TASME Term 4 Newsletter, 2022

Given the change of Office Bearers at the recent AGM, this will be my last written opening of our TASME newsletter. Hence, I am going to take the liberty of sharing some personal reflections on teaching.

As those who work with me know, I lost my job as a music teacher at an independent school earlier this year due to the introduction of a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. It was a sad way, for me and my family, to end an almost three-decade association with the school. Nonetheless, opportunities have since arisen to work elsewhere, and to also meet and talk with a range of colleagues. This has caused me to reflect on teaching generally, whilst also being mindful of reports from the mainstream media regarding the difficulties associated with attracting people to the profession. Without a doubt, teachers are under pressure, and underpaid given the complexity of what's now required and when compared to other occupations. Of course, circumstances vary from school to school but as a general observation, we are required to do more, with much of the additional work related to record keeping and compliance, and of course the difficulties associated with youngsters who seem to live more complex and emotionally turbulent lives than they once did.

Additionally, the events of the last couple of years have clearly taken their toll on a number of teachers, an observation that is confirmed by an article recently published in The Mercury. It cited the increased number of resignations and incidences of stress leave with the Department of Education.

I confess, I am also becoming a little cynical about leadership in education. There appears to be a greater risk of leaders being disconnected from the 'coal face', particularly in larger schools and it seems that often, senior staff are more concerned about implementing change in order to further their own careers rather than creating environments in which teachers can operate at their best. There are exceptions of course, and I wish to acknowledge the Principal of a school I am currently teaching at for having the foresight to recently pay me a couple of relief days to write reports given the number I had to write in proportion to my load. How many principals would do that?

Another 'takeout' from my 'sea change' comes from having now spent time working in general primary classrooms, not teaching Music but supervising and teaching primary classes. I have concluded that every secondary teacher should spend time in a primary classroom! Given the adage, which I have amended here, that primary teachers teach their students whilst high school teachers teach their subjects, one has much to learn by being in a primary classroom and in particular working alongside experienced primary classroom teachers. There are so many 'tricks of the trade' that one can acquire from doing so and apply to a secondary context, particularly when it comes to managing a classroom to heighten the learning experience for all students in the class.

I wish to share one final observation. I was recently relief teaching in a local Catholic high school, something I have been thoroughly enjoying, supervising a Year 7 English class. The class was studying poetry, literary devices in particular. One student had finished his work and therefore had the opportunity to either write a poem or research one. Whilst doing the rounds of the class I looked at his computer and noticed that he was watching an animated version set to Schubert's Erlkönig. The animation is worth a look as it uses sand and as stated here, "The moving images, resembling woodcuts, capture the haunting, nightmarish quality of the tale of the ErlKing who steals and kills a little boy". Needless to say, I was a little surprised, but also delighted, to see a Year 7 student taking an interest in lieder. I asked where he had first heard Schubert's setting of Goethe's work and he said that his primary school Music teacher had played it to his class. I was impressed and was reminded of the effect teachers can have, especially primary music teachers where there is the opportunity to lay such important musical and cultural foundations. I am yet to find out who the boy's music teacher was, but my hat goes off to them.

I wish to conclude by thanking the members of the Chapter Council these last two years. Really, in hindsight, we have had a bumper time due mainly to the ideas and commitment of the members of the Council. The National Conference, which fell on my watch, catching me by surprise, I confess, was ultimately a triumph, due in no small measure to the contributions of Andrea Marks, Wendy Ross and Jennifer Rosevear. We continue to benefit from the outcome of this, which ultimately translates into a more effective service for our members. I also wish to acknowledge the work of Andrea Marks in being able to redirect funds approved by the Tasmanian Government for the Conference to other professional learning projects this year. It has been a treat to be able to work with Elena Kats-Chernin, James Humberstone and Joanne Heaton. I wish Andrea well as she resumes the position of Chair of TASME and I look forward to continuing to serve the organisation in other ways henceforth.

Paul Radford

Immediate Past State Chair