Teachers Feel The Pressure
Illawarra Mercury
Thursday March 29, 2007
ILLAWARRA primary school teachers, already struggling with expanding curriculums, are now being asked to perform the role of parents, principals claim.
Minnamurra Primary School principal Ian Yabsley said this week the community's wide-ranging expectations were taking an emotional toll on classroom teachers.Mr Yabsley, president of the Shellharbour District Primary Principals Association, said primary teachers had become many things to many people."When we are put under continual pressure to solve community issues, it does impact on time and stress levels," he said.He supported comments by Australian Primary Principals' Association president Leonie Trimper who said schools were not only expected to take over the role of parents, but teachers were struggling to impart the contents of eight curriculum areas while allocating equal time to each. Ms Trimper said primary schools had become too intense. "The curriculum has become too cluttered and primary schools are having to take responsibility for issues that should really be the domain of parents," she said. "Many schools are under-resourced, particularly those with the most challenging children and the least community support. "Add to this the growing number of children with social and emotional problems, and the system is starting to falter." Mr Yabsley said a renewed focus would help curb curriculum clutter in primary schools."Our curriculum is being directed from a political perspective and we really need to ask ourselves, what is our key business?" he said.The general consensus from principals was that primary education should focus on literacy and numeracy, but Mr Yabsley said it was a complicated issue deciding which of the key learning areas could be merged."Ultimately, our aim is to keep children operating happily in an increasingly complex society," he said.Academics have suggested formulating a charter to define what is expected of primary schools.
© 2007 Illawarra Mercury