Education: It’s Not About the Money

Over the weekend, the Courier Mail shared a poll that was based on suggested changes that might encourage teachers to work in our remote or regional schools. While there was a specific focus on a particular group of schools, this article focuses on the profession more broadly.

There were five options relating to one question in the poll:

Which way to solve QLD’s teacher staffing crisis is best?

·       Four-day week

·       Wiping HECS debt

·       One-off bonuses

·       Remote School Pay Rises

·       Timetable Flexibility

Annoyingly, I wanted to see the results and I had to vote to get to that stage, this means at least one vote is a simple ‘click-to-see vote’ as opposed to an actual opinion.  Even the comments section was littered with a demand for ‘none of the above’. From a validity point of view, that does raise some questions about the data, however, for the purpose of this article we will gloss over that. 

Far more important than the poll itself was the outpouring of opinion that prompted the Courier Mail to write their own reflection piece on the level of public response. When we consider three of the five options, they are financial motivators. The four-day week and flexibility options sound intriguing, but only if there is full consideration of other factors.  Members of the public made a very valid observation that fitting five days of work into five days under the current model is hard enough. If the model doesn’t change, how do we fit it into four days? It is clear to see from the reaction, as well as my own experience, that it is not about the money.

Having worked in schools for 20 years, it would be very rare for a staff member to approach me regarding their salary. The concept of the ‘pay-rise’ doesn’t really exist due to the agreements and structures that are already in place. Perhaps the government think these existing measures are inhibiting the profession and the suggested changes might alleviate current levels of frustration. I am going to suggest that this is not the case in most schools.  To go a step further, if we were to add an additional 25% to salaries across the country, I am of the firm belief that the current situation will continue unchecked, albeit with the potential for a temporary uplift in morale.

The term most schools is a significant one. There was a very strong theme in the comments from Courier Mail readers. That theme suggested the parents are to blame for the current crisis in education. I must confess, while I can see why this might be true in some settings, it is not a catch-all in my professional experience. In my last schools, both independent, I must state that parents were fantastic. Even in some of my more challenging UK settings, there was still a level of respect between school and home. Yes, parents in my recent schools had demands or expectations, but rightly so! We are discussing the education of their child. In terms of manners and behaviours, they were aligned with expectation and supported sanction where needed. Teachers in these schools may not have faced behaviour challenges or the risk of violence, however, to suggest all was well and there was a reduction in stress is unfair.  Therefore, if it isn’t the money nor the standard of parenting, what is it? 

There are a multitude of forces likely to play a role in the relationship between school and home and I am cautious not to suggest otherwise in this article.  The only generalisation I am willing to make is that the crisis facing education exists across the profession. Strangely this can be seen as a positive, it should allow us to consider the constants in all school settings. Elements such as curriculum, standardised assessments, inclusive practices, documentation, co-curricular value, as well as an appetite for pedagogical revolution all contribute to the arena in which schools operate.

Throwing money at a problem is only ever going to be a short-term solution. Every educator knows that we need to address the root of the problem, yet what we struggle with is how do we address it? Is it ours to fix? What permission do we have to strip it all back, refocus our work and develop a working model in a school? In truth, I can see exactly how this could be done in a school. I could arguably see it scale to a systemic level. However, I admit I am struggling to see it across education as an industry? As stated, each community is unique, and that needs to be honoured. In writing this article I pondered whether the failure to envision the broader solution is what might be holding us back. 

Also, I want to purposefully acknowledge the work of Principals in this reflection. Having worked alongside some of Australia’s finest, it pains me to see some of the discussion across media platforms. I can confidently share that we have so many Principals that care about their staff and students. I believe they want a community that is positive, engaging and student focused. I believe they want to make a difference. There are groups being formed on a regular basis that are seeking to refine education and make it fit for purpose.  If you sit and read some of the writings or explore these new platforms, it is incredibly powerful. They are still driven by that calling to educate and support both children and staff. These are the people that could suggest solutions and ideas, simply because they have lived it. Who better to help us move forward? Give them space and let them lead.

Instead of how much money can we give to encourage people to keep doing the same thing, we can ask questions such as:

·       Do we give great Principals (of which there are many), the license to say no to external bureaucracy and redefine their offering alongside           community consultation? 

·       Where are the next generation of educational workers coming from? 

·       What should go and what should stay?

·       Can we trust that the competitive nature of the business world won’t permeate a profession that helps children? 

·       What mechanisms can we create to allow Principal agency and educational standards to co-exist?

If we can get answers to some of the above, I believe we could generate excitement once again. I am talking about that energy and spark that pushes us forward with great purpose.

Thanks to the Principals. Thanks to the staff. Thanks to the students. Thanks to the families. Each day, thousands of individuals from these groups come together and get it done. We just need to make sure they can continue to get it done without having to give so much up in the meantime.