Smithers Neighbour

Sep 2, 08 - 10:28 AM

15 HOURS PD UPDATE

FRESH FROM THE SSTU WEBSITE

GUIDELINES FOR 15 HOURS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

Without Prejudice

Background

Consistent with professional education and development requirements for renewal of teacher registration, ongoing professional learning and development provides an avenue for teachers to continually grow their professional skills, knowledge and understandings. Targeted professional development programs support teachers’ competence and capacity to:

bring about improvement in student outcomes.
enhance professional performance and career objectives.
implement school initiatives.
implement systemic polices, programs and initiatives.
Commitment

As prescribed in clause 10.2 of the School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2008 (the Agreement), teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day or normal operating hours.

For part-time teachers, participation will be on a pro rata basis. For example, a teacher working 0.5 FTE for the full year will be required to undertake 7.5 hours (0.5 x15 hours) professional development.

Teachers on periods of leave, such as long service or leave-without-pay are also required to undertake the professional development commitment on a pro rata basis.

Consultation

Professional development is to be managed at the local level. The content and timing of the professional development is to be determined after full and proper consultation between the Principal and teacher. Teachers’ family responsibilities, professional and personal development aspirations are to be considered when determining the content and timing of professional development.

Professional development activities

The agreed additional professional development activities undertaken must be appropriate and have regard for:

system initiatives.
school-based priorities identified in the school plan.
individual professional development and training priorities that relate to system, school initiatives or those itemised in the individual Performance Management Plan.
The professional development activity should:

demonstrate evidence of educational planning and organisation;
be linked to enhancing professional knowledge or skills that will lead to improved students learning;
arise from systemic or school initiatives;
be supportive of teachers’ career planning; or
support the implementation of Departmental policy, programs and initiatives.
The professional development activities must be at least one hour duration and may include:

Department-initiated programs;
district-initiated programs;
professional conferences;
education related work shops and seminars by Department or external providers;
professional development programs delivered by the Professional Learning Institute;
Internal professional development programs registered by the Professional Learning Institute;
professional development programs delivered by Curriculum Council;
professional learning activities linked to the AGQTP project;
structured professional learning programs such as the Graduate Teacher Professional Learning Program, the Senior Teacher Professional Learning Program or courses offered by the Leadership Centre;
professional learning opportunities offered by subject and professional associations linked with education;
school-based action research;
participating with colleagues in formal and informal study groups for the purpose of developing teaching skills, leadership skills or the ability to communicate with students, parents and the wider community;
professional learning programs which are linked to classroom management, pedagogy or other teacher related topics;
undertaking postgraduate studies or further education in a relevant subject;
programs delivered by the State School Teachers’ Union of Western Australia in their role as a professional development provider and which are linked to enhancing classroom practice or developing leadership skills;
engagement in moderation activities, inter and intra school;
activities centred on the development of curriculum support materials and resources;
activities engaging employees in reviewing, developing, implementing and evaluating strategies for instruction and assessment;
activities engaging employees in the development of education policy;
agreed arrangements to act as a mentor to an individual or group of student teachers, new teachers, re-entry teachers or colleagues requiring additional support;
participation by student teachers, new teachers, re-entry teachers or colleagues requiring additional support in agreed mentoring arrangements;
presentation of research findings at seminars, workshops or conferences;
the delivery of professional development programs that meet the above criteria to other staff; or
other activities as agreed to in negotiation with the principal.

Recording professional development undertaken

Under the Agreement, teachers need to maintain a record of attendance at professional development.

It is the responsibility of each Principal to ensure that teachers meet their commitment to professional development.

Ensuring that teachers fulfil their professional development requirement will be subject to the School Review process.

An example template to assist Principals to record professional development in concert with Performance Management and Western Australian College of Teaching registration is at Attachment 1.

Professional Development Costs

Costs associated with professional development for school and system initiatives attended by the whole school and relevant subgroups are to be incurred by the school. It is likely that most of the additional professional development completed by teachers will be through these initiatives.

Teachers will need to negotiate accessing funds for individual professional development activities with their principals within school priorities and available resources. The school grant contains a component which contributes to meeting the cost of staff professional development.

For regional teachers, the Department will cover costs of professional development provided away from the employee’s home base to the extent of the provisions of Clause 59 – Travelling Allowance of the Teachers (Public Sector Primary and Secondary Education) Award 1993.

SN

Primary Teacher

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:31 AM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

RIVETTING!

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:34 AM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

"Teachers will need to negotiate accessing funds for individual professional development activities with their principals within school priorities"

So, it's in our own time, AND it's at our own cost!

"For regional teachers, the Department will cover costs of professional development provided away from the employee’s home base to the extent of the provisions of Clause 59"

But the hours spent travelling to and from the 'away from home' PD don't count as hours contributed? So not only the 15 hours in our own time, but the travelling hours in our own time too.

reader

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:38 AM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

I love all the stipulations, rules etc about what the PD must be... then it comes down to the crunch each school must somehow FUND this, because they are offering no help!

Christine Kelly

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:56 AM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Unless it is clearly mandated that the hours must be completed in teachers' own time - the way I read the stipulations some allowance is given for reading,development completed in school hours.

When it comes to school planning,which counts - a lot of that can be done in the 15 hours,in term - AT SCHOOL.

I know for a fact I am not doing P.D. which will just be fodder for someone's level 3 application AND be a waste of time for me!

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 11:37 AM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

"teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day"

Sounds like 'in teachers' own time' to me.

Primary Teacher2

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 12:57 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

I can see principals controlling how this works so that teachers have no choice in what they do for PD. It will be all school based "system" stuff with no room left for teachers to decide what is best for themselves.

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:07 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

I can see DET controlling it - and I cannot believe this is the document our union wrote. We have an emergency branch meeting scheduled to discuss and vote on 'en-masse' resignation.

Primary Teacher2

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:20 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

is it confirmed that its 15 hours exactly OR what was circulating on DET documents ... "mimimum" of 15 hours PD ??
In any case, its an erosion of our conditions and should not have even been considered.

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:30 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

From "15 Hours PD Guidelines", written by Anne Gisborne, dated 2 September 2008:
"As prescribed in clause 10.2 of the School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2008 (the Agreement), teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day or normal operating hours."

It even sounds as though "The Agreement" is a foregone conclusion!!

Accounting Teacher

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:50 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

I can assure you I won't be doing any PD in my LSL - what other profession or job requires people to do unpaid work or PD in their LSL?

This information should be sent to the Electoral Commission, because it has only come out weeks after the voting slips were mailed to Union members and some people may have already voted, without this knowledge and information. Shame on this Union Executive and in particular the President.

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 2:19 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

And shame on US, if we accept this kind of treatment.

Andy of Mandurah

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 2:37 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Just another way for principals to bully staff, legitimised through a foolish agreement. "It is the principals responsibility to see staff complete their PD"..... Does this mean they also have to stay behind and do the PD?

The end result is that this "PD" will be just a way for us to work on the school plan in our holidays.....

I wonder what would happen if you refused to do the "organised" PD...... You could always tell them that you are waiting to do a PD later in the year.

Michelle Westlake

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 3:03 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Or tell them - there is no point any of us doing any PD as we are all busy looking for ANOTHER JOB.

Primary Teacher2

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 3:19 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Quite right Andy ... principals will use it to get teachers to do school development stuff (in their own time) and it won't be able to be used for the individual teacher's own development. I've seen this happen before.
I just can't believe the union executive thinks this is good for teachers.

Bear of Little Brain

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:22 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Is this in addition to what we have to do to keep our WACOT registration?

No

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:50 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Isn't it sad that I'm starting to look at the cleaners and/or shopkeepers thinking what on earth could I do instead of this profession? How sad. How sad.

No

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:51 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Can anyone suggest an employee who is looking for workers offering the equivalent of a teacher's pay?

Graeme

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 5:10 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

No
There are not a lot of employers out there who need us with our qualifications and who are prepared to pay what we want. There are several alternatives however:
Upskill yourself in something else and make the move
Accept a lower payscale and have a decent lifestyle
Become a prison guard
Cheers

vlad hominem

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 5:14 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

No, I would suggest the Curriculum Council but DET is no longer giving secondments to DET employees to fill CC vacancies.

marko vojkovic

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 7:01 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

This is a disgrace.

As I have said before, 2 days PD represents 1% extra work per year. This musy be deducted form the salary increases. 1% per year compounded for 3 years makes about 3.1%. More pay for more work is not an increase.

The second issue is payment. There is no more money in the PD funds for schools. DET will fund systemwide PD (read in the holidays), teachers must apply for funding from the Principal for anything else. Given that PD to do with the School Plan is listed, what do you think will happen?

Do Principals have to do the extra PD?

They are after the PD funds and the relief teachers. They want them to go back to work fulltime. That is my theory.

Michael Findlay

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 7:59 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

Michelle,

"But the hours spent travelling to and from the 'away from home' PD don't count as hours contributed? So not only the 15 hours in our own time, but the travelling hours in our own time too."

I won't have a bar of that bulldust!

If we end up with EBA3 I will remain on Directive 1. My travelling time will be paid in full or compensated fully with TOIL or I will not be travelling.

More than amused

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 8:14 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

vlad hominem,

The fact DET is no longer giving secondments for jobs in the CC is helping to break-down the 'purple circle' power in the CC. In the the area I teach, I am now much more confident re the sincerity and professionalism of the people recently employed at the CC.

These people are recently and vastly experienced classroom teachers who have been critical of the OBE implementation debacle, while working with CC staff to ensure the debacle damage is minimised and the ongoing implementation is improved for classroom teachers.

Secret for this success: Break the 'purple circle' connections. I think Dave (call a spade-a-spade) Wood has had something to do with this.

SoR teacher

Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:59 PM

Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE

[as posted some time ago on another thread]

A colleague in my DET SHS was strongly encouraged to undertake a Graduate Certificate (at Murdoch) on teaching gifted and talented. Three full postgraduate subjects done in his own time.

Out of pocket cost for tuition alone: $ 4,500

IF he is lucky, DET will refund $ 1,500 of that AFTER he's completed all 3 subjects. Thus he's out of pocket for about 18 months before getting about 1/3 of it reimbursed.

Of course, vehicle use, books, and other costs on top of that, are not reimbursed.

Author	Comment
Smithers Neighbour Sep 2, 08 - 10:28 AM	15 HOURS PD UPDATE FRESH FROM THE SSTU WEBSITE GUIDELINES FOR 15 HOURS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS Without Prejudice Background Consistent with professional education and development requirements for renewal of teacher registration, ongoing professional learning and development provides an avenue for teachers to continually grow their professional skills, knowledge and understandings. Targeted professional development programs support teachers’ competence and capacity to: bring about improvement in student outcomes. enhance professional performance and career objectives. implement school initiatives. implement systemic polices, programs and initiatives. Commitment As prescribed in clause 10.2 of the School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2008 (the Agreement), teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day or normal operating hours. For part-time teachers, participation will be on a pro rata basis. For example, a teacher working 0.5 FTE for the full year will be required to undertake 7.5 hours (0.5 x15 hours) professional development. Teachers on periods of leave, such as long service or leave-without-pay are also required to undertake the professional development commitment on a pro rata basis. Consultation Professional development is to be managed at the local level. The content and timing of the professional development is to be determined after full and proper consultation between the Principal and teacher. Teachers’ family responsibilities, professional and personal development aspirations are to be considered when determining the content and timing of professional development. Professional development activities The agreed additional professional development activities undertaken must be appropriate and have regard for: system initiatives. school-based priorities identified in the school plan. individual professional development and training priorities that relate to system, school initiatives or those itemised in the individual Performance Management Plan. The professional development activity should: demonstrate evidence of educational planning and organisation; be linked to enhancing professional knowledge or skills that will lead to improved students learning; arise from systemic or school initiatives; be supportive of teachers’ career planning; or support the implementation of Departmental policy, programs and initiatives. The professional development activities must be at least one hour duration and may include: Department-initiated programs; district-initiated programs; professional conferences; education related work shops and seminars by Department or external providers; professional development programs delivered by the Professional Learning Institute; Internal professional development programs registered by the Professional Learning Institute; professional development programs delivered by Curriculum Council; professional learning activities linked to the AGQTP project; structured professional learning programs such as the Graduate Teacher Professional Learning Program, the Senior Teacher Professional Learning Program or courses offered by the Leadership Centre; professional learning opportunities offered by subject and professional associations linked with education; school-based action research; participating with colleagues in formal and informal study groups for the purpose of developing teaching skills, leadership skills or the ability to communicate with students, parents and the wider community; professional learning programs which are linked to classroom management, pedagogy or other teacher related topics; undertaking postgraduate studies or further education in a relevant subject; programs delivered by the State School Teachers’ Union of Western Australia in their role as a professional development provider and which are linked to enhancing classroom practice or developing leadership skills; engagement in moderation activities, inter and intra school; activities centred on the development of curriculum support materials and resources; activities engaging employees in reviewing, developing, implementing and evaluating strategies for instruction and assessment; activities engaging employees in the development of education policy; agreed arrangements to act as a mentor to an individual or group of student teachers, new teachers, re-entry teachers or colleagues requiring additional support; participation by student teachers, new teachers, re-entry teachers or colleagues requiring additional support in agreed mentoring arrangements; presentation of research findings at seminars, workshops or conferences; the delivery of professional development programs that meet the above criteria to other staff; or other activities as agreed to in negotiation with the principal. Recording professional development undertaken Under the Agreement, teachers need to maintain a record of attendance at professional development. It is the responsibility of each Principal to ensure that teachers meet their commitment to professional development. Ensuring that teachers fulfil their professional development requirement will be subject to the School Review process. An example template to assist Principals to record professional development in concert with Performance Management and Western Australian College of Teaching registration is at Attachment 1. Professional Development Costs Costs associated with professional development for school and system initiatives attended by the whole school and relevant subgroups are to be incurred by the school. It is likely that most of the additional professional development completed by teachers will be through these initiatives. Teachers will need to negotiate accessing funds for individual professional development activities with their principals within school priorities and available resources. The school grant contains a component which contributes to meeting the cost of staff professional development. For regional teachers, the Department will cover costs of professional development provided away from the employee’s home base to the extent of the provisions of Clause 59 – Travelling Allowance of the Teachers (Public Sector Primary and Secondary Education) Award 1993. SN
Primary Teacher Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:31 AM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE RIVETTING!
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:34 AM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE "Teachers will need to negotiate accessing funds for individual professional development activities with their principals within school priorities" So, it's in our own time, AND it's at our own cost! "For regional teachers, the Department will cover costs of professional development provided away from the employee’s home base to the extent of the provisions of Clause 59" But the hours spent travelling to and from the 'away from home' PD don't count as hours contributed? So not only the 15 hours in our own time, but the travelling hours in our own time too. Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
reader Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:38 AM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE I love all the stipulations, rules etc about what the PD must be... then it comes down to the crunch each school must somehow FUND this, because they are offering no help!
Christine Kelly Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:56 AM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Unless it is clearly mandated that the hours must be completed in teachers' own time - the way I read the stipulations some allowance is given for reading,development completed in school hours. When it comes to school planning,which counts - a lot of that can be done in the 15 hours,in term - AT SCHOOL. I know for a fact I am not doing P.D. which will just be fodder for someone's level 3 application AND be a waste of time for me! Email [optional]: chriskelly56@hotmail.com
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 11:37 AM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE "teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day" Sounds like 'in teachers' own time' to me. Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
Primary Teacher2 Sep 2nd, 2008 - 12:57 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE I can see principals controlling how this works so that teachers have no choice in what they do for PD. It will be all school based "system" stuff with no room left for teachers to decide what is best for themselves.
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:07 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE I can see DET controlling it - and I cannot believe this is the document our union wrote. We have an emergency branch meeting scheduled to discuss and vote on 'en-masse' resignation. Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
Primary Teacher2 Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:20 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE is it confirmed that its 15 hours exactly OR what was circulating on DET documents ... "mimimum" of 15 hours PD ?? In any case, its an erosion of our conditions and should not have even been considered.
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:30 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE From "15 Hours PD Guidelines", written by Anne Gisborne, dated 2 September 2008: "As prescribed in clause 10.2 of the School Education Act Employees’ (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2008 (the Agreement), teachers employed on a full-time basis are required to undertake 15 hours of professional development each school year outside of the normal school day or normal operating hours." It even sounds as though "The Agreement" is a foregone conclusion!! Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
Accounting Teacher Sep 2nd, 2008 - 1:50 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE I can assure you I won't be doing any PD in my LSL - what other profession or job requires people to do unpaid work or PD in their LSL? This information should be sent to the Electoral Commission, because it has only come out weeks after the voting slips were mailed to Union members and some people may have already voted, without this knowledge and information. Shame on this Union Executive and in particular the President.
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 2:19 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE And shame on US, if we accept this kind of treatment. Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
Andy of Mandurah Sep 2nd, 2008 - 2:37 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Just another way for principals to bully staff, legitimised through a foolish agreement. "It is the principals responsibility to see staff complete their PD"..... Does this mean they also have to stay behind and do the PD? The end result is that this "PD" will be just a way for us to work on the school plan in our holidays..... I wonder what would happen if you refused to do the "organised" PD...... You could always tell them that you are waiting to do a PD later in the year.
Michelle Westlake Sep 2nd, 2008 - 3:03 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Or tell them - there is no point any of us doing any PD as we are all busy looking for ANOTHER JOB. Email [optional]: michellewestlake@hotmail.com
Primary Teacher2 Sep 2nd, 2008 - 3:19 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Quite right Andy ... principals will use it to get teachers to do school development stuff (in their own time) and it won't be able to be used for the individual teacher's own development. I've seen this happen before. I just can't believe the union executive thinks this is good for teachers.
Bear of Little Brain Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:22 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Is this in addition to what we have to do to keep our WACOT registration?
No Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:50 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Isn't it sad that I'm starting to look at the cleaners and/or shopkeepers thinking what on earth could I do instead of this profession? How sad. How sad.
No Sep 2nd, 2008 - 4:51 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Can anyone suggest an employee who is looking for workers offering the equivalent of a teacher's pay?
Graeme Sep 2nd, 2008 - 5:10 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE No There are not a lot of employers out there who need us with our qualifications and who are prepared to pay what we want. There are several alternatives however: Upskill yourself in something else and make the move Accept a lower payscale and have a decent lifestyle Become a prison guard Cheers
vlad hominem Sep 2nd, 2008 - 5:14 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE No, I would suggest the Curriculum Council but DET is no longer giving secondments to DET employees to fill CC vacancies.
marko vojkovic Sep 2nd, 2008 - 7:01 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE This is a disgrace. As I have said before, 2 days PD represents 1% extra work per year. This musy be deducted form the salary increases. 1% per year compounded for 3 years makes about 3.1%. More pay for more work is not an increase. The second issue is payment. There is no more money in the PD funds for schools. DET will fund systemwide PD (read in the holidays), teachers must apply for funding from the Principal for anything else. Given that PD to do with the School Plan is listed, what do you think will happen? Do Principals have to do the extra PD? They are after the PD funds and the relief teachers. They want them to go back to work fulltime. That is my theory.
Michael Findlay Sep 2nd, 2008 - 7:59 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE Michelle, "But the hours spent travelling to and from the 'away from home' PD don't count as hours contributed? So not only the 15 hours in our own time, but the travelling hours in our own time too." I won't have a bar of that bulldust! If we end up with EBA3 I will remain on Directive 1. My travelling time will be paid in full or compensated fully with TOIL or I will not be travelling.
More than amused Sep 2nd, 2008 - 8:14 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE vlad hominem, The fact DET is no longer giving secondments for jobs in the CC is helping to break-down the 'purple circle' power in the CC. In the the area I teach, I am now much more confident re the sincerity and professionalism of the people recently employed at the CC. These people are recently and vastly experienced classroom teachers who have been critical of the OBE implementation debacle, while working with CC staff to ensure the debacle damage is minimised and the ongoing implementation is improved for classroom teachers. Secret for this success: Break the 'purple circle' connections. I think Dave (call a spade-a-spade) Wood has had something to do with this.
SoR teacher Sep 2nd, 2008 - 10:59 PM	Re: 15 HOURS PD UPDATE [as posted some time ago on another thread] A colleague in my DET SHS was strongly encouraged to undertake a Graduate Certificate (at Murdoch) on teaching gifted and talented. Three full postgraduate subjects done in his own time. Out of pocket cost for tuition alone: $ 4,500 IF he is lucky, DET will refund $ 1,500 of that AFTER he's completed all 3 subjects. Thus he's out of pocket for about 18 months before getting about 1/3 of it reimbursed. Of course, vehicle use, books, and other costs on top of that, are not reimbursed.