Quality Teaching and School Leadership

National Institute for Quality Teaching and School Leadership

The English Teachers' Association (NSW) is the largest subject teaching association in New South Wales. We are made up of 2000 members (individual and corporate) making the ETA the professional representative of about 5000 English teachers who are distributed through the Sydney metropolitan area and through 20 regional branches across the state.

ETA's purpose is to support its members through the provision of professional development and advocacy in the interests of ensuring the quality and appropriateness of the experience of English for students.

The appropriateness and adequacy of guiding principles for the NIQTSL.

The ETA (NSW) supports the general direction of the characteristics of NIQTSL but has serious concerns about the implications and ambiguities in their wording and detail outlined below.

• The wording of the first guiding principle implies a 'top down', hierarchical organisational model which is to be imposed on the 'profession', as opposed to being developed from the 'ground upwards'. This runs counter to contemporary management theory and research with regards to organisational effectiveness, and - to echo a term used by Dr Gregor Ramsay - infantilises the profession. Due regard is not given to the professionalism and expertise of teachers. This is further highlighted by the lamentable absence of a professional advocacy role for NIQTSL in these guiding principles.

Recommendation 1:

that a new first principle is added: 'Promote community recognition of the professionalism of Australian teachers'.

Recommendation 2:

that the existing first principle is reworded: 'Support the work of teachers towards the continued enhancement of the quality of teaching, school leadership and learning outcomes for students across all schools'.

• The second principle does not adequately establish the autonomy NIQTSL requires if it is to be truly representative professional body. Independence from government in the goal setting, strategic planning, expenditure and day-to-day running of the organisation MUST be a hallmark of NIQTSL.
• The definition of the 'profession' provided in the issues paper is also unnecessarily restrictive. Rather than NIQTSL being described as 'inclusive of school teachers and leaders', an absolute statement is required if the organisation is to be accepted by teachers as being truly representative of the teaching profession and the teaching profession alone.
• Given the necessity for teachers to identify and accept NIQTSL as being representative of their needs and interests, the binary created between 'teachers' and 'leaders' results in an unfortunately restrictive definition of leadership in schools. Such a distinction de-professionalises teachers through failing to recognise the complexities involved in the multi-faceted nature of their work. Connecting 'leadership' to a defined position within a school hierarchy (e.g. Principal), does not acknowledge the essential and invaluable work done by teachers as leaders across a multitude of roles. A broader definition of 'leadership' is essential in order that leadership, as it actually functions in school education, can be more readily aligned with educational excellence and takes into account the crucial relationship identified in Australian and international research between subject knowledge and pedagogical expertise and quality educational outcomes.

Recommendation 3:

that guiding principle two is reworded to read 'function autonomously from government and be managed by the profession for the profession'.

Recommendation 4:

that the definition of 'the profession' provided in the issues paper is reworded to read 'comprises school teachers in their multiple educational and management roles'.

• NIQTSL must take on a strong professional advocacy role. This necessitates a strong research arm, and NIQTSL would need to work to ensure funding for educational research. NIQTSL could ensure that research is undertaken in areas of pressing need and concern to teachers. Such areas include teacher supply and demand - more particularly how to keep experienced teachers in the profession - and how 'quality' educational outcomes are best defined, measured and described.
• It is the firm position of ETA (NSW) that under NO circumstances should the notion of 'National perspectives and consistency' be seen as an opportunity for government to control through direct funding the content and structure of teacher education courses offered by universities.

Recommendation 5:

that guiding principle four is reworded to read 'generate national perspectives from within the profession and promote these perspectives'.

Recommendation 6:

that a sixth guiding principal is added: 'work towards national consistency in relevant areas of need as identified by the profession'.

Proposed Model of interaction between NIQTSL and the profession

• Interaction with teachers should occur through channels that are already established by groups already known and respected by the profession. Research into 'teacher identity' has indicated that secondary teachers primarily identify themselves as teachers of a specific subject or subjects, and also readily associate themselves and their professional goals with particular aspects of the location of their employment and the students they teach. Accordingly, the credibility and growth of NIQTSL as a professional body is best fostered at the state level in concert with professional associations, which are known and valued providers of professional development.
• In addition to the communication possibilities provided by the pre-existing networks of state and national teachers' associations, interaction with teachers and leaders should occur through electronic means where teachers can access updates from the NIQTSIL website and provide feedback.

Relationship between NIQTSL and universities

• If NIQTSL is to have national influence then its primary relationships with tertiary institutions should not be limited to universities in Canberra, where teacher education has historically not been valued sufficiently for all three institutions named in the issues paper to establish an education faculty and offer courses in teacher education. Consideration should be given to forming primary relationships with universities around the nation, and in particular those that provide the highest number of teacher education places. Such a move is necessary to provide credibility and integrity to the enterprise.

Appropriate performance indicators in relation to quality in the areas listed below.