Education Policy in Australia - Research Paper Example

Education Policy in Australia Professional standards in Australia were developed as a follow up to the efforts that were geared towards upholding effective teaching in schools. They were developed in the 1980s whereby all members of the teaching profession were motivated towards practicing effective teaching. According to Chris (2007), “the National competency Framework was used to enhance the attainment of these standards by teachers in 1996”. The development of these standards for the improvement of competence in teachers was achieved through exchange of ideas amongst various authorities all over the country as well as several professional bodies and scholars. These groups were faced with challenges in course of their discussion. Opponents argued that viewing the teachers’ work in terms of competence would lead to a shift in the practices of teachers from teaching the way they know concerning teaching to what is required of them by the authorities. However, even with the challenges encountered, professional standards were developed successfully and are currently being practiced. They are concerned with what should be generally understood by all teachers in Australia. Teachers are supposed to have the capability of exercising this knowledge that is derived from the principles and skills of experts as well as researchers in the teaching profession. The standards are motivating and significant in offering guidelines in regard to the aspirations of teachers as well as enhancement of their well being. They are also important in facilitating career development as well as providing a means for self evaluation amongst teachers (David 2005). Professional standards are part of the benchmarking process for teachers in Australia. The main reason for this is due to the understanding that teaching requires, as many professions do, continuous development and refinement of skills as long as remain in this occupation. These standards are meant to promote harmony amongst all teachers regardless of the area of specialty, as well as elevating the status of the teaching profession as well as high regard in the public domain. Confidence of the public in regard to the teaching profession develops as a result of the presence of clearly defined professional standards. These are the hallmarks of the profession that the public uses to gauge the capacity of teachers in offering quality education in schools (Hobart 2005). The standards are also significant for those who aspire to become teachers. They make their expectations clear in regard to the profession. Q2. Organizational Culture and Climate Organizational culture entails the common beliefs and basic theories of a particular society. These are usually collective values that usually work without the control of individuals in the community. In the context of schools, organizational culture is usually the actions, principles and prospects that act as the guiding principles in regard to the conduct of the teachers and students as well as stakeholders (Lindon 2003). These principles are clearly understood by every one, and they form the basis for deciding the actions that are good or bad. Organizational culture involves the dominant values to which the school attaches high regard. They promote harmonious relations, and everyone tries as much as possible to work within them. Organizational culture is actually how any member of the organization behaves with limited supervision or when no other person is observing, and eventually satisfies the agreed values and principles by all. Organizational climate on the other hand is mainly concerned with how people relate outside teaching (McMillan and Schumacher 2009). Fore example the extent to which teachers are contented in their work, the manner in which the head teacher supports or troubles the teachers in their regular tasks, the optimism of teachers in regard to the desired accomplishments, achievement of the students’ expectations, general relationships in social activities such as games, unfriendly relationships between the principal and the teachers, adherence to the rules and regulations of the school, the general opinion of teachers in regard to the manner in which the school leadership is focused on achievement and many other issues concerning interpersonal relationships. Both organizational culture and climate have a significant impact on schools and teachers. They are important in the determination of the manner in which the daily activities are conducted within the school. They influence the success of the practices within the school. For example gender balance, the manner in which the teachers relate with each other as well as with the principal largely affects the manner in which teachers work in schools. They also affect the expectations of the students, which determine the ability of schools to accomplish the set goals. Organizational culture and climate are important in the development of policies within a school. These policies are significant in the realization of the school’s overall goals (Lindon 2003). They also determine the ability of teachers to offer quality education in schools. Q3. Legal Issues The school is a unique institution in the sense that children spend most of their time with teachers, more than they spend with their parents. They are supposed to be protected against molestation while learning. Teachers have a legal obligation of ensuring that children are not exposed to hazards that can harm them while in schools. Teachers are amongst the professional people who are required by the law to report any suspected case of child abuse. This is a government policy developed in 1997 under the obligatory provision for reporting. Schools have an obligation of offering a duty of care to students that is not delegable (Lindon 2003). The necessary equipments are supposed to be possessed by the schools in order to ensure that the children are protected against any potential danger either from outside the school or amongst the students through mischief. The law requires that all places of work in Australia must have measures for Organizational Health and Safety in order to ensure that all people are protected against hazards that may originate from within the working environment. Schools are included in these provisions. Students have a right to safety while in schools. Teachers are mandated to deal or report to the authorities in regard to issues that pose danger to the students in educational institutions. The students in educational institutions are regarded as “people other than employees” who are affected by the conduct in schools, and they are entitled to organizational health and safety. The law requires that just like any other place of work, risk assessment needs to be conducted regularly, and the students should be informed concerning the possible risks they are exposed to, as well as the actions that can help in minimizing these risks. This together with supervision of the learning environment is a legal obligation for teachers in order to ascertain that the students are safe in schools. The obligations of the teachers in matters concerning protection of students are some of the major tasks in the teaching profession. The legal implications of being a teacher in Australia therefore are that there are other duties of protecting students apart from teaching (McMillan and Schumacher 2009). Q4. Values Education Values education is the practice whereby teachers engage in passing morals to students. Apart from teachers, other adults can also participate in offering value education. It presents teachers with an opportunity whereby they can educate students concerning moral behaviors. Values education is significant in the enhancement of learning amongst students. This is because it promotes adherence to the school rules and regulations which are usually developed to facilitate understanding amongst the students in regard to class work. The re-emergence of values education in Australia came as a result of the continued efforts to ensure that the organizational culture of schools is one aimed at promoting moral behaviors amongst the students (Lindon 2003). In Australia, the government is actively involved in the efforts to integrate values education in the national curriculum. This is being achieved through funding of schools in order for them to take care of their financial requirements in regard to these needs, a move that has been significant in ensuring that they are capable of improving the welfare of the students in the schools through a set of courses. The funding is offered in the form of grants that are applied for by the schools, which must ensure that they incorporate the values education in the schools as a major component of the education offered. They are given the funds and also the task of implementing the integration of values education in individual schools as well as monitoring and the evaluation of progress to ensure that the goals are realized (Fare et al 1989; Hanushek 1981). Values education was first introduced in the communities surrounding the schools through public forums after which they entrenched it in the school program. However, they had to ensure that the entrenchment was according to David (2005) “in accordance with the National Framework”. This is the Australian government framework that is in charge for the integration of values education in schools. They were also supposed to ensure that they established the role of values education in the school’s program as well as its policies. All learning areas had to have values education included in the course structures. More over, all the procedure and practices for every school had to have the values education integrated in them as well as in the partnerships with stakeholders. This would eventually lead to the acquirement of dependability amongst the students in regard to local and international perspectives, and ensuring that they were hardy enough to cope with challenges in the learning environment. Q5. The National Curriculum There has been constant growth in educational institutions in Australia due to the increasing number of children who have attained school going age. This has led to the need for a national curriculum in order to ensure that all the educational needs of students are met. More over, research in education as well as the teaching profession has been on the rise, hence the need for constant appraisal and revision of the educational curriculum in order to ensure that schools are offering learning of the recommended standards in all educational institutions. There is usually a tendency of students not being offered vital and valuable education if there is no national curriculum. According to Chris (2007), “the national curriculum is significant in ensuring that students participate wholly in the society”. A national curriculum is significant in ensuring that there is uniformity of the educational curriculum all over the country. This makes it less confusing amongst the students as well as their guardians. Since students move progressively from lower to upper classes, and they may shift from one school to the other as well as combining with others in higher institutions of learning, it is important to ensure that they acquire uniform education in order to ensure that none is disadvantaged by the lack of essential education offered to others and not acquired in the previous school. On the other hand, the common examinations seek to ascertain that all the students at the same educational level possess particular knowledge. This means that the students who have not been taught on certain essential information may not be competent in such examinations (McMillan and Schumacher 2009). A national curriculum ensures that every student in a particular age group possess essential knowledge that has been approved by education experts to be fit for such groups. Variations in what is studied in schools may end up confusing teachers. For example, David (2005) observes that in the years before the establishment of a national curriculum in Australia, the great variations in schools could not allow the transfer of students from one school to the other, while on the other hand it took an unnecessary long period of time for teachers to adapt to a new curriculum when they moved from one school to the other. The national curriculum came in handy through provision of a detailed list of the recommended subjects that were to be studied in all schools national wide. It also indicated the levels whereby these subjects were to be studied. Q6. Child Protection Schools are institutions where children spend the longest period of time in their life. The contact between parents and school going children is usually minimal compared to the children’s contact with teachers in school. Under such conditions, parents are unable to protect their children and therefore they have to delegate the duty of care to schools where the children spend most of their time. With sufficient time to spend with the children, teachers are able to identify the needs of each child and offer the necessary assistance with the knowledge and skills acquired in through training (Chris 2007). They are also able to identify cases of child abuse. Schools therefore have a potential to offer protection for the children, hence it was important to bring them in the child protection landscape. With the increasing cases of child molestation, schools are playing a major role in ensuring child safety. There is also need to ensure that children are presented with a safe learning environment in order to enhance performance. This is one factor that has made it necessary to involve the schools in child protection. On the other hand, schools provide an avenue for attending many children as a group. Situations are rare where large groups of children can be attended to in regard to protection. Incorporating child protection in schools is therefore an important move in the enhancement of the well being of children (Clark 1997). Teachers are also trained in matters affecting children and therefore it is easy for them to identify problems and offer the necessary assistance. Training that is offered by child protection professionals is easily offered collectively to designated teachers who are in charge of child protection. This is easier than reaching each family to offer this training. Through it, the government is usually confident that every school going child will benefit from child protection. Elements of Good Practice In order for child protection to be achieved, it is important to ensure that certain elements of good practice are present. For example, it is important for school authorities to ensure that clear guidelines are put in place indicating the actions that should be undertaken concerning cases where there is alleged molestation of children. All sorts of child abuse are supposed to be addressed, including those that originate from teachers. These guidelines should be understood by all teachers and should be available for reference purposes. This helps in ensuring that every member of staff is aware of what to do after such cases have been identified. The measures to be undertaken in order to prevent occurrence of such problems as well as ensuring that they do not recur should be clear to everyone (Hobart et al 2005). These measures and actions should be consistent with the legislation safeguarding the well being of children. It is also important to have in place one person to oversee the implementation of procedures for child protection in the school. This should possibly be a senior member of staff who is capable of coordinating such activities. The person should be capable of establishing links with important stakeholders and agencies that can make significant contribution to the implementation of activities concerning child protection. He should also be responsible for organizing staff training in order to equip them with essential knowledge in regard to child protection. This is important in ensuring that all aspects of child abuse are put in to consideration. The existence of such a position in schools presents the students with a particular office where they can report cases of abuse (Clark 1997). The appointment of a member of staff to coordinate child protection activities should be done carefully in order to ensure that the person is qualified to deal with such a responsibility. He/she should be trained in order to attain the desired competent, while on the other hand the school should provide the necessary support to enhance the accomplishment of child protection goals. This support needs to come from fellow staff members and the principal. It can be achieved through making certain that the staff understand and are able to identify indicators of abuse amongst the children. It is also important for the staff to know this person in order for it to be plain to them regarding the person to report to in case of suspected child abuse. Parents are important in all developments concerning the well being of their children (Hobart et al 2005; Clark 1997). It is therefore important to ensure that they are aware of the measures being undertaken in schools for child protection. The school is therefore obligated to inform parents concerning the policies it has for child protection. It is also important for schools to make reference to the government’s policies in order to ensure that their child protection policies are consistent with those of the government. Records need to be kept in order to keep track of the occurrence and nature of child molestation. This can help in determining the causes; hence the development of preventive measures can be accomplished. Records also indicate the intensity of abuse and the manner in which the problem was solved (Lindon 2003). Child protection agencies, the government as well as the person in charge of child protection in the school can use the records to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures and actions stipulated for dealing with child molesters. There are cases whereby child abuse has been noted to be of high intensity such that the child in some instances may become traumatized and may require counseling. It is therefore good practice for the school authorities to ensure that apart from the person in charge of child protection, there is also a qualified person who is capable of offering guidance and counseling to the children who have encountered severe abuse. The school should also ensure that some members of staff attend conferences concerned with child protection (Lindon 2003). This is important in order for them to acquire knowledge that can be shared among the teaching fraternity. There usually arise changes in child protection depending on the changing social environment. Good practices for child protection therefore should allow flexibility in regard to the child protection policies. This allows constant reviews on the policies in order to ensure that they cover as many aspects of child protection as possible. Training on staff protection should be provided for both the teachers as well as the subordinate staff. They should be updated every time when there happens to be a change in the child protection policies. This is significant in ensuring that any new developments are understood by every person involved in child protection. According to David (2005), training for the teachers and subordinates should be conducted after 3 years while the people in charge of child protection should be trained within a shorter period, probably after 2 years. The social environment of schools largely affects the success of child protection. It is therefore important to ensure that the organizational culture presents a favorable environment for the children as well as the activities that are aimed at protection of children. The school authorities should promote values, philosophies and structures that enhance children’s well being. Values such as those concerned with gender balance, respect for all and others that uphold moral behaviors should be adopted. Students should be supported in order t improve their well being. Schools should also establish close relationships with parents in regard to child protection. They can help in providing essential information concerning their children, which according to Chris (2007) is significant in helping the teacher to understand them; hence they can be able to offer essential support. Value of a Whole School Approach The whole school approach is likely to be more effective than dealing with individual issue intervention. This is a strategy that incorporates all those who belong to the school community. Learners, teachers, guardians, and the people living around the school are involved when the whole school approach is applied. They are part of the social environment that is an important source of learning for the students on top of the official curriculum for schools. They influence the day to day experience of students in schools. Students are involved due to the fact that each individual student in a way affects the life of another. The whole school approach is important in ensuring that students are observed and advised while maintenance of their well being is delegated to mature people who are experienced enough to offer sound advice (Fane 1985). This generates knowledge amongst the students and also makes it possible for them to be in charge of their own lives as well as offer essential assistance to fellow students. Guardians and community members are significant partners in child protection. The whole school approach is important in promotion of a shared vision amongst all participants in the process, which is significant in offering essential knowledge and sustainable child protection. Clark (1997) observes that it generates a feeling of possession amongst all the stakeholders in child protection. The use of a single approach may not be effective in dealing with all the risks that children may be exposed to. To ensure that the school environment is accommodating, an organized whole school approach is significant in combining the most appropriate policies and approaches and practices for addressing issues of child abuse in a comprehensive way. The implications of the government’s policy are that teachers are extensively involved in regarding child protection. Schools have according to Chris (2007) been identified as places with a high possibility of child abuse. On the other hand, they are also regarded as potential areas where child protection can be accomplished. The incorporation of child protection as part of the teachers’ duties was a major step towards achieving collective child protection procedures. Their position in regard to their regular contact with students increases their potential for the identification, disclosure and establishing remedial measures for child molestation. They are also in charge of offering essential knowledge to the students in regard to defensive actions in regard to child abuse. They have a legal obligation in ensuring the well being of children. Schools are required through legislation to set up policies for child protection, which should be consistent with government policies. This means that the government offers guidelines for the development of a child protection framework in schools. The schools are required to assert the right to safety for all the members of the school population. They are supposed to uphold care, values, collaboration as well as diverse social settings while carrying out the child protection programs. The policies enhance learning through promotion of a favorable environment whereby students feel secure (David 2005; Fane 1985). Community members assist the teachers in child protection through the whole school approach thereby making it possible for them to concentrate on teaching, which is important in improving the performance of students In conclusion, schools are at the core of child protection especially due to the fact that children spend most of their time in schools than they spend with parents. The elements of good practice are important in enhancing the accomplishment of child protection goals. The whole school approach is an integrated strategy that is significant in enhancing collaboration amongst teachers, parents, students as well as community members. It is likely to be more successful than a single based intervention whereby only one group is targeted depending on the nature of child abuse. The policies concerned with child protection have several positive implications on teaching. When students feel secure at school, they are capable of performing better than under circumstances whereby they do not feel protected. Bibliography 1. Chris B. (2007). Child Protection; an Introduction, Sage Publications. 2. Clark, T. E. (1997). Designing and Implementing an Integrated Curriculum: A Student-Centered Approach, Holistic Education Press. 3. David H. (2005). Child Abuse and Neglect: Attachment Development & Intervention, Palgrave Macmillan. 4. Fane, G. (1985), Education Policy in Australia, Economic Planning and Advisory Council, Canberra, EPAC Discussion Paper 85/08. 5. Fare, R., Grosskopf, S. & Weber, W. (1989), 'Measuring school district performance', Public Finance Quarterly vol. 17, pp.409-28. 6. Hanushek, E. A. (1981), 'Throwing money at schools', Journal of Policy Analysis and Management vol. 1, pp.19-41. 7. Hobart C., Frankel J. and Walker M. (2005). Good Practice in Child Protection 2nd Edition, Nelson Thornes. 8. Lindon J. (2003). Child Protection, Hodder Arnold. 9. McMillan J. and Schumacher S. (2009). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry, Pearson Education. Read More