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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 7 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 2414 ..
MS GALLAGHER
(continuing):Smart, 2000; and Andrew Martin, 2002. If you're an expert on boys education, I'll leave it open to you to question all the evidence that they've put forward.
Here's another myth: boys as a group are mainly interested in being taught to be masculine, feel the need for male role models, aspire to a "it's cool to be a fool"mantle and do not admire achieving students. Again, that is another myth. All the evidence that came out of this report, which I'm sure you couldn't have read otherwise you wouldn't have said all those things in your speech, says that there is no need to have gender specific teaching.
In fact there are a range of things that need to be done to improve the educational outcomes of boys, but they shouldn't be done at the expense of girls. So there is nothing in here which supports your arguments, Mr Pratt. If you've got a PhD in boys education I-
Mr Pratt
: We don't support doing anything at the expense of girls; we've never said that.MS GALLAGHER
: In terms of support mechanisms for teachers: I think, again, Mr Pratt questioned support for teachers and questioned professional development. We currently have, when you look nationally, one of the best professional development schemes in the ACT for our teachers. We have a range of teaching fellowships. There are a range of issues that are currently on the table in the enterprise agreement currently being negotiated with the AEU which will certainly look at increasing supporting mechanisms for teachers.Mr Pratt
: Okay, keep your head in the sand. Self-denial.MS GALLAGHER
: Mr Pratt, I don't know what you want to do. An enterprise agreement would not necessarily be outlined in the budget. Negotiations are under way. That is the appropriate place to have those discussions. The department doesn't unilaterally decide what is required for teaching conditions and then put it as an initiative in the budget. It's something that is negotiated with the AEU.Mr Corbell
: With the workforce, with the teachers.MS GALLAGHER
: That's right. We talk to people. We welcome those discussions with the union. They're ongoing and, whilst there are a whole range of issues on the table, certainly the view of the government is very much to support teachers because it's through teachers that our children learn-not through initiatives. Initiatives support the work of teachers, but it's through the teachers that children learn. We understand the important role they play and those discussions in regard to the EBA will certainly be concentrating on some of those issues such as the fellowship professional development; whether there are better things we can do in terms of supporting beginning teachers; and teacher equipment, et cetera.In relation to the youth workers in schools: it is something that I've considered long and hard. I have done quite a bit of reading on it. I've met with the Youth Coalition. I can't say that I am convinced that who employs the youth workers is a critical issue for the young people who may use them. There are a range of differing views on this
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