Super teachers seem harder to find     012

One way in which primary education is changing today is the surprising growth in complexity.  Primary schools now seem more like high schools with increasing formality, more extensive reporting and the use of multiple teachers to deliver education, including English as a Second Language teachers and various support teachers for learning difficulties. One such example recently came before me: a Year Five student, in a private school, with a total of five teachers. Now how is this possible you may well ask.

There are eight subjects: English, maths, science, human society, library, music, personal development and PE, and art. Most of these subjects only have one teacher delivering them, apart from some overlap. Traditionally there has always been a library teacher so this cuts the number of teachers back to four, but that’s still four teachers to do the work of one teacher.

This student, and of course her cohort, must organise their bags and change classrooms about three to five times per day. The disruption, time loss and tiredness must be set against any benefit deriving from these extra teachers. Achievement in the primary school is due to many factors apart from the expertise of the teacher. One of these factors is a closer understanding of students and hence the ability to achieve superior motivation. When each class has one main teacher then different types of cooperation and flexibility across the grade is easier to organise as well. Teachers are free to vary lessons and activities, and this is another benefit for children.

It would surprise parents of children at this particular school that some primary schools in country and rural areas have only one teacher.  On the staffing allocation patterns described above the children at these very small schools would seem to require about 29 teachers, allowing for the seven grades being taught, K-6, and one library teacher. And yet the NSW Department of Education has seen fit to only provide the one teacher. The children must then be disadvantaged.

Well not really. You see, that one teacher—the teacher that teaches all children, all grades, all subjects, and who is also responsible for all aspects of school organisation including parent bodies, financial record keeping, government statistics and interaction with all outside organisations—is actually a super teacher. These days super teachers seem harder to find as far too many teachers can only do one or two things. So if you do have a super teacher teaching your child, say thank you.

All content copyright—Mark Thackray—Australian Educational Services