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Inspiration alone won't solve Australia's teacher shortage, study reveals
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In Short: A Curtin University study argues that Australia's Be That Teacher campaign, aimed at inspiring more people to become teachers, may overlook the real issues driving educator shortages.
An Australian Government campaign to celebrate inspirational teachers may not address the core issues affecting the teaching profession, according to new research from Curtin University. The study, which analyzed the Be That Teacher campaign, launched in October 2023, suggests that focusing on inspirational messages alone could divert attention from the actual conditions that impact teacher recruitment and retention.
Lead author Dr. Saul Karnovsky from Curtin’s School of Education emphasized that while celebrating teachers and improving their public image are valuable goals, they cannot replace concrete actions on the conditions that affect educators. 'The problem arises when inspiration starts becoming a policy response to a workforce crisis,' Dr. Karnovsky stated.
The research highlights that 46% of Australian teachers consider leaving their jobs within 12 months due to workload and stress. Dr. Karnovsky warned that relying on the image of an extraordinary teacher could place undue responsibility on individual educators. 'When we continually describe teaching as an opportunity to make a difference, we need to be careful about what else we’re asking teachers to accept,' he said.
The paper calls for a broader understanding of teacher wellbeing, emphasizing the need for institutional and workplace arrangements that support educators. 'It is sustained by workplaces in which teachers have the time, resources, professional support, and conditions required to do their jobs well,' Dr. Karnovsky noted. The study also cites a survey of over 22,000 Australian teachers, revealing that 86% found their work emotionally demanding and 58% attributed their stress to excessive workload.
Background
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and numerous smaller islands. It has a land area of 7,688,287 km2 (2,968,464 sq mi), making it the sixth-largest country in the world, and is the world's flattest and driest inhabited continent.
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- It argued this focus shifted attention away from the material and structural conditions shaping teachers’ work.
- “If Australia wants more people to become teachers, telling better stories about teaching may help,” Dr Karnovsky said.