Today is World Teachers’ Day and I wanted to extend our sincere appreciation for your work – our 68,615 teachers and educational leaders in Catholic schools across the country.
This year’s theme is ‘Valuing teacher voices: towards a new social contract for education’ which highlights the importance of listening to, and valuing, your insights, expertise and professional wisdom, which must be central to decision-making processes that impact on your work and profession.
Some of the key challenges facing all educational systems are the wellbeing of students and staff, increasing workloads, responding to greater diversity of student need, teacher shortages, and adequate time and resources for professional growth and mentoring.
The National Catholic Education Commission is working collaboratively with our state and territory bodies, and diocesan and other Catholic school authorities to identify how we best support the work of teachers and leaders in our school communities.
Part of this work is to identify the areas of need, professional sharing of evidenced-based approaches, and the development of curriculum and learning materials created by teachers, for teachers.
We are also working with the Australian Government and national educational bodies representing the interests and needs of Catholic educators and leaders on issues such as national school reform, the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, initial teacher education, the Australian Curriculum, early childhood education, and of course funding for Catholic schools
Importantly, as teachers in Catholic schools we are deeply committed to the formation of our staff, students and families. With engagement with our parents and carers, clergy and parishes, our work is to support each of our teachers to not just succeed as educators, but to flourish as people!
There are great demands, and even greater rewards, in the vocation of teaching and we ‘take our hats off’ to you in recognition and gratitude for your work, and also open our ears to hear your voices in shaping the profession, responding to the needs of students and families and continuing our shared mission of Catholic education in Australia.
May you have a wonderful celebration today and be blessed in your work.
Jacinta Collins
National Catholic education executive director