Upfront

Accreditation: New rules more flexible

NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is giving teachers broader scope to meet their professional development (PD) requirements.

The changes provide greater flexibility compared to the narrowly mandated priority areas put in place by the previous Liberal-National government in NSW.

Under the new policy, teachers will be able to include a wider range of professional learning opportunities and other compliance training as part of their maintenance-of-accreditation PD requirements. Teachers will still need to complete 100 hours of professional development over a five-year cycle.

This new policy will be particularly welcomed by early childhood teachers working in regional and rural NSW, who find it difficult to access PD.

“This new policy will reduce some of the heavy workload pressures on our members,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews.

“The IEU has been calling for these changes for several years, and we appreciate NSW Education Minister Prue Car’s vote of confidence in the teaching profession.

“Where courses were available from private providers, they were often prohibitively expensive, especially for accredited teachers in early childhood centres,” Matthews said.

“This new process puts teachers back at the centre of the profession and the government is to be congratulated for listening to the voice of the profession.”

A taste of nature at environment conference

Members from far and wide gathered among towering eucalypts at the Field of Mars Environmental Education Centre on Wallumedegal Country in north-west Sydney for a day of professional development.

The IEUA NSW/ACT Branch organises a bi-annual Environment Conference for all members.

Early childhood teachers explored the world beyond their centre through engaging workshops and hands-on learning experiences.

They shared information about environmental initiatives at their centres. Driven by her passion for nature pedagogy, Leanne Everingham, from Charlestown Child Care and Early Learning Centre, added regular bush walks to her centre’s program. “The benefits have surprised me,” Leanne said. “Children go home and take their family on a walk; they are being the leaders.”

Amanda Blakers and Annette Reeves from West Epping Preschool have developed close relationships with local Dharug knowledge holders and introduced Dharug language into their preschool’s Acknowledgement of Country and other areas of learning.

Children at their preschool begin the day outside all year round. “We talk a lot about Country and caring for Country,” Annette said. “We start outside and part of that is to give children predictability and structure. It allows them to feel the difference in the seasons and what the environment looks like.”

Committed members win activism award

Two exceptional IEU-QNT members have been recognised and celebrated for their activism and commitment to making a difference for staff in the sector (for more see page 20).

IEU members Debbie Quig and Tanya Donaghey were worthy recipients of the inaugural John Spriggs Award for Outstanding Activism in the Early Childhood Education Sector.

The award was established in recognition of the extraordinary contribution to the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector made by former IEU-QNT Senior Industrial Officer John Spriggs throughout his 28-year tenure at our union.

Debbie, a kindergarten teacher at Aspley East C&K, and Tanya, a kindergarten assistant at Samford Community Kindergarten, are to be congratulated for promoting union values in their workplaces.

Both women are long-standing and active members in their workplaces and are respected, trustworthy points of contact for their colleagues.

Congratulations to Debbie and Tanya on your well-deserved honour, and thank you for the difference you make for our members.