Teacher welfare

‘How do you respond when leaders opt for optimism, in order to skim over dealing with the real issues that your school and community are cultivating, because it is easier to deny they exist?’ What happens when positivity gets out of hand, and how can we best respond to those who refuse to acknowledge the bad times?

As Australia marks World Teachers’ Day, a new survey report released to coincide with the celebrations shines a light on school educators’ passion for and dedication to the profession and lifelong learning. But it also reveals how the job is taking a toll on their wellbeing.

As COVID-19 vaccination rates increase and schools here in Australia and around the world return to on-site learning, teachers and students will need to reestablish face-to-face relationships and routines, take time to reflect on their home learning experiences and think about where to from here. Dr Gail Brown and Dr Carl Leonard offer some advice and questions for reflection in today’s reader submission.

More than half of Australia’s population is under COVID-19 lockdowns, which means many of you are right in the thick of a long period of remote learning, maybe while trying to homeschool your own children at the same time. In today’s episode I run through some of the recent wellbeing pieces we’ve published, as well as some other highlights from a busy month here at Teacher.

With ACER’s Research Conference 2021 fast approaching, at Teacher magazine, we’ve been catching up with some of the keynote speakers that are on the line-up for the five-day online conference. In today’s episode we’re going to get you up to speed on these exciting stories at Teacher, and also some more of our highlights.

Researchers from the School of Law at Western Sydney University have looked at the regulation of teacher behaviour on social media in Australia. In this episode of The Research Files, we’re joined by the researchers to find out more about social media policies in schools and the ramifications for teachers.

Do teachers in state schools encounter the same work stressors as their colleagues working in the private sector? And if so, what are those stressors? Jude Brady and Dr Elaine Wilson from the University of Cambridge in the UK have collected and analysed data from 40 teachers to find out more.

‘Commitment to the teaching profession refers to teachers’ sense of connection and investment in the occupation.’ Rebecca Collie, of the University of New South Wales, shares findings of a new study into job supports that appear to help boost teacher commitment.

In his latest Teacher column, OECD Director for Education and Skills Andreas Schleicher shares preliminary findings from the organisation’s Special Survey on how systems have responded to the pandemic – from school closures and remote learning, to teacher vaccination and gradual returns to in-class instruction.

Casual relief teachers (CRTs) are an integral part of the teacher workforce, but many often report feeling a lack of support and exclusion at schools they’re working in. Recent research has uncovered the common challenges faced by CRTs, and how school leaders can mitigate these concerns. Find out more in this podcast episode.