago, a group of Assistant Principals visited a gas works in Darwin. Their guide said that there was similarity between his job and theirs. His job was to oversee the return of empty gas bottles, their filling and redistribution for use within the community.

He said teachers and school leaders had a similar task. They oversaw the arrival of new children starting school. Children as ‘new starters’ were like empty gas cylinders who had to be filled with knowledge and understanding as they progressed up the grades and through the years. They would leave school ‘full’ of knowledge and go forth to serve the community was his proposition.

That analogy gave me much food for thought.

What do you think of such an analogy? Does NAPLAN feed the gas bottle metaphor?

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (23)

It is important that technology in classrooms and schools should be appreciated. It is important that teachers and students share teaching and learning opportunities, where these are enhanced by the use of technology and equipment available. However, technological tools should never be allowed to stand in the place of the teacher.

It can be all too easy for teachers to recycle from direct interface with students, preferring instead to establish communications with learners through

software packages available to support learning.

Using attachments like blackboard, Skype, Scootle, and a myriad of other learning aids can help when it comes to refining and extending student learning. These devices must be under the control of teachers and structured in the way they are used to support student learning. It can be all too easy for teachers to hand pass their role in student learning development to the point of becoming detached from the students they are teaching.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (22)

It seems to me that educators are on the go and so immersed within the busy-work of our profession, there is no time to draw breath, relax and consider our accomplishments. There is little time for self-appreciation or appreciating fellow educators or students with whom we might be working.

So much of what we do is about administrivia that does little to support real educational effort. Justification is too often the order of the day and often to little avail. No sooner is one set of paperwork accountabilities and compliances completed than we have to move to the next. We stress out, and for what real purpose.

There is a need re-position and re-set priorities so they focus on our children and students, not simply on justifying our position as occupational members.

Teachers new to our profession need to be aware of this propensity. Sadly, what can be done about correction and realignment of educational focus will take some doing.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (22)

One of my discoveries as an educator and member of various organisations, is that of realising that the many recently arrived members of any group, purport to be the most knowledgeable about that organisation. They often reflect a ‘know it all’ attitude to institutions they join. That may be a manifestation of insecurity or uncertainty on their part; they want to prove they are up to the mark! Nevertheless the ‘don’t tell me’ brush-off that can be given is irksome.

Some believe they are saviours appointed to lead ‘their’ schools and workplaces forward, discounting and peremptorily dismissing what has gone before. As leaders, they tend to consign the history and traditions of their new organisation to the archives or waste bin. Many have the belief that those who were there before them are a threat and need to be shed as quickly as possible. ‘My way or the highway’ along with ‘you are on MY bus and if not, you are off it’ are approaches they quickly move to embed into the thinking of staff.

My hope would be that none of us ever experience such situations. Sadly, that hope is faint. We can however, ensure these sad, selfish characteristics are never a part of our professional make-up

NEED FOR TEACHING METHOD WITHIN TRAINING – IT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (21)

Should teaching methodology be part of teacher training or is it more important for preservice teachers to graduate with Bachelor and Masters level degrees with practical needs catching up later? That has become what should never have been a question.

We seem to have entered an era wherein the training institute hands preservice teachers a degree. On graduation they enter schools where, with careful coaching and mentoring, they are taught to teach – often by people with far less paper qualifications.

If people offer you help and support to come to terms with classroom practice, accept it. And if you have issues and concerns, ask for help

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AMND BEGINNING TEACHERS (20)

Be we teachers in training, teachers new or experienced, school leaders or those with system responsibilities, we should always be accountable for our actions. There is a tendency in life to say ‘who, me’ when it comes to accountability for actions. Shirking responsibilities for the outcome of our actions is a devious and unprofessional habit. To look for support and understanding is natural but to try and blame others for our actions is wrong.

Professional character and strength is built when we accept responsibility for our wrong decisions, apologise, try and put things to rights, then move on. We should never dump our decisions and actions on others; the blame game is wrong.

The best example to set to children, students and those we lead, occurs when we own the outcomes of our actions. This builds self-respect and respect vested in us by others.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (19)

Homework is an issue that has been doing the rounds of education for decades. There are educators who believe in homework’s importance, others who would like to discount it altogether. Similarly, some parents appreciate homework while others would like to see it given the big flick. Those in favour of homework believe it reinforces and consolidates learning through extra practice that happens away from school.

Opposition to homework comes from those who think ‘enough is enough’; that beyond the school day, children should be freed from learning tasks. Some parents and commentators suggest that homework is the teacher’ s way of handing their teaching responsibilities to parents.

What do you think? Should homework policies be supported or discounted? What should be the prime purpose of homework? Is homework something for students to do or does it become a task for parents to complete on behalf of their children?

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (18)

Unless we care for each other as colleagues, as lecturers toward students and teachers toward children, our profession can be very lonely. There is nothing worse than a sense of isolation that can imbue those within schools, universities or other educational environments. Teaching and learning at their best is about caring and sharing.

To balkanise ourselves, isolate in boxes or to become captured within the silo of singular, unshared environment is anathema. The ‘personality’ of education is about how we relate to each other. May synergy (collective energy) underline our shared contributions to this the most significant of all professions.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (17)

No matter who we are or where we sit in the educational structure, we should always, but ALWAYS ask if help is needed. Too often we sit, cogitate and stew over issues that seem to be insurmountable. We may think our status or efficiency will diminish in the eyes of superordinates, peers or subordinates if assistance is sought; In a sharing, caring and collaborative profession that should be far from the truth. As teachers and educators we need to be there for each other.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (16)

PREPARE FOR THIS TRUTH

As a long term educational practitioner in schools, it seems to me that those who look ‘at’ schools rather than being ‘in’ them, labour under a false belief. They perceive school as some sort of utopian environment in which all students thirst for knowledge and have a keen desire to learn. All that teachers have to do therefore, is teach.

Little do they realise that the issue of discipline is a major stumbling block to this being an actuality.

For many teachers in many schools in many parts of the world, MANAGING BEHAVIOUR is the key issue. Maybe a little teaching slips in on the side, but control of deliberately disinclined students who really don’t want to be there is a key stumbling block.

Teachers have ways of adapting to meet this challenge, or at least minimising it’s thrust.

But for administrators to believe there are no issues, or to know and not care is just so wrong. They need first hand exposure to classroom reality.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (15)

A clear and distinct danger of the teaching and educational profession is that work priorities can push family responsibilities into the background. The amount of time spent at work, or working on work tasks at home can relegate family members to being second or third best. They may come to feel they are being taken for granted.

Family members will wear the tag of second class citizenship for only so long; many families have broken up because work commitments have devalued them, diluting and eroding what may well have been strong family values. Beyond their years at work, those who have surrendered families may well finish up as sad, lonely and unwanted people. “No one on their death bed ever regretted not having spent more time at work”. (anon)

‘Family first’ should be the norm.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS

When working with students it is important for school leaders and teachers to educate an awareness of time. When workshops are being held, when students are involve in project undertaking, make participants aware of time left on a graduated basis. Don’t leave it until the last minute before springing the need for quick wind-up and pack-up upon them. This approach panics participants be they students or staff members, sending them into a flurry and leaving the activity with them as a slight (or substantial) sour taste in the mouth.

When managing time as a facilitator or teacher, be empathetic not vitriolic.

GRADUATE TEACHERS NEED TO FEEL APPRECIATED

There is always an apprehension felt by graduate teachers who wonder how they will be welcomed as ‘neophytes’ by experienced staff and leaders of schools to which they are appointed. While many are pleasantly surprised by the welcome they receive and the support they are given, there are others whose worst fears are founded. It is important that teachers and leaders welcome new staff and avoid offering icy reception.

School leaders for the most part must also recognise their graduate teachers have been immersed in the latest of theoretical propositions, but not greatly in the practical aspects of classroom management and teaching. Allowing them to share their university gained expertise and offering mentoring to support practical needs is surely a wise way forward.

DUMPING IS RUINING

One of the things educators must avoid is the ‘rush’ put upon them by systems to cram more and more into the teaching space of each day and week. It seems that whenever anything, ANYTHING becomes urgent or imperative, it is on schools and teachers to fix the issue.

Schools prima facie, become the repository of all social accountabilities. Teachers have to fix issues that go well and truly beyond the educational pale.

I believe we have to resist the issue of becoming the dumping ground for what governments and society feel needs fixing. Authorities identify problems, toss them at schools to fix and like Ponticus Pilot wash their hands of further responsibility. their hands. “Another problem downloaded” one can hear them think.

That is not the way it should work. Educators are accountable people but we are reduced if we accept the dumps that can smother teachers and schools. We need to know our boundaries.

THOUGHTS FOR PRESERVICE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (12)

One of the most important things about offering security to children is the way in which teachers speak “with” them. Often it’s a case of teachers talking “at” or “to” those they are teaching.

When dealing with each other in staff rooms or collaborative sessions or during professional development sessions, teachers speak conversationally. They each feel comfortable with the other and conversations manifest themselves in that manner.

When dealing with children however, teachers often lose the conversational element replacing it with what might be termed “command language”. The niceness of speech often dissipates and delivery takes on a quite harsh quality.

Metaphorically speaking when dealing with each other, teachers are somewhat like motorcars which hum quietly from point a to point b. However, when relating to children those same teachers trade the cars for four wheel drive vehicles, lock them into 4×4 and then grate their way through conversation with children in a manner that can be far from pleasant.

Language can be embracing or off putting. In order to draw children close in terms of comfort, qualities of conversation and vocalisation are important. There is no way the teachers will draw children in and toward them if their language in terms of its invitation pushes them away.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (11)

It can be easy to set assignments for primary children and secondary students, then overlook the marking of what they produce. The freneticism of the school day (and week, month etc) makes for marking oversight.

Without assessment, the work to students is not completed and finished, They are left hanging in the air. Should this omission become too frequent, the efforts put in by students will fall away sharply. To overlook marking is a demotivator for children and older students alike.

Students appreciate comments and you can’t go past stickers and small tangibles for primary school students. Self marking happens but personalised marking is so important.

Without doubt, the NT Archive is undersubscribed. There is a wealth of information held by departments, schools, businesses, organisations and individual people on all sorts of matters dating back for decades. Yet little it seems, is ever transferred to what should be the central repository of our history, the Northern Territory Archive.

I wonder how much rich historical material finds its way into un-airconditioned sheds, musty backrooms, forgotten corners and, saddest of all, the rubbish tip.

From what I am hearing, very little organised activity is undertaken to transfer past records and materials to the NT Archival collection. There are some private establishments with their own archive. Included is the CDU library and the NT Newspaper. However, I suspect that many organisations find their accumulated history to be nothing less than a documentary nusiance.

I wish that we would develop an attitude toward our history that values what has gone before. Rather than discounting the past, we need to value what has gown us toward the point of Territory evolvement we have reached.

Preserving rather than discounting our history and tossing it aside, should become normative behaviour.

E-MAILS CAN SPELL TROUBLE

There are constant cases and incidents happening to remind of the fact that we need to be careful with email traffic. It is all too easy for an e-mail written with haste and without prior thought, to create problems for the writer.

Never ever comment on people or personality issues within emails; discuss issues but not people, messages but not the character or reputation of the messengers.

Be careful in responding to parental emails, because responses can be held against teachers and leaders who commit on issues relating to students. My suggestion (based on many years of experience) is to respond by telephone or by invited the parent in for a conversation.

Emails are intended to save time in responding to queries. Sometimes they can be terribly counter-productive.

WHAT’S NEW IS OLD

New ideas and approaches tend to be pre-tried (or old) ideas that have been planned, implemented, tried and dropped for new ideas in the past. In reality, they never fade completely away but sit and wait until ‘new leaders’ in time come along and revisit the old, trotting them out as new initiatives and possibly the way to the future.

If only education was about ‘steady state’ instead of bouncing from one idea to the next to the next! With all these changes, many of them coming from people in high places and systems level, school leaders and staff are constantly persuaded (or required) to move with the times.

At the end of this process are students, poor students. What must THEY think? Of course, they are never asked.

Always question the need for change.

PLAGIARISM

One of the sins of our profession and many others is claiming ‘ownership’ of ideas without sufficiently acknowledging the genesis of the initiative. So often something claimed as belonging to a person by that person, has its origins elsewhere.

That applies to information gleaned from the web but also results from the claimant not sufficiently researching to determine whether her or his idea has been tried in another place and at an earlier time.

As a long term educator, I can attest to that happening for me on quite a few occasions. I never protested loudly because if our children benefit, does it really matter where the idea was sourced. Nevertheless, one puts these things away in the back of one’s mind and it does impact upon the respect held for purloiners.

ALWAYS acknowledge your sources. And for the whole of your life.

SPELLING HAS BEEN ZAPPED

I weep for the way in which spelling has been discounted in this modern day and age. Too often the elements of word study are neglected and ‘anything goes’.

Teachers too often do not know how to teach spelling and do not know how to spell themselves. Spelling, grammatical constructs, word usage and application including meaning are discounted.

When I trained as a teacher in 1968 – 69, one of our ‘method’ units was the teaching of spelling. Furthermore, we were required to sit a test of 100 spelling words and were allowed one error. An error included writing the word, realising it was wrong and correcting that word. Failure required the test to be sat again and again and again. The test HAD to be passed before trainees graduated. Failure meant one did not graduate until such time as the test was mastered.

A far cry from then until now, when it often seems anything goes. Dear teachers of tomorrow, how I hope you will help reverse that trend by teaching spelling.

The first items of my collection moving from home to the Northern Territory Archive. From home office to archived status. My first donated collection displaced or occupied 1.6 metres of storage space.

THE CLASSROOM CAPTAIN AND CREW

Technology with all its advances is better understood by children and young people than teachers. Students in terms of their intimate technological knowledge are often streets ahead of their instructors. teachers worry they can’t keep up.

In 1996, Heather Gabriel wrote in ‘The Australian’, that teachers should not stress out about this factor. She suggested that the classroom be like unto a ship, the teachers the captain and students like unto the crew. A good ship’s captain does not try and try to do everything. He or she delegates to the crew and oversees the totality of function to ensure the ship safely negotiates from the start to the end of its journey.

Similiarly, teachers can engage students to oversee aspects of the classroom’s technological challenge while ensuring that technology enhances learning outcomes.

That to my way of thinking is an apt analogy.

14. Regardless of your position, SEEK FEEDBACK from a critical friend or colleague on thing you do well and elements of your performance needing attention and improvement. Be open to advice – it helps.

15. BRIEF DAILY SUMMARIES can be useful. Summary might include:

*Activity/project;

*How did I feel (+’s and -‘s);

*What did I learn;

*Implications for study/ work (tasks), people (relations) and self.

Remember that recognising the positives of personal and professional performance is important. It is not one-way self-criticism because that does not lead to a balanced reflection.

COMES AND END TO PROCRASTINATION (2)

I knew what to do.

My options were to keep the accumulation of materials, bequeathing them almost accidentally to my family. To them, much of this material would be burdensome and an encumbrance. Or, alternatively, to start a program of going through and sorting my resources with a view to donating them to the NT Archive. Having gained an insight into the valuable work done by the archive in preserving history and making it available to those with interest in or a bent toward studying the past, I realised the second option was the better of the two.

The hardest part was the start. It felt somewhat ‘wrenching’ to contemplate ‘ surrendering’ resources. But once I had gotten over the twangs of concern about this being an issue, I became wise to the fact that sharing was better that hiding these resources from view. In the archive they will be available to others. While having to cede ownership and copyright to the Archive (a part of the requirement for the transfer of donated materials), what I pass on will be under the heading of “The Gray Collection”.

As an educator, I have always tried to share. So this is simple another sharing method, one which may be of help and benefit to others.

My first donation was on July 5 2019.

COMES AN END TO PROCRASTINATION (1)

One of the things I always did as an educator was to keep very careful and detailed records on all sorts of issues pertaining to education. My accumulation of educational materials spans the years from 1970(My first year of teaching) to January 2012 when I retired. Since that time. As a retiree I have added to the collection.

Knowing that I was approaching retirement, (from 2011) I began to put time into preparing my personal collection for movement to my home office.

That was eight years ago! Around five years ago I started thinking about what should happen to the materials collected over the years. One part of me did not want to surrender any of them; another aspect of my “existence“ suggested that it was rather stupid to leave them in their accumulated, largely quiescent state, until I died.

That would simply leave a lot of material for someone else to sort out.

I could not begin to imagine what alternatives might be taken into account when it came to disposal.

My thinking crystallised in November 2018. At that time I was asked to contribute to an oral history been developed by the Northern Territory Archive. During my engagement I learned a lot about donations of accumulated materials to the archive. I knew what to do.

13. SOCRATIC DISCUSSION is a method of in conversation with students, where you and students can engage in quality discourse. It is superior as a way of developing shared learning and empathetic understanding.

“Great tool to use when intending for the students to take ownership in the learning. Students really carry the load in making meaning, stating and defending ideas, and synthesizing learning. Even better, the students really enjoy the fact that there is not a single right answer, but they must state and defend their ideas. The fact that text is usually utilized in a seminar increases rigor because the students identify and expand upon key ideas, not simply record and regurgitate what the teacher believes to be important.”

David Zilli

“Of course the teacher must be good at asking relevant questions with well focused objectives. He/She must be able to organize students response logically and probe students answers to make them more specific. Furthermore, if an answer or response is irrelevant the teacher response must be making the responder to think about his/her response. Last but not the least the logical sequence of From easier to difficult, from known to unknown and from concrete to abstract be followed.”

Mohammad Faiq

Socratic Discussion is an enhancing learning tool.

Email me on henry.gray@bigpond.com for free materials I have developed (and practised with learning groups) on the subject.

10. When counselling, correcting or advising students, be EMPATHETIC. In your mind’s eye, put yourself into their place. Think how it would feel to be on the receiving end of what you are about to say. But ensure they understand their part in responsibility for and ownership of issues.

11. When in classrooms as preservice teachers, SEEK FEEDBACK from mentors on things you are doing well and on what might be done differently and better. Take initiative and initiate these conversations.

12. With assignments and practice preparation, work steadily toward completion and readiness. USE TIME WISELY. Take breaks, relax your mind, then come back to tasks. RECORD work to do and list tasks done.

7. Setting SCHOOL PRIORITIES is important. Genuine education is about preparing children and students for the whole of life. This preparation is about far more than academics and test results alone.

8. Train to be a teacher because you WANT TO be a teacher, not because you HAVE TO be a teacher. Entrance requirements for teacher training should be top of the pile not bottom of the barrel.

9. ALL teachers should listen to and synthesise advice. They should read widely and shared with colleagues. But they should NEVER try and copy others. Each teacher is unique and individual.

You look at and watch young children interesting and they are generally free of the qualification of gender, race, colour (and so on) bias. THE BIAS COMES FROM ADULTS. Those adults may be parents, relations and others these young humans see and hear.

Their innocence and what might be wholesome inquiry on issues as they get older, is ruined for these chilldren by ADULTS.

Where do racist attitudes come from?

Education and change needs to be at home, in the community and with adults. Don’t heap the responsibility of the need to change attitudes so totally on young children and students of tender chronological years. No wonder so many young people are confused and depressed, uncertain and unsure of their station, status and position in life’s world.

It is ADULTS who have caused their confusion.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (2)

4. SEPARATION of work and home is something we need to consider. There is a time for work, a time for family and a time for recreation. Wo ought avoid polluting time with family by work overlays.

5. The role set of educators is like an ICEBERG. Observers are aware of the one tenth of our duties ‘above’ the water, but unaware of the nine tenths hidden from their immediate view.

6. Educators are people whose teaching and leadership has a life lasting impact upon students. What we do should come from the heart. Educators make a powerful and hopefully positive impact on students.

THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (1)

1. Always make sure you write notes at the end of each day, that reflect on the things you have done well and on things you might do differently and better with or during your next lessons. It is important to make note of your successes as well as noting the things offering challenge. This ‘reflective journal ‘ is ever so important and can be easily overlooked. My suggestion would be that you write it with reference to your plans and notes used during the day, that you write conversationally and that you use it as a way of noting things you recall.

2. Teachers are directors, the classroom a stage and students the actors in a play that is pointing them from today toward the present. Each scene offers them ongoing development and confidence building.

3. If a preservice or relatively new teacher, never feel undervalued. Know that older colleagues appreciate the qualities you bring to schools. Know you are regarded as staff members while in your practice schools. They may not always say so, but you are appreciated.

The NT News on Saturday 29 June headlined the fact that one teacher every day is assaulted by students, parents or others in NT Schools. This followed the revelation that half the Northern Territory’s school principals have been physically attacked at work (Wave of abuse at principals, NT News 27/2/2019).

THIS IS TOTALLY, TOTALLY APPALLING!!

The matter needs to be firmly addressed and not accepted as being normative, tolerated behaviour.

Government and the Department of Education uphold the safety of school staff as being a matter of utmost importance. If those words are to have meaning, there needs to be more than acquiescing to the abuse trending towards school leaders.

Educators have a right to feel protected and should not be discouraged from reporting and following through on matters of assault. The Education Department’s legal arm should be to the fore in supporting principals and prosecuting assailants through the courts.

Firm action against abusive students and adults would provide a clear and visible message that school leaders are not prepared to absorb this behaviour. That action has to be paramount. The trend must be visibly countered with full backing by Government, Education Department Teachers and Principals Association.

To its credit the Australian Education Union (NT) is always there to support teachers in these situations. However, there is often an ominous quiet, indeed a playing down of the issue, coming from other quarters. That quiet accomodation is not good enough.