Teachers, like any resource, must be managed soundly
EDUCATION is a huge industry in Australia, and in the opinion of many, one of the most important.
Education is more than just reading, writing and arithmetic – it’s giving children and adults the skills to live and participate in modern society.
Primary school teachers, for example, teach children to communicate, work cooperatively with peers, be resilient, accept change and be the best individuals they can be, to name some of the lessons learnt. Without education, we would not be an advanced nation living in an interconnected digital world.
Human resources management is essential to deliver curriculum and maintain policies in all levels of the education system, from daycare right through to university.
Teachers are the human resources of education, therefore they need to be managed effectively to give students the best opportunity to succeed in education and learn to live within an ever-changing society.
Teachers need to be adequately trained and well motivated within a human resources management program that works, to keep improving educational standards, and to ensure teachers will not become too stressed and overwhelmed.
Human resources management in the education system needs to support teachers, parents and students in helping to maintain and improve teachers’ skills. Australian students are continuing to fall behind academically, as seen in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results and NAPLAN scores, which has put huge pressure on teachers to perform well.
When teachers first graduate from university, with a head full of knowledge and some classroom experience under their belt, they enter the new world of being solely responsible for teaching. They are expected to achieve great results, catering to all the different learning styles and needs of the class, which all requires support.
More support needs to be given to teachers, and not just the first-years, to build their knowledge and support their practice. The education system needs to balance the current trends of coming up with new ways of improving and displaying student academic data, and start working more on improving teachers’ work environments and knowledge. The system needs to focus more on effective HRM so that teachers can perform better and are offered resources and opportunities that will improve their skills and motivation towards the job.
Everyone reading this knows there is always a standout teacher, one who made learning work for them. A teacher who had adequate training and a passion for education. HRM needs to support all teachers so that all teachers can make learning work for all students.