TOOWOOMBA AND DISTRICT MATHEMATICS TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION,
MARCH 31, 2008.
To whom it may concern,
This Association of School Mathematics Teachers protests the planned reductions of
Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry courses at the University of Southern
Queensland (USQ) and consequent staff reductions, which have been recently
announced by the University. Our reasons for alarm about the proposals are:1) USQ provides teacher training in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry for a large
area of Queensland. Many USQ graduates currently hold teaching positions
throughout the State. The management of USQ makes a grave error in saying that
high school teachers do not require major undergraduate studies in their teaching
subjects. High school students need exposure to the experience that teachers with
degree majors in their Mathematics and Science subjects bring to the classrooms.
How else can schools provide the extension and motivational experiences which are
part of the process of selecting and encouraging the next generation of Australian
mathematicians and scientists? A teacher needs a full degree major in his/her subject
in order to be able to minister successfully to the academic needs of the full range of
student abilities.
Many people with studies at advanced levels will say that they were inspired at school
because they had teachers with a passion for their subjects. Such teachers often have
completed advanced studies leading to maintenance of interest and professional
development in the subject. In Toowoomba and the surrounding district there are
people who changed careers to become secondary level Mathematics and Science
teachers by undertaking mature-age degree-major studies at USQ, and who credit the
USQ lecturers in these subjects for passing on their own passion for their subjects.
Local secondary school Principals claim that there is agreement about the need for
Mathematics to be delivered by experts in schools - not those who have merely “done
a unit” as part of their degree. They clearly believe that Mathematics is the key
enabler to all sciences and technologies and it will be a disaster to see it reduced to the
limited role that is planned by USQ management.
Here is an example of the need for teachers to have degree majors in their subjects.
As long ago as the 1960’s, the Queensland Department of Education required that
even small schools such as the Secondary Department at Nanango State School were
to include at least one person with a Science degree on the staff, even though there
were only two teachers of Senior Mathematics and Sciences at that school. If this was
the value placed on having teachers well qualified in their subjects over forty years
ago, why would it be acceptable to reduce that value now?
The quality of teacher training in these subjects will be greatly compromised by the
planned cutbacks from major studies to first year service-level functions. This is at
cross purposes with our governments’ often claimed intentions such as the State
Government’s “Smart State” ideal.
2) The current level of government funding flowing to USQ from the present
numbers of students of Mathematics and Science courses is clearly sufficient to allow
the retention of all such courses presently offered at USQ. This is particularly clear
when it is realised that Federal Government funding for Mathematics and Statistics
courses was recently increased, making it hard to understand why the planned
reductions are said to be necessary.
3) The Departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry at USQ have acted as
an excellent support network for teachers in schools throughout our local region.
Their academic staff have been ever ready to serve local schools by
- delivering motivating subject-specific talks to our secondary students at schools
during normal school time, but also at Mathematics activity weekends and in
after-school extension programmes
- providing teachers with high-quality professional development in-service seminars
in their teaching subjects, keeping teachers aware of real-life applications of the
subjects
- assisting with the conduct of regional inter-school subject competitions, by setting
questions and officiating at the competitions
- mentoring gifted students in our schools, by encouraging them to extend their
achievement through tertiary level studies in Sciences and Mathematics while still
at secondary school. (How could this be sustained if the proposed cuts are
implemented?)
- participating in Queensland Studies Authority Syllabus Committees, thereby
helping to articulate secondary and tertiary studies and keeping school courses
relevant to the needs of industry.
4) In the age of the Smart State strategy of the Queensland government it seems
somewhat short-sighted to reduce one of the most enabling areas of learning and
intellectual pursuit. If USQ is going to position itself for a future, then failing to
provide a comprehensive approach to the higher order thinking and learning produced
by Mathematics education is a missed opportunity. By reacting to current market
trends in careers only, the USQ is effectively shutting the door to the development of
intellectual capital in Australia and appealing through its undergraduate and
postgraduate offerings only to the current skill/labour shortfall. In effect, this
“dumbing down” of USQ degrees will not meet the long term intellectual capital
needs of Australia as we move from an economy based on excavation to one of
intellectualisation.
By reducing the numbers of USQ staff in these subjects, the considerable advantages
listed above would be virtually lost. How would USQ staff be able to continue with
this valuable leadership role if crippled by the planned reductions? School teachers in
this area are well aware of and appreciate the benefits they gain from the professional
attitude and support of USQ staff. Under the planned reductions, USQ will lose
mathematics and statistics researchers of international standing, and expertise in the
core enabling sciences will be greatly weakened. We are deeply concerned for USQ's
teacher education and outreach, and for the damaging messages this sends about
higher education's commitment to the mathematical sciences generally.