At the end of Week 6, Organiser Ingrid Bean, and new educator members Amelia and Claire attended to the National New Educator Conference in Brisbane. Approximately 50 new educators and union officers from around Australia gathered at Brisbane State High School to connect and share their experiences.
On Day 1, attendees participated in workshops on AI in education, the power of storytelling in union solidarity, and the challenges facing new educators in New Zealand, particularly in the context of a government that is hostile to unions.
Comrades from Fiji and Samoa then shared their stories as new educators, including long working hours, and class sizes of 40-50. This was followed by a lively presentation from Van Badham about combating disinformation in the classroom.
Day 2 started with Michael Beale, QTU First Nations Officer and Chair of Yalukit Yulendj, who spoke about cultural safety in the workplace and the importance of allyship. The new educators then ran workshops for each other on topics such as supporting LGBTQI+ students, taking industrial action, and new educator entitlements.
Over the weekend, everyone enjoyed themselves, made friends, and learned a lot from experts and each other.
What our new educator, Amelia, had to say…
What was the best thing about the conference?
Connecting with like-minded driven people from across the country and world to discuss important issues that we all experience.
What message would you give to other new educators from your experience at this conference?
That it is okay to speak up for what you need/want. Seek support from those around you and don’t be afraid to get involved.
How has your participation at the conference shaped the advice you would give to new educators?
Helped me feel more confident about sharing opinions and ideas to help support new educators.