Professor Peter Aubusson (left) from the University of Technology and Charles Sturt University Executive Dean Professor Toni Downes (right) sign agreements with Federation General Secretary John Dixon about payments for teachers supervising prac students.
Significant salary increases have been achieved for teachers supervising teacher education ‘professional experience’ placements in NSW public schools.
From 2015, supervising teachers will receive an all-inclusive daily payment of $28.50 per student (a 34.4 per cent rise). This increases to $29.25 (2.6 per cent) in 2016 and $30 (2.6 per cent) in 2017 in recognition of the work teachers undertake in the professional development of teacher education students.
The payment does not apply to the supervision of teacher education students undertaking internships as part of their university’s professional experience program. Payments for those types of internships are under separate agreements.
So far Federation has signed agreements with the University of Technology, Sydney, and Charles Sturt, NSW, Sydney and Newcastle universities. The union has in-principle agreements with Southern Cross, New England, Wollongong, Australian Catholic and Notre Dame universities and these agreements are expected to be settled for the new academic year.
The union encourages members to participate in the supervision of teacher education students on professional experience placements. The profession needs to ensure that teacher education students are prepared for their future careers in classrooms through quality professional experience in NSW public schools.
Federation has stressed that teachers’ professional judgement should be respected in the assessment of future teachers under their supervision in the union's discussions with universities.