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Culture of fear: Is there a ‘right way’ to teach? in ‘The Conversation’ on 25 July 2024

Since the beginning of 2024 I have received hundreds of emails in regard to distress teachers and principals have about the direction education in NSW public schools is taking. It’s fair to say it’s quite depressing for someone like myself who has always sought to deeply understand what great classroom teaching can look like and does indeed look like.

Certainly, various KLAs in the NSW K-6 primary curriculum did need an overhaul. I have heard for years from teachers that there are too many outcomes – too much repeated content – “crowded, crowded crowded” was the constant refrain.

The current “shake-up” is only part of concerns I and numerous others have – many in education will not go public for fear of losing their jobs, or finding themselves being investigated for not drinking the current kool-aid  plus plenty of academics and researchers in ITE in universities will also not speak out publicly for fear of not having their ITE programs accredited, nor their school projects funded or gaining NSW SERAP approval. The place where many teachers and principals in public schools find themselves in 2024 is NOT a good one.

Since publication of this article late last Thursday afternoon more than 33,500 people had read it (as of 7pm on Wednesday 31 July). There are comments/likes on my LinkedIn notification about the article. Once again I personally have received more than 150 messages of support via DM and email about the sentiments expressed in this latest co-authored piece.

Concerns are everywhere. And now we see a number of conservative think tanks (who the media in this state take far too much notice of) are keen to develop and publish lesson plans/teacher templates/worksheets for the new curriculum and ‘explicit instruction’ directive – even a new body for quality assurance (yes! really!) is being called for – lots of people stand to make BIG money out of this ‘back to basics direction’ – just when there appears on the surface, at least, that there are no funding resources $$ available for rich and authoritative programs of teacher professional learning.

I am happy to receive your emails through this website or through the usual channels.