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From the Teacher Support Network, www.teachersupport.info.
COPING WITH CHANGE
What impact will these rapid changes have on the day-to-day working conditions of teachers?
By Jullian Stanley for SecEd : 25 June 2010
In the past few weeks it has become clear to me that there is more than a little confusion and anxiety about the new coalition government’s plans for the education sector.
With agency A or department B facing closure, rationalisation or efficiency cuts as part of broader austerity measures, it is a particularly unsettling time for teachers.
Academies and free schools are in; Becta and the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) are out. The GTCE, which was set up a decade ago with a remit to act as the profession’s police force, is to be axed amid claims that it has failed to improve classroom standards or provide value for money.
The curriculum is to change significantly, while iGCSEs are to be offered to state school pupils for the first time. Likened to the old-style O levels the new exam will be available for state heads to roll out from September.
Academies and free schools, which will have greater control over their own finances and may have fewer links with local authorities, are popular with some in politics and education and less popular with others. But what about teachers?
What impact will these rapid changes have on the day-to-day working conditions of teachers? What will they mean for the pay of teachers? Will teachers be expected to work longer days to properly implement these changes?
The truth is that because of the unique and hugely important position of the education sector to any successful society, community and economy, it is often the first area to come under the spotlight.
When a new administration wants to showcase its fresh political thinking and make its mark, invariably the education sector becomes the flag-bearer and undergoes radical, fundamental change.
It becomes a victim of its importance, an importance that means that change is rarely gradual; more often than not it is a case of revolution rather than evolution.
At Teacher Support Network we are not about party politics, we are an apolitical organisation that is interested in working with all stakeholders to improve the lot of teachers, and through extension, pupils and parents.
The hue of the administration is not as important as the health, wellbeing and status of teachers, and these rapid changes to the way teachers work can, if not managed properly, have a detrimental effect on the mental and physical health of teachers and further erode the status of the profession.
There is a real danger that the threat of change in the workplace can lead to increased levels of stress, so it is essential for teachers that they are able to cope effectively and see these changes as an opportunity.
We have developed a number of strategies and tools to help those affected by these rapid changes in their working lives.
We advise teachers to maintain strong relationships with your colleagues, to share information with each other, and also to provide mutual support. You are not alone!
It is also important to try not to let work concerns have too great an impact on your personal life. Talk to family and friends about the situation and allow them to help you through it. Undertake any necessary or available training to ensure you are able to respond effectively to change.
And remember, workplace change does not have to create stress and confusion. It can be an opportunity to acquire new skills, achieve career progression, and embrace a new way of working. As long as you remain flexible and responsive, you should be able to adapt to the new situation and ensure that you make the most of any new opportunities that are presented to you.
Regardless of the changes that have come, or the ones that may come in the future, whether they be applauded by teachers and educationalists or resisted as ill-conceived, there is one stark and important fact that has to be remembered, no school model, may it be an academy or a free school, will succeed without healthy, motivated and engaged teachers at its heart.
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