Noella Mackenzie

Teacher Morale: More Complex than We Think?.

The literature suggests that teacher morale is at an all time low in Australia (Hicks 2003, Smyth 2001) with teachers feeling undervalued, frustrated, unappreciated and demoralized (Smyth 2001; Senate Employment, Education and Training References Committee (SEETRC) 1998). In this paper the author utilizes the data gathered in a recent study into teaching excellence awards (Mackenzie 2004) as the medium to explore and discuss the issue of teacher morale and to provide some tentative suggestions for improving morale as proposed by the study participants. If we accept a reciprocal relationship between teacher morale and student learning (Ramsey 2000, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2000), students in some schools may not be getting the best possible value from teachers affected by low morale. Participants in the Mackenzie (2004) study agreed that morale was generally lower than in previous times, although many suggested that morale was positive in their own schools. This suggests that morale may be more complex than has been previously understood, with three levels of morale operating concurrently for teachers, a concept which is explored in this paper.

The Professional Development of Teachers in Australia

SUMMARYIn this paper the authors outline the concept of professional development as it pertains in the Australian context of education. Various models of and approaches to professional development of teachers are discussed, ranging from short sessions and courses to more extended models. The model adopted in Victoria, Australia through the Victorian Professional Development Network is addressed and an outline of the way modules of professional development may articulate into formal award bearing university courses is discussed. Following a major research study carried out in New South Wales by one of the authors, a new model for professional development is posited. This model portrays professional development as a dynamic and interactive process between three central elements in the professional development equation.

Teaching Excellence Awards: An Apple for the Teacher?

In this article the status of teaching as a profession and the morale of teachers in Australian schools in the current era provide a framework for the examination of the intent and outcomes of teaching excellence awards. The research study applied an interpretive research paradigm and used both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The methodology and the theoretical framework were based on organisational and sociological paradigms. Data informing the study were collected from 44 award recipients and 57 of their colleagues between the years 2000 and 2002. Documentation relating to the promotion and process of awards was also examined. The introduction of teaching excellence awards into the school education sector is found to be a reflection of the economic era in which the current education system is situated. The paper concludes that the awards process may be potentially politically manipulative.

Predictors of writing success: How important are spelling, grammar and punctuation?:

Writing provides a means for personal reflection, thinking, creativity, meaning-making and sharing, as well as complementing other modes of communication in a world of multimodal texts. While writing in the digital age has become increasingly fast-paced and exposed to global scrutiny, being able to write efficiently with correct spelling, grammar and punctuation remains a critical part of being a literate writer. This article uses data from 819 Australian primary school students to explore the relationship between three language conventions, namely spelling, grammar and punctuation as measured by the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Language Conventions Test, and the quality of written composition, as measured by the NAPLAN Writing Test. Results indicate that spelling, grammar and punctuation jointly predict written composition achievement with spelling as the main predictor. Implications for the educational practice of writing in the contemporary context are discussed, emphasising the importance of spelling in relation to writing and how instruction in spelling, during senior primary school, appears to be critical for written composition improvement.

Understanding and supporting young writers: Opening the school gate

LEARNING TO WRITE IS critical to becoming literate. In this paper we examine continuities and discontinuities in pedagogical approaches to writing across preschools and schools. Qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis were applied. Findings suggest that preschool teachers rarely introduce children to traditional or digital forms of writing, while schools seem to expect even their youngest students to write using letters and words and conventional written text structures. This suggests that there is a metaphorical ‘gate’ between the two settings with approaches to early writing based on which side of the gate the children are, rather than where they are on their personal writing learning journey. The authors provide a rationale for opening this gate in order to support young writers as they transition from prior-to-school settings to school.

Transitions and Emergent Writers

Transition has been described as the passage from one place, stage, style or subject to another over time’. Throughout a lifetime a person will move through numerous transitions, many simultaneously. For a young child, two important and overlapping transitions are starting school and learning to write. Each brings new and different processes and expectations for the child. It has been widely acknowledged that successful school transition plays an important role in later school success. However, the idea that starting school and learning to write are two overlapping transitions has not seen the same level of scrutiny. Starting school and learning to write may also overlap, interact or intersect with further transitions involving, for example, parental separation or a change in location. This chapter examines how the starting school transition could affect the learning to write transition.