Time for reflection
Over the past few years, members of the ACEL Qld Branch Executive have volunteered to write a personal reflection piece for our State members. This term, we thank Ms Sarah Gunn-Glazebrook for sharing her thoughts with us. In an era where there is a chronic teacher shortage in an era of substantial societal change, how we care for our new colleagues is of vital importance. Sarah’s insights are both interesting and important.
I was entrusted with my first substantive leadership position a decade ago. In a large and busy school, it was my role to support and develop early career teachers. It was a job I loved. I felt grateful to work in a place that valued its people and fostered their growth. The early career teacher program grew quickly, largely due to the collective expertise freely offered by educators acting as mentors, critical friends and advocates. In time, I watched members of the first cohort of ‘ECTs’ step into middle leadership, reaching their hands back to help others and create a cycle of professional generosity.
Ten years on, in a new school and a new role, the recruitment and retention of early career teachers is still something I am passionate about. New teachers offer our school communities so much: they bring energy, fresh eyes, curiosity and big ideas. But I also worry about early career teachers. Life, and work, for young Australians has changed.
The OECD (2024) notes that, globally, the youth unemployment rate is disproportionately higher than the overall unemployment rate. Young people have less hope for the future, citing concerns about climate change & prosperity, distrust in government and institutions. These concerns are compounded by what has been termed a youth mental health crisis, with increasing rates of self-reported stress and a lack of motivation (WHO, 2024).
Perhaps it is unsurprising, then, that young people’s expectations of work are changing as well. In July of 2024, the World YMCA and Deloitte released the “Future Ready: Reimagining Meaningful Work for Young People” report. It captured the voices of over 10,000 young people across 120 countries. Their message was clear: the next generation isn’t just seeking jobs—they’re seeking meaningful work. Young people want work that is inclusive, productive, purposeful, ethical, balanced, connected, rewarded, and sustainable. They also desire agency and genuine voice.
I find myself reflecting on how we might foster meaningful work amidst profound societal and technological shifts. The contemporary landscape of education in Australia is marked by rapid digital transformation, increasing expectations of accountability, and complexity introduced by new technologies. I see these changes as irrevocably reshaping the ways in which we experience schools and teaching. A push for efficiency, standardisation and continual measurement now sits alongside the influence of big tech, creating, yes, opportunity, but also additional pressures for educators. These forces can narrow the role of the teacher. Too often, they shift attention from purpose to productivity, detracting from education’s deeper calling. Accompanying this are ongoing cycles of politicised media commentary, which frequently serve to diminish the profession. Recently, I have witnessed two extraordinary young teachers leave education, seeking meaning in other professions. It is a hard thing to watch.
Yet some things endure. The central purpose of education remains. I believe, and others may disagree, that we exist not only to nurture knowledge and skills, but also character and a sense of personhood. A commitment to education’s deeper purpose naturally leads us to ask how best we can support the teachers entrusted with this vital work.
So, what is needed for the leading of young and new teachers today? In reflecting on this, I find myself returning to Professor Emeritus Viviane Robinson’s (2023) virtuous leadership taxonomy. Inspired by Aristotelian philosophy, Robinson suggests a set of virtues that provide a ‘map’ for leaders to do “the right work, the right way, for the right reason.”
She challenges school leaders to practice virtues such as moral purpose, courage, empathy, open-mindedness, and perseverance. Robinson reminds us that leadership is not merely management, but a moral and relational calling. It requires us to hold close to our purpose, build genuine trust and partnership, and make room for collaborative problem-solving. This, to me, is how we honour teaching as a truly human profession.
Educational leadership, then, is a form of stewardship. We hold the present lightly, knowing we are only ever temporary custodians. If we design cultures built on trust, agency, and meaningful collaboration, we offer more than job satisfaction. We offer real belonging, growth, and the possibility of transformation—both for our teachers and for the young people they teach.
References
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2024, February). Unemployment rates – Updated: February 2024. OECD. https://www.oecd.org/en/data/insights/statistical-releases/2024/02/Unemployment-Rates-Updated-February-2024.html
Robinson, V. M. J. (2023). Virtuous educational leadership: Doing the right work the right way (1st ed.). Corwin Press.
World Health Organization. (2024, October 10). Mental health of adolescents. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
World YMCA & Deloitte. (2024). Future ready: Reimagining meaningful work for young people (Report). https://www.ymca.int/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/001_Future-Ready_Reimagining-Meaningful-Work-for-Young-People-1.pdf
Sarah Gunn-Glazebrook
ACEL QLD Branch Executive Member