Page 5800 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 7 December 2011
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sure each of us remembers those teachers who believed in us, who stretched us beyond our comfort zones, who inspired us. I remember those teachers who worked with my own children to help them achieve, and now I watch my grandchildren benefit. I also remember the teachers that I experienced and who were positive in my life.
Education plays an important role in our economy, social and cultural development of our young people and the social maturity of our community. Of course, a key factor in the effectiveness of an education system is the quality of its teachers. Each teacher plays an important role in assisting students to become active and valued participants in society. Quality teachers inspire students and help them to gain new knowledge and skills that they will use throughout their lives.
The motion I move today recognises this significant role and what it means to the lives of young people and acknowledges recent achievements and progress towards attracting the best teachers and helping them to contribute towards strengthening the teaching profession. Teachers have a far-reaching influence on the lives of the students that they teach. This influence is evident in the high expectations that parents and the broader community have of schools and teachers. Parents and students recognise it each time they encounter a good teacher.
It has been said previously in this place that the most important factor in the education of children and young people outside the family home is the quality of their teachers. In demonstrating this fact, one only has to go to research by Professor John Hattie and Australian researchers including Dr Ken Rowe, Dr James Ladwig, Professor Jennifer Gore and McKinsey and Company. Professor Hattie’s research into factors influencing student learning found that quality teaching is the single most important influence on student achievement. Other research and studies have drawn similar findings and conclusions. Research also highlights the importance of attracting and retaining the best people to become teachers. These are the teaching professionals who understand the best way to help each student to learn and achieve their full potential.
Building from this research and the experience of professional practice, the Education and Training Directorate has a number of core principles in relation to school improvement. These principles include clear statements that every principal is the instructional leader in his or her school, every student will be taught by highly effective teachers, and improving teacher capacity is the most effective way to improve student performance. These principles clearly recognise the importance and positive impact of quality teachers.
I am pleased that through initiatives, both locally and nationally, the enormous social contribution of teachers is being recognised and fostered. A new enterprise agreement is being finalised for ACT public school teachers. In-principle agreement has been reached with the Australian Education Union’s executive council, and it is anticipated that teachers will be able to vote on the new agreement early in the new year. I would like to acknowledge the work of the directorate and the former minister, Mr Barr, in getting to this stage.
The new agreement will see some ACT teachers receive significant salary rises and result in some of our best classroom teachers being paid more than $100,000 per
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