Call for smaller classes as teachers compile wishlist

Teachers are debating whether to add smaller classes to the wishlist as unions plan collective agreement negotiations in a bid to beat teacher shortages.

The Post Primary Teachers Association met with school staff in Marlborough to discuss its proposal on Friday, amid meetings across the country.

A pay rise of 15 per cent, an extra paid hour of non-contact time for paperwork, and an accommodation supplement for some areas was proposed, in the hopes of attracting more teachers to the profession.

But several teachers said smaller class sizes should be on the list too, saying they needed ‘‘more time in front of students, not more time to do paperwork’’.

Another teacher said increasing numbers of students with high needs needed more one-onone help than they were getting, with the student-to-teacher ratio.

‘‘Just giving us more noncontact time isn’t going to be enough. We need to reduce class sizes.’’

Last week’s Budget had provisions for more support for highneeds pupils at a primary school age, but not in secondary schools.

The unions’ proposed negotiations would mainly improve conditions for fulltime teachers, but a smaller class size would improve conditions for part-timers too, one teacher said.

Another teacher said class sizes had a ‘‘major impact’’ on working conditions.

‘‘The perceived problem with getting teachers is the behaviour of children,’’ the teacher said, to calls of ‘‘hear, hear’’ in the crowd.

‘‘The thing that puts people off is the behaviour of students. And that’s a lot easier to manage with smaller class sizes.’’

But one teacher said there was no point trying to get smaller class sizes if there were not enough teachers to do it.

Another teacher said his school’s adoption of innovative learning environments meant he needed a lot more non-contact time, so he could collaborate better with the teachers that shared their flexible learning spaces.

‘‘We need time to talk to each other and work out strategies, especially for students with high needs. I think that’s equally valuable.’’

Regional union field officer Paul Benefield said the proposal would take the top of the teacher pay scale to $89,700 and help make teaching more attractive.

The current approach of rises to match inflation was not keeping people in the profession, he said, and the increase would make the top rate 1.74 times the average median wage.

The union also wanted more money attached to management units for those with extra responsibilities, and formal Ma¯ori/ Pasifika community liaison roles.

A housing allowance was also proposed to help retain teachers in high-cost areas, available to renters or those in their first three years of home ownership, at a maximum of $100 a week.

‘‘The power of employers over working people is unbalanced, and never more so than when your employer is the Government. We must stand together because one teacher may be easier to ignore, bully or replace, but it’s impossible to ignore, bully or replace 17,000 of us,’’ Benefield said.

‘‘And big wins do happen ... sometimes just the threat of taking action has been enough to convince the Government to listen.’’

PPTA members voted on the proposed claims while the meeting was closed to media. The outcome would be revealed next month.