Page 4323 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 13 October 2009
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Quality teaching underpins all of these learning opportunities. The government is currently recruiting for the 2010 school year, and over 800 applications have been received from teachers worldwide, all wanting to teach in Canberra. Many have applied to be one of the extra 70 teachers we are hiring to deliver on our election commitment to further reduce average class sizes in ACT public schools.
The ACT government is investing more than $22 million to employ an additional 70 teachers and to reduce class sizes to an average of 21 in primary and high school and to an average of 19 in colleges. The 2008-09 budget also provided $2.378 million over three years to enhance the quality of teaching in ACT public schools, providing support for teachers to become even more skilled in providing quality learning experiences for their students. And this government is prepared to pay our best classroom teachers $100,000 to stay in the classroom.
State-of-the-art facilities, more teachers, better teachers, smaller classes, captivating lessons, exciting activities—all this leads to engaged students and positive behaviour.
It is not only classroom teachers who support their students in developing positive behaviours. Last year, as part of the $1.47 million student welfare pastoral care package, this Labor government provided an additional school leader in every high school to coordinate pastoral care. Research has repeatedly shown that when children and young people feel cared for by their teachers and classmates and connected to their school they are more likely to have a positive self-image, form positive relationships and develop responsive behaviours.
Since 2008 a dedicated pastoral care coordinator in every high school has coordinated whole-school student pastoral care programs that take a personalised approach to support student wellbeing. Coordinators focus on implementing whole of school social and emotional learning programs to specifically address the needs of their school communities. They support staff to promote and increase student attendance, engagement with learning and their connection to school.
As part of the $1.47 million student welfare pastoral care package, the government provided funds to strengthen student counselling and alternative education support programs in ACT public schools. Youth support workers and school counsellors work with teachers, parents and pastoral care coordinators to help students to develop positive self-esteem. They work with students to help them develop positive relationships, cope with changes in relationships and exercise control over their own lives and the challenges that inevitably arise.
Every child matters. Every young person is valued and is valuable. If our school-aged young people require an alternative setting for a while, one that suits their particular needs, our public school system can provide this. High school and college students have access to a range of settings and programs which support individual learning needs and encourage the completion of school and VET qualifications.
These alternative settings offer a flexible approach to suit the varying situations that students often find themselves in. These include achievement centres for disengaged students in years 7 and 8, located in each school district at Wanniassa school and
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