This study explored the challenges faced by 23 primary early career teachers (ECTs) in their second, third or fourth years of teaching. Qualitative data were collected through an online semistructured interview. Three themes were evident: parents, workload and behaviour management. These results were also reflected in the review of the literature.…

Teaching has long been recognised as a demanding profession. Despite growing acknowledgement of the stress and emotional exhaustion experienced by teachers, limited research has considered how these experiences may be associated with mental health. Accordingly, the present research aimed to address this gap by identifying the current levels of…

Despite the acknowledged complexity and time pressures of early childhood educators' work, very few studies have examined the nature of this work, minute-by-minute, over the working day. This paper reports on data gathered through 10,155 time-use diary (TUD) records provided by 321 educators participating in the Exemplary Early Childhood Educators…

With the increasing presence of 'datafied' educational settings across Australia, critical components of teachers' educational practice and work have been quantified. Digital data collected through teachers' labour in and around the classroom links to educational practice and the commercial datafication of teachers' online persona. Often described…

Student violence directed at school educators appears to be increasing, thus it is important to identify practical strategies that educators use to prevent and cope with occupational violence. This observational study surveyed 369 government primary school staff in the Australian Capital Territory. Sixty per cent of respondents reported abusive…

Concerns regarding high rates of teacher stress and burnout are present globally. Yet there is limited current data regarding the severity of stress, or the role of intrapersonal and environmental factors in relation to teacher stress and burnout within the Australian context. The present study, conducted over an 18-month period, prior to the…

There has long been international consensus amongst policymakers and researchers that schoolteachers need to pursue professional learning throughout their careers. While researchers and educators continue the rich conversation about what "forms" of professional learning are valuable and why, policymakers are intent on prioritising only…

Teacher stress remains a consistently reported issue nationally and internationally in both the mainstream media and academic fora. Understanding the source/s of stress, however, remains complex given the interplay of external and internal factors that have the potential to shape teachers' stress and resilience responses. This exploratory…

The paper brings together for the first time a sequence of six studies, from the one university faculty, on middle leaders from Australia, Chile and Singapore. All studies followed a consistent approach using multiple-perspective interviews. Middle leaders were seen to be key personnel in improving teaching and learning, and when they have…

One aspect of instructional leadership is the work principals undertake in supporting and developing teachers' skills and capabilities. This paper examines this aspect of school leadership within a climate characterised by increased principal workloads, heavy external accountabilities, pressure to improve student results, and heightened autonomy…

There is well-established evidence that the quality of early childhood education workforce impacts upon children's learning. Attracting qualified teacher graduates to work in early childhood centres is an essential component towards the provision of quality care. Significant investment by the Australian Government has been made to prepare early…

Occupational stress is an important issue for most occupations and often arises when the demands of the workplace become excessive or aspects of work are unpleasant. If left unmanaged occupational stress can lead to a range of outcomes that can cost organisations dearly, including burnout, physical sickness, absenteeism and turnover. Some aspects…

Models of support for students with disability and learning difficulties in mainstream classes in Australia rely extensively on teacher assistants (TAs). Current models, however, inadvertently perpetuate low expectations because providing TA support can be one of the most restrictive supports offered in a school [Giangreco, M. F. 2010a.…

Education, science, and technology disciplines are closely and extensively connected in all formats and levels. The outbreak of COVID-19 has further squeezed this interconnection where the delivery of education in different scientific fields of studies at all education levels is almost impossible without the presence of technology. Today, there is…

This article is about the educational work of governesses on Australia's remote cattle and sheep stations. These stations occupy vast tracts of land in the outback, and form part of global food supply chains exporting meat to countries around the world. The article explores the nature of governesses' work, the boundaries they negotiate to perform…