Ged Kearney's Passions from Politics to AFL P3
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issue 2|Vol 45|2015 Ged Kearney’s passions from politics to AFL p3 Teaching in Nauru p8 Teacher preservice education found lacking p18 the professional voice of the Independent Education Union Challenge us to find YOU a better deal! Union Shopper is a 100% union-owned service that provides members with discounts on a huge range of products and services. Take advantage of Union Shopper’s collective buying power and be part of the savings! Some of our most popular products & services include: • electrical products • manchester • motor vehicles • sewing machines • travel • furniture • accommodation • perfumes • tickets & attractions • gifts • carpets & flooring • vet products • cameras • health products • car hire • vitamins & pharmacy • computers items & printers • tyres • mortgage planners & • and much more! finance On average, members save between 9% and 13% off their best price on electrical goods! BIG savings on a wide range of products & services! 1300 368 117 unionshopper.com.au Challenge us to find Contents 4 Kaleidoscope Ged Kearney’s ambition as ACTU President is YOU a better deal! to build respect from political leaders and Executive Editors 6 Australia wide John Quessy News and views from around Australia. Deb James Terry Burke Learning from Managing Editor 8 each other Union Shopper is a 100% union-owned service that provides Bronwyn Ridgway Queensland Catholic teachers are providing Editorial Committee their skills and support to children... members with discounts on a huge range of products and services. Cathy Hickey Fiona Stutz Robogals embrace Gloria Taylor 10 Take advantage of Union Shopper’s collective buying the future Sue Osborne Are we exposing students to technology power and be part of the savings! Journalists studies early enough? Sue Osborne Fiona Stutz Registration and Design 12 induction not the same Chris Ruddle The accreditation* process should not About us dictate the way beginning teachers receive IE is a tri-annual journal Some of our most popular induction and... products & services include: published by the NSW/ACT, VicTas and Qld/NT Building capacity Independent Education 13 or eavesdropping? IE Founding editor • electrical products • manchester Unions for members and The District Inspector chose Parkdale Primary subscribers. It has a circulation 15 Harry Stephens • motor vehicles • sewing machines School as the last school he... of more than 65,000. IE’s The launch of IE Magazine in 1971 was • travel • furniture contents do not Mentoring – an integral part of the development of • accommodation • perfumes necessarily reflect the views of 14 collaborative approach union representation... the IEU or the editors nor imply A good mentor and mentoring partnership is • tickets & attractions • gifts endorsement by them. absolutely crucial... • carpets & flooring • vet products Email Getting it right for students NSW: [email protected] with serious and complex • cameras • health products Respect and support for VIC/TAS: [email protected] 16 transgender students 28 health needs • car hire • vitamins & pharmacy QLD/NT: [email protected] How should teachers react if a student at Increases in the number of students with IE online items their school comes out as transgender? serious food and other allergies and chronic • computers www.ieu.asn.au/publications/ & printers • tyres Contributions Teacher preservice asthma... • mortgage planners & • and much more! Contributions and letters 18 education found lacking Financially savvy finance from members are In February 2014, Education Minister 30 students on the money welcome. Printing does not Christopher Pyne appointed the Teacher reflect endorsement and A new professional development program contributions may be edited Education Ministerial... will equip... On average, members save between at the editor’s discretion. Business managers advance Guide helps children Email [email protected] 23 Advertising teaching and learning 31 save lives and off their best price A new resource being adopted by schools 9% 13% Chris Ruddle While business managers usually have little (02) 8202 8900 contact with students, their role is... tells primary school students when to call on electrical goods! Advertising is carried in What gets the job triple zero. IE in order to minimise costs. 24 done these days? Advertising does not in any 32 Latest research way reflect endorsement of This year, I stepped out of leadership after 16 the products or services. years as a school principal in the Catholic Latest research from Australia and Subscriptions education primary... Internationally IE is available free BIG savings on a wide range of products & services! to members of the IEU, 33 Top 5 apps or by subscription. 26 Putting the personal first Kayla Skorupan: With the world’s oldest surviving culture For years, I’ve suffered from a horrendous (02) 8202 8900 existing in our country, everyone has a disease known as ‘food envy’ Print Post Number responsibility... 100007506 34 Talking point... Printing Literacy a hoot 1300 368 117 Print & Mail: 27 for Tiwi students Should we ‘dum’ down language to make it unionshopper.com.au (02) 9519 8268 Indigenous students from Tiwi College in the easier to learn? ISSN 1320-9825 Northern Territory may have English... independent education| issue 2|Vol 45|2015|3 issue 2|Vol 45|2015 Kaleidoscope Ged Kearney’s passions from p3 politics to AFL Teaching in Nauru p8 Teacher preservice education found lacking p18 the professional voice of the Independent Education Union Editorial IE was established in 1971 and in this edition, founding editor Harry Stephens tells us what the political environment was Gerardine ‘Ged’ Kearney like at that time and the way IE Ged Kearney’s I loved my school days, absolutely loved them. I broke barriers and became the ambition as ACTU had a fantastic school life, loved primary school at St leading academic education President is to build John’s East Melbourne with the Sisters of Charity, then publication it is today. respect from political with other girls at The Academy of Mary Immaculate With around 70,000 copies leaders and the broader in Fitzroy, run by the Sisters of Mercy. distributed to members and community for the values I’m the second youngest of nine children, six girls subscribers throughout Australia, of fairness and the role and three boys. Five of us went to the same girls’ it’s clear to see that in 44 years, played by unions in school, while the other sister had special needs so IE has gone from strength to delivering social change. went to another school in Melbourne. My parents ran strength. She wants people to feel a pub, the Lord Raglan Hotel in Melbourne, a small In Kaleidoscope, Ged Kearney the need to join their working-class pub with counter dinners and counter talks about her teachers and union and she wants teas. We all worked for dad as we were growing up, it her Catholic schooling and to help unions to was really hard work. those who have influenced continue to be at the There were two teachers who had quite a profound her throughout her life. Now forefront of public effect on my life and me; one was a music teacher with over 2.5 million workers to debate in Australia. Julie Piggin who taught me piano. She took everything represent as ACTU President, on in a big way, nothing was too challenging nothing Ged Kearney talks with Kearney follows the likes of Bob was too hard. Huge productions were broken down IE Journalist Bronwyn Hawke, Cliff Dolan and Jenny into workable pieces and her motto was ‘it will be all Ridgway. George. Passionate about many right on the night, just work hard and it will be fine.’ things, she learnt to importance And it was! She was personable, took an interest and of the collective at an early age that made all the difference, she was just amazing. as one of nine children. Kearney Then there was the head nun Sister Mary McAllen, joined with IEU members recently who was a powerhouse as well. Sr Mary would to campaign around policies encourage independence but also that we work for refugees and children in successfully as a group. She would encourage you to detention. ‘go with an idea’, discuss the logistics then encourage Key issues facing teachers you to ‘just do it’. I remember I wanted to run for school throughout Australia at present captain and came to talk with her about it. She said are covered in the pages of “have you got the numbers dear? Better sure up the this magazine; best practice, numbers if you want to be school captain!” It was mentoring, induction, preservice a great lesson, good advice and yes I did had the education as well as the numbers and I did become school captain. increasing number of issues I went to University and was doing a BA in Economics principals are expected to deal but wasn’t really enjoying it. A fellow I was in love with with and the balancing acts said he was going to change over and do nursing – he they perform every day, week did and I did – he lasted three minutes in nursing but and term. I loved it and stayed and completed. I think I had a Queensland teachers working strong sense of social justice from my Catholic family in Nauru tell of their experiences, and my Catholic schools. It certainly was a strong so different from those in schools sense – perhaps a bit over the top when I was young throughout Australia. How would but once in the union it all fell into place. There have you cope, what resources would been other people who have influenced my thinking, you create or be able to use? mentors you might say. Belinda Morieson from the ANF Would you be strong enough to who believed I would be a good union representative face the challenges of teaching when we were negotiating Enterprise Bargaining children in detention? They talk Agreements at The Austin, the hospital I was working at of the most valuable resource: the time.