Road Block

Yeah. That's how I feel tonight. Like I ran into a road block.

Let's backtrack a little. If you're a teacher looking to do your skills assessment with AITSL, you will require a little document, Statement of Employment from each school that you've taught in.

I thought that was simple enough, so I wrote in to each of the three schools I had taught in. Listed very carefully the information I needed from each of them, stating that I needed it signed by the Principal with the school letterhead on the document.

This was about 2 to 3 weeks back and I'm still awaiting all the necessary documents. If you're a teacher and you're planning to apply. Plan way ahead.

School 1 , emailed me the document, with no letterhead, looking like something I could've forged in 5 mins with my computer. Called the AM, who vouched that it was printed on a paper with the school letterhead and who appeared surprised I needed the actual document mailed to me.

School 2, I ran into a 'meticulous' AM, who demanded an addressee before she would generate the document. Next for the required field of information 'Number of Hours Employed Per Week', she was of the opinion that it should only take into account the teaching periods that I had. It took a while and required that I show her the statement from School 1 which stated 42 hours before she agreed to do the same.

School 3, was very prompt and efficient and sent me a letter saying that I had 16 hours plus of teaching periods. I was disappointed because I had made the trip down to collect the statement personally. Firstly, that wasn't the information that was required so I wrote them, requesting that 'Number of teaching hours - 16 hours plus' be changed to 'Number of employed hours - 42 hours'. The AM agreed and mailed me the new version the day itself. I received it the next day and the crucial line read 'Number of employed hours - 16 hours plus'. I stood there dumbly staring at the letter. Another email to the AM who told me it was the Principal who was adamant that it remain at 16 hour plus.

Thoughts?

1) If a teacher's work week was 16 hours plus, I have been putting in some serious overtime.

2) Are they serious or is someone messing around with me?

3) Went online to research a teacher's working hours. Nada. Zilch. Nothing at all on MOE websites. Nothing on STU. Just plain nothing. It's as if the number has been surpressed for fear of comparison.

4) Maybe I just suck at searching for information.

Honestly though, it just felt so surreal that I was dumbfounded.

16 hours plus means I work 3 hours daily and I work from 7.30 to 10.30am, approximately. Anybody can see straight away that that is kind of ludicrous.

Accepting 42 hours employed is already being very liberal with the truth, what more a figure of 16 hours?

As it stands? I'm still waiting for School 3 to get back to me. Fingers are crossed and hoping that common sense will prevail.

Also outstanding is the NIE Practicum statement. Phoned them this week and it turned out they were sitting on it. They've already assured me it's in the mail and on it's way.

One item which did arrive by mail this week was the IELTS results so that's one item off the checklist.

Man-made road blocks. Bah!