Teaching in Victoria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

See also: Education in Victoria

Teaching in Victoria is regulated by the Victorian Institute of Teaching, though the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD), which is part of the government in Victoria, Australia and the biggest operator of schools in the State, and the independent and Catholic schools have an obvious interest in teaching as the operator of schools and employer of teachers.

Education and teaching in Victoria follows the three-tier model consisting of primary education (primary schools), followed by secondary education (secondary schools or secondary colleges) and tertiary education (Universities and TAFE Colleges).

School education is compulsory in Victoria between the ages of six and fifteen.[1] A student is free to leave school on turning sixteen, which is prior to completing secondary education. In recent years over three quarters of students are reported to be staying on until they are eighteen[citation needed], at the end of the secondary school level. Government schools educate about two thirds of Victorian students, with the other third in independent schools, a proportion which is rising in many parts of Australia.

Regardless of whether a school is government or independent, they are required to adhere to the same curriculum frameworks. Education in all government schools must be secular and not promote any particular religious practice, denomination or sect.[2]

Post-compulsory education is regulated within the Australian Qualifications Framework, a unified system of national qualifications in schools, vocational education and training (TAFE) and the higher education sector (university).

The academic year in Victoria generally runs from late January until mid-December for primary and secondary schools and TAFE colleges, and from late February until mid-November for universities. Victorian schools operate on a four term basis. In 2008 and 2009 term dates are:

2008

  • Term 1 - 29 January (pupil free day), 30 January (students start) to 20 March
  • Term 2 - 7 April to 27 Jun
  • Term 3 - 14 July to 19 September
  • Term 4 - 6 October to 19 December

2009

  • Term 1 - 28 January to 3 April
  • Term 2 - 20 April to 26 June
  • Term 3 - 13 July to 18 September
  • Term 4 - 5 October to 18 December [1]

Schools are closed for the Victorian public holidays. Universities observe the Commonwealth public holidays.

Contents

[edit] History

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Teaching as a profession

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Teacher qualifications and training

All teachers graduating from Victorian pre-service teacher education programs in recent years have completed pre-service teacher education courses approved under the guidelines developed by the Victorian Institute of Teaching Standards Council.

Prospective teachers must undertake a four-year undergraduate programs in either a single education degree (e.g. Bachelor of Education) or a double degree where two degrees are completed at the same time (e.g. Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Arts). Alternatively, graduates who already hold a non-teaching degree or equivalent may undertake their pre-service teacher education in a postgraduate course of one or two years duration (e.g. Graduate Diploma of Education, Graduate Diploma in Education, Bachelor of Teaching).

All prospective teachers must also undertake supervised teaching practice (known as the practicum) of at least 45 days. Most one-year postgraduate programs include 45–60 days. Longer postgraduate and undergraduate programs include 60–100 days. Many also include periods of professional field experience (not usually formally supervised teaching practice) in schools.

[edit] Teacher registration

Teachers must be registered by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) before they can teach in Victoria, whether they teach in a government, Catholic or independent school.

VIT is the statutory authority responsible for the regulation and promotion of the teaching profession in Victoria.[3]

[edit] Public and private schools

According to the Schools Australia Preliminary Report, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on 4 February 2008, the number of students enrolled in Victorian state schools was 535,883 in 2007 — a drop of 234 students on the 2006 figures, while the non-government sector stood at 297,970 in 2007 - a gain of 4,252 students. The non-government sector, which includes Catholic, private and Jewish schools, recorded steady growth since 2002, gaining more than 16,890 students in the past five years.

However, while government schools recorded a fall in student numbers in the past two years, the sector recorded growth between 2002 and 2005, and in the past five years recorded an overall gain of 2,466 students.

Despite a five-year growth in the numbers of students attending government schools, the number of Victorian government schools fell to 1,592 in 2007, down from 1,605 in 2006 and 1,613 in 2005. The number of independent schools rose from 210 in 2006 to 214 in 2007.

As at 3 August 2007, teacher-student ratios were higher in the Victorian government sector, at 13.8, compared with 12.9 in the non-government sector. However, in both sectors Victoria compared favourably with national figures: the national teacher-student ratio in government schools was higher at 14.2, and 13.8 in the non-government sector.

There was a rise in the number of teaching staff in Victoria, up from 68,697 in 2006 to 70,342 in 2007.

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] Curriculum

The curriculum for all Victorian schools, government and non-governments, from Preparatory year to Year 12 is determined by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). Between prep and Year 10 the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS) framework applies. For Years 11 to 12 the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) program applies.

[edit] Pre-school

Pre-school in Victoria is relatively unregulated and not compulsory. The first exposure many Australian children have to learn with others outside of traditional parenting is day care or a parent-run playgroup. This sort of activity is not generally considered schooling. Pre-school education is separate from primary school.

Pre-schools are usually run by local councils, community groups or private organizations. Pre-school is offered to three to five year olds. Attendance in pre-school is 93% in Victoria. The year before a child is due to attend primary school is the main year for pre-school education. This year is far more commonly attended, and usually takes the form of a few hours of activity five days a week.

[edit] Primary Schools

Primary education consists of seven grades: a Preparatory year (commonly called "Prep") followed by Years 1 to 6. The minimum age at which a Victorian child can commence primary school education is 4.8 years. That is, the child can enroll in a school at the preparatory level if he or she would be five years of age by 30 April of that year. A Victorian child must commence education before age six.

[edit] Secondary Schools

Secondary schools consist of Years 7 to 12. Secondary schools are usually separate institutions to primary schools, though some non-government schools combine primary and secondary levels.

[edit] Teacher misconduct

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Education and Training Reform Act 2006, sec. 2.1.1
  2. ^ Education and Training Reform Act 2006, sec. 2.2.10
  3. ^ Education and Training Reform Act 2006.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Teaching In the Vioctorian times was hard.