However, teachers have been shamed in the media, for example by the Prime Minister, for raising the issue of risks associated with keeping schools open, but also sometimes praised for being on the frontline by continuing to teach. Health workers are rightly valorised by politicians and the media for the front-line role they are playing in the pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak and media representations As a society we all pay the price and are poorer for it. Recent studies of principals shows that negative representations of teachers in the press deleteriously impact on the health and wellbeing of principals who are expected to manage the media, particularly in time of crisis. “ I feel under-appreciated and disrespected in community, public and media”. One respondent’s unsolicited comment typified these responses: Of the 58% of teacher respondents in the 2019 survey noted above who indicated they wished to leave the profession, 10% cited a lack of appreciation as the main reason for their departure. And although levels of public engagement in traditional media outlets such as newspapers and television have declined rapidly, their ability to shape public opinion and political policy remains high. It has been regularly noted that the concentration of media in Australia is one of the highest in the world. Why media concentration in Australia, and media discourse, matters They further report on international research which has “ found a correlation between teacher status and student achievement”. The survey reports that in order for teachers to remain motivated and committed to their profession, public recognition by politicians, communities and society of the importance of teaching is critical. This disconnect between teachers’ perceptions of respect and trust and the public perception has serious direct consequences for the education of our children and young people, particularly in terms of teachers’ well-being, the retention of teachers in the profession and even educational outcomes. In addition, 93% of respondents in the public survey felt that teachers were trusted or moderately trusted. In contrast, a second survey of the general public conducted simultaneously reported that 82% of respondents felt teachers were well respected or moderately respected.
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71% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement. In the nationwide survey conducted in 2019 with both public and non-government systems, teachers were asked to indicate their agreement with the statement, I feel that the Australian public appreciates teachers. Two pre-COVID-19 surveys of Australian teachers and public perceptions of teaching revealed a major disconnect between the public perception of teachers as respected and trusted, and teachers own views of their reputation. Major disconnect of perceptions before the COVID-19 pandemic In this post we want to tell you more about our research and why we think it could be an opportunity to herald change in the way the media connects with our teaching profession. What we found makes us believe the COVID-19 pandemic might yet be an opportunity to reset the often-antagonistic relationship between the teaching profession in Australia and the Australian press. However research suggests that mainstream media plays a critical role in creating dominant representations of particular groups in society and these representations directly impact individuals and the groups involved.ĭuring April 2020 when schools were rapidly moving to and from remote teaching we collected and analysed a range of media articles focussing on schooling issues.
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Whether this is connected to an anti-intellectual bias in Australian society, the glorification of sport and the physical as opposed to the intellect, is unclear. The sport and politics of teacher bashing, and in particular teacher union bashing, has a long and inglorious history in the Australian media.