[Design and Technology] election promise

[Kevork Krozian]

Hi John,

 In case you missed it, there are 130 subscribers on the Des and Tech
mailing list.

Best Wishes
Kevork

>>> hallsworth.john.j at edumail.vic.gov.au 19/04/2007 7:34 am >>>
Hello all (although I guess this is specifically aimed at Kevork
really)

could you give us an indication of how many teachers are on the destech
mailing list please.  It would be interesting to know whether this is
just a small group of teachers having a whinge amongst themselves, or
maybe it is reaching a greater cohort and may lead somewhere.

Thank you.

John Hallsworth
Montmorency Secondary College
Para Rd, Montmorency, 3094
Ph: 9435 6399 Fax: 9434 6259
visit http://www.vcedesigntech.com/  - you just might find it useful !



From: David Fletcher
Sent: Wed 18/04/07 10:47 PM
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] election promise


Hi all,

Further to the discussion regarding maintaining woodwork and metalwork
machinery in Technology Departments, many schools employ the services of
a most capable and helpful company who will do this on a contract
basis.

They have also upgraded the necessary guarding on some machines,
replaced and/or sharpened cutting blades and expertly installed ducting
for waste removal.  They will issue a certificate each year that
machines have been checked, maintained and comply with OH&S
requirements.

Generally this can be done in one day, at a very reasonable rate, and
it takes the responsibility off the technology teacher who may not
always have the time or expertise to carry out this maintenence work.

The company is  ANVIL SAFETY PRODUCTS.  Contact ...
John Garcia
342 Stony Point Road,
Crib Point 3919
(03) 5983 6063
FAX 5983 6125
Email: Anvil at nex.net.au 
I am happy to recommend this company.

David Fletcher
Secretary TEAV
Email  dgfletch at bigpond.net.au 

-------Original Message-------

From: Kevork Krozian
Date: 18/04/2007 08:28:49 PM
To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Design and Technology] election promise

Dear Design and Tech Teachers,

  It gives me enormous satisfaction when I see your list evolving along
the
lines the much older IT lists have moved.
Namely, as professionals you have a voice to express a point of view,
air
grievances if there are any ( there is no shortage of those in
education it
seems and why wouldn't there be with such a complex endeavour ? ),
celebrate
success, support each other with ideas as well as resources.
Furthermore, I have watched as this list has moved on to discuss issues
of
resourcing such as lease vs buy , funding, support and the discussion
of
issues that impact upon your ability to do your jobs as teachers.
  Ultimately we are here for the students and it is for them that we
are
striving in order to deliver the best education program.

  If there is anything I can do to further enhance your mailing list or
your
support web site at http://www.edulists.com.au/ please let me know.

Best Wishes

Kevork Krozian
Mailing List Creator and Administrator
kevork at edulists.com.au 
http://www.edulists.com.au/ 
Tel: 0419 356 034
----- Original Message -----
From: "bazeley" <bazeley at iinet.net.au>
To: "'Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List'"
<destech at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 8:20 AM
Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise


> Hi all
>
> Sharing our experiences is very important at this stage especially
when
> they
> are as well expressed as Gary, John and others. I think if we can
get
> enough
> information together the next letter to the Minister should come from
the
> TEAV. I am sure David Fletcher and others are listening.
>
> I put forward the following example that was helpful in carrying out
the
> maintenance schedule that I have had difficulty in completing.
>
> In 2006 the school was willing to employ an ex trade teacher with
> engineering skills for one day. He carried out most of the
maintenance on
> the machinery in that one day. This was excellent value and a number
of
> bugs
> in the machinery were fixed. He was payed for a days CRT work. Costs
for
> repairs, parts etc came out of woodwork budget.
>
> It would be good to hear of other solutions that teachers have used
that
> work and could help solve problems in the short term.
>
> Richard Bazeley
>
>
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au 
> [mailto:destech-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Wragg, Gary G
> Sent: Tuesday, 17 April 2007 9:30 AM
> To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise
>
>
>
> Sorry to continue the 'Forum' as such, but it is good to hear tech
> teachers
> finally speaking out and a few points are worth elaborating upon.
>
> 1. Teaching conditions
>
> In the 1970's, class sizes in workshops were capped at 20. Rooms were
set
> up
> for 20 with a max of 24. Staff were allocated 'machining time' in
lieu of
> a
> technical assistant. Over the last 30 years our conditions have
> deteriorated
> and programs have been compromised. The transition from trade-based
to
> design-based learning increases workloads and has dramatically
altered the
> function of technology teachers. Students' work requires individual
> machining - different from the old 'industrial model' where all did
the
> same
> thing. Teachers are now forced to spend more time in the machining
rooms
> leaving up to 28 students unsupervised in a workshop full of sharp
things!
> Huge problems with responsibility!!
>
> 2. Technology Assistants
>
> Trade teachers in the past maintained their own equipment, repaired
and
> built furniture, etc. With the current paucity of tradespeople, this
now
> needs to be either outsourced - or more likely - facilities just fall
into
> disrepair. When I asked for a Tech assistant (a la Food Tech, Science
and
> languages, etc!) to assist with maintenance and machining VCE work,
and
> despite a recognition of the need, the standard response was that
there
> 'was
> no budget allocation available - nor likely to be unless government
> provides
> it'. Budgets are documents that reflect the priorities of a school
and
> government. The implications are obvious.
>
> 3. Provision of Resources.
>
> Capital equipment costs are a huge impost on school budgets. Much of
the
> valuable machinery was disposed of with the demise of the Techs and
little
> has been replaced. Yet, the demands on a growing Technology
curriculum
> have
> increased exponentially. Out-dated, unsafe equipment and resources
impact
> heavily on the classroom and confidence of teachers.
>
> On a final note, I recently contacted Lorraine Tran and the TEAV
about
> supply of technology software for schools being provided by the
government
> in a similar manner to the Laptop and Microsoft programs. The
responses
> from
> both were heartening, particularly given the political restraints
> operating
> around them. I guess we should now support them in supporting us.
>
> I applaud those who have taken up these important issues.
>
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Gary Wragg
>
> Rosebud Secondary College
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Hallsworth, John
J
> Sent: Mon 16/04/2007 8:59 PM
> To: Design and Technology Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise
>
> Well it's really interesting to hear a few colleagues speaking out
over
> the
> conditions we face and our lack of "real" support and resourcing. 
Of
> course, we have all been thinking those same thoughts but haven't had
an
> oopportunity to voice them.  The biggest problem is, I believe,
isolation.
> Technology teachers - "tradies" if you like, have dropped off the top
of
> the
> pile through retirements disillusionment and frustration.  There are
so
> many
> of us who are working in schools where the technology staff has been
cut
> back significantly and is being propped up by teachers who are not
really
> qualified to teach the resistant materials and technology subjects,
God
> love
> 'em.  Blind Freddy could see that it is near impossible to do justice
to
> the
> running of a technology facility, when you have to teach a full load.
 It
> is
> akin to being a shop foreman in industry, and also having to work
full
> time
> on the bench.  I think there has been a view over recent years that
> technology or trade subjects would just go away and die if you
starved
> them
> of resources,  However, that doesn't appear to be about to happen
because
> the popular view is now that technology subjects are vital to the
future
> of
> our students.  So, if that's the case, then the Government,
Principals and
> College councils need to put their hands in their pockets and provide
us
> with the same support that Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Food tech,
> Integration and ICT (to name but a few) receive. Back to the subject
of
> Isolation - there needs to be a body (possibly TEAV) that will act as
a
> voice for technology teachers on the hard issues.  A voice that will
> gather
> together the facts (we know the government loves to measure data)
and
> present them in a rational, but forceful way, not for my sake or
your
> sake,
> but for the sake of our students who are, I believe, getting a raw
deal
> through the unrealistic demands on us all.
>
>
>
> John Hallsworth
>
> Montmorency Secondary College
>
> Para Rd, Montmorency, 3094
>
> Ph: 9435 6399 Fax: 9434 6259
>
> visit http://www.vcedesigntech.com/ <http://www.vcedesigntech.com/>  
- you just
> might find it useful !
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: destech-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of
> fbu at brightp12.vic.edu.au 
> Sent: Mon 16/04/07 4:32 PM
> To: destech at edulists.com.au 
> Subject: RE: [Design and Technology] election promise
>
>
>
> John Hallsworth
>
> Montmorency Secondary College
>
> Para Rd, Montmorency, 3094
>
> Ph: 9435 6399 Fax: 9434 6259
>
> visit http://www.vcedesigntech.com/ <http://www.vcedesigntech.com/>  
- you just
> might find it useful !
>
> Yeah, I can relate to that. No time allowance or recognition (unless
it is
> convenient for admin) for ordering materials, sharpening,
maintenance,
> fixing, getting quotes etc for repairs, adjusting equipment , record
and
> accounts keeping, etc. There is only me here in Bright, and I run
both
> wood
> and metal tech from year 8 to 12. With a full teaching load it is
now
> impossible to keep up with the maintenance. Some band aid sollutions
> included  an attempt to get Rotary Club to send volunteers. This took
a
> fair
> bit of time to set up and only lasted  one session. I now have a
retired
> gent to do some for cash - he is good so far but tends to go for
holidays
> during the winter. I have had 7 years of negotiations with the
principals
> and the powers that be. The bottom line is always that, according to
> principals of other like schools, their tech staff seem to cope well
> without
> additional assistance and do all this work within their class-room
> preparation time. Apart from that there is no
>  funding.
>
> So my question is, are the tech areas well maintained, and who does
the
> work? (and are these people fairly reimbursed for that work?).
Because
> sure
> as hell I cannot do that part of the job effectively on a full
teaching
> load.
>
> Fran Burgers
>
>  "Ripley, Robert R" <ripley.robert.r at edumail.vic.gov.au> on Sun, 15
Apr
> 2007 10:43:10 +1000 wrote:
>> After 2 days at school during the term break, doing jobs that could
not
>> be
> done during school days because of teaching committments, (General
machine
> maintenence, changing cutters, repairing/sharpening tools,
> unloading/stacking material deliveries), all the while observing
that
> Science, Food, IT etc have assistant teaching personel, I'd suggest
an
> addition to your note to the Minister -
>>
>> Staffing the 'Technical' areas with suitably skilled teachers and
> appropriate servicing personel is as important as funding for
equipment
> and
> building replacement/upgrade.
>>
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> ---
> fbu at brightp12.vic.edu.au 
> http://www.brightp12.vic.edu.au/ 
> _______________________________________________
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> subscribe, unsubscribe
> Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ <http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/>  -
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> Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
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>
> Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If
> received
> in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or
using
> attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any
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> damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender
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> not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached
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> our
> liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any
> representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual
sender,
> and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au/ - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority
> and
> TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au/ - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority
> and
> TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

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http://www.edulists.com.au/ - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/ - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority and
TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria


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_______________________________________________
http://www.edulists.com.au/- FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
Design and Technology Mailing List kindly supported by
http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/- Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
Authority and
TEAV - Technology Education Association of Victoria

Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If
received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before
opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects.
Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the
negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from
the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying
any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are
those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the
Department of Education.