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One-in-three
More high school maths teachers teaching ‘ out-of-field ’.
By Eleanor Campbell
Australian secondary schools are continuing to see an increase in classes being taught out-of-field .
According to a report released yesterday by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership ( AITSL ), at least one in four high school teachers were taking subjects which did not align with their ITE content and pedagogy studies
The findings were taken from a national survey of more than 38,400 secondary school teachers .
The report identified that ‘ out-of-field ’ teaching rates were particularly high in mathematics , with one in three maths teachers teaching without specific training in the subject .
Chief of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Allan Dougan said the issue was of growing concern and that there were a number of pieces at play .
“ We need to ensure teachers who self-identify as out-of-field are equipped and upskilled with the knowledge that ’ s required in the course , and make sure they feel confident in the content ,” he said .
“ It ’ s one thing to know the content , and it ’ s also another thing to be able to work with it and know where it fits in the curriculum .”
According to 2019 data released by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute ( AMSI ), between 21 percent to 38 percent of Year 7-10 maths classes in Australia are taught by ‘ out-of-field ’ teachers .
There ’ s a varying degree of what we see going into the classroom as defined as ‘ out-of-field ’, according to Dougan .
“ Teaching maths out-of-field is very different to teaching your subject in-field in terms of preparation time ,” he said .
“ Understanding the students and what we assume is their prior knowledge , and defining what success looks like for them , is a sophisticated skill .
“ It also doesn ’ t just start and finish with content knowledge - if it did it would be almost an easier problem to solve .”
The recent AITSL report also noted that the number of new teachers who leave the profession is significantly less than most previous studies have shown .
According to the institute ’ s data , about 1.25 per cent of first-year teachers discontinue their registration each year , with the number of teachers leaving in the first five years closer to 5-6 per cent .
The research did not account for teachers moving between states , territories , and sectors .
AITSL deputy chief Edmund Misson said the findings highlighted “ a more positive reality ”.
“ Early career teachers are resilient and with the right support can go on to have long and successful careers ,” he said .
“ We have an opportunity to implement initiatives that address their needs , aspirations , and challenges , ultimately ensuring their long-term engagement and success in the profession .” ■
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