[Offtopic] Points to consider including in VIT Review Response

[Stephen Digby]

Professionals generally negotiate the terms of their contract with clients (even the "oldest profession" !).
Modern employment practice (e.g. AWA) is working towards the mandating of all employment conditions by the employer with only the
very scarce or very highly valued labour able to undertake any real negotiation.
Teachers have little chance of becoming a profession in this real sense.

We will remain skilled workers - a valued trade.

The tag "professional" is usually used when management wants a worker to fulfil roles beyond the paid agreement - "it's so
professional to stay until the work is done regardless of pay".

Teacher covet the tag because we are middle class aspirants who want to maintain some social distinction from tradespeople.

What we need is the government to regulate the teaching trade so that the skill level of workers is maintained and workers are
properly trained before starting work on our children.

I just think that they should pay for it.

I also think that teachers can choose to belong any number of organisations reflecting the diversity of their views and if the
government likes one of them (because it promotes the values that the government likes) then it might assist with its funding.

Just don't like the current setup of mandated membership of expensive and ineffective "quango".

====================================================
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
mailto: admin at cheltsec.vic.edu.au 
Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au
Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617 Mb: 0431-701-028
====================================================
There are two kinds of failures: The man who will do nothing he is told, and the man who will do nothing else. Perle Thompson 

-----Original Message-----
From: offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of techo
Sent: Monday, 27 August 2007 12:25 PM
To: Information Technology Teachers' Offtopic Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Offtopic] Points to consider including in VIT Review Response

At 10:08 AM 27/08/2007, you wrote:
> > Hello Stephen -
> >
> > Just for the info for the the few of us non-teachers here - is there 
> > a professional association for teachers along the lines on the 
> > Institution of Engineers Australia, the Royal Australian Institue of 
> > Architects, the AMA etc?...
>
>It is interesting that the bodies you mention fulfill the role of what 
>the union does for teachers, but as Engineers, Doctors, etc are 
>'professionals', there is a slightly different focus in their 
>associations/institutes.

Maybe there lies the problem - teachers should think of themselves as 'professionals' too. While the IEAust performed some of the
functions of a union, they were run by working engineers rather than career union officials, and had the broad interests of the
members and the profession as their focus rather than political or IR matters. I belonged to unions (such as APEA, MOA, ASU at
different times) that handled the industrial matters of the day. Both have a role to play.

As a matter of strategy, a professional association probably has more clout and better image than a militant union, and could
achieve better outcomes for teachers in general by lifting the status and public perception of teachers.

rgds
comrade Jim



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We have to use this Disclaimer

Views, opinions, etc. expressed reflect those of the author and not Ruyton Girls' School
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Jim Maunder
Ruyton Girls School
Melbourne, Australia


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