Teaching Comparison

Teaching as a vocation

Why teach?
opportunity to work with young minds and people in the small community of a classroom within the larger community of the school
children are the future and as a parent we entrust our most precious object in the hands of educators to assist in moulding
share your knowledge, if lucky your passion or interest or interpretation of things
must care for and like kids – interesting that teaching attracts all personality types. Apparently this is true of only teachers and doctors. Considered a helping vocation. Work with social, emotional and academic aspects of the child or the whole child
Every day is different – so many things happen in one day so many interactions, so busy, always stimulated – days fly by – always interesting – focus on curriculum and planning, kids and understanding, evaluating and reflecting upon learning, reporting on performance. It is always changing – kids, curriculum, courses, evaluation procedures. As a qualified teacher, you can teach various ages and courses – constant change. Even though vary little opportunity for upward advancement – esp in Canada – little incentive for HOD – flat pyramid
Year is ups and downs on the calendar certainly more so in Canada – a long summer vacation, pressure till Christmas break and a new surge of energy for the long winter term. Here better for learning to pace out year in ten week blocks. Proven to be better for student learning.
Teaching is very engaging – outside the classroom one thinks of kids or materials, projects, etc while doing other things – always on the look out for ideas or new ways to deal with things or people
facilitate learning and create an environment that encourages kids to learn and be part of a community
opportunity to encourage, motivate, stimulate learning by creating facilitating curriculum in the environment – make it fun, meaningful and reflects part of yourself
goal is create literate young adults with competencies required for global village of tomorrow. Just as in Canada these include collecting, analysing and organizing information, communicating ideas and information, planning and organizing activities, working with others and in teams, using mathematical ideas and techniques, solving problems, and using technology. These broad outcomes become embedded into the curriculum.
Teaching is a sales job – teacher is the seller, student is the customer (parent) and curriculum is the sales object - Another analogy raw material is the child, curriculum is the packaging and the teacher is the framer.
Teacher manages class and each class develops a personality. Hopefully this is based upon mutual respect and a common goal. Every child is an individual and each is important in the class. One person can change chemistry of class immensely.
The student – teacher relationship is key to success of the teacher just as the boss – employee relationship is key to attitude towards work in the workplace.
Learning is a process to be developed and the skills practised
Goal is for the teacher to help kids be the best that they can be at that moment through encouraging, understanding the learner and how learning happens – academic, social and emotional. To see personal growth of a child (ren) is rewarding
Choose job that reflects your interests (diversification versus stratification) : more academic personalities work with higher level academic courses; more people oriented work with slower programmes; more creative maybe with younger kids; behavior issues if interested in psychology of behavior, etc.

Comparing Systems Similiarities
within the school probably same concerns – motivation, discipline, class size, learning in a group setting, individualizing programmes, streaming, absences
learn by doing – teaching does not mean that the learner has learned
competencies addressed
literacy initiative at young age
integration of children with learning issues and staff assigned to them
kids are kids the world over – I am probably experiencing bigger differences living in a rural area than the country difference. In Canada, I taught in a town and found the kids to be more caring and forgiving of each other, generally, compared to a large city school. I come from an ethnically diverse school with 42 nationalities present.
Aboriginal and North American Indian – similar concerns - view of education and socio-economic problems of these populations – high rate of alcoholism, few jobs, isolated communities in some instances, nutrition issues, money handling, etc
Teachers are going to be in short supply in the foreseeable future.
Always a government issue – funding, etc.
Physical plant – white boards, computers, etc. Our Phys. Ed. Program runs indoors primarily and yours outdoors.
- uniform – here it is the issue of tucking in the shirt and pushing up the tie if you wear it. Our concern is taking off your hat and covering midriff and cleavage and not wearing t-shirts with obscenities. In both countries, the issue of the boys pulling up trousers, pants is the same and a few boys are losing their pants?

Differences:
- urban vs. rural: Aussies may tend to be more outspoken much more quickly. In both cases, quite aware of their rights. How to get education out to rural areas – hostals, bussing, school of the air, correspondance are your solutions. We relie on bussing in rural or correspondance, I guess. Bussing in the cities is an issue as cities sprawl with urbanization and old schools in core have no population around them. Boards must dispose of buildings before government allocates more money for new schools. Position and number of schools decided by government of ten with a vocal electorate lobbying for their case.
at secondary school most teachers teach a wide range of classes from lower to upper. In Canada, choose junior high or senior high and specialize in a couple of courses within that range. Typically more management issues with younger kids and more advanced academics with older kids. More courses to prepare for here.
In Canada PTR is how schools are funded – typically older kids are in larger classes and the more academic the class the bigger it can be. In two math classes of same year, the more academic one would have more kids
Training differences: our course for education is now a 4year degree and then a probably 2year master of teaching (not Master’s). You are qualified for all levels. Training involves either primary and/or secondary and must try both levels of secondary if secondary is preference. Qualification is valid within the province.
Job – apply to various boards in geographic areas that you would like to teach in. Once accepted by the board, the principal or team interviews candidates and selects one that they feel is a good match. You get permanency after one year probation and can then stay with that board as long as you wish. Changing boards means changing employers but still accruing years of service. Here, if you work for the state, you are assigned a school for a position that you are qualified to do. Alternatively, you can work for a private school. In Canada, extracurricular commitment or interest, esp at high school often clinches the job. So first year teachers sometimes overcommit to get a job. Basketball coaching is usually an asset.
Extracurricular is pretty important, however with bargaining this becomes point of contention and where it goes who knows. Makes the job pretty rewarding to coach a small group and spend lots of time with them. In Australia, spend lots of time on supervision and rovers and bus people.
Attitude towards time off and the Concept of long service leave – taking a term off for long service is unheard of. Taking time off mid-career for any reason, never considered. Many believe that long weekends, esp in the US that are pretty glitzy take place of longer holidays. No time to rest or play!
However, we do have 10 days per year for professional and organizational time
Almost all schools are government schools. In Ab, choose to pay taxes to public or separate board. Schools are funded by government at a per pupil rate – everyone is the same. Educationallly challenged kids receive extra funding if proper reporting happens. The cities resent this as they receive a higher number of difficult children with either behavior or academic concerns. Private schools that exist receive less funding as they are operating programs of choice and are funded by parents. Public schools must allow students access to all programs. You must go to your local designated school unless that school does not have your program of choice. For example, French or Spanish immersion or the school for Gifted and Talented or the International Baccalaureate program if you qualify. Private schools are not considered particularly desireable places to go unless you have a particular issue to address. One might choose because their child is unsuccessful in the main stream or alternatively there is a school that provides lots of different opportunities for kids. However at the upper end of school, this somewhat eliteist group often chooses to reintegrate students back into government schools as these are top class. Aust – more funding to schools that are privileged? Uneven distribution of monies? Old boys network reinforced.
Must join union and all boards have a common 2 days of professional speakers shared each year. Also several other professional days within and between schools.
School year is less climatic: 10 week blocks – fewer long weekends here though – better for learning. We tried year round schooling but difficult to change status quo.
Program differences: the way band is taught here, Aviation as a course here, agricultural schools, sports as part of the curriculum rather than after school – tournaments, carnivals during class time not Friday night or Saturday
Accountability: In Australia, there is lots of monitoring in the hierarchy and a line of management that checks up on the teacher. In Canada, I teach and mark pretty much without anyone checking from within the system. However, there are 6 reports home to parents each school year. Students write exams in years 3, 6, 9, and 12 and scores are carefully examined – each school, each department – strengths and weaknesses – influence of socio-economic factors, what these mean, who should see results. Only in year 12 are these results of any consequence to the student where they count 50% towards the earned grade. The reporting grid also shows how close the school mark is to the province wide mark.
Finishing school: In Canada must get high school diploma. Here there are traineeships (work experience is our equivalent but monitored entirely by school and does not interfere with other courses) and then apprenticeships. If you get the opportunity here, you take it when it comes as this is your opportunity to get into the workforce. You have certificates for all sorts of stuff. We suffer with absentee problem with this sector of the school population as not successful at school or just putting (or not) putting in time. In Canada the average age of apprenticeship is 27, however, with the looming shortage of tradespeople, education is trying to get kids into apprenticeships at a younger age. Will take several years to become more popular.
Starting age of school 1/2days at age 5 (here 2 full days at age 4/5. All eat lunch at school here. In Canada must arrange lunchtime supervision.
Initiatives: State wide initiative in full swing here on outcome based learning. This a a way of repackaging the curriculum and making ‘the shoe fit’. Issues include lack of understanding at these early stages. Lots of materials issued showing how the kids are to be assessed. Makes the teacher a reflective practitioner and thinking in a new context. The process appears to be valued and is to be measured. There are interesting tasks at the upper levels to meet the outcomes or competencies required. There is an interesting grid at the upper school. If kids figure it out, they can manipulate it so that not all projects require the same effort. An interesting grid system. In the teething stages some of these outcomes are pretty meaty and some are pretty scant. What do these outcomes mean? Require lots of words and are difficult to interpret. What does 3.1 mean??
Staff 700/70 here Canada 1325/70? Differences band, small class in upper school, 3 full time admin, full time librarian, no counsellors (chaplain from other funding), head of year and ? Visibility of all admin? Hired lunch room staff at lower levels.
Motto here is thoroughness
Silence in assemblies


Biggest frustration: photocopier!
Ultimately same goal to educate the whole child for future. Packaging may be different but looking closely, there are more similarities than differences.