Education Minister Tudge has FINALLY stirred his stumps and said that the Marxist Mob will have to substantially rewrite its national curriculum draft.

A hundred and forty years ago, Dostoevsky wrote, “Give to all teachers ample opportunity to destroy the old society and to build a new one, and the result will be such darkness, such chaos, such unheard-of coarseness, blindness, and inhumanity, that the entire structure will collapse under the curses of humankind even before it is completed’.

Eighty years ago, Robert Menzies, founder of the then great Liberal Party, warned that some teachers might yield to the temptation to teach history so as to justify some current and personally held theory and, therefore, deface history and obscure the lessons that it can teach.

You would have thought someone posing as education minister would have been aware of history in general but more importantly, the history of his own party and the wisdom of its past leaders. He could have prevented the destructive cranks from running amok before they actually did.

ttbn,
He’s part of the problem that he is trying to solve.

He’s part of the problem that he is trying to solve.
is Mise,
No ! Labor started this problem & is still doing it. Show me more than 1% of teachers who are not staunch Labor & Teacher's Union supporters !

The move from teachers' college to universities has driven the teaching profession to the left, and the Marxist unions don't help. But, Tudge has been as weak as water. While I don't think he can be accused of creating the problem, the Morrison government is notoriously gutless on protecting Australian values, not going anywhere near the culture wars. Morrison has said that he is not interested in wokeness. Morrison is the real villain. All his ministers seem to be frightened of him.

Tudge didn't perform in his previous portfolio but to blame him for the dumbing-down circus that Education has become is going a few steps too far.
The education disaster is purely down to Labor & its supporters !

individual,

You know what I think of Labor, but the Liberals have been in government for eight years without doing something. When the Liberals get a knock back on anything (and I don't recall them being concerned about education at all) they fold, instead of lobbying, spruiking and fighting for what they believe. They backdown. Industrial relations is one that comes to mind. They act like an opposition too often.

When the Right reject the Australian value of A FAIR GO FOR ALL, and everyone who doesn't is classified as on the Left, the much bigger problem is that the proportion on the Left is less than 100%.

Of course a more sensible way of classifying them may result in a higher proportion on the right, and there's no problem with that.

Another element in our deteriorating modern educational system is a lack of discipline, both personal and in the classroom. In contrast, some dedicated students who wish to learn have their lessons disrupted by those who don't.

Many teachers are too afraid to impose limits on behaviour, talking in class, loutish and loud conduct, and physical intimidation of some teachers. And many of the Headmasters will not back their teachers for the same reason - because of physical fear of some students and departmental policy entering the mix. Who'd wish to be a school teacher today?

The National Curriculum is reviewed every six years.
It was last reviewed in 2014.

The review is only a draft. It has involved
consultation with 360 practising teachers and
curriculum specialists. The proposals are not final
and were open to public consultation and feed back
until 8 July.

The feedback will be used to develop final revisions,
which will have to be signed off by the federal, state,
and territory education ministers. Which is re-assuring.
Or should be.

Apparently there are hundreds of proposed changes but
the principle ones causing the stir seem to be the
primary
school humanities and history that involve the word -
"invasion." I don't quite understand why such a fuss
is being made - and people are playing politics with
all this. History that's already being taught refers
to "dispossession," "dislocation," and the loss of
lives through conflict. The new proposals are not
that much different from what's currently being
taught in schools.

Perhaps the aim of the new curriculum wants our
education system to move away from its colonial
view. I/m not sure. Can't all these educational
experts come up with a fair and balanced curriculum?
Where neither side is denegrated and where both sides
end up being proud of our nation?

Perhaps it's easier said than done?

o sung wu,
There are many so weak and gutless individuals in the education system that I doubt that any changes to the curriculum will make any difference.

Weak classroom teachers use teaching strategies that should have been tossed aside decades ago.

Why? Learning new methods is far to difficult for them. So we have classroom teachers who refuse to learn or implement the techniques that are in the best interest of their students.

Weak Heads of Departments knowingly bypass the teaching and organisational practices they are told to employ.

Why? They are too arrogant and/or lazy to change their fixed attitudes.

Weak Principals direct their teachers to spent most of the first term practicing for NAPLAN at the expense of the curriculum.

Why? Principals do not realise that NAPLAN is a simple diagnostic tool and they willing sacrifice the students' learning so that the Principals do not look incompetent.

If you ever hear a teacher or Principal say that such-and-such a method "will not work with our kids" then you know that they fit into one of the categories above.

The rot starts in universities - as it always does.

Student teachers are taught that education and schools perpetuate socioeconomic inequalities.

Social work students are taught that most of the social problems they will experience as professionals can be attributed to capitalism or the oppressive nature of Western cultural institutions.

Political science students are taught about the ‘nefarious’ behaviour of Western countries, especially the United States.

History students are taught themes such as colonisation, resistance and socialism, ignoring chronology of events.

English students focus on deconstruction and the political and socioeconomic context of a work of literature, not on its content or ideas.

Minister Tudge was on TV last night and lamblasted the draft and sent
it back. He spoke about reintroducing phonics for teaching reading as
its replacement had failed, apparently everywhere.
He did not mention English as a subject.
I think maybe there is at last someone game to push back hard.

ttbn,

The situation is even more complex than you might imagine.
I don't have the sources or exact figures in front of me now but I will summarise:

Research over the last 75 years constantly shows that at least 90% of those who enter teaching courses have already decided on the approach and style of teaching they will employ before they start the course.

After 4 years of study that 90 odd percent will not have changed their minds.

So for most beginning teachers they will more or less just copy the approaches that were used on them in school and will neglect four years worth of classes and study.

So in subjects such as Maths and Science (the ones I am most familiar with) the teaching style is very much 1940s in appearance and shows little resemblance to the approaches contained in the Australian Curriculum.

It is not the Curriculum that is the problem. It can't be because 90% of teachers are not teaching (and have never taught) the Curriculum as it has been designed.

Liberals have been in government for eight years without doing something.
ttbn,
I agree but I need to answer this with a question. Seeing that Education is Labor saturated what could the Liberals do to make the changes needed ? The teachers Unions would sabotage anyone who dares to upset their band wagon, even a Federal Govt !

Governments can make laws, unions cannot, and they are subject to the law. Labor politicians might cause problems, but it up to the government to make its case and, if necessary, negotiate to achieve its goals. Crossbenchers are there to be convinced, too. The Liberals are just not tough enough or they simply don't have the courage of their convictions or, like their leader, they don’t have convictions.

WTF

I've never been a teacher, but my wife was one, and I have known quite a lot of teachers, but don't recall any like those you describe. Besides, the current curriculum is not causing horror; it's what the activists are calling a "revision", which is - or would be if they got away with it - a complete re-writing.

ttbn,
Even a Govt is powerless when its own employees refuse to cooperate with it !

Talked to a part-time teacher yesterday, earns $83/hr.

Can no-one see the problem ??

individual,

I'm not sure what you are getting at. In NSW, beginner TRT teachers are paid $373.78 per day. Higher level accredited TRT teachers are paid $450.81 a day. As of Feb. 1, 2021.

Permanently employed teachers are paid salaries like all professionals. First year out: $72,263 pa. as of August 2021.

Don't understand your figure, nor do I see the relevance to the curriculum problem.

ttbn,
it's all about value for money. Can you see value in paying teachers four times the minimum wage ? I'd have no problems if they were good teachers but from the evidence presented to us none of them are worth that !

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1162040070946460

YEP !

Anyone watched that clip yet ?

Can't this truth be handled ?

individual,

I haven't. I don't do Facebook.

Truth & Facebook ? ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x5SeXNabd8
ttbn & Bazz,
Try again on Youtube, you do have that I hope.

Educating those who can't think for themselves for the sake of educating is about as futile & destructive as it can get, just look at the outcome all around us !