Beginning teachers: Welcome to the profession ... and your Union!
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 1, 11 February 2022, page no.23
By the time you read this, you will have been working as a teacher for a little while. Congratulations on getting through your first few weeks, especially in a year that's had such an unusual start!
To those beginning their teaching journey, we welcome you to the QTU community. The QTU has a 135-year history of being the collective voice of teachers and school leaders in Queensland’s state schools and TAFEs. More than 48,000 teachers across Queensland have chosen to join the QTU, uniting to improve the working lives of teachers and to fight for a strong and well-resourced public education system. To help you get started, here is some information and a few tips.
Teacher registration
You have been granted provisional teacher registration by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT), and after one year of full-time teaching (200 days) you will be able to transition to full registration, if you demonstrate that you meet the graduate level Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). The provisional registration period can be extended if needed. Go to www.qct.edu.au to learn more.
Probation
All new permanent employees of the Department of Education (DoE) have to undergo probation. This is usually an eight-month process. Your school should have given you information about the probationary process at the start of your employment. Expectations, support and timelines for meetings should be agreed. At the end of your first three months, you will be provided with a performance review by your principal, which must be recorded on the applicable form. Any areas of concern must be identified, and an agreed action plan developed. A formal appraisal will be conducted by the end of six months of service (usually July), resulting in a recommendation of either confirmation or termination of appointment. Contact your school’s Union Rep or the Queensland Teachers’ Assist Desk (QTAD) on 1300 117 823 if you have any questions or concerns.
Mandatory training and beginning teacher induction
All new employees are required to participate in mandatory all-staff training (MAST) modules, as well as modules that form part of a beginning teacher induction program. While not mandatory, the Beginning Teacher Learning Suite (an online resource consisting of ten modules) is highly recommended.
Beginning teacher mentoring
The certified agreement (CA) requires beginning teachers to have access to structured mentoring support. From 2014 onwards this was undertaken via mentoring and beginning teacher (MBT) programs. At the end of 2020, DoE decided to suspend the funding of these school-based programs and instead introduced online and regional mentoring support via teacher learning centres (TLCs) and centres for learning and wellbeing (CLaWs). The QTU continues to seek full dedicated funding to schools for MBT programs. Mentoring remains key to the support of beginning teachers. It should be undertaken in rostered duty time and resources should be allocated for this purpose.
QTU membership
Membership is ongoing and you will be invoiced each year. Please note that non-payment doesn’t automatically cancel membership - a written resignation to the General Secretary and payment of any outstanding membership dues is required. Permanent teachers’ membership dues are calculated at 0.72 per cent of a members’ annual salary. Supply/temp teachers’ membership dues are a lower flat rate, in recognition of the fact that their employment is less secure. The amount is dependent on how many days you taught in the previous teaching year.
Payments: Pay online, set up direct debit, update bank details and check balance owed.
Advise us: When you are on leave, resign, retire or your employment details change at membership@qtu.asn.au
Stay connected with your Union
Contact QTAD for quick access to basic information and advice on your working conditions or, in more complex cases, to be referred to a specialist QTU Officer. Ph. 1300 11 7823 (1300 11 QTAD) or visit www.qtu.asn.au/qtad
My QTU Organiser and local office: contact details can be found at www.qtu.asn.au/contact or call 07 3512 9000.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/QueenslandTeachersUnion
Twitter: @TheQTU
Instagram: @TheQTU