There has been a lot of talk in the media over the last few years about teacher shortages, workload pressure and psychosocial hazards in the teaching profession. School-aged young people and teachers both have much higher rates of depression and anxiety than the general population. So, what can we do to change this culture for the better? As employers, we need to provide safe and supportive environments for our valued teachers. We also face increasing pressure from parents and regulatory bodies to provide high-quality education and care for students and families, continuous and timely communication and administrative excellence. In many cases, as a result of these commitments outside of what used to be the expectations of teachers, we see educators leaving the profession.
So, what do we do to retain and attract teachers whilst continuing to improve our practice? At Orana, we see teaching as a vocation – it is a profession where, like many things in life, the more we put in, the greater the intrinsic rewards. But we have to be careful we don’t spend too much effort and time on soul-destroying or hazardous activities. This is the message we convey to students, and it should be what we apply to our own lives as learning adults. Teaching is meant to be a nourishing experience for students and teachers alike. We learn together. To do this, we have expectations of our teachers being role models – as well-rounded human beings, involved in artistic practice, working on their spiritual, physical and emotional wellbeing and being present for their students. This ‘inner work’ does take a lot of work but is worthwhile. We pride ourselves on working the whole human being – hands, heart and head. This does not just apply to our work with students, but also to our learning as adults. In our professional learning experiences and staff meetings, we include physical and artistic elements such as movement, singing, poetry, painting, clay modelling and painting. This provides a lived experience of how we expect teachers to work with the students. All staff participate, just like we expect all students to contribute in their lessons. When we ask students to wear hats outside, we do so as teachers. When we ask students to keep the place tidy and pick up litter, we model this practice. When we ask that students are punctual, courteous and kind, our teachers model this behaviour with their colleagues and students. The message to students and staff alike is: Are you up for the challenge? It takes hard work to reap the benefits.
The commitment of Steiner teachers to work with the same students and families for several consecutive years can be demanding, but nothing matches the strong relationship built between the class teacher and the class community. When you make the journey for years together, the experience of the frustrations and breakthroughs in student learning is life-changing for all concerned.
To make teaching a joyful profession, it is not just about providing support and taking administrative pressure off teachers, but also providing opportunities for self-development and professional learning and actually working harder in some ways to make life and work a fulfilling experience.
As Dr Rudolf Steiner put it, on the tail end of one of his many verses on self-development:
‘My soul and the great world are one
Life grows more radiant about me
Life grows more challenging for me
Life grows more abundant within me.’
If you would like to see some evidence of this work and a community striving together, please come to our Spring Fair on Sunday 16 November. Additionally, our Year 12 project presentations are a good example of healthy striving, where students work on a passion project and share their research with a wider audience on Friday 21, Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November.
James Goodlet, Principal
Orana Stenier School
Unwin Street, Weston, ACT 2611
