A new term is underway, and it’s extraordinary to think we’re already halfway through this academic year! And what a year it is for education! It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen so much high-level activity and conversation covering just about the full scope of the profession:
- A Productivity Commission inquiry into Early Childhood Education;
- A review of Initial Teacher Education;
- A National Teacher Workforce Action Plan;
- A review of the National School Reform Agreement;
- A report into the University Accord.
It’s exhausting keeping up with reading even just the Executive Summaries and media commentary. Their scope speaks to a keen interest in providing quality education that is accessible, equitable, and sustainable. These aspirations seem incontestable, yet the more we get into the detail, the more pointed the arguments tend to become.
And thus the challenge and opportunity for us as an Association. We bring together educators from across this same span – early childhood right through to tertiary education. We bring together educators from all school sectors – government, Catholic, independent. We bring together educators from all states and territories. It is a remarkable opportunity for us to lead the conversation about our profession alongside the various non-educator voices who are shaping the ecosystem in which we work.
Coming together for the 2023 annual conference therefore seems even more important, given the breadth of educational conversation around at the moment. It’s a time where our richness and diversity come together to encourage and inspire one another, to challenge and provoke our thinking and practice, and to honour and celebrate our profession. It’s a time to celebrate, support, and advocate for those who lead extraordinary learning every day – teachers! It’s a time to replenish our personal fuel of the soul.
Amid so many reviews and reports, let’s also keep focused on our essential work: leading communities where there is joy in learning.
See you in Brisbane!
Paul Kidson
ACEL NSW Branch Executive Member