Where are the Teachers?

Teacher input and expertise from the ‘chalk-face’ is starkly absent from the National Curriculum Board, says IEU Federal Secretary Chris Watt.

Independent Education Union Federal Secretary Chris Watt said: “Genuine and robust curriculum development takes place when all stakeholders, including teachers, parents, employers and experts from the university sector, are involved – so where are the experts from the ‘chalk-face’ on the National Curriculum Board?
“The IEU has long supported educational reform in curriculum that is based upon research, that ensures educational validity and integrity and very importantly that supports teacher professional judgment
“The IEUA notes both the time and expertise that teachers and other stakeholders have committed over the years to developing curriculum and learning opportunities across the breadth of this country, with the sole interest of fulfilling every student’s opportunity to learn – with considerable success,” he said.
The Union has supported work to achieve greater national consistency and comparability in curriculum, assessment, reporting and certification and in other areas of educational policy, which contribute to ongoing improvements in learning outcomes.
However, the IEU believes that this should not lead to national standardisation or uniformity of teaching approaches and subject curricula or a loss of quality teaching and learning conditions.
“The further development of national curriculum should reflect the broad range of needs – and interests of society, including parents and employers, should reflect the professional knowledge of teachers, and should model the cooperative and collaborative approach which characterises the way teachers and students work in Australian schools today,” said Watt.
“Teachers must be invited into the centre of the process.”

IEU Media Release: 4 February