aeu news issue 7 term 4 2012

AEU election results | Baillieu’s faulty vision exposed | Victorian Teachers’ Games

ROLLING with theSTOPWORKS

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features

regulars

contactseditorial enquiries Nic Barnard tel (03) 9418 4841 fax (03) 9415 8975 email [email protected] advertising enquiries Lyn Baird tel (03) 9418 4879 fax (03) 9415 8975 email [email protected]

AEU News is produced by the AEU Publications Unit: editor Nic Barnard | designers Lyn Baird, Peter Lambropoulos, Kim Fleming journalists Rachel Power, Sian Watkins | editorial assistant Helen PrytherchPrintPost Approved: 349181/00616 ISSN: 1442—1321. Printed in Australia by Total Print on Re Art Matt 100% Recycled Paper. Free to AEU members. Subscription rate: $60 per annum. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the AEU News are those of the authors/members and are not necessarily the official policy of the AEU (Victorian Branch). Contents © AEU Victorian Branch. Contributed articles, photographs and illustrations are © their respective authors. No reproduction without permission.

Contentscover story

AEU Victorian BranchBranch president: Mary BluettBranch secretary: Brian Henderson

AEU VIC head office address 112 Trenerry Crescent, Abbotsford, 3067 postal address PO Box 363, Abbotsford, 3067 tel (03) 9417 2822, 1800 013 379 fax 1300 658 078 web www.aeuvic.asn.au email [email protected]

country offices Ballarat (03) 5331 1155 | Benalla (03) 5762 2714 Bendigo (03) 5442 2666 | Gippsland (03) 5134 8844 Geelong (03) 5222 6633

AEU

NEWS

3 president’s report 26 AEU training4 letters 27 safety matters9 rep of the month 28 classifieds23 women’s focus 30 culture25 on the phones 31 giveaways

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Rolling with the stopworksHuge turnouts have marked our rolling stopworks across the state — starting on the Premier’s doorstep.

COVER: Peter Lambropoulos

Raising the bar?A trial that embeds trainee teachers in schools is winning plaudits. But when the funding stops, who will pay? And are there enough schools prepared to participate?

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Your membership can be affected by any changes to your employment.

If you have moved house or work location, changed your hours, retired, resigned or picked up a contract, you must let us know so that we can ensure your membership is up to date and your fees are correct.

Contact the Membership Centre on (03) 9417 2822 to discuss any changes, or update your details at:

www.aeuvic.asn.au/update

Changed your details?

The teachers gamesFashion faux-pas aside, AEU members turned on the style for this year’s Teachers Games.

The next presidentMeredith Peace, the AEU’s president-elect has been taking on the powers that be since her days as a beginning teacher.

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Wrong facts, wrong visionDid anybody in the ministers’ offices actually read the research they based their education vision on?12

Stay informed — Join the debateKeep up to date and have your say on the AEU’s campaign and social media sites.

Keep the promise (keepthepromise.com.au)Get the latest news regarding your EBA campaign from our dedicated

website. Tell Ted to keep the promise.

TAFE4All (tafe4all.org.au)Your starting point for the fight to save TAFE.

Facebookwww.facebook.com/aeuvicwww.facebook.com/tafe4allwww.facebook.com/myschoolneeds

Twitter@marybluett, @aeuvictoria, and follow our campaigns at @tafe4all and @myschoolneeds.

2 aeu news | november 2012

http://www.aeuvic.asn.au/update

http://http://keepthepromise.com.au/

http://tafe4all.org.au

http://www.facebook.com/aeuvic

http://www.facebook.com/tafe4all

http://www.facebook.com/myschoolneeds

http://twitter.com/#!/@marybluett

https://twitter.com/#!/aeuvictoria

https://twitter.com/#!/tafe4all

https://twitter.com/#!/myschoolneeds

AEU Vic branch president

Join me on Twitter! Follow @marybluett.

You can also follow the AEU at @aeuvictoria.

GOVERNMENT under pressureA new poll shows that our EBA campaign is turning opinion against the Baillieu Government. There are 15 more regional rallies to come. All hands in.

“ONE term Ted” has been a popular chant at our stopwork

rallies and opinion polls shows it is likely to become a reality if the Premier does not listen to us and end his attacks on public education in Victoria.

As I write, Newspoll has just published its latest findings which show the Coalition would be swept from power by 55%–45% if an election were held now. Premier Baillieu’s approval rating has plummeted to only 35% — while 53% of Victorian voters are dissatisfied with his performance.

Make no mistake, our campaigns are having an effect. The public is on our side. The Opposition says the key reason for the slump in Coalition support is its assault on education — its failure to make a decent offer to our school staff, and its devastating cuts in TAFE and cuts to schools.

We can all be proud that we have kept these issues in the public eye and in voters’ minds through our actions.

We are putting serious pressure on the Baillieu Government.

It is now time for the Premier to get serious about negotiating a new EBA for principals, teachers and education support staff.

The rolling regional stoppages have seen rallies outside 16 Coalition politicians’ offices, with members demanding they stand up for their local government schools and be account-able for their Government’s actions. There are still 15 more to come.

At the time of writing, Premier Baillieu, ministers Peter Hall, Wendy Lovell, Terry Mulder, Denis Napthine, Matthew Guy, Ryan Smith, Hugh Delahunty, Treasurer Kim Wells and MPs Bernie Finn, Damien Drum, Bill Sykes, Cindy McLeish, Craig Ondarchie, Russell Northe and Ken Smith have been visited by AEU members.

The stoppages began strongly with about 1,500 AEU members rallying outside Premier Baillieu’s electorate office in Camberwell, getting local and statewide media coverage.

All our rallies so far have been well attended and generated good media coverage. The Premier and his politi-cians will have been left in no doubt that AEU members are determined to get a just outcome on pay, contracts, workload and class-sizes.

The 15 remaining stopwork rallies resume on November 27 after VCE exams conclude. Until then, a new ban on staff attending one hour of scheduled meetings each week is in place.

EBA negotiations with the Government resumed after our historic stop-work on September 5. Some progress has been made but we are still a fair way from agreement on key issues. But the Government is under pressure and maintaining strong support for our campaign will get results.

AEU electionsAEU members have overwhelmingly endorsed the AEU leadership team in the recent elections. This endorse-ment also sends a strong message

to the Government. I congratulate president-elect Meredith Peace, deputy president-elect Justin Mullaly, secretary-elect Gillian Robertson, deputy secretary-elect Carolyn Clancy and sectoral leaders Erin Aulich, James Rankin, Greg Barclay, Shayne Quinn, Marino D’Ortenzio, Briley Duncan, Jen Walsh and Martel Menz.

The new leadership team will take office on January 1. They will serve AEU members well. �

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Retirement Victoria is the AEU’s preferred provider of financial and retirement planning services to members.

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TO RETIRE SUCCESSFULLY YOU NEED THE BEST ADVICE

APPOINTMENTS (03) 9820 8088Retirement Victoria is the AEU’s preferred provider of financial and retirement planning services to members.

Retirement Victoria Pty Ltd is an authorised representative of Millennium3 Financial Services Pty Lts AFSL 244252

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THE VALUE OF A PERSONAL APPOINTMENTClients referred to Retirement Victoria recently mentioned how worthwhile a personal appointment had been compared to their attendance at a seminar run by a large financial institution. The seminar was general in nature with an overwhelming stream of information delivered by way of a power-point presentation. It was slick and glossy but could not focus on personal needs and circumstances.

By contrast, at the end of a one hour appointment we had designed a tailored financial model that addressed super, social security and related taxation issues. The diagram on the whiteboard provided a visual model of a strategy that would satisfy our clients’ retirement needs. It was a positive, productive outcome followed up later with a detailed financial plan.

Seminars have their place, we have run them successfully for years, but a personal appointment with an experienced RV adviser is a great way to prepare for retirement.

A government that fails to value its childrenTHIS is a shorter version of a letter

I sent to the Minister for Education and his shadow. I have had no response from either.

I am a professional directly responsible for over 200 individuals and indirectly for up to 800 more. I am responsible for equipping and empowering them for future success in their chosen vocations; for their welfare, for developing their sense of self-worth, for encouraging them to develop a sense of social respon-sibility and the values of respect,

compassion and integrity. I am not a CEO or managing director of a company. I am a teacher.

I participated in today’s strike action because I believe the government of this state has failed to demonstrate that it values public education. I arrived from NSW at the beginning of last year. I have been appalled by the budget cuts of more than $480 million from school funding and more than $350 million from TAFE.

I am appalled that one in five classroom teachers are on short-term

contracts. I am appalled that many ES staff earn below the minimum wage and yet play a vital role in helping children who are among the most disadvantaged in our nation.

Ted Baillieu’s failure to deliver on his pre-election promises has pushed a struggling and disenfranchised workforce over the edge. There were many who voted for the Coalition solely on the basis of their promises on education.

Today, I told my Year 7 students that I went on strike for them and

all the other children of this state. I told them that I choose to teach in a public school because I believe that all children should be afforded access to the highest quality education.

In response, they asked me if I could organise a class excursion to Ted Baillieu’s electoral office so they could interview him about his broken promises, his massive cuts to public schools and TAFE, and whether or not he saw their education as his priority.

— Jane GoddardCanterbury Girls’ High School

Letters from members are welcome. Send to: AEU News, PO Box 363, Abbotsford, 3067,

fax (03) 9415 8975 or email [email protected]. Letters should be no more than

250 words and must include name, workplace and contact details of the writer. Letters may be

edited for space and clarity. Next deadline: 21 November, 2012.

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Out of touch and out of control

LIKE a lot of Australians I view with sadness the way our elected

representatives conduct themselves in the adversarial system of parliament that we have.

Children from some small schools in South Gippsland will travel by bus for a whole day to see and experience the national capital next week. They will spend three days in Canberra and then take the day-long trip back on Friday. Having studied governance in Australia, I think they will be sadly disappointed if the normal sort of parliamentary behaviour is on display.

The snide remarks, heckling, put-downs and catcalls from both sides don’t occur in the classroom because, as Year 6 students, they are above all that.

What will they make of the would-be minister of education, Christopher Pyne? In between him saying that the current crop of teachers are no good, he might have to scurry from the chamber again, or rudely interrupt people speaking, or pedantically try to score points by correcting others, or just be a general smart arse.

How will the teachers in charge, spending 24-hours a day with these children, explain that such a poor example may soon be in charge of education in Australia?

When students ask why time is

being wasted on silly arguments or why people in Canberra, instead of working to make Australia a better place, are playing a game called politics, what sort of response can the teachers give?

At least they will have the 10-hour bus trip to think of something. Perhaps Canberra is so far from everywhere for a good reason. The only drawback is that the people who sit in Parliament are out of touch with the real world, as these Year 6 students will quickly find out.

— Greg TuckWarragul

Thanks for your helpIN 2008, I began research for a Master of Arts in history on teaching studentships and their effects on the lives of recipients. I asked those who had held teaching studentships between 1950 and 1978 to contact me to complete a survey; 168 people did so, and I was able to interview 34 people over the next 12 months.

Recently, I submitted my thesis and would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who completed surveys, were interviewed or emailed additional information. I have tried to contact contributors personally, but email addresses change. If you know anyone who contributed, please pass on my thanks.

One of my surprising discoveries was that no-one had previously undertaken research to find out how receiving a studentship affected recipients’ lives. Researchers at the time were more concerned about the efficiency of the studentship as a means of recruiting teachers, or the socio-economic backgrounds or attitudes of student teachers.

Mental health impacts of involvement in the Victorian workers’ compensation system

HAVE you been injured at work, or got a work-related illness? Have you spent at least six months away from work on WorkCover — even if you

are back at work now? Are you aged over 18?If you are, we would like to hear your story about your contact with the

WorkCover system in Victoria, and how it has affected your mental health.We are interested in physical work injuries and work-related illness,

including psychological injuries and illness, such as stress.Creative Ministries Network is working with the AEU and the Australian

Manufacturing Workers Union on this project. We are interested in good and bad experiences, and your ideas about what needs to change to make the WorkCover experience better for injured workers.

We will use our findings to help unions, employers and others in the WorkCover system work out the changes they need to make to better support injured workers.

If you want to know more, or would like to take part, please contact Janet Marshall on (03) 9417 2822 or [email protected] or our researcher Sarah Pollock on 0407 505 597 or [email protected] you have already contacted Janet Marshall, please do not respond. We will shortly send you an information kit. �

Yet studentships had profound effects on the lives of those who gained them, which in turn affected education in Victoria profoundly.

Once my thesis has been examined and approved, I am happy to provide a summary of my conclusions.

— Marilyn BowlerLa Trobe University history program


mailto:[email protected]



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CAMPAIGN rolls onNew bans pile pressure on the Government as negotiations resume.

Nic Barnard AEU News

THE AEU has begun laying the ground for a 38-hour week as the

Baillieu Government looks set to pass a dismal anniversary.

December will mark two years since the AEU served its log of claims on the then newly elected State Government.

As rolling stoppages pause for VCE exams, members began a three-week ban on attending one hour of meetings a week. And a new ban on arranging camps and excursions in 2013 foreshadows the ban on working beyond the contracted 38-hour week from the start of the new school year.

The first three weeks of rolling stoppages saw hundreds of members turn out at rallies across the state, from Moe to Mildura.

Events outside Melbourne attracted strong regional media coverage, giving teachers, principals and support staff a voice in their local areas.

The rallies aim is to put local Coalition MPs on the spot. “They are ultimately responsible for the promises made and the promises broken,” branch president Mary Bluett said.

The rallies have also crystal-lised some of the key EBA issues for members. Ms Bluett said: “It’s still

about pay, it’s still about the broken promise, but it’s also about contract employment — the almost 20% of teachers and 45% of ES who don’t have certainty in their working lives.

“It’s about the ES staff earning less than the minimum wage who have to take a second job just to get by.”

Meredith Peace, AEU deputy president, said she had been buoyed by the strength of feeling members were displaying at the rallies.

“Members have come back from school holidays with the same determination and anger towards the Government they displayed before. They are really pumped up.”

Members report that parental support for the campaign remains strong although it has been tested by the half-day stoppages and by the ban on written comments in student reports. Some parents have contacted the AEU to say the ban risks losing their support.

Ms Bluett said she understood parents’ frustration but asked them to keep faith.

“Those students who need something in writing for a specific purpose,

whether it’s transitioning to TAFE, a reference for a job or an application for a specialist school, will still get that letter, tailored to the person receiving it.

“But the bottom line is, it’s been two years since the Government received our claim. We have targeted politicians and the department first — we have banned school visits by Coalition MPs, targeted initiatives like the Ultranet, and banned replies to department emails.

“But two years on, there are not many bans left that will only affect politicians and the department. These bans also highlight the many extra hours of work we do and the myth of the 38-hour week”. �

Peace and Robertson to take helmAEU members have backed a

smooth transition at the head of the union, electing deputies Meredith Peace and Gillian Robertson by large majorities to replace Victorian president Mary Bluett and secretary Brian Henderson.

Secondary vice president Justin Mullaly will take over as deputy president while primary VP Carolyn Clancy will taken on deputy secretary duties when the new term of office begins on January 1.

James Rankin and Erin Aulich will become the vice presidents for primary and secondary respec-tively; both step up from deputy VP with those positions filled by branch executive members Briley Duncan (primary) and Marino D’Ortenzio (secondary).

The outcome marks a clean sweep for the ticket which has been headed by Bluett since 1997.

AEU branch council will see a new infusion of voices, with some three dozen members elected for the first time. �Full leadership results on page 24.

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Sian Watkins AEU News

THE Baillieu Government’s efficiency watchdog has been given just nine months to produce a major report on school devolution and accountability.AEU Principals secondary convenor David Adamson said the Government’s

motives in directing the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission to conduct a quick, extensive inquiry were suspicious.

The commission has been asked to identify ways to further devolve education powers, the “right mechanisms to hold principals accountable for how much and how fast their students learn”, and the administrative arrangements needed to support more autonomous schools.

The commission must investigate and identify immediate and medium-term actions in 15 areas including drawing lessons from autonomous systems overseas such as US charter schools. It must also:

• Produce a cost-benefit analysis• Develop options for different levels of autonomy• Assess barriers to school, principal and teacher autonomy — including

employment and pay arrangements• Examine current oversight of government schools including the regional

directorates• Identify barriers to high-performing schools expanding.Adamson, principal of Essendon Keilor College, said the commission’s brief

suggested that the Government wants a more efficient, independent government

school system that is cheaper to run and requires less oversight.“The underlying focus seems to be on saving money and shifting more

responsibility to principals. Existing demands of the job are already off-putting enough as it is.”

Talk of improving efficiency usually meant bigger classes and more face-to-face teaching hours, he added.

Concerns surround the interest in making principals accountable for how much and how fast students learn, with question marks over how that might be measured and the consequences for “non-performing” principals and school councils.

The review of oversight comes after the Baillieu Government axed 30% of the staff in its regional offices who carry out that role.

Other principals have said that increased autonomy would only work if accom-panied by major funding to cover the significant extra work involved.

Other highly-paid minds addressed school autonomy when the Productivity Commission reported to the State Government on the schools workforce in May.

It found that increased autonomy had the potential to improve performance, but only if schools had the leadership capacity, a competent school council, effective department oversight — and funding, resources and support.

AEU research officer John Graham says that research in recent years has failed to identify any cause-effect relationship between increased school autonomy and improved student performance. �

Devolution report gets TIGHT DEADLINENine month timeline for major inquiry raises fears the outcome is predetermined.


SPRING sunshine or no, Schools Minister Martin Dixon must be feeling a little chilly, getting the

cold shoulder wherever he goes.Across the state, members have stopped work

and walked out in protest when the minister has come calling, as part of the AEU’s ban on Coalition MP visits during the EBA campaign.

Among the most recent, the entire staff of the Victorian School for the Deaf staged a silent protest, letting their placards and AEU ponchos do the talking as the Minister arrived.

Members at the school are angry not only at the Government’s intransigence over the EBA dispute but at the TAFE cuts which have seen Victoria’s only Auslan course close down.

Minister Dixon fared no better in country Victoria. He was greeted by 13 striking AEU members when he arrived at Warracknabeal Secondary College on a “familiarisation tour” with the local MP.

The protest made headlines in the local media, with sub-branch secretary John Bish telling the Warracknabeal Herald: “It is about recognition of

our profession. The Government is discounting us and doesn’t want to set up a career structure.

“Teachers put their heart and soul into their job and want some recognition.”

And the minister scored a trifecta when he visited the Shepparton area, with protests at Kyabram P–12, Tongala Primary School and Rochester Secondary College on the same day. �

Touring minister sent to Coventry

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Warracknabeal teachers protest at Martin Dixon’s visit


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Helen Stanley AEU Gonski campaign

AEU members are asked to “do your block for Gonski” with a mass letterboxing drive

to take the message on funding reform into our neighbourhoods.

The AEU has produced a simple letter for members to sign and distribute to households in the streets surrounding their home or school in the week starting Saturday November 10.

The pamphlet asks families to email Ted Baillieu via the I Give a Gonski website, urging him to “give

a Gonski for our kids” and support the Gonski Report’s recommendation of a new, fairer school funding system targeted at children’s needs, backed by a $6.5 billion increase in annual funding.

If you are looking to get fit this spring with your colleagues, let us know and we will send flyers to your school. Email the AEU at [email protected].

The focus of the campaign has switched firmly to state and territory leaders, following Julia Gillard’s announcement in early September that she supports the new funding system and investment. The Federal Government says it will introduce the new model in 2014.

The implementation of a new funding system relies on Canberra’s ability to negotiate with the states over their share of the cost. This is where the Gonski Campaign has taken a new turn. We need each state to commit funds to ensure an equitable funding system.

Members have queued up in droves to sign the giant postcard to the Premier asking him to give a Gonski. Their reception leaves no doubt that

Victorian educators expect the Coalition to deliver on improved funding to schools.

The postcard signed by so many members at our September 5 rally will be presented to Government in November, but a further three replicas have been filled at AEU events, including the Teachers Games in Ballarat (pictured).

The AEU continues to work in the federal marginal electorates to keep Gonski front and centre in schools and the community. �

Gonski drive puts Baillieu on the blockFancy a stroll round the block? A leafleting drive for the Gonski funding campaign offers a perfect excuse.

GARRETT AT GEELONG FORUMPeter Garrett, the federal minister for school education, will attend a Gonski public forum organised by the AEU at the Geelong Football Club on November 21.

If you live in the Geelong or Corangamite area, this is an opportunity to have questions answered on the new funding model.

AEU principals, members, school council presidents and parents are welcome. RSVP is essential for catering. Call Denise on (03) 5222 6633 or email [email protected].

PHOTO: JEREMY BANNISTER, BALLARAT COURIER

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SUSTAINABILITY experts and teachers with a passion for ecology will speak at the annual Green Schools confer-

ence on November 16 in Southbank.Organised by the AEU and the Independent Education

Union Victoria Tasmania, the conference will focus on how schools can tackle environmental issues in their curriculum and day-to-day operations.

Speakers include environmental activists Rob Gell and Jason Kimberley and workshops include Global Education Project resources on energy and water and their role in eradicating poverty and hunger in developing nations.

Bentleigh West Primary School will explain how it engaged students, parents and others in its commit-ment to sustainable learning and practice, while Mill

Park Secondary College will showcase Generation Waking Up, its program to “ignite a generation to bring forth a thriving, just and sustainable world”.

Another workshop will show how to apply and get the most out of the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic framework, which helps schools reduce their consumption, improve biodi-versity, change people’s behaviour and develop engaging sustainability-linked curriculums.

Cost for AEU and IEU members is $60 and non-members $160. To register, go to www.tln.org.au/greenschools and follow the links. �

Register now for green schools conference

Financial literacy for students — and teachersTHE Australian Securities and Investments Commission has created

teaching materials to help students become consumer-smart and finan-cially literate — and give teachers a few tips as well.

The MoneySmart resources were developed as part of the Australian Government’s $10 million Helping Our Kids Understand Finances program to improve students’ financial literacy.

ASIC Commissioner Peter Kell said finance was becoming “rapidly more complex with mobile phones and ready access to money and credit. Young Australians need to grow up knowing how to manage money and debt.

“The key to effective financial literacy education is to start young.”ASIC has also organised Financial Health for Teachers, investment advice

delivered by “Barefoot Investor” Scott Pape in videos, podcasts and a monthly newsletter. Topics include ways to pay off mortgages faster, living on one income and investing on a teacher’s salary.

“Teachers play a crucial role in producing young people who are finan-cially literate and consumer savvy, so it made sense to us to also develop resources to help teachers manage their own money,” Mr Kell said.

To subscribe, email [email protected] with “Subscribe FHT” in the subject line. MoneySmart Teaching and its resources are at www.teaching.moneysmart.gov.au. �

Millennium goals in jeopardyONE in five young people in developing countries fail to complete primary

school and lack the skills for work, according to the 10th Education for All global monitoring report.

Few nations are on track to meet the six EFA goals set in 2000 and some are a long way behind, the Unesco report revealed. Some 200 million people aged 15–24 have not completed primary school and need alternative pathways to acquire the basic skills for employment.

One in eight young people are unemployed and over a quarter are trapped in jobs that keep them on or below the poverty line.

Despite significant progress in some regions, few are on track to meet the six Education for All goals set in 2000, and some are a long way behind. The report looks in depth at youth skills, one of the least analysed of the EFA goals.

It shows that acquiring a lower secondary education is a minimum today for young people to gain the foundation skills they need to find decent jobs. Yet 250 million children of primary school age cannot read or write, and 71 million teenagers are out of secondary school, missing out on vital skills for employment.

Download a copy of the report from www.efareport.unesco.org. �


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http://www.tln.org.au/greenschools

mailto:moneysmartteaching%40asic.gov.au?subject=Subscribe%20FHT

http://www.teaching.moneysmart.gov.au

http://www.efareport.unesco.org

Does your school or workplace AEU Rep deserve special recognition? Email [email protected] telling us who you’re nominating and why. The Rep of the Month receives a limited edition AEU leather briefcase.NominateyourREP!

Claire DeeryBrighton Primary School

CLAIRE Deery is our rep of the month for her efforts in rejuve-

nating the sub-branch at Brighton Primary School this year, her work on the school’s consultative committee, and making sure that members were kept informed about bans and stop-work arrangements.

Brighton was in union parlance an “inactive” sub-branch, thanks in part to high staff turnover, until Claire arrived.

New to the teaching profession, she said she was “interested in

learning more about teachers’ rights at work” and contacted the AEU. She ended up relaunching the sub-branch and this year was elected its rep.

The rate of unionised members at the school has almost doubled this year to 37, thanks to fortnightly meetings and social events, and regular visits from AEU organisers.

Organiser John Handley says Claire’s achievements are all the more impressive given she is in only her second year of teaching.

“Claire has got the members into

a schedule of meetings, she’s got organisers in, she’s not afraid to seek advice and check things. She’s also been very diligent in trying to apply the agreement in the school.

“And she’s developed into a resource for other members not only about union matters but about classroom support, student manage-ment, dealing with difficult parents and issues like that.

“That’s pretty good for a second-year teacher.” �

TAFE campaign heads for grassrootsMembers take on MPs in their own backyards.


THE TAFE4All campaign will turn the heat up on local MPs as the fight to save TAFE returns to the

grassroots after the statewide stopwork and rally in September.

As opinion polls show the TAFE cuts are devas-tating support for the Nationals, members will be urged to form community campaign groups and take on Coalition spin in their local media.

Newspoll on October 25 reported that Nationals support has slumped to 2% from 6.8% at the 2010 election, with much of the blame pinned on the TAFE cuts which go against the party’s raison d’être of fighting for services in regional Victoria.

The AEU and support staff union the NTEU called a statewide stopwork on September 20 after the leak of a confidential cabinet summary of the impact

of the $300 million cuts on TAFE institutes. The paper was drawn from transition plans the institutes had been asked to submit by the Government.

The stoppage saw a second emergency rally at Treasury Gardens following a first in May in response to the state budget announcement of the cuts. A rally report, pictures, and a TAFE-by-TAFE summary of the transition plans can be found at tafe4all.org.au.

Members also rallied in Geelong last month outside private training employers’ group VECCI’s state conference which was addressed by Premier Ted Baillieu. It was the 32nd rally of the TAFE4All campaign.

The AEU is preparing an advice kit with case studies to help TAFE supporters set up community groups. Several groups are already active, including in Gippsland, where mobile campaign billboards have

been seen across the region. With Coalition politicians desperately trying to put

a positive spin on the cuts in their local newspa-pers, the AEU will also be providing resources to help members respond to the misinformation and keep the debate raging. The Bendigo Advertiser and Geelong Advertiser have already seen lively exchanges in their pages. �

Keep an eye out for resources and news at tafe4all.org.au.

Disability service hangs in the balanceDavid Bunn industrial officer

MANAGERS of a South Gippsland disability day support service considered pulling the plug

rather than negotiate a new agreement with the AEU.

Moonya Community Services also applied to Fair Work Australia for the existing agreement to be set aside, but withdrew the application shortly before AEU News went to press.

The overwhelming majority of Moonya support service providers are AEU members. The service

is funded by the Department of Human Services, and like not-for-profit providers across the sector suffers chronic under-funding.

The AEU learned in late October that the board was to consider a proposal to cease providing the service, apparently for reasons of cost but also because management believed its agreement with the AEU impeded flexibility and future development.

The move would have left at least 17 people redundant and many service users without the daily support they rely on. The impact on the commu-nity’s economy would have been substantial.

The proposal was even more surprising because the AEU was already taking part, at the employer’s request, in urgent discussions about a new agreement, which would have delivered some of the improvements the board sought.

Moonya had earlier notified staff and the AEU of proposed changes including a cut to wages and three redundancies. Members hand-delivered a letter to the board, setting out the AEU’s offer. As AEU News went to press, no response had been received. The AEU has notified the employer that it wishes to resume talks urgently. �

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http://tafe4all.org.au



HAVING waded through endless regulatory and quality framework documents in the past

three years and, having completed her Quality Improvement Plan, the doorbell rang and teacher Leonie Hede’s knees shook.

It was the assessors, come to “inspect” Hobsons Bay Kindergarten on behalf of the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. “No, they weren’t wearing trench coats,” laughed Hede, who had not been at all nervous about the impending assessment until the doorbell rang.

“Fortunately, the president (of the kinder’s committee of management) greeted them and they were very nice — very supportive and relaxed.”

Hobsons Bay in Newport is among the first kindergartens and childcare centres to be assessed as part of this year’s move to a nationally regulated and accredited early childhood care and education system.

Under the changes, qualification requirements for teachers and assistants have been raised and the quality of kindergartens will be assessed in seven areas.

Assessments began in June. It will take three years for every centre to be visited.

At Hobsons Bay, the assessors started by asking questions about the kindergarten and viewing its administrative set-up and record keeping. They explained they would observe the morning’s 4-year-old session, the afternoon 3-year-old session and then spend two hours interviewing Hede about unobservable aspects of the service.

“They wandered around and looked and listened,

checked noticeboards and displays and interacted with the kids,” Hede said. “They looked like they were enjoying their job. They didn’t stand there and drill people.”

The two-hour interview process was rigorous in that detailed evidence was sought for many elements of the quality framework. “It was quite exhausting because you had to be able to clearly articulate what we do and why we do it,” Hede said.

“But that’s a good thing. It was good practice. We need to be able to do that with colleagues, parents and pre-service teachers.”

And the assessors’ verdict, received in mid-October? Hobsons Bay Kindergarten met all seven

standards and exceeded one. Hede felt like she’d won the AFL Grand Final.

She says she did nothing differently to meet the new standards “because I have always adapted and evolved with changes in the field.

“Sure, these latest changes required a lot of work in terms of absorbing what was required but they didn’t require big changes to what we do. The assessment process has turned out to be a wonderful affirmation of what we do.

“And it doesn’t mean we now stop. We know the areas we want to work on, which are identified in our Quality Improvement Plan. We won’t be resting on our laurels.” �

Preschool assessment is “good practice”One of the first centres to undergo new evaluation says process is an affirmation.

Leonie Hede

Backroom CUTS hit frontline servicesTHE 400 jobs to be cut from the Education Department by the end of the

year will result in a significant decline in support for schools, says AEU deputy president Meredith Peace.

Between one-third and a half of the 400 jobs to be shed will come from regional offices. Until now, regional office staff have provided vital support to school leaders in areas such as finance, budgets, legal issues, human resources, welfare coordination and other support for students.

The accompanying restructure of the department this year has seen nine regions cut to four. Most remaining staff are now applying for their existing jobs or different positions in competition with colleagues.

Regional director and deputy regional director positions were advertised last month. Seventy regional network leader positions have been abolished and replaced by only 34 positions known as Senior Adviser, Regional Performance and Planning (SARPPs), with a much wider remit taking in early childhood and higher education.

The AEU has raised concerns at a lack of consultation with the union and

teaching service staff in the regions, who are employed under the Schools Agreement. Some fear that by the time they are deemed “in excess” by the department, the recruiting season for school jobs in 2013 will be over.

The CPSU says the department shed 144 staff in the year to June and 400 will go before Christmas through non-renewal of contracts and an “over-subscribed” voluntary redundancy offer. A spokesman said the offer was two weeks’ pay for each year of service, capped at 15 years. �

— Sian Watkins

Do you work in or for a DEECD regional office — even if based in a school? Call the AEU on (03) 9417 2822 to help us build a complete picture of members affected by these cuts.


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NEW SOUTH WALESNOVEMBER 18 has been designated a statewide community day of action, with 12 events scheduled around the state to give NSW Teachers Federation members and supporters of public education an opportunity to protest the O’Farrell Government’s cuts.

The federation has also started an advertising campaign against the $1.7 billion cuts to public education, the biggest such cut in the state’s history. More than 1,800 jobs in the schools and TAFE sector are expected to go over the next four years.

NORTHERN TERRITORYTHE AEU has told a federal parlia-mentary inquiry into workplace bullying that more support is needed for NT teachers being bullied in schools by colleagues. The union’s submission says most territory teachers have been or are being bullied but the NT education department takes little or no action.

WESTERN AUSTRALIATHE State School Teachers’ Union of WA has launched its own offshoot of the AEU Victorian branch’s TAFE4All campaign after the WA government announced reforms that would see it follow Victoria down the free market path. The reforms are scheduled to be implemented from January 2014.

TAFE4ALLWA says the changes present a massive risk for WA workers and their families and will raise the cost of training and shift that cost from government onto individuals, reducing access for many.

“The WA Government should place WA students, their family and workers first and increase invest-ment in training so that all Western Australians can benefit from the (mining) boom,” the union said. �

Tighter SQUEEZE for studentsMore students in fewer schools are revealed in the latest government figures — while the growing popularity of vocational courses points to a funding squeeze.


VICTORIAN school populations are getting bigger and more students

are being stuffed into portables, the latest statistics on Victorian schools suggest.

The number of students in Victorian government schools, at 546,435.7, increased by 8,319 in the past year but the total number of government schools decreased by two in the same period (to 1,537).

There are 50 fewer government schools in the state than there were four years ago.

The number of government schools with more than 1000 students has grown by a quarter over the past decade, from 79 in 2002 to 104 this year, while the number of P-12 schools has increased by 33%, from 47 in 2002 to 75 this year.

American academic Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education at Stanford University, told a conference last year that smaller schools were more effective than bigger schools, particularly if they served disadvan-taged students.

“Research suggests that anything above 1,500 involves diminishing student achievement,” she said.

A State Government spokes-woman said merged schools often had bigger populations but spread across different campuses, while P-12 schools could benefit families by “offering a one-stop-shop seamless education experience for students”. They made the school run easier and helped children move from primary to secondary “in a location they are familiar with, with teachers they already know”.

Other figures from the Education Department’s Summary Statistics for Victorian Schools show that Victoria continues to spend the least per student of all states and territories:

• Nearly 12% less than the national average for primary students

• 8.4% less for secondary students.

Western Australia, ACT and the Northern Territory spent way above the averages in 2008-10.

The number of state school students with language backgrounds other than English rose by 14% to 132,644 between 2007–11 and now accounts for nearly one in four of all government schools students. Nearly 70% of these speak little or no English at home.

The most common non-English languages spoken at home are Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Vocational education and training in schools continues to grow, with enrolments up 19% in 2011 to 39,217. But with much VETiS delivered or overseen by TAFEs, the huge TAFE funding cuts are likely to mean significant rises in fees and narrower course choices.

Student numbers decreased in all Victorian country regions between 2011-12. The biggest increases in student numbers in the same period were in the western and southern metropolitan regions.

Apparent retention rates for Years 10-12 (based on start-of-year enrolment figures) declined in all education regions between 2011-12. �

NUMBERS GAMEPrimary

Enrolments: 315,029.8Up: nearly 6000

SecondaryEnrolments: 219,754Down: 1,974

Galvin Park rep up for safety awardHEALTH and safety rep Bryan Woollard is submerged

in brownie points. His school, Galvin Park Secondary College in Werribee, is due for a $14 million rebuild after Bryan took a stand and ordered the closure of several school buildings late last year.

Now he is a finalist for OH&S rep of the year in the Victorian WorkSafe awards, nominated by assistant principal Leanne Gagatsis-Halge.

Years of patch-up jobs and heavy rain last year resulted in collapsed ceilings, dangerous mould and mildew and significant electrical damage. After pains-taking audit work and with the support of his principal, Bryan issued four provisional improvement notices (PINs).

The process of ordering the closure was at times “nerve-wracking”, Bryan said, “but I knew we’d reached a point where we needed to force the issue.” Some of the mould was so bad that fungi had sprouted. Straw in ceilings was rotting; combined, the smell was “really bad”.

Leanne said Bryan, who has taught at Galvin Park for 23 years, “worked constructively” with college leaders, regional OH&S officials and the AEU to ensure the 1000-student school was safe to work and learn in.

Galvin Park will be renamed Wyndham Central Secondary College from next year. As the school becomes a construction site, Bryan’s OH&S workload will not ease, but he isn’t complaining. �

— Sian Watkins

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WRONG facts — WRONG visionDid anybody in the ministers’ offices actually read the research they based

their education vision on? John Graham reports.

CLAIM: Australian real expenditure on schooling increased by 44% between 2000-2009 (p5).

FACTS: Productivity Commission data shows that funding per government school student increased by only 20% in real terms between 2000 and 2010 (and by only 19% in Victoria).

The Grattan Institute found even lower rates of real cost increases in its interpretation of the same figures. That said, government funding for non-government school students rose at a greater rate over the same period, by 23% in real terms across Australia and 28% in Victoria.

Also, the 44% figure is ascribed to an OECD report that makes no mention of it.

CLAIM: Much of the additional expenditure in the past 20–30 years has gone towards reducing class sizes (p5).

FACTS: This is not supported by the data. Secondary school student-to-teacher ratios have actually increased slightly since 1990. For primary and secondary combined, student-to-teacher ratios have declined by less than 7% since 1990.

The increase in expenditure has largely been due to teachers’ wages, which have increased at a greater rate than inflation. and account for a much greater proportion of the increase in government education spending than changes to student-teacher ratios.

This in turn reflects the labour market for professional class workers, whose wages over the same 20-year period have increased by 131%, compared with less than 123% for top-of-scale teachers in Victoria.

CLAIM: Students in Asian “top tier” countries do better than those in Australia despite larger class sizes.

FACTS: A recent report from the Asian Development Bank described the extensive use of private tutoring in “top tier” Asian countries. This is the crucial infor-mation left out in the comparison of class sizes.

In 2008 in Korea 88% of elementary students, 73% of middle school students and 61% of

general high school students were tutored privately.

A 2009 survey in Hong Kong found that in primary and lower secondary schools, 72.5% of students were privately tutored; as were 81.9% in middle school and 85.5% in senior secondary. A 2008 report in Singapore noted that 97% of students at primary, middle and senior secondary school were receiving tutoring.

CLAIM: The proposals are “aligned to the aspirations of the current generation” (p6) who want to stay with an employer “for no more than two to four years” (which aligns with fixed-term contracts) and who want “robust performance management” and “differentiated rewards based on effort and performance” (p10).

FACTS: The reference for this claim is a US paper by J. Coggshall et al: Retaining Teacher Talent: The View from Generation Y, which supports none of these claims.

Only 15% of GenY respondents in the paper intended to stay in teaching

for four years or less; 17% estimated they would stay five-to-10 years and 68% indicated that they would stay more than 10 years.

In fact, 56% of GenY teachers in a follow-up question considered teaching “a lifelong career choice”. Why would they want fixed-term contracts?

Coggshall et al concluded: Paying for performance is seen as the least important policy option for improving teacher effectiveness and retention; having meaningful learning opportunities, reducing class size, increasing parental involvement and raising salaries across the board still rank higher.

Figure 1: Change in professional salaries (Australia), teachers’ salary (Victoria, top of scale), inflation and student-to-teacher ratios in Australian Government schools. Source: ABS, various years

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IF THE evidence used to justify a policy is manifestly inaccurate then the policy itself lacks credibility. Such is the case with the Baillieu Government’s vision for

education.New Directions for School Leadership and the Teaching Profession, the minis-

terial discussion paper released in June, claims to have worked out the holy grail of education: the formula to lift student achievement into the “global top tier” — equal to the top five or six countries in the international PISA test league table.

It contends that its proposals are all “evidence-based” and linked to

“research”. But the more closely the paper’s “evidence” is analysed, the more it crumbles into fabrication and ideology. Even the narrow set of sources it refer-ences seem to have been only half-read (or deliberately misread); often they contradict the very case the paper attempts to make. It’s as though the ministers or their staff believed no one would actually bother to examine the references.

The following is just a selection of the flawed evidence used. A more comprehensive analysis can be found in the AEU’s formal response to the New Directions paper at www.aeuvic.asn.au/policies.


http://www.aeuvic.asn.au/policies

CLAIM: Australian teachers do less professional learning than their OECD counterparts and should be required to undertake PD in the school holidays.

FACTS: The claim is another based on data from the 2009 TALIS report. In fact, the report shows that Australia had the third highest percentage of teachers (96.7%) who had undertaken professional development in the previous 18 months. The OECD average is 88.5%.

The TALIS report did find that only 11.7% of Australian teachers participated in PD leading to a

qualification compared with the TALIS average of 24.5%. This has more to do with the quality assurance requirements for Australian teachers, who must have a four-year qualification before stepping into a classroom, and (in the case of higher degrees) the high cost for the individual teacher.

TALIS identified six barriers to participation in more PD. Australian teachers were above the OECD average in three of these: it was too expensive, lacked employer support and conflicted with their work schedule — reasons all linked to a lack of commitment to profes-sional learning by employers rather than by teachers.

CLAIM: If Australian teachers saw a link between “evaluation, their performance, salaries and any financial bonuses or career advancement” they would improve their teaching and their students would join the “global top tier”.

FACTS: This conclusion is drawn from the OECD 2009 Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). But it included only one country — Korea — from the “global top tier” and Korean teachers’ responses were similar to those of Australian teachers and quite different to the responses

of teachers from low-performing countries.

The Government’s interpretation of the survey’s results suggest that Bulgaria (46th out of 48 countries for reading literacy) should be the high performing PISA country as it scores in the global top tier (way above the TALIS average) in each of the TALIS appraisal categories while Australia and Korea languish at the bottom.

The logic used by New Directions suggests its performance manage-ment proposals would result in Victorian students performing more like Bulgarian rather than Korean students.

CLAIM: Performance pay will lift Australian students into the “global top tier”.

FACTS: A recent OECD study using 2009 PISA data found a significant relationship between the use of performance pay and student performance when overall teacher pay compared with national income was taken into account:

In countries with comparatively low teachers’ salaries (less than 15% above GDP per capita), student performance tends to be better when performance-based pay systems are in place, while in countries where teachers are relatively well paid (more than 15% above GDP per capita), the opposite is true.

Australian salaries are 27% above GDP per capita according to the OECD. Therefore introducing performance pay would lower student achievement.

CLAIM: Non-teacher qualified principals will help lift Australia into the “global top tier”.

FACTS: What do the “global top tier” countries do? In the two countries with education systems most like our own — Canada and Finland — teacher qualifications are required. In Finland, principals must also have a Master’s degree, adequate teaching experience and a qualification in educational administration.

To become a school principal in Canada’s global top tier province of Ontario, applicants must have an undergraduate degree, five years of teaching experience, certification in three divisions (primary, junior, interme-diate, senior), two Specialist or Honour Specialist additional qualifications or a Master’s degree, and complete the Principal’s Qualification Program.

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John Graham is a research officer at the AEU Victorian Branch. A fully referenced version of this article can be found at www.aeuvic.asn.au/myths-and-facts


http://www.aeuvic.asn.au/myths-and-facts


CUTTING a dash at the Teachers GamesFashion faux-pas aside, AEU members turned on the style for this year’s Teachers Games. Sian Watkins was there.

CAMBERWELL High maths–science teacher Sarah de Garis teamed blue eye-shadow with bronze when attending the

“Brownlow” at Ballarat’s George Hotel last month. And why not? It was her first ever sporting medal, achieved in the social division of the women’s netball competition at the 2012 Victorian Teachers Games.

Camberwell High players were regularly kept back for after-school detention/training in Term 3 by daily organiser Brian Snashall-Woodhams, which was possibly not in keeping with the spirit of the Games.

Colleagues said Snashall-Woodhams did not need to dress up for the 80s-themed Brownlow night.

About 2,450 teaching and support staff from government and independent schools participated in some 34 sports and social activities at the games, held on September 24–26.

AEU members were out in force — as was the AEU itself, sponsoring the games for a fifth year and sending a sizeable contingent to Ballarat to host member events, hand out prizes, recruit new members and take part in a few events themselves.

The union also spruiked the Gonski campaign, with organiser (and keen runner) Helen Stanley and colleagues gathering hundreds more signatures in support of Gonski’s recommenda-tions for a fairer funding system. It was also hard to escape Rodger the AEU bear.

New activities at the games this year were royal tennis, croquet and “aMAZEing Ballarat”, a challenge based on the Amazing Race TV program. It attracted 138 participants and the trivia nights were also “really popular”, said games organiser Carlo Ticchi, from the Education Department’s Grampians region office.

About 50 University of Ballarat students did a splendid job as volunteer officials.

Sunshine and sleety rain wrestled at the road cycling race held at Lake Learmonth, about 20km north-west of Ballarat. For most of the past 14 years the lake has been a large bed of dry grass, which explains why the Eureka Veterans Cycling Club, which organised the race, now shares the clubrooms of the Lake Learmonth Yacht Club.

Keen mountain-biker Kirra Dyer, a Grade 5-6 teacher at Geelong East Primary School, won the 30km women’s race and Adrian Hanson from Campbellfield Heights Primary School won the men’s 40km event. Colleague Luke Cripps, a Don King-like sports promoter, pointed out that Hanson was so confident of a third victory he had not even bothered to shave his legs.

Dyer was to spend the rest of her holidays writing an essay for her Masters on the primary years’ International Baccalaureate.

The Minister’s Cup, awarded for the level and spirit of partici-pation by a competing team, went to the Beacy Buccaneers

from Beaconsfield PS “who entered just about every-thing and had a ball”, said organiser Ticchi.

Sadly the spirit of participation was missing for the state’s education ministers, who handballed the job of presenting the cup to Ballarat Mayor Mark Harris. �

Minister’s Cup winners, The Beaconsfield Buccaneers.

Bronze medallist Sarah de Garis with her Camberwell High team mates.

Sunshine College volleyball team with Roger the Bear.


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AT WANGANUI Park High School in Shepparton in the late-80s, the school’s union sub-branch

leaders were so keen to divest themselves of their presidential responsibilities they pinned A4 posters everywhere declaring “Peace for president”.

She got there, but it took her a while. Twenty-four years later she replaces Mary Bluett, who retires at year’s end, as president of the AEU’s Victorian branch.

Not that running the union was her ambition when she started teaching geography and science at Wanganui Park. After completing a science degree at Monash she had contemplated accepting a graduate job at the ANZ Bank before deciding her degree would be put to best use in a school.

After four years at Wanganui she worked in Melbourne Zoo’s education centre for a year before being elected in 1992 to a Victorian Secondary Teachers’ Association position on a joint union–government grievance committee.

She had joined the union as a student teacher at Rusden and was elected to the union’s executive in her fourth year of teaching.

Her affinity for unionism had several sources. Her sister, Susan Hopgood, now the AEU’s federal secretary, was then the women’s officer at the VSTA, and her mother was a school council member for 26 years and long-serving president at Cohuna High, an influential commitment to public service.

“I had a strong interest in public education, too,” Peace says. “It’s given me enormous opportunities; I was educated in the public system and I’ve spent my entire teaching career there. I also believe in people being treated fairly; I hate it when they

aren’t, just as I hate it when I am not treated fairly. And I don’t know whether there’s anything in my deep, dark past that drives that,” she laughs.

She was certainly very gutsy early on, chal-lenging Wanganui’s consultative committee at one stage for being unrepresentative, in that it was made up only of principals and senior teachers. “It was quite stressful but we hung on because we thought what we wanted was right and worth fighting for.

“We ended up with two younger voices and a more representative committee.”

With four older sisters, three of whom also taught, Peace spent most of her childhood with two brothers, one her twin. Perhaps that made her gutsy. She grew up on a dairy farm in Cohuna. Her great-great-grandfather bought the land in 1876 — her brother runs beef on it today and her parents, well into their 80s, still live there. Peace gets up there regularly to see them and to garden.

Her job with the VSTA disappeared when it merged with the Federated Teachers Union of Victoria to form the AEU in 1995 so she returned to teaching — at Kew High School, where she was a teacher and leading teacher for six years.

In 2001 she successfully ran for secondary sector deputy vice president and worked with then-secondary VP Brian Henderson. Bluett was president. In 2005 she was elected vice president secondary, in 2008 deputy president and now, president.

“I have never been ambitious in the sense of wanting the top job,” Peace says. “It’s more the commitment to public education and the nature of

the work that has driven me and the challenges that presents.” She says that industrial and professional battles in the government-school sector are a mix of the perennial and new.

She is pleased that school leadership jobs are no longer determined by seniority, as they were in the late 1980s when she got up at a regional meeting and ruffled a few feathers by arguing that new appointments should be merit-based.

The shift from public to private schools and a disingenuous cultivation of the importance of choice in education is new and unwelcome. “The public/private debate didn’t exist 30 years ago,” Peace says.

“It was a given that your children went to the local state school and they got a good education. The union now has to fight for public education and justify its importance and quality.”

Peace is hopeful the public might eventually be galvanised into action against an inequitable education system; implementation of David Gonski’s recommendations might “trigger a turnaround”.

Her focus for the next 12 months? Campaigning for, securing and “bedding down” an acceptable EBA for school staff, and negotiating agreements for the TAFE and early childhood sector.

Peace says she has been well mentored by Bluett and Henderson: “They carry a vast amount of knowledge and are highly skilled at what they do … and they leave behind a strong organisation.

“The job is daunting but I feel confident. I have a very good leadership team, very good staff and we have right on our side in terms of what we are fighting for — the education of our kids.” �

The next presidentMeredith Peace, the AEU’s Victorian president-elect, has been taking on the powers-that-be since her days as a beginning teacher. She talks to Sian Watkins.



A traffic-stopping turnout outside the Premier’s office launched five weeks of rolling stopworks. Nic Barnard and Sian Watkins report.

AN EMOTIONAL Mary Bluett fronted 1500 passionate AEU members outside Premier Ted Baillieu’s Hawthorn office to kick off a term of

rolling, half-day stopworks.With the crowd blocking traffic along Camberwell Road, Bluett unfurled

a giant letter to the Premier demanding that he keep his wages promise, adding: “It’s not just about pay. It’s about much more than pay. It’s about respect.”

Then, holding back tears, she vowed to fight to the end of her term to get the best deal for school staff.“What an incredible honour to represent those who work in public education

for 31 years. I want to thank you all for the privilege and tell you that I am here until December 31 and this deal is going to get done and it’s going to be a good deal — and your being here today strengthens our negotiations.”

The rally was the first of 32 scheduled across the state, taking the campaign to the doorsteps of front and backbench Coalition MPs. AEU deputy president Meredith Peace said: “We have to make sure our local politicians know that they are responsible for resolving this dispute.

“They cannot abrogate their responsibility to us and to the children we teach every day.”

Members at the rally cited respect, run-down facilities, contracts and poor pay for support staff as key issues in the staffroom. One banner highlighted that ES on the bottom rung of the scale earn below the minimum wage.

Greythorn Primary School integration aide Kathleen A’Hearn said: “I have to apply for my job every six months. It gives you no security. We don’t even know

Tears and cheers at Ted’s front door

Regional rally pictures overleaf. You can find more pictures on the Keep the Promise website at www.keepthepromise.com.au and on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/aeuvic. A short video of the Shepparton rally can be seen at tinyurl.com/c2y2p83.


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A traffic-stopping turnout outside the Premier’s office launched five weeks of rolling stopworks. Nic Barnard and Sian Watkins report.

what we’re doing next year and this is October.”Her colleague, ESL teacher Diana Gough, said: “I’m coming up to

retirement age. I’m not sure that a great deal has changed over the years regarding respect for teachers.

“We want (politicians) to give us a fair go and understand and trust in our judgement when we raise concerns.”

Steve Hall, 35, of Birralee PS in Doncaster, said he had worked on one-year contracts for the past five years. Until he secures a permanent job he can only contemplate buying a house. His colleague, Jacque Clement, said that after 12 years of teaching “I could afford a one-bedroom unit”.

Plenty of members had a harsh view of their local MP. Ian Penn, a design and technology teacher at Swinburne Senior SC, said: “When you vote someone in on what they promise (Mr Baillieu), and they don’t keep that promise, they don’t deserve public support.

“I’m not here just about the money but what our kids have to put up with in state schools … Many of them are so decrepit they shouldn’t be open.”

Russell Lim, of Brentwood SC, said: “When (Baillieu) wanted us to do an extra hour of classroom teaching — I think that pushed it over the line.”

Also voicing support were Canterbury Girls’ Year 12 students Janna and Meg, attending with teacher Jane Goddard “because our teachers are being treated quite appallingly. We see the funding cuts represent how much (the Government) values our teachers and in turn how much they value us,” Janna said. �

Tears and cheers at Ted’s front door

Canterbury Girls’ High School teacher Jane Goddard with students Meg (left) and Janna.


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PHOTO: SIMON BINGHAM, SHEPPARTON NEWS

ROLLING with the stopworks


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A PILOT involving closer partnerships between universities and schools

and teams of pre-service teachers spending more time in those schools is showing promise and winning praise.

Feedback from those involved in the $1.8 million School Centres for Teaching Excellence pilot suggests they have delivered improved profes-sional learning for all parties involved.

The quality of teacher training is again under the spotlight. The Gillard Government has linked increased schools funding to a requirement that new entrants be better qualified, while the Coalition wants “more practical” training with more time spent learning in schools.

The Coalition seized on a contro-versial study by the Grattan Institute that suggested the quality of teaching was more important than funding levels. The institute later noted that all aspects of education require investment.

Others — including the AEU — also call for longer practicums, backed with resources, while supporting the role of universities in training.

Most practicum models have generally involved pre-service teachers (PSTs) completing two placements during the year, each at

a different school. A small number are assigned one or two mentor teachers at those schools who check their lesson plans and supervise their teaching. They may or may not be observed by an education faculty member.

But Melbourne University dean of education Field Rickards last month said that these models — in which teachers are “parachuted into schools for short three-week placements” — were failing PSTs and students. Like many before him, he called for a “transformation” of teacher training.

The SCTE model differs in that a larger team of PSTs is assigned to one school at which it spends more time during the year — two days a week, for example.

This enables PSTs to observe more

and make a bigger contribution to data collection, curriculum planning and extra-curricular activities. The model is designed to “support the effective integration of theory and practice with a strong research focus”.

It is part of an international

trend towards more extensive and intensive in-school placements, and is compared with hospital models where trainee doctors and nurses are sent into wards to deal with people, not specimen jars.

Each of the seven SCTEs consists of a cluster of schools linked to one or more universities. They involve 50 schools, six universities and 400 pre-service teachers, a small percentage of the annual enrolment in teacher education courses. (More than 3500 people graduated from teacher

training courses in 2009 and that number is believed to have risen substantially since.)

Overseers, carrying titles such as site director or teaching fellow, are employed to manage the PST and be the conduit between school and university, who share the cost of their salary. Schools provide mentoring teachers who receive training and time to reflect and plan with their charges and university staff.

Under the Melbourne University model, a leading teacher is appointed a part-time Teaching Fellow to oversee the work of the PSTs and guide supervising teachers. The university says the model has enabled PSTs to link theory and practice and use data to guide their teaching.

The origins of the SCTE pilot lie with the 2008 Smarter Schools Quality Teaching National Partnership, agreed to by state and federal education ministers, that prioritised improving the quality of teacher training.

In 2009 the Victorian Education Department helped Melbourne University develop a practicum partnership with about 25 schools

A trial that embeds trainee teachers in schools is winning plaudits. But when the funding stops, who will pay? And are there enough schools sufficiently resourced to participate? Sian Watkins reports.

RAISINGthe bar?

�Calls for more extensive school placements and stronger partnerships between schools and teacher training

institutions have been made for decades.�


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“There’s always been a clamour for placements”

“IT CAN be frantic,” says Barbara Hadlow of her role managing 30-day placements

for dozens of pre-service teachers in seven schools each semester.

Hadlow is coordinator of the Koonung School Centres of Teaching Excellence, a teaching fellow in the Melbourne University Master of Teaching program and a teacher at Koonung Secondary College in Mont Albert North.

The cluster of three secondary and four primary schools works with Melbourne Uni to provide 30-day per semester placements for its Masters of Teaching students.

Koonung SC’s relationship with Melbourne started in 2008. The $250,000 that SCTE funding delivered in 2011–12 has been used mostly to pay for 50 early to mid-career teachers in the cluster to begin a Masters degree (specialist certificate in clinical teaching) and to cover the associated CRT bill for time release.

Since 2008 Koonung has taken close to 200 PSTs in total. It also accommodates students from non-partnership universities.

Hadlow oversees the teams of PSTs, watches them teach, helps assess their Melbourne Uni learning, guides mentor teachers and delivers eight seminars a semester linked to VIT standards.

Her and Koonung’s commitment to training the next generation of teachers and the benefits of the partnership help them look beyond the weighty logistical and resource pressures involved.

Hadlow says teachers and students benefit from PSTs’ verve, help and research knowledge, while staff who are doing their Masters are sharing their uni learning at staff forums and curriculum days.

One initiative of the cluster partnership has seen secondary PSTs spend a day in primary schools and vice-versa, to look at Years 6 and 7 curriculum

and ways to improve students’ transition between junior and senior school. “Until now, we didn’t really understand what our colleagues in other sectors were teaching and they didn’t know what we did (in secondary schools),” Hadlow says. “Opening that door has been really valuable to us and the PSTs.”

One very important benefit of the partnership is the parade of potential recruits. “We have 31 Melbourne Uni alumni working at Koonung and they are a marvellous help as mentor teachers in the PST program because they understand the pressures the students are under and their workload,” Hadlow says.

With so many PSTs in the school, teachers sometimes have to be cajoled into becoming mentors but “there’s generally a culture of goodwill”, Hadlow says. “We try to rotate the pool of supervisors to keep people fresh.”

But if more schools are to provide such intensive practicums they will need help, she says. To start with, they need adequate and appropriate teaching and learning spaces. Koonung has 1200 students in a school built for 800.

SCTE funding runs out at the end of this year. Staff will have to pay for the remaining 75% of their Masters’ fees and complete it in their own time. Hadlow’s role, which predates SCTE funding, will continue.

She believes the Melbourne model is sustainable but is unsure whether similar intensive practicums could be delivered for all PSTs.

“There’s always been a clamour from unis to place students but it’s risen to a roar. It’s the sheer force of numbers that’s becoming a problem. You need to be able to maintain integrity and rigour in all those placements.” �

for its Masters of Education students. This model was expanded to create the SCTE to contribute to a “system-wide improvement” in pre-service and in-service teacher education.

Calls for more extensive school placements and stronger partner-ships between schools and teacher training institutions have been made for decades — among them Kim Beazley senior’s 1984 report on education in WA, the Ebbeck report (1990) and the 2005 Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the Suitability of Pre-Service Teacher Training, which concluded that PSTs needed to be immersed in schools

throughout their studies.But giving more trainee teachers

more time in government schools (since these accept the bulk of PSTs) is not easy to pull off, more so since Canberra uncapped tertiary funding to allow universities to enrol as many students as they wanted to.

The subsequent 12% increase in trainee teacher numbers in Victoria this year has compounded universities’ perennial problem of finding enough schools prepared to accept their students for school placements. Twelve universities and colleges offer undergraduate teaching courses in Victoria.

Already busy teachers are reluctant to mentor PST (financial incentives offered by most universities are paltry — the AEU is seeking agreements to lift payments, to match those paid by Victoria University); most government schools cannot afford to allocate staff solely to oversee big groups of PSTs; and they often cannot provide appropriate mentors in less commonly taught subjects.

Professor Brenda Cherednichenko of Deakin University cites other barriers, including timetabling constraints, clashes between univer-sity and school terms, lack of space in public schools and job and family

commitments that make it hard to find suitable placements for many PSTs.

The SCTE’s National Partnership funding runs out next year. Can/will the existing partnerships be main-tained? Should the model be applied in all teacher training courses? If so, who will pay for the necessary overseers and time release for mentor teachers?

In the absence of government commitments to fund the continuation and or expansion of school-uni part-nerships, those involved in the SCTE are talking about looking creatively at organisational structures and budgets to find the necessary money. �

Barbara Hadlow (right)PHOTO: ANGELA BAILEY



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Trainee teachers with a science bent are helping broaden Corio students’ horizons.

VOLCANIC eruptions and globs of flowing solids are some of the spectacles that wow

Corio prep students every Tuesday since the arrival of pre-service teachers with a science bent at Northern Bay College.

PST Emma Horne, who has a science and law degree, and Nick Owusu, also the Geelong Supercats’ guard, helped keen Year 6 and 7 students start the lunchtime Freaky Science on Tuesday club at the college’s Hendy Street P–8 campus.

As part of its partnership with Deakin University, the college sought trainees with a science background to help it put science into the school curriculum.

Emma and Nick also helped design a literacy-based science curriculum, while PSTs take Years 6 and 7 students on fortnightly trips to Deakin University for science activities.

Northern Bay, with six primary and secondary campuses, is this year supervising about 65 PSTs, mostly from Deakin and some from other unis using the SCTE model.

Kellie Tobin, an English teacher from Geelong with a Masters in Education, was hired last September to be site director of the partner-ship. PSTs studying for the Graduate Diplomas of Applied Learning and of Education (Primary) spend 60 days at the school rather than the usual 45.

The Hendy Street campus has an open learning area for Years 6–8, which Tobin says is ideal in that several PSTs can work with its four-member teaching team. “Supervision is shared and the PSTs are exposed to a range of teaching styles. They spend their time in one school and develop stronger connections with students and teachers.”

Hendy Street principal Stephen McNamara praises the work done by the PSTs as “fantastic”. Pre-service teachers also help organise Aspire, a program to raise students’ aspirations beyond the mundane and low-income Corio’s horizon. Supported by PSTs, Aspire includes industry placements and weekly visits to Deakin where Years 8–11 students attend lectures, identify courses that interest them and speak to academics.

PSTs are also involved in mentoring and tutoring Koorie students at the weekly after-school Yerumun Learning Club, which works with parents and elders to offer cultural studies

with a literacy and numeracy focus.Campus principals have made a strong

commitment to the PST, taking them to regional network and school leadership meetings and sitting down with them to explain student learning and school performance data. Supervising teachers agreed to pool their mentor payments and use the money to pay for iPads, conferences and training.

“The benefits of this model far outweigh the traditional model in terms of what each party gets out of it,” says McNamara. “And I get a look at the pick of the bunches for hiring.”

But what happens to Tobin’s job when Northern Bay’s National Partnership funding — which pays her to manage the program — runs out next year? McNamara definitely wants her to continue, saying a solution will be sought by rethinking budgets and structures at the school and/or at Deakin.

He and Tobin agree that at least one person is needed to manage the learning and supervi-sion of such a large intake of PSTs who spend longer in schools. There is a limit to the number that schools can reasonably take.

Delivering more intensive, effective practi-cums “is very important”, says Tobin. “This is the next generation of teachers, the teachers who will be teaching my children.”

Does she think it unfair that cash-strapped, resource-poor government schools are expected to supervise the great majority of PSTs?

“From our experience I’d say the inde-pendent schools are missing out on a lot.”�

— Sian Watkins

ERUPTION of new talent

Thirty per cent of what?

FROM next year, aspiring teachers must be in the top 30% of literacy and numeracy. The Federal Government demanded this cut-off but

what does it mean?The Australian Institute of Teaching and School

Leadership (AITSL) says it expects universities to use applicants’ Year 11 and 12 subject scores to decide whether they meet the 30% rule. But new accredita-tion standards for teacher education programs include a qualifier: universities can accept people outside the 30% if they “ensure that all students are supported to achieve the required standard before graduation”.

An AITSL spokesman said the institute was working with the Australian Council of Deans of Education to identify how universities would “help” lower-scoring students and how students would demonstrate achieve-ment of the 30% standard.

Professor Toni Downes, then-president of the ACED, said last month that the council preferred “high exit standards” over entry requirements to teacher training courses. The move to demand-driven funding for univer-sities resulted in a 12% increase in teacher-training enrolments in Victoria this year. Finding enough schools to supervise larger numbers of PSTs is very difficult. Professor Downes has said the reality of arranging and sustaining valid school-based experiences was “prob-lematic and expensive”.

AEU federal president Angelo Gavrielatos has also criticised the “uncapped, deregulated market”.

Despite teacher supply outweighing demand, the State Government wants to open up the pre-service education market to more competition, including from “elite providers overseas” and through remote training.�

Kellie Tobin, right, with a Deakin PST.


Women’s FOCUSBarb Jennings women’s officer

JOB-SHARING: the new realityEmbracing flexible working is the only way to address a looming leadership shortage in our schools.

INTEREST is growing in job sharing in schools — for principals as well as for teachers and education support staff. A quick look at the demographics of

educators shows why. Most education staff are in their 50s and nearing retirement, or in their 20s

and early 30s and likely to start a family in the next few years if they haven’t already done so. That is one reason why there are so many complaints about a lack of applicants for principal positions.

But those problems could be reduced if women had access to part-time leadership work.

Job-sharing is one of the flexible work options (FWO) that new parents are entitled to request following family leave. Others include part-time work, breastfeeding and lactation breaks and telecommuting — tricky for a teacher but shown to be successful for business managers and other ES.

The granting of part-time work following family leave is now widespread; Peter Hibbens, chair of the Merit Protection Board, told AEU organisers in August that this issue hardly comes before the MPB nowadays because it is routinely granted and there has hardly been a case where it has been refused by the MPB.

However, we still hear of principals who baldly state: “I don’t like part-time work”, “part-time does not work at my school”, “it’s not possible with our budget”, “parents won’t accept it” or “we already have too many part-timers”.

These views are contrary to federal and state equal opportunity legislation, our Schools Agreement, the National Employment Standards and Education Department policy, which says: “An employer must not unreasonably refuse to accommodate a person’s parental or carer responsibilities in relation to their work arrangements.”

We recently held our eighth annual flexible work options forum at the AEU (and online for the first time — watch out for more events that you can attend remotely). Glennis Pitches, principals organiser and former principal of Warrandyte High School, described flexible working as the way of the future and increasingly necessary as people need to balance work and family.

There is no maximum percentage of part-time staff that a school should allow. School communities are usually very supportive; many parents welcome the reality of two teachers as it increases the chance their child will form a positive relationship.

A number of member advice sheets are on the AEU website (www.aeuvic.asn.au/members) covering part-time work after family leave, breastfeeding and lactation breaks, and how to retain your full-time status when you reduce your time fraction.

The AEU is producing a Flexible Work Options Kit that will include rights and entitlements and case studies. A kit for expectant mothers containing proforma letters to principals, advice and information sheets — and an AEU-badged Gro suit for your baby — will be produced next year. We are seeking design ideas for the Gro suit so send me your suggestions. �

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TAKING part in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project has certainly been a life-changing experience. The Trades Hall component of the program has

exposed us to many issues concerning women in the workplace, while the AEU placement allowed us to experience many facets of support and campaigning.

One issue we saw becoming more apparent for women is that of returning to work after maternity and family leave. It was highlighted to us how this experience can be an emotional time and sometimes present difficulties.

Members have a right to negotiate flexible working arrangements so they can achieve a satisfactory work–life balance. It is important that everyone realises that the onus is on the employer to allow a member to negotiate a return to work part-time so that caring for the family can remain a priority.

The AEU is developing a post-maternity leave kit of information and resources for members. Its objective is to build confidence in dealing with the return to work. We encourage members to always seek the advice of your union if you have any questions or concerns. �

Tracey Lee and Meagan Heeremans (above), participants in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project

Family concerns highlighted

Asbestos forum, November 28The AEU will hold an after-work forum at its Abbotsford office to mark Asbestos Awareness Week.

Keynote speaker will be Geoff Fary, head of the federal Asbestos Review, who will report on its recommendations and Workplace Minister Bill Shorten’s response.

There will also be a report on asbestos issues and management in schools. It will run from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

Register attendance by emailing Glenys VanHooff at [email protected]. Refreshments provided. �


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CROSS SECTORAL ELECTED LEADERSHIPBranch presidentPEACE, Meredith 12,091RUNDLE, Norrian 2,429

Branch deputy presidentMULLALY, Justin 10,742O’REILLY, Michael 1,993CROTTY, Judith 1,767

Branch secretaryROBERTSON, Gillian 12,282LEE-ACK, Tess 2,196

Branch deputy secretaryCOOK, Philip 3,039CLANCY, Carolyn 11,436

Rod Laver’s longest rallyDo we need to make our stopwork meetings shorter and sharper? And if so, how?

Brian Henderson branch secretary

THE AEU received numerous emails and comments from sub-branches and individual

members about the excessive length of the September 5 stopwork meeting at Rod Laver Arena.

This comment was typical: “Thousands of members had left the stadium and moved out onto the concourse before the final vote was taken. We accept that, as a democratic union, there should be debate but unless speaker time is restricted you risk alienating your membership.”

Another email reported a sub-branch meeting: “Members expressed a high level of frustration at the way the last stopwork meeting was run, in particular the extensive time spent debating the order of agenda items. Whilst we recognise the democratic process is important, we felt that the meeting became unruly, people were restless and we don’t feel that it should have taken so long.”

The AEU leadership shares the frustration.The resolution put to members was drawn up by

the AEU joint primary and secondary sector council, comprising 100 delegates from schools elected by members across the state.

The resolution was carried unanimously by the council, which included nine representatives of the Teacher and ES Alliance, who then got up at the stopwork meeting and moved two amendments.

The question that should be asked is why were those amendments not moved at council where they could have been properly debated, rather than waste time at the stopwork.

As the elected leadership of the AEU we are bound to support decisions made in the democratic forums of the union; we therefore had to oppose the proposed amendments and speak for the resolution. But there should have been no need to debate the amendments, which wasted a substantial amount of time.

The current time limits for speakers at stopwork

meetings are contained in our standing orders: five minutes for the mover and three minutes for all other speakers. In normal circumstances this is not excessive. However, if members are voting with their feet we need to look at how to prevent time-wasting at future meetings.

One suggestion is that any amendments or alternative resolutions be submitted to the relevant sector council or the branch executive prior to the stopwork. That body can then decide whether they be accepted or rejected for debate.

Members could still move the resolutions or amendments at the stopwork meeting, but at least the membership could then decide if they wanted the matter debated knowing that it had been considered beforehand. No other amendments or resolutions would be accepted on the day.

The AEU is interested in membership feedback on this or any other proposal that will shorten the meeting and make it a more enjoyable experience for members. �

AEU Victorian branch election resultsAEU Victorian branch elected results were announced by the Australian Electoral Commission on October 22. The three-year term begins on January 1. Full results, including branch council elections, are on the AEU website at www.aeuvic.asn.au/elections.

Vice president(primary)JENNINGS, Bronwyn 1,862RANKIN, James 5,609

Deputy vice president (primary)DUNCAN, Briley 6,029McPHERSON, Hamish 1,422

Vice president (secondary)MERKENICH, Mary 1,786AULICH, Erin 4,790

Deputy vice president (secondary)D’ORTENZIO, Marino 4,763ADAMS, Steven 1,794

Vice president (TAFE & adult provision)CROSS, Joe 193BARCLAY, Greg 760

Deputy vice president (TAFE & adult provision)Jen Walsh was elected unopposed

Vice president (early childhood)Shayne Quinn was elected unopposed

Deputy vice president (early childhood)Martel Menz was elected unopposed

SECTOR LEADERSHIP


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On the PHONESMembership Services Unit — 1800 013 379

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AEU

Proudly serving our members

“ ESSSuper made planning for my transition to retirement easy. Actually doing it was easier still.”That’s more than super. Michelle, Teacher, ESSSuper Member.

You’re in a great position with ESSSuper, because we know there’s more to your retirement than just a payout. It’s about making sure you’re armed with the knowledge, products and services to help you retire the way you want, and continue enjoying the years you’ve worked hard for.

So if you’re in the home stretch, and thinking about your retirement options, feel free to get in touch with us today.

Book your FREE personal appointment by calling our Member Service Centre on 1300 655 476.

Issued by Emergency Services Superannuation Board ABN 28 161 296 741 the Trustee of the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme ABN 85 894 637 037 (ESSSuper).

Fiona Sawyer MSU officer

THERE are loads of fact sheets on our website. You’ll find them in

the members-only section at www.aeuvic.asn.au/advice. They cover everything from annual leave loading to yard duty (we’re still looking for a “Z”).

They are a great place to start if we are not available to help. There are fact sheets for schools (including many for education support), early childhood and TAFE sectors.

You’ll need to log in to access them — if you have trouble with this, we have a help sheet at www.aeuvic.asn.au/login_help.

Time in lieu and ESTime in lieu (TIL) is intended to discourage a school from asking its ES staff to work more than their

normal hours. If there is a real need for ES to work longer, they should be granted TIL.

A principal can require an employee to do TIL only if the work is unavoidable. Reasonable notice must be given, and they must approve and document TIL before it is undertaken (see Clause 19(7)(a) of the ES Agreement).

Previous agreements said that TIL could be offset against recall days; this clause has been removed because some schools wrongly thought that ES staff therefore “owed” the recall days and therefore created extra work to offset them. TIL can only be offset against recall if TIL has been genuinely accrued and schools have genuine reasons to recall staff.

If you have accrued TIL you should use it before the end of the year;

speak to your principal or business manager about this.

Contracts and holiday payWith Christmas hurtling towards us, those of you employed on contracts need to know how much holiday pay you are entitled to and check that your contract dates correctly show this.

Holiday pay varies with the length of the contract. Rather than wait until the end of term, use the Education Department’s Fixed-Term Teacher Vacancy Ready Reckoner which you’ll find at tinyurl.com/9fsbtaf.

Schools use this ready reckoner to work out the duration of fixed-term teacher vacancies on Recruitment Online but you can use it to determine your end date and check your contract has been done properly.

VIT rego — do I or don’t I?The deadline for most DEECD-employed teachers to sort out their VIT rego was October 31: if you missed it, pay it now — no one wants to discover they can’t work because their rego has expired.

If you are not teaching, you must decide if you want to keep your regis-tration up. If you don’t, you’ll have to reregister if you change your mind.

If you are on extended leave you can register as a non-practising teacher, which means you don’t have to provide evidence of PD or teaching practice until you start again.

Don’t leave it until the last minuteSeriously, I mean it! Don’t leave anything to the last minute if you can help it. �

Facts are free (for members)


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New Educators NETWORKAndrew Cassidy graduate teacher organiser

Back on the MERRY-GO-ROUNDWith contract employment still too common, the AEU is here to help new teachers prepare another batch of job applications.

AS THE end of the year draws closer, graduate teachers

in contract positions must start applying for their jobs or other jobs, again.

This is always a tricky time of the year. You are assessing your students to gain the best possible understanding of where they are at. You are staging school concerts. You are finalising your documents for full VIT registration. You are planning exciting activities for the end of the year.

There are many more jobs that graduates are doing at this stage of Term 4 but one of the most important things you will do is apply for your job.

Many of you will have written lots of applications in the past 12 to 24 months. However, it is still a huge effort to write one more — or even several — with all of the other work you do at this time of the year.

The AEU has a wide variety of

resources to help you to write your application, including information on writing a job application that will get you shortlisted for interview, information on using the state and national teaching standards to reflect on your personal practice, and tools and checklists designed to support you in writing well-struc-tured responses to key selection criteria.

These resources certainly won’t write a wonderful job application for you. But they will give you excellent support at this stressful time of the year.

To all graduates re-applying for your current positions and to those applying for new ones, I wish you all the best. The AEU is happy to support you through the process.

If you would like these resources email me at [email protected] and I will send them out. �

All places can be booked on our

online calendar. Go to www.aeuvic.

asn.au/calendar, select the date of your chosen event and click through.

AEU TRAINING & PDKim Daly and Rowena Matcott training officers

Oh no — not more PD?Why has professional development become a burden not an opportunity for many educators?

WHY is it that if you mention a PD session in most schools you hear

a big groan? It used to be that teachers and

ES were asked to identify the skills they wanted to improve or build on, and then find the PD to match (within reason).

Now it seems that 90% of PD is top-down: prescribed by the depart-ment, region or school and delivered internally. For many, it has become something to be endured — another after-school meeting or a precursor to yet another policy to implement.

Individuals require relevant PD. There should be a choice, a mix of school initiatives and personal devel-opment. But principals are under huge pressure to implement new departmental initiatives and direc-tions, all within a very limited budget.

This makes it more and more difficult to get permission to attend outside PD where you can meet and learn from colleagues in other schools.

At the AEU we try to offer training that reflects the needs of our sub-branch reps and general membership.

We aim to inform, enthuse and

inspire the individual as well as develop skills to smooth the running of the sub-branch and improve school conditions.

We focus on the understanding of basic entitlements such as leave, employment and workload while developing confidence, skills and strategies to influence local condi-tions. It is vital to know not only what to do but how to do it.

We understand the value of meeting people from other schools, learning from each other, discussing workplace concerns and debriefing.

It is important to us that AEU training leads to positive change in your sub-branches.

We have offered a range of activi-ties across Victoria this year, including many tailored activities delivered to individual schools and sub-branches. We are now planning our 2013 program, so if there is something that you would like us to offer, please let us know ASAP.

Once we get a new Schools’ Agreement there will be plenty of opportunity for all sub-branches to attend a briefing.

We look forward to meeting you at one of our courses. �

PRINCIPALSLeading and managing in the context of the VGSANovember 21............. AEU Abbotsford

WOMEN’S PROGRAMReturning to workNovember 7.............. AEU Abbotsford

OTHER EVENTSAsbestos awareness week seminarNovember 28............. AEU Abbotsford

Green schools conference Annual conference and dinner November 16.............. IEU Southbank

EDUCATION SUPPORTES twilight conferencesNovember 20............. Lakes Entrance

NEW EDUCATORSYoung Member Activist ProgramDecember 3–7...........AEU Abbotsford

AEU ACTIVETWO-DAY COURSES Nov 21–Nov 22........ Lakes Entrance

ONE DAY COURSESNovember 9............. AEU Abbotsford November 14........... AEU Abbotsford December 5.............. AEU Abbotsford December 6.............. AEU Abbotsford

AEU Active for principalsNovember 21........... AEU Abbotsford

Twilight dinner workshops November 26........... AEU Abbotsford

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Safety MATTERSJanet Marshall OH&S organiser

My wish list for a SAFER WORKPLACEWhy do some blame the messenger for reporting incidents and hazards?

THE Victorian OHS Act requires employers to put systems in place to enable incidents, near misses, hazards and accidents to be reported. It also

requires employees to take care of their health and safety and that of others.In progressive workplaces we see management and staff working together

to find OH&S solutions, and a culture of hazard and incident reporting not only encouraged but expected.

The Education Department’s Quick Reference Guide to its reporting system eduSafe advises employees to “use eduSafe to report an incident/injury, or hazardous situation for themselves”. Other workplaces have their own reporting system.

In some workplaces, reporting an incident or hazard can prompt criticism of the staff member for making the report or for using eduSafe — particularly if it involves students or clients and their parents, or if a situation has affected the employee’s psychological health.

But why would this be any different to reporting a broken handrail or a crack in an asbestos wall? And why does the reporting of hazards and incidents cause angst and tension in some workplaces? Here are a few possible explanations.

A lack of training or information about the principles of OH&S can lead to conflict if managers, employees and health and safety representatives (HSRs) have different understandings. Note that only HSRs have legislated access to OH&S training.

Some workplaces fear that a hazard or incident will be too difficult, too expensive or too time-consuming to resolve.

Some hazards or incidents — such as challenging behaviour among clients or students — are wrongly seen as “part of the job” and not a reportable, OH&S matter.

If we want to prevent injuries and damaging incidents, how can we overcome these barriers?

Here’s my wish list:• A right to OH&S training for managers and HSRs alike, so that we all

speak the same language.• A whole-staff approach and understanding of the importance of

reporting to prevent injuries.• That anything reported be taken seriously, properly investigated and

treated with respect.• Routine consultation about OH&S issues in a way that is transparent,

methodical, responsive and focused on solutions.• Managers and staff who are open to new ideas — there are often

many ways to solve OH&S issues.• Well supported workplaces, that have access to accurate OH&S advice

and services.The AEU works with workplaces and sub-branches to promote these aims. For further information contact me at [email protected]. �

Retirement Victoria

ST GEORGE Bank estimates that more than $18 billion

in superannuation money lies unclaimed.

Most of this money comes from employer contributions and was “lost” after employees changed their jobs, names or addresses. Some lost super accounts contain many thousands of dollars so the effort to track them down is very worthwhile.

Retirement Victoria has located lost super accounts for its clients but you can do a search yourself in a few minutes. There are two methods to try.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) offers a “Super Seeker” tool on its website (www.ato.gov.au) to find accounts transferred to the ATO for safekeeping by employers, super funds or the government.

You will need to provide your name, date of birth and tax file number to do the search. Or you can call the ATO on 13 28 65 or download and submit the “Search for Lost Super” form available on the website.

A second method is to search through Ausfund, a fund that holds lost and unclaimed super accounts. These accounts are transferred to Ausfund by more than 60 participating super funds. Just follow the directions on the Ausfund website. You will need to provide your name and date of birth.

If you locate lost super you will then have to decide what to do with it. This will depend on personal circumstances and care should be taken to ensure that

you don’t disadvantage yourself. Many funds offer to do the

searching for you and then encourage you to roll the lost account into their fund but it is prudent to seek financial advice before rushing to consolidate funds.

Some factors to consider before moving any super include:

• Does the policy include an insurance component and if so do you want to maintain that insurance?

• Must it remain super or can you withdraw part of it?

• Could there be negative tax implications from a rollover or withdrawal?

• Is the money invested as you would prefer? Are you a conservative investor or more assertive? Do you understand investment risks and the potential for volatility?

• What are the possible consequences for any social security benefits you receive?

Chances are that many AEU members or their partners have some lost super somewhere. So why not play the role of detective? It could be rewarding. �

This information is prepared by Retirement Victoria Pty Ltd and is of a general nature only. It neither represents nor is intended to be personal advice on any matter. No person should act on the basis of the information above but should seek appropriate financial advice based on their own circumstances. Retirement Victoria Pty Ltd (ABN11 132 109 114) is a corporate authorised representative of Millennium3 Financial Services Pty Ltd AFSL 244252. Retirement Victoria is the AEU’s preferred provider of financial advice.

The pool of lost superIs there a pot of cash with your name on it somewhere?


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TRAVEL INTERNATIONALdriveEUROPE

Peugeot Citroen Renault 2012 European specials out NOW

Our 38th year of service to the European traveller. Email: [email protected] (02) 9437 4900

FRANCE — LANGUEDOCTwo renovated stone houses in tranquil village near Carcassone, sleep four or eight, from $600 a week. See website at www.frenchrentalhouses.bigpondhosting.com; or phone (02) 4757 1019; 0414 968 397; email [email protected]

FRANCE — PROVENCERestored 17th-century house in mediaeval fortified village of Entrevaux. Spectacular location, close to Côte d’Azur and Italy. Contact owners (03) 5258 2798 or (02) 9948 2980. www.provencehousestay.com.

FRANCE — SOUTH WESTRenov 17thC 2 bdrm apart in elegant Figeac, “centreville”, or cottage in Lauzerte, 12thC hilltop village. Low cost.www.flickr.com/photos/clermont-figeac/ or www.flickr.com/photos/les-chouettes/ Ph teacher owner (03) 9877 7513 or email [email protected] for brochure.

ITALY — FLORENCEBeautiful fully furnished apartment in historic centre. Sleeps 2-6, $1,700 pw, telephone 0419 025 996 or www.convivioapartment.com.

ITALY — UMBRIAApartment. Beautiful sunny 2 bdrm. Historic Centre Citta Di Castello €625pw 2p, €675 3-4p.0414 562 659 [email protected]

TRAVEL AUSTRALIA

AIREY’S INLET HOLIDAY RENTALHoliday rental, 3 bdrms, 2 living, large decks, 1 acre garden, bbq, woodfire. Phone 0416 234 808, (03) 4208 0668.

AIREYS INLET BEACH HOUSETwo bdrm, Suit 4 tenants, close ocean, cliff walk, shops, lighthouse, inletAvailable until Dec 26 or after Jan 2. $660 per wk. (03)9486 2222 [email protected]

AIREY’S INLETSATIS BEACH HOUSE

Stylish and comfortable 3 bdrm house for six on the beach side of Great Ocean Road. Paddle our canoe on the inlet, walk to the lighthouse, cliff walk and beaches. Phone (03) 5380 8228 or email [email protected]. Website: www.satisbeachhouse.com

HOLIDAY HOUSE PHILLIP ISLAND, VENTNOR

Two bedroom sleeps 6, available weekends and holidays. Jane (03) 9387 9397 or 0431 471 611 or Louise (03) 9343 6030 or 0413 040 237.

WILSONS PROMONTORYPromclose Cottage. www.promclose.com 0418 125 412.

*bathrooms *en suites *new or old *evaporative cooling & all home maintenance.

N.E. METRO AREAQuality work for the right price

with over 25 years industry experience

CALL SIMON mobile: 0414 294 824 ph/fax: 9439 9223

[email protected]

bathrooms, construction & maintenance

ATTENTION: Young and Relief teachers, Maths teachers and

Dept/Curriculum heads. Want help with teaching challenges go towww.realteachingsolutions.com

CRT GUIDE Detailed and practical book to help primary teachers new to the role as a CRT. See details www.vjsalescom.au $24.95 Free postage.

FUNDRAISING with Little ‘smart’ Artists

Let your kinder or school’s Little ‘smart’ Artists make you money. Kids can now have their artwork put on an Australian made T-shirt and your kinder/school makes a percentage from every T-shirt sold. Requires minimal work on your behalf. Contact [email protected] or 0431 995 165 (Meri)www.littlesmartartists.com.au

HANDYMAN/MAINTENANCEAll jobs, big & small

+ bathrooms/tiling. 25 yrs exp.Work in Eltham/Diamond Valley area.Phone Simon 0414 294 824.

(MPS) MELBOURNE PROPERTY SOLUTIONS

VENDOR ADVOCACY — SELLING YOUR PROPERTY?

Take away the stress and engage an independent advocate and a former teacher and AEU member.There is no cost when using Melbourne Property Solutions, as the agent you select pays (MPS) a set percentage of the fee from their total commission. Mark Thompson, Licensed Estate Agent Melbourne Property Solutions. Buyer and Vendor Advocate Services. Ph 0409 958 720 Email: [email protected] Website: www.mpsadvocates.com.au

RETIREMENT VICTORIAVisit us at www.retirevic.com.au.

RETIRING SOON?Volunteers for Isolated Students’ Education recruits retired teachers to assist families with their Distance Education Program. Travel and accom-modation provided in return for six weeks teaching. Register at www.vise.org.au or George Murdoch 0421 790 334 Ken Weeks (03) 9876 2680.

VISAS IMMIGRATIONFor the professional advice you need — contact Ray Brown. Phone (03) 5792 4056 or 0409 169 147. Email [email protected]. Migration Agents Registration No. 0213358

VOLUNTEER TEACHERS Teachers Across Borders is looking for volunteer teachers to deliver week long workshops in teaching and learning to Khmer teachers Term 1, 2 & 4 holidays in three locations in Cambodia.Contact www.teachersacrossborders.org.au

AEU News 8Deadline

November 21

SOUTH OF FRANCE — LANGUEDOCTwo charming newly renovated tradi-tional stone houses with outside terraces. Sleeps 4 or 6. Market town, capital of Minervois, wine growing region, close to lake, Canal Midi, Mediterranean beaches, historic towns. From $460 per week. Visit, Web: www.languedocgites.com Email: [email protected].

NOTICES

Win an iPad and save a bundleBuy a home or garden product through our Purchasing Service and you’ll go into the draw to win an Apple iPad 3*Entries close 30/11/2012

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* For T’s & C’s, visit unionshopper.com.au/winipad


WINE TALKINGPaddy Kendler

Tales from the Riverina banks

THERE have been some great success stories out of the Riverina recently. Casella’s Yellow

Tail has been a huge hit in the USA, McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate is one of our most dependable commercial labels while Miranda has become one of the leading producers of that classic regional speciality, sweet Botrytis Semillon, as well as top value dry reds and whites under the Westend label.

Another impressive champion from the area is De Bortoli, which surely must be ranked among Australia’s leading producers according to the criteria of quality, quantity, variety and value.

The company’s best wines now come from the Yarra Valley but it is still very much dependent on the Riverina, the King Valley and other regions for its “fighting brands”, including the Deen De Bortoli range.

The Deen whites are more than adequate but it’s the reds that offer exceptional value. They include Shiraz 09, Cabernet Sauvignon 10, Durif 10, Petit Verdot 09, all line-priced at around $12. Although they have pleased palates and pockets for more than a decade, the quality of the current releases has never been better.

Also enjoy these other new releases:CAPE MENTELLE GEORGIANA SAUVIGNON BLANC 2012 ($19): A truly delightful expression of Margaret River sauv blanc, a bright and lively style featuring typical passionfruit, hints of citrus, green grass and assorted tropical fruits.RYMILL THE YEARLING SHIRAZ 2010 ($14): An attractive Coonawarra shiraz offering an alternative to the somewhat richer SA versions such as those from the Barossa and McLaren Vale. Has a certain elegance and polish.D’ARENBERG THE FOOTBOLT SHIRAZ 2010 ($19): Plenty of ripe berry fruit flavour within a medium structure, fine, soft tannins, good depth and length and ready to enjoy tonight. Another dependable d’Arenberg? You bet! �

STARING down the barrel of Term 4, it is hard to work out

where the year has gone. It seems only yesterday that I was frantically gathering stationery items at the “Back to School” sales — the only exciting part of the annual return to work.

Subject colour-coded folders and highlighters aside, the year has flown and Christmas cards have been on sale for weeks.

This means that we have our annual pilgrimage to the zoo, where Year 7s are bestowed the honour of bringing their parents’ cameras, and having half-an-hour of free time, which teachers and students wish was longer.

The bus ride there is long, loud and challenging, punctuated by bursts of students attempting to Gangnam Style dance in the aisle as a dare, group sing-alongs and repeated warnings of phone calls to parents and principals. By the time we hit the zoo and are divided into our groups, the kids are in a frenzy of excitement and their screeching and squawking blends with the exotic creatures in their enclosures.

“Miss Adams, is that poisonous?”“No, Patrick, it’s a tree frog.”“Miss Adams, which animal is stronger and

more dangerous out of a grizzly bear and a polar bear?”

“I’m not sure, Patrick.”“Like, if they were in a fight together, who

would win?”“They don’t live in the same country, Patrick.”“But, just say they did. Which one would win?”We have only been at the zoo for an hour and

I am regretting the decision not to have had a coffee before leaving school. There appears to be no caffeine relief in sight and I am surrounded by 12 and 13-year-old enthusiasm.

“Miss! Miss! Look at it! It’s a… Um, what is that?”

“It’s a red panda.”“But it doesn’t look like a panda.”“It says it on the sign. Miss, can we go to the

elephants now?”“I want to see the meerkats!”“Tigers!”

At this point I wonder if I might have been better off staying at school for my lightest day in the timetable. Instead, I have opted for seven hours of intense questioning and comment-receiving.

“My brother is really scared of snakes.”“Mmm.”“Where are Sumatran tigers from?”“Miss! Look! It’s Daniel!”“That is not appropriate, Sarah.”“But Daniel has red hair, Miss. They’re his

cousins. Daniel! Ranga! Look at your family!”We catch up to another class from our school,

whose teacher, Kathy, is also being bombarded with facts, comments and questions. We decide to pair up — safety in numbers — and pretend to be deep in conversation until the students turn their attention to the worksheets at hand.

“Cody! Get down! What are you doing?”“He’s Gangnam dancing at the baboons. Look!

They’re doing it back!”“No they’re not. Cody, seriously, get down.

You’re in school uniform.”“But, Miss, look at their massive, big, red…”“Down! Now!” �

Teacher and comedian Christina Adams’ deep and abiding love for animals does not always extend to Year 7.

Wild life meets wildlife


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TRADE UNION CHOIR PERFORMANCETHE Victorian Trade Union Choir will perform a new, hour-long production, I’ll Be There! Songs and Stories of Solidarity, at Trades Hall at 8pm on November 16 and 17.

The choir, conducted by Michael Roper, has sung at rallies, strikes, marches, memorials and commemorations for the past 22 years. Playwright Rebecca Lister helped shape the production, to include such songs as Solidarity, Billy Bragg’s Power in a union, South African freedom song We shall not give up the fight and Kev Carmody’s Freedom, and celebrate union achievements such as the Eight Hour Day.

The AEU is a co-sponsor of the production. For more information or to book tickets go to http://www.bellaunion.com.au.

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MELBOURNE’S west is to get a towering new addition to the

skyline — at least in the imaginations of its children.

100 Story Building was launched last week as a new venture to encourage and inspire young writers, particularly from disadvantaged and marginalised communities or from migrant and other language communities.

Already it has a roster of authors and illustrators including Alice Pung, Sally Rippin, Shaun Tan and Nikki Greenberg, while Penguin, Text and Hardie Grant Egmont publishers have given their backing.

Based on the acclaimed 826 Valencia project founded by author Dave Eggars in San Francisco, it will take up physical occupation in Footscray or Flemington in March — the Melbourne property market allowing.

100 Story Building will be a centre for school excursions and for young people to visit for after-school and holiday courses, workshops, master-classes and other activities. It will also offer “incursions” of visiting writers into primary and secondary schools.

“This is all about getting kids, particularly from marginalised back-grounds, excited about reading and writing and doing that in a creative way, with community participation outside of the classroom setting,” says co-founder Jessica Tran.

The project’s roots lie in a visit by Eggars to the Melbourne Writers Festival in 2007 to talk about 826 Valencia.

It inspired teacher Lachlan Carter and publisher Jenna Williams to spend an exciting and hectic three months as interns in San Francisco.

“826 Valencia is in a pirate store — who wouldn’t want to work there for a while? We had a lot of fun over there.

“Aside for their core purpose of engaging children in literacy they have had incredible success in engaging communities and writers. That was really exciting for me — I’m not a teacher but I do love working with children.”

They returned to found Pigeons, a not-for-profit organisation in 2009, working on literacy projects with schools, including producing a young writers edition of Harvest magazine.

Like 826 Valencia, the intention is for 100 Story Building to become a unique community hub for the inner west.

Alice Pung has signed up as an ambassador for the centre, having already worked with Pigeons on projects in schools — including in her old primary, Dinjerra Primary in Braybrook.

“I understand how important this organisation is to fostering the self-esteem and self-respect of kids, some of whom may not have grown up with literature in the house, or even literate parents,” she says.

“I have seen first-hand the effects of early-age voicelessness, alienation and frustration which often results in early school leaving.”

Although the search is still on for 100 Story the building, 100 Story the operation is already open for bookings as schools prepare programs for 2013. Invitations to work in schools are welcomed.

More information at www.100storybuilding.org.au. �

A high rise of the MIND

A new project aims to light a creative spark for children in the inner west.

KING OF DEVIL’S ISLANDDir: Marius HolstRating: M, 120 minsMadman DVD

BRITAIN and Australia are not the only nations with shameful records of mistreatment of children. King of Devil’s Island is based on the true story of a brutal youth prison camp that operated for most of last century on Bastøy, a bleak Norwegian island.

Set in 1915, it tells of a new inmate, Erling (a surly Benjamin Helstad), railing against a system where some inmates were as young as 11 and could spend their entire teenage years on the island, underfed, under-dressed, mistreated, abused and made to do punishing hard labour in icy conditions.

Although the film covers tropes familiar to the prison (and boarding school) genre — rebellion, friend-ship, escape, weak inmates preyed on by abusive authorities — it is atmospherically told with a cold vigour. Veteran Stellan Skarsgård as the compromised and self-deceiving prison governor is again impres-sive and the film builds to a tense climax.�

Performance poet Tariro Mavondo shares a story with students of Dinjerra Primary School.

A volunteer works with a student at North Melbourne Primary School to complete their visual story collaboration.


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http://www.bellaunion.com.au/

http://www.100storybuilding.org.au

WIN teaching resourcesSUBSCRIBE TO THE AEU

E-NEWSLETTER AT www.aeuvic.asn.au FOR THE CHANCE TO

WIN MORE GIVEAWAYS!AEU NEWS is giving members the opportunity to win a variety of Australian resources for their school libraries from our good friends at ABC Books, Ford Street Publishing, MacMillan Australia and HarperCollins.To enter, simply email us at [email protected] by 10am Tuesday, November 20.Include your name and school or workplace. Write “Win Teaching Resources” in the subject line.Prizes will be sent to the winner’s school or workplace with an inscription recognising the winner. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winners from AEU News issue 6 Purr & Roar — Leanne Dumaresq, Albion North Primary School; Arkie Sparkle: Ruby Red — Robyn Roulston, Thorpdale Primary School; Time Thieves — Bronwen Veale, Chaffey Secondary College; Greylands — Cynthia Grima, Trafalgar High School.

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the term of your loan. Full conditions available from bankmecu. 2. The Comparison Rate is based on a secured loan of $150,000 for 25 years. Warning: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given, and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. 34020 AEU

The Adjusters by Andrew TaylorWHEN 14-year-old Henry’s mum loses her job they are forced to move to Newton County — a small American town where everyone seems just a little bit too perfect.

At school, the students are super-intelligent and physically powerful, but eerily detached. Henry breaks into the Malcorp medical centre with his two misfit friends, searching for answers. But none of them could have imagined what they’d find: a shocking, brain-tampering “adjustment process” for kids who don’t fit in.

RRP $14.99, HarperCollins Publishers Australia

The Maximus Black Files — Dyson’s Drop by Paul CollinsIN A galaxy of cutthroat companies, shadowy clans and a million agendas, spy agency RIM barely wields enough control to keep order.

Maximus Black is RIM’s star cadet. But he has a problem. One of RIM’s best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there’s a mole in the organisation.

And Maximus has a lot to hide... RRP $19.95, Ford St Publishing

Arkie Sparkle, Treasure Hunter: Untold Gold by Petra JamesTHE biggest treasure hunt in the world is deep in the jungle. Eleven-year-old Arkie Sparkle’s archaeologist parents have been kidnapped. With the help of her genius cousin TJ and basset hound Cleo, she must find seven treasures across the seven continents in seven days.

DAY 5: The Amazon: Following the lure of gold and the hopes of lost explorers, Arkie, TJ and Cleo plunge into the heart of the Amazon in the most dangerous hunt yet. RRP $12.99, Ford St Publishing

Guiness World RecordsTM 2013THE new edition of the world’s best-selling book is packed with stunning features including new 3D technology,

info-graphics and more than 3000 mind-blowing records. RRP $42.99, Macmillan Australia

Goodnight, Mice!by Frances Watts and Judy WatsonIT’S time to say goodnight — but the four cheeky mice

skittering, scampering and scurrying to bed don’t seem very sleepy! The perfect bedtime book for the family to share. RRP $24.99, ABC Books


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