Instrumental Music – AEU members secure another win!
Just prior to the successful 1000+ gathering at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood on 12 August 2007, DECS CEO sent the AEU a letter that backed away from the proposed model with a range of concessions. These are:
Just prior to the successful 1000+ gathering at the Capri Cinema, Goodwood on 12 August 2007, DECS CEO sent the AEU a letter that backed away from the proposed model with a range of concessions. These are:
- No changes to Instrumental music in 2008 for primary or secondary schools or students.
- Instrumental music teachers to remain part of the Instrumental Music service, north, south and country and will not be forced into schools.
- Trials to commence in 2008 of a range of different instrumental music delivery styles, including the original Year 5 whole class approach.
- Trials will be paid for by DECS and from outside the Instrumental Music Service budget.
- Trials will be voluntary for both school and Instrumental music teachers. That is; no school or teacher can be compelled to participate.
AEU members have always supported quality teaching and an excellence in the Public Education system. AEU members support the critical evaluation of teaching methodology and pedagogy. On this basis the AEU also supports the trials where the following preconditions are met:
- All staff involved, including Instrumental Music Teachers, are provided with appropriate Professional Development that meet identified needs.
- All staff participation is on a voluntary basis.
- Trials will not contribute an additional workload impost upon those who volunteer, that is; trials will be fully resourced; e.g. to allow for any release time required for planning and evaluation.
- Trials are conducted within an action research framework and outcomes are critically evaluated by a centrally established “Trial Review Committee’ consisting of representatives from Instrumental Music Service, primary and secondary classroom teachers and the AEU.
Regardless of the outcomes of the trials, no Education Minister is going to hastily adopt any changes that will bring about another public show of strong opposition.
Speaking of common sense….
Speaking of common sense….
Why can’t DECS leadership and the Minister snap out of its unquestioning reliance upon the miasma of poor advice that is passed upward as well informed strategy and initiative by DECS middle level bureaucrats – many of whom have either never taught or are from Victoria and were appointed by Spring or are so long out of the classroom that memories have become very dim?
Here’s an incomplete list of the matters that DECS and the Minister have been poorly advised on and forced one way or another to back down on since September 2006:
- Threat to cut 10 metro permanent relieving teachers
- Imposition of 1% Workcover levy
- Threat to cut Swimming and Aquatics programme
- Threat to cut Instrumental Music programme
- Threat to Schools to pay more for temporarily placed teachers
- Threat to increase travel distance from 45km to 70 km
The two directorates within DECS that think they are a part of the wild, wild west are Industrial Relations and Human Resources.
How many times has DECS Industrial Relations ignored advice from AEU Industrial Officers only to learn the hard way in the commission since 2005? Five times!
One DECS officer from IR is rumored to have openly defied the Assistant CE in a meeting over permanency for Aquatics Instructors.
Country PATS and contracts exploited
Country PATS and contract teachers who have demonstrated a clear commitment to country schools deserve to appointed to on-going vacancies. Instead, a number are being shunted from pillar to post while inexperienced early exit teachers are being placed first, in ongoing vacancies.
It is a matter of convenience for DECS to keep country PATS and contract teachers filling short term vacancies as these teachers are already in the country district - a ready made pool of exploitable labour.
This issue needs to be raised by the AEU on behalf of country PATS and contract teachers. Names and circumstances are important to build the case. We suggest that anyone who feels that they have been “passed over” by a graduate appointment, should alert the AEU so that the issue can be dealt with.
Have you been worked over by Education Works?
The Minister’s Education Works ‘Team’ is supposedly working with communities to examine the feasibility of preschools and schools co-locating or amalgamating. Remember that any restructures under education works are meant to be voluntary. Not so apparently, according to one lower north primary school!
AEU elections - make your vote count!
Election time is in October. Make sure you vote as soon as you receive your election papers in the post. Less than a third of AEU members voted in the last election.
How many times has DECS Industrial Relations ignored advice from AEU Industrial Officers only to learn the hard way in the commission since 2005? Five times!
One DECS officer from IR is rumored to have openly defied the Assistant CE in a meeting over permanency for Aquatics Instructors.
Country PATS and contracts exploited
Country PATS and contract teachers who have demonstrated a clear commitment to country schools deserve to appointed to on-going vacancies. Instead, a number are being shunted from pillar to post while inexperienced early exit teachers are being placed first, in ongoing vacancies.
It is a matter of convenience for DECS to keep country PATS and contract teachers filling short term vacancies as these teachers are already in the country district - a ready made pool of exploitable labour.
This issue needs to be raised by the AEU on behalf of country PATS and contract teachers. Names and circumstances are important to build the case. We suggest that anyone who feels that they have been “passed over” by a graduate appointment, should alert the AEU so that the issue can be dealt with.
Have you been worked over by Education Works?
The Minister’s Education Works ‘Team’ is supposedly working with communities to examine the feasibility of preschools and schools co-locating or amalgamating. Remember that any restructures under education works are meant to be voluntary. Not so apparently, according to one lower north primary school!
AEU elections - make your vote count!
Election time is in October. Make sure you vote as soon as you receive your election papers in the post. Less than a third of AEU members voted in the last election.
Stay tuned!
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