NEW CONCERNS AND ORIENTATIONS
2.1 THE SCHOOL AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD
CHAPTER 2
The education system i s no longer an i s l a n d by i t s e l f i n s o c i e t y , but i s c l o s e l y i n t e r - twined w i t h i t s other s e c t o r s . (2)
These two q u o t a t i o n s express opposite poles of o p i n i o n about the r e l a t i o n s h i p s between the school and the o u t s i d e w o r l d .
One conceives of the school as a closed system, almost the p r o p e r t y o f the p r i n c i p a l and teachers, which has c l e a r l y d e f i n e d f u n c t i o n s and a set o f resources w i t h which t o c a r r y them o u t . I n t h i s view, education towards a set o f goals i n h e r e n t i n education i t s e l f i s a process t h a t i s understood by the p r o f e s s i o n a l teachers because of t h e i r
t r a i n i n g and c o l l e c t i v e experience. The p r o f e s s i o n a l teachers expect t o be t r u s t e d t o set up an o r g a n i z a t i o n t h a t w i l l run smoothly i n a planned and r e g u l a t e d way, and lead t o an e f f e c t i v e personal and s o c i a l devel-
opment of each s t u d e n t . This development w i l l take place through the study o f a set of s u b j e c t s , each w i t h a l i f e and l o g i c of i t s own which i s independent of s o c i a l pressures and takes i t s value from i t s own i n h e r e n t w o r t h . These s u b j e c t s are the avowed
c u r r i c u l u m o f the school.
The r e c o g n i t i o n by the school of the e x i s t e n c e of a w o r l d o u t s i d e i s given by means of " e x t r a -
c u r r i c u l a r " a c t i v i t i e s which may range over a wide f i e l d and may i n v o l v e o u t s i d e people and resources, but which do not impinge i n any s i g n i f i c a n t way, except perhaps as an i r r i t a n t , on the p r o f e s s i o n a l l y - determined c u r r i c u l u m of the school. The mechanism f o r c o n t r o l l i n g t h i s process i s a h i e r a r c h i a l organiz- a t i o n t o which the access from the o u t s i d e w o r l d i s u s u a l l y through the t o p .
The e f f e c t i v e outcome of t h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n i s a c l o s u r e against o u t s i d e i n f l u e n c e t h a t leads t o a r e d u c t i o n i n the power of the school because i t denies the school an e f f e c t i v e base of community support or p r o f e s s i o n a l advice.
The opposite pole conceives of the school as a responsive extension of the community i n which i t
i s s e t , open to i n f l u e n c e both by and on the community, w i t h community used i n a dual sense - i n one aspect
i t i s the community of teachers, p u p i l s , and parents xtfho use the school, i n the other i t i s the t o t a l community of s t a t e , n a t i o n and w o r l d .
I t conceives o f the school as only a p a r t o f the l e a r n i n g resources a v a i l a b l e t o s t u d e n t s , o f subjects as means t o an end and not ends i n
themselves, and o f responsiveness to community- needs as an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f the school's r o l e .
I t sees the p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a f f able t o
determine and express acceptable s o c i a l l y - o r i e n t e d outcomes of s c h o o l i n g i n a way t h a t secures
p o s i t i v e community support, the community enabled to understand the purposes o f the school and t o make i t s resources a v a i l a b l e t o meet them, and an o r g a n i z a t i o n f l e x i b l e enough t o a l l o w the exchange of ideas between s c h o o l , p r o f e s s i o n a l a d v i s e r s , and community a t a l l l e v e l s .
I t conceives o f the c u r r i c u l u m as the t o t a l p a t t e r n o f l e a r n i n g d e l i b e r a t e l y planned by the school and experienced by students and t h e r e f o r e has no place f o r the n o t i o n o f " e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r "
a c t i v i t y . I t has a set o f goals t h a t i s a t once w i d e r , more e x p l i c i t , and more attuned t o observed needs than those considered a t the o t h e r p o l e . I t sees s c h o o l i n g as a p a r t of the f a b r i c o f the
community, and not as a separate compartment o f l i f e i n which students are i s o l a t e d f o r some p a r t o f each school day.
There are problems i n such openness. Chief among them i s the d i f f i c u l t y f o r p r o f e s s i o n a l
teachers i n communicating what they know t o be
good "education" to laymen who o f t e n take a pragmatic and m a t e r i a l i s t i c view of the purposes o f the s c h o o l . This d i f f i c u l t y i n communication leaves teachers w i t h the f e a r t h a t g i v i n g too much power t o the community might r e s u l t i n the d i s t o r t i o n o f the t o t a l balance o f the program. This f e a r i s based on a b e l i e f , t h a t the s h a r i n g o f power means a
r e d u c t i o n o f power f o r the teachers who have i t a t present.
The Committee does not accept t h i s view o f the consequences o f opening the school t o the community.
I t b e l i e v e s t h a t the power of teachers t o be e f f e c t i v e w i l l be increased i f there i s an increase i n the
power of the community t o i n f l u e n c e , and t h e r e f o r e understand, what i s happening i n the schools.
A s i m i l a r view o f power was expressed t o the Committee by the Tasmanian Teachers F e d e r a t i o n :
We do not see the growing autonomy of the school as an a l t e r n a t i v e or an o p p o s i t i o n t o community p a r t i c i p a t i o n but r a t h e r as a n a t u r a l c o r o l l a r y t o
i t . As communities develop and schools grow c l o s e r t o t h e i r communities,
v a r i e t y i n education should f o l l o w and t h i s w i l l place more r e s p o n s i b i l i t y on the i n d i v i d u a l school.
The Committee accepts each of the v i e w p o i n t s o u t l i n e d above as extremes, but takes the view t h a t many schools at present are c l o s e r t o the f i r s t than t o the second. I t would want t o see a s h i f t towards f a r g r e a t e r involvement of the school i n the l i f e of the community, i n order t o enable the school t o serve the community b e t t e r , and also i n order t o increase the power of the school t o have t h i s s e r v i c e a p p r e c i a t e d and
supported. Some aspects of the ways i n which t h i s s h i f t i n emphasis may be achieved are discussed i n the f o l l o w i n g s e c t i o n s .
The r e l a t i o n s h i p between schools and the Education Department
One of the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of A u s t r a l i a n education systems i n the past was the e x e r c i s e of a b i n d i n g c e n t r a l c o n t r o l over schools i n a l l m a t t e r s . Such a d e s c r i p t i o n no longer represents
the s i t u a t i o n i n Tasmania f o r s i g n i f i c a n t areas of decision-making are now e x e r c i s e d a t r e g i o n a l and i n d i v i d u a l - s c h o o l l e v e l s .
The present s i t u a t i o n i s one i n which a school operates w i t h i n important c o n s t r a i n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y those of f i n a n c e and s t a f f i n g , but w i t h i n these l i m i t s i s able t o develop i t s own c u r r i c u l u m emphasis and school o r g a n i z a t i o n . These o p p o r t u n i t i e s t o be
i n v o l v e d i n decision-making r e s u l t i n a considerable degree of autonomy and, as a n a t u r a l consequence, an i n c r e a s i n g d i v e r s i t y between schools. However, i n the Tasmanian community, there would be a general r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t t h e r e must be l i m i t s t o the e x t e n t to which government schools can act as f u l l y
independent i n s t i t u t i o n s . The c e n t r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n cannot y i e l d t o demands f o r freedom from s u p e r v i s i o n f o r t h i s would be a r e n u n c i a t i o n of the necessary requirement t h a t i n a s t a t e education-system schools must be h e l d accountable both t o the Education
Department and M i n i s t e r r e s p o n s i b l e to Parliament f o r the school system and t o the community which they are u l t i m a t e l y s e r v i n g . I n f a c t i t i s considered t h a t t h i s r e a l i t y i s understood by schools and t h e r e i s less i n t e r e s t i n the q u e s t i o n of " f u l l autonomy"
than i n the l a s t decade.
I t would appear t h a t t h e r e are some areas where schools want o u t s i d e support and involvement, such as the a d v i s o r y r o l e o f s u p e r i n t e n d e n t s ,
supervisors and c o n s u l t a n t s , and p o s i t i v e support from the Department f o r what they are doing.
Generally i n the evidence the Committee r e c e i v e d , support was given f o r the idea o f
d i v e r s i t y between schools r a t h e r than u n i f o r m i t y throughout the system. The moving away from the idea t h a t every school must f o l l o w one p a r t i c u l a r p a t t e r n t o achieve success and the g r e a t e r freedom i n decision-making given t o schools were seen t o be f a c t o r s r e s u l t i n g i n d i v e r s i t y .
Evidence from the Survey o f Secondary Schools showed t h a t o f the 70 schools surveyed 22 s t a t e d t h a t they " f r e q u e n t l y " experienced tensions w i t h
the c e n t r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , w h i l e 22 said " o c c a s i o n a l l y Delays w i t h b u i l d i n g s , l a c k o f parent and teacher
c o n s u l t a t i o n i n p l a n n i n g o f b u i l d i n g s , inadequacies i n b u i l d i n g s which meant t h a t b u i l d i n g s determined the s o r t o f o r g a n i z a t i o n the school has, d i s s a t i s - f a c t i o n w i t h the s t a f f i n g f o r m u l a , and the l a c k o f o p p o r t u n i t y f o r the i n d i v i d u a l school t o match new teachers w i t h p o s i t i o n s , p h i l o s o p h i e s and o t h e r s t a f f members were most o f t e n c i t e d as causes o f t e n s i o n between schools and the c e n t r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .
The present p o l i c y o f the Education Department i s t h a t secondary schools w i l l and should become more d i v e r s e . The p o l i c y can be summarized as
f o l l o w s :
D i v e r s i t y o f schools i s seen as d e s i r a b l e because the p r o f e s s i o n i s a t a p o i n t where i t s members i n each school and c o l l e g e should work out what has t o be done and how i t
should be done f o r the p a r t i c u l a r school community which i s being served. W i t h i n the school's own p o l i c i e s t h a t are developed by i t s s t a f f i t must be p o s s i b l e t o accept
d i v e r s e approaches by i n d i v i d u a l t e a c h e r s . (.4) From the c e n t r a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ' s d e s i r e t o f o s t e r d i v e r s i t y several f e a t u r e s must f o l l o w . F i r s t i s the need f o r an increased o p p o r t u n i t y f o r parents to choose the school they wish, t h e i r c h i l d r e n t o a t t e n d . Secondly i t i s i m p e r a t i v e t h a t the school has some say i n the s e l e c t i o n o f i t s s t a f f i n order t h a t the " .... school w i l l be able t o work as a community of l i k e minded people and not be a c o l l e c t i o n of suspicious and w a r r i n g camps more concerned about the d e s t r u c t i o n o f an opposing view than the w e l f a r e o f the school i t s e l f " . (.5)
T h i r d l y , the schools need the p o s i t i v e support o f the Department f o r the d e c i s i o n s t h a t they have i n f a c t been given t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o make. At the present moment t h e schools f e e l they are o f t e n l e f t t o do t h e i r own PR work and t o defend themselves from c r i t i c i s m both from w i t h i n the system and
from the p u b l i c . (6)
The Committee's view i s t h a t the most p r o f i t a b l e approach t o the q u e s t i o n o f school autonomy i s n o t to attempt a p r e c i s e d e f i n i t i o n o f the nature and l e v e l s o f autonomy but t o focus on the q u e s t i o n :
"At what l e v e l should decision-making be exercised?"
The presumption should be t h a t d e c i s i o n s w i l l be made by s t a f f s w i t h i n schools except f o r those matters which r e q u i r e d e f i n i t i o n a t c e n t r a l and r e g i o n a l l e v e l .
The Committee i s i n favour o f an e v o l u t i o n a r y process o f d e v o l v i n g r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s t o schools and wishes t o encourage t h i s process. The i m p l i c a t i o n s
of t h i s p r i n c i p l e are examined i n r e l a t i o n t o the f o l l o w i n g areas:
(a) i n r e l a t i o n t o c u r r i c u l u m development
the Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t , w i t h i n broad g u i d e l i n e s developed f o r the t o t a l system, each school should be able t o develop
i t s own approach t o secondary e d u c a t i o n . This r e p o r t has made recommendations about a core c u r r i c u l u m f o r a l l secondary schools and has i n d i c a t e d f e a t u r e s about school o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t should be
f o l l o w e d i n a l l schools. (7) The Committee envisages t h a t each school w i l l take t h i s framework and, through f u l l involvement of the s t a f f and i n c l u d i n g c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h the community, develop i t s own approach t o secondary e d u c a t i o n . (bJ E v a l u a t i o n o f the school program and
o r g a n i z a t i o n i s seen by the Committee as being a matter o f on-going s e l f - e v a l u a t i o n by the f u l l s t a f f o f the school and as a process i n which schools would c a l l i n p r o f e s s i o n a l advice from o u t s i d e the
school.
(cJ Although the Committee wishes t o see schools i n v o l v e d more deeply i n t h e i r own s t a f f i n g , i t does n o t accept t h a t schools should have the sole a u t h o r i t y t o s e l e c t teachers.
C o n s u l t a t i o n between s t a f f i n g o f f i c e r s and schools has been extended c o n s i d e r a b l y i n recent years, e s p e c i a l l y i n r e l a t i o n to the f i e l d s o f teaching r e q u i r e d o f new members of s t a f f but needs to be
extended so t h a t in-coming teachers have views about secondary education t h a t make i t p o s s i b l e f o r them t o work w i t h other teachers i n the school. For t h i s to happen schools w i l l need t o
develop statements about t h e i r aims and approaches t o secondary education and use the resources o f the Department t o make these statements known.
(dj The Committee accepts t h a t increased autonomy f o r schools r e q u i r e s a high l e v e l o f
a d m i n i s t r a t i v e l e a d e r s h i p w i t h i n the
school. A c c o r d i n g l y i t i s accepted t h a t a p p r o p r i a t e a n c i l l a r y s t a f f need t o be made a v a i l a b l e t o secondary s t a f f and t h a t school a d m i n i s t r a t o r s need t o be provided w i t h the o p p o r t u n i t y to acquire p r o f e s s i o n a l l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s through a p p r o p r i a t e i n - s e r v i c e education.
The r o l e o f the i n d i v i d u a l parent
The Committee acknowledges t h a t parents are the f i r s t and foremost educators o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n . The i n f l u e n c e o f the home has always been known t o be i m p o r t a n t , and many surveys c a r r i e d out have shown the l a r g e p a r t t h a t p a r e n t a l a t t i t u d e s p l a y . Although there are changes i n the a t t i t u d e s o f parents as t h e i r c h i l d r e n grow o l d e r , the i n t e r e s t shown i n such t h i n g s as school f u n c t i o n s , the p r o v i s i o n o f books i n the home and general encour- agement and support f o r the c h i l d ' s e f f o r t t o l e a r n , a l l p l a y a s i g n i f i c a n t p a r t i n a c h i l d ' s general progress. (8) Thus, the p a r t t h a t parents p l a y i s so d e c i s i v e t h a t t h e i r f a i l u r e i n t h i s r o l e cannot be r e a d i l y compensated f o r by any other s o c i a l agency.
Parents cannot cease t o be i n v o l v e d i n t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s education when they enter school; t h e i r r e s p o n s i -
b i l i t i e s continue and t h e i r r i g h t t o be i n v o l v e d i n the l i f e o f the school i s emphasized.
In a number o f submissions to the Committee, the need f o r parents t o be able t o exercise a choice between d i f f e r e n t Government schools was urged.
U n t i l r e c e n t l y , such a choice would not appear t o have been necessary since each o f the high schools had an e s s e n t i a l l y s i m i l a r o r g a n i z a t i o n and program.
A c c o r d i n g l y , a system o f zoning which d i r e c t e d a l l c h i l d r e n from a primary school t o a p a r t i c u l a r
high school was adopted. Now t h e r e i s i n c r e a s i n g d i v e r s i t y between schools and the development o f d i s t i n c t i v e approaches t o school o r g a n i z a t i o n and the e d u c a t i o n a l program. Given t h e r o l e o f parents t h a t has been d e s c r i b e d , the Committee i s of the o p i n i o n t h a t a g r e a t e r degree o f choice be p r o v i d e d at the time the c h i l d i s about t o begin secondary s c h o o l i n g .
I n the view o f the Committee i t i s very d e s i r a b l e t h a t a choice o f secondary school should be exercised once o n l y , a t the very beginning o f the c h i l d ' s
secondary education. Given the preceding statement about d i v e r s i t y between schools, t h e r e are s t r o n g
arguments f o r keeping a student a t the same school f o r the f o u r years, 7 t o 10. A change of residence or severe personal problems may n e c e s s i t a t e a change but i t should n o t otherwise be undertaken. I n p r o v i d i n g f o r p a r e n t a l choice between secondary schools there must be r e s t r a i n t s a r i s i n g from economic c o n s i d e r a t i o n s . The Education Department should n o t be r e q u i r e d t o
meet a d d i t i o n a l costs r e l a t e d t o t r a n s p o r t or
accommodation i n schools and h o s t e l s . Schools should accept a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o e n r o l any e l i g i b l e students from the zones they now serve and should admit other a p p l i c a n t s up t o the enrolment determined by t h e Education Department. W i t h i n these r e s t r a i n t s the Committee seeks the i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a c o n t r o l l e d de-zoning p o l i c y based on the wishes o f parents f o r t h e i r c h i l d r e n ' s education and on no other c r i t e r i a .
The Committee considers t h a t parents should be c l o s e l y i n v o l v e d i n the important d e c i s i o n s t h a t are made about or by students i n the course o f t h e i r s c h o o l i n g .
I n a c h i l d ' s school career there are s e v e r a l important d e c i s i o n - p o i n t s such as the choice o f
subjects and courses or the d e c i s i o n t o leave school or t o continue t o Higher School C e r t i f i c a t e s t u d i e s . There i s a tendency f o r parents t o leave such
d e c i s i o n s t o t h e i r c h i l d r e n whereas t h e students themselves want more p a r e n t a l support a t these times. (9) We h o l d the view t h a t involvement and c o u n s e l l i n g by parents a t these times i s o f key importance and are a necessary p a r t o f the parent's e d u c a t i o n a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s .
For t h e school and f o r such agencies as the Commonwealth Employment Service or i n s t i t u t i o n s of f u r t h e r education, an important i m p l i c a t i o n i s t h a t parents must be provided w i t h the
necessary i n f o r m a t i o n f o r them t o a s s i s t .
The Committee b e l i e v e s t h a t the education system needs t o take the i n i t i a t i v e i n developing g r e a t e r p a r e n t a l involvement i n the education o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n . I n general school a d m i n i s t r a t o r s and teachers need t o a c q u i r e g r e a t e r e x p e r t i s e i n b u i l d i n g up good r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h p a r e n t s . This should be an i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f p r e - s e r v i c e
education and teacher-development programs. More s p e c i f i c a l l y , t h e r e are many s i t u a t i o n s which c a l l f o r the school t o go out t o the p a r e n t s . Sometimes one o f the senior s t a f f from the school or a teacher w i t h a p p r o p r i a t e s k i l l s and s e n s i t i v i t y may be
the most s u i t a b l e person t o make these v i s i t s . However, the Committee recognizes t h a t some
s i t u a t i o n s c a l l f o r a s p e c i a l i s t support f o r the school and the Committee considers the employment of home-school l i a i s o n o f f i c e r s t o meet s p e c i a l needs should have a high p r i o r i t y i n the a l l o c a t i o n of a d d i t i o n a l resources.
Community p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n secondary schools (10) In recent years community involvement i n
schools has emerged as a c e n t r a l issue i n A u s r a l i a n education and one i n which t e n s i o n between teachers and some parents and o t h e r members o f the community has been apparent. The A u s t r a l i a n Schools Commission has f o s t e r e d the developing r e l a t i o n s h i p between
the school and community and has suggested t h a t : Several f a c t o r s l i e behind the increased
movement f o r community p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n t h e school. As people become conscious o f t h e u n c e r t a i n t i e s and c o n f l i c t s concerning
the f u n c t i o n s and values o f s c h o o l i n g , they may seek t o p l a y a g r e a t e r p a r t i n the r e s o l u t i o n o f these problems. At the same time a general t r e n d towards p a r t i c i p a t i o n and away from acceptance o f remote c o n t r o l must i n e v i t a b l y a f f e c t the r e l a t i o n s h i p o f the school t o the community i t serves.
Some parents and parent o r g a n i s a t i o n s seek to p a r t i c i p a t e i n the c o n t r o l o f schools and i n t h e process o f decision-making w i t h i n schools. This d e s i r e r a i s e s
important q u e s t i o n s : What k i n d o f d e c i s i o n s are made and should be made a t school l e v e l ? What r o l e s can members o f t h e community
p l a y w i t h i n t h e school? Can they p l a y a
meaningful r o l e w i t h i n t r a d i t i o n a l s t r u c t u r e s ? ( l l )
The Committee b e l i v e s t h a t the e f f o r t s t h a t i n d i v i d u a l schools have made t o i n v o l v e parents and the community should be continued and expanded and t h a t d i v e r s e forms o f involvement be encouraged.
I t must be recognized t h a t t h i s o b j e c t i v e i s a long-term one and schools should not become d i s -
couraged i f e a r l y e f f o r t s t o i n v o l v e parents and the community meet w i t h a lack o f response. Among the forms o f community involvement t h e f o l l o w i n g may be instanced:
(.a) The Committee wishes t o support and
encourage the t r e n d o f recent years where some schools have made t h e i r f a c i l i t i e s a v a i l a b l e f o r school-sponsored a c t i v i t i e s g e n e r a l l y , and f o r meetings o f o u t s i d e bodies such as scout groups, the YMCA, f i l m s o c i e t i e s , s p o r t i n g and hobby
c l u b s . I t i s necessary however t o
draw a t t e n t i o n t o the f a c t t h a t widespread and f u l l use o f school f a c i l i t i e s
r e q u i r e s t h e employment o f c a r e t a k e r s and maintenance personnel so t h a t the school can serve i t s normal e d u c a t i o n a l f u n c t i o n w i t h o u t d i s r u p t i o n .
(b) The Committee recognises the v a l u a b l e work performed by the Parents and Friends A s s o c i a t i o n s and wishes t o encourage
t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y where help i s g i v e n i n e s s e n t i a l aspects o f school l i f e such as s p o r t i n g a c t i v i t i e s , l i b r a r y a s s i s t a n c e , h e l p i n g i n the school canteen, t o name b u t t h r e e . Such
a c t i v i t i e s , a p a r t from d i r e c t l y a s s i s t i n g the s c h o o l , p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r close c o n t a c t w i t h o t h e r p a r e n t s , i n d i v i d u a l teachers and s t u d e n t s .
Cc) F i n a l l y t h e Committee recognises t h a t w i t h i n the community t h e r e are s k i l l s which should be tapped by the school.
These s k i l l s may range from a mother or f a t h e r h e l p i n g t h e i r c h i l d w i t h a
s p e c i f i c l e a r n i n g d i f f i c u l t y t o assistance given i n the area o f v o c a t i o n a l guidance by experienced people. I n a d d i t i o n ,
parents w i t h p a r t i c u l a r knowledge and s k i l l s c o u l d be used, on occasions, i n the classroom.
The most s e n s i t i v e aspect o f p a r e n t a l and
community involvement i s the e x t e n t t o which those who are not members o f the s t a f f should be i n v o l v e d
i n decision-making i n r e l a t i o n t o school o r g a n i z a t i o n and the school program.
There would seem t o be a t e n s i o n between such an involvement and the p r o f e s s i o n a l autonomy o f the teachers, an autonomy t h a t d e r i v e s from t h e i r e x p e r t i s e i n the f i e l d . The Committee does not
b e l i e v e , however, t h a t t h i s t e n s i o n i s n e c e s s a r i l y unhealthy. I t would be i n a c c u r a t e t o present i t i n terms o f a c o n f l i c t i n which any p a r t i c i p a n t needs t o f e e l threatened. I n t h i s s u b j e c t i t would seem necessary t o i n d i c a t e c l e a r l y the nature and
boundaries o f involvement. The Committee sees the s i t u a t i o n i n terms o f c o n s u l t a t i o n r a t h e r than management and o f an a d v i s o r y r o l e r a t h e r than a c o n t r o l l i n g one. Some f e a t u r e s can be i d e n t i f i e d :
(a) C o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h parents and the community should be p a r t o f the
process by which the school determines i t s program and o r g a n i z a t i o n and
engages i n s e l f - e v a l u a t i o n .
(bj There are members o f the community who can be very u s e f u l t o schools i n decision-making because o f t h e i r
e x p e r t i s e . A g e n e r a t i o n ago t h i s was recognised by d i s t r i c t schools i n
using l o c a l farmers t o give advice on the school farm. A c u r r e n t example i s the assistance which parents w i t h e x p e r t i s e i n long-term f i n a n c i a l
p l a n n i n g could g i v e t o schools as they are given increased f i n a n c i a l responsib- i l i t y .
(.c) The need f o r c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h parents
• i s p a r t i c u l a r l y d e s i r a b l e i n r e l a t i o n t o major developments w i t h i n the s c h o o l , i n c l u d i n g those i n v o l v i n g f i n a n c e . The involvement o f community r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s r e q u i r e d by some A u s t r a l i a n Schools Commission programs serves as a model i n t h i s r e s p e c t . The Committee would see t h i s need as being met by involvement i n the decision-making process and not merely by the v a l i d a t i o n by parents o f d e c i s i o n s p r e v i o u s l y reached by the s t a f f . The s o r t o f c o n s u l t a t i o n described above would n o t r e q u i r e a f o r m a l l y s t r u c t u r e d body. The Committee opposes the i m p o s i t i o n on schools o f a "Parent- S t a f f C o u n c i l " or a "School Board". To l e g i s l a t e f o r a l l secondary schools t o have such Councils
would seem unproductive and a l i e n t o the e v o l u t i o n a r y process which i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f the present
s i t u a t i o n . Rather, the Committee would encourage the f o r m a t i o n o f a f o r m a l body o n l y i f the school and the community both consider t h a t i t would be a p p r o p r i a t e . The emphasis o f the Committee i s n o t on the establishment o f a new s t r u c t u r e b u t on the need f o r schools t o give g r e a t e r emphasis t o the c o n s u l t a t i o n o f parents and the community and t o the gradual development o f c o n s u l t a t i v e processes
Using the resources o f the community
The Committee considers t h a t the resources and f a c i l i t i e s a c t u a l l y provided by the Education Department should n o t be seen as i n d i c a t i n g the boundaries o f the school program. Each school should add t o these p r o v i s i o n s by drawing on the resources a v a i l a b l e i n i t s community.
There i s a growing acceptance o f t h i s p r i n c i p l e by Tasmanian secondary schools, and i n the Committee's
Survey o f Secondary Education, m o s t saw t h e u s e o f
community resources as v a l u a b l e . (12) However, most saw t h i s value i n terms o f a c t i v i t i e s t h a t might i n one concept o f the c u r r i c u l u m be c a l l e d " e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r " r a t h e r than i n extensions o f the c u r r i c u l u m by t h i s means. For example, students go out o f the school t o use s p o r t i n g f a c i l i t i e s and v o c a t i o n a l resources, or t o engage i n c u l t u r a l a c t i v i t i e s and community involvement programs, and b r i n g i n v i s i t o r s t o schools t o a s s i s t w i t h e x t r a - c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s .
The value o f u s i n g community resources was s t r o n g l y supported by s e v e r a l o f the groups who gave submissions t o t h e Committee w h i l e our
commissioned research on student decision-making i n d i c a t e d t h a t students see value i n the use o f community resources, would l i k e t o make suggestions about such use b u t seemed u n c e r t a i n about t h e l i k e l y response which teachers would make t o these
suggestions. (13)
I t would be u n r e a l i s t i c t o ignore the
d i f f i c u l t i e s i n v o l v e d i n the school use o f community resources. There i s a l i m i t e d range o f such resources a v a i l a b l e t o schools i n i s o l a t e d r u r a l areas, and i n urban areas there i s l i k e l y t o be c o m p e t i t i o n and
d u p l i c a t i o n as some resources are sought by a number o f schools. This l a t t e r p o i n t leads t o the danger o f t h e over-use o f some resources, and the p o s s i b l e c l o s i n g o f them t o a l l schools. Because o f t h i s danger, i t i s i m p o r t a n t t h a t the value attached by schools t o the use o f community resources should be made known by a d e l i b e r a t e e f f o r t , d i r e c t e d
e s p e c i a l l y t o the o r g a n i z a t i o n s and places most f r e q u e n t l y used by schools.
The Committee has agreed t h a t a school's program of outdoor education should be i n t e g r a t e d w i t h i t s program o f indoor education. This i m p l i e srt h a t
outdoor education programs must be c a r e f u l l y planned to match the school's aims and o b j e c t i v e s f o r the students i n v o l v e d .
Evidence from one o f the teachers most c e n t r a l l y i n v o l v e d i n outdoor education i n d i c a t e d some of the p i t f a l l s t h a t come from l a c k o f p l a n n i n g :
I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t outdoor experiences can become an a d d i t i o n a l cross t o bear and may serve as a form o f entertainment or escape f o r some teachers. I t can, i n some cases, add t o the haphazard nature o f many school experiences f o r i t s students and serve
only t o depart f u r t h e r from general education obj e c t i v e s .
I f schools accept the basic idea o f i n t e g r a t i o n they have a v a i l a b l e t o them i n Tasmania a r i c h
and v a r i e d environment - urban, r u r a l , bush, mountain i and seashore - which can a s s i s t them i n a c h i e v i n g
t h e i r o b j e c t i v e s w i t h students. These o b j e c t i v e s l i e i n a l l the major areas o f student development.
Some outdoor education experiences w i l l emphasise i n t e l l e c t u a l development, others p h y s i c a l develop-
ment , many w i l l be geared t o developing e n v i r o n m e n t a l , c u l t u r a l and s o c i a l understandings, b u t the
o p p o r t u n i t y f o r a l l o f these i s increased w i t h
i n d i v i d u a l students as new s t i m u l i o u t s i d e t h e school environment are presented.
Evidence given t o the Committee suggests t h a t a major b e n e f i t d e r i v i n g from outdoor education i s t h a t r e l a t i o n s h i p s between teachers and students are improved. However, i t i s c l e a r t h a t t o engage i n an unplanned outdoor experience i n the name o f
" b e t t e r s o c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p s " i s u n p r o d u c t i v e . Rather, the c l o s e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s come as a r e s u l t of engaging i n a prepared and s t r u c t u r e d program o f l e a r n i n g and a c t i v i t i e s i n d i f f e r e n t f i e l d s .
The i n t e g r a t i o n o f outdoor education w i t h i n the school's t o t a l l e a r n i n g program a l s o i m p l i e s t h a t outdoor education should be planned f o r a l l s t u d e n t s . I t f o l l o w s t h a t schools need t o look c a r e f u l l y a t the stages o f i n t e l l e c t u a l , s o c i a l , p h y s i c a l and emotional development o f students when they come t o p l a n t h e i r a c t i v i t i e s f o r Years
7 t o 10. For example, the p h y s i c a l challenge i n an adventure a c t i v i t y f o r a l l must be a p p r o p r i a t e to the p h y s i c a l development o f the p a r t i c u l a r students i n the group and not t h a t o f t h e teacher or t o l a t e r or e a r l i e r year groups.
Outdoor education experiences f o r a l l students should t h e r e f o r e take preference over s p e c i a l i s t experiences f o r a few.
This i s n o t t o decry such s p e c i a l i s t experiences, b u t to p o i n t out t h a t they u s u a l l y r e q u i r e a low p u p i l - teacher r a t i o and u s u a l l y absorb the time o f a
teacher w i t h p a r t i c u l a r t a l e n t s i n outdoor e d u c a t i o n . The p l a n n i n g should be such t h a t the school's
program, developed as o u t l i n e d above, w i l l provide the experiences throughout the year i n p r i o r i t y areas o f student development.
The q u a l i t y o f teacher l e a d e r s h i p i n outdoor education must be the c o n t i n u i n g concern o f
Education Department, p r e - s e r v i c e and i n - s e r v i c e t r a i n i n g and school a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . What the
Committee has s a i d about p u p i l - t e a c h e r r e l a t i o n s h i p s and about student decision-making and consequences has a p p l i c a t i o n i n t h i s area. The Committee accepts evidence presented t o i t t h a t teachers i n v o l v e d i n l i v i n g away w i t h students r e q u i r e a s o c i a l m a t u r i t y themselves and a c a p a c i t y t o deal w i t h complex s o c i a l s i t u a t i o n s . They r e q u i r e a p a r t i c u l a r a b i l i t y t o p r o j e c t g u i d e l i n e s f o r behaviour t h a t are meaningful t o t h e students as w e l l as being, s o c i a l l y acceptable. The teacher's knowledge of the student and the environment as w e l l as the subject i s u n d e r l i n e d here. This i s p a r t i c u l a r l y the case i n a c t i v i t i e s i n v o l v i n g p h y s i c a l r i s k t o students such as canoeing, bushwalking, caverneering and rock c l i m b i n g . The Committee considers t h a t there are some h i g h - r i s k a c t i v i t i e s such as hang- g l i d i n g or scuba-diving i n which the school should not become i n v o l v e d . I n these areas i t would seem more a p p r o p r i a t e f o r students t o j o i n groups o u t s i d e
the school and r e l y on s k i l l e d and experienced leadership from a d u l t s i n those groups.
In g e n e r a l , t h e use o f community resources c a l l s f o r a school o r g a n i z a t i o n which i s f l e x i b l e enough t o a l l o w students t o leave t h e school f o r
s u f f i c i e n t time t o make use o f an e x t e r n a l resource, and t o a l l o w a v i s i t o r t o the school who i s not t r a i n e d as a teacher t o work i n a group s i z e and a c l i m a t e t h a t he can manage, and t o have some i n d u c t i o n before working w i t h p u p i l s .
A p a r a l l e l requirement i s f o r the c o - o r d i n a t i o n of resource use on a r e g i o n a l or l o c a l b a s i s . The Committee i s a t t r a c t e d by the n o t i o n o f the Regional Advisory Council t h a t has been e s t a b l i s h e d i n the northern r e g i o n o f t h e State and would see value i n
the extension o f t h i s concept t o o t h e r places.
Summary
I f schooling i s t o be a p a r t o f the f a b r i c o f the community and n o t a separate compartment o f l i f e then there must be a g r e a t e r responsiveness by t h e school t o the outside w o r l d and a g r e a t e r i n t e r a c t i o n between the two. The d e c i s i o n t o r e l i n q u i s h a
b i n d i n g c e n t r a l c o n t r o l over schools and t h e extended o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h a t e x i s t f o r i n d i v i d u a l schools t o be i n v o l v e d i n decision-making about t h e i r program and o r g a n i z a t i o n have r e s u l t e d i n a degree o f
d i v e r s i t y between schools. This d i v e r s i t y has support from the Education Department, t h e schools and the p u b l i c . A l o g i c a l consequence o f d i v e r s i t y i s t h a t parents need t o be given some choice w i t h regard t o which school they send t h e i r c h i l d r e n
and the consequent n e c e s s i t y f o r schools t o f o r m u l a t e t h e i r aims and p h i l o s o p h i e s and make these known t o parents and teachers. I t must b r i n g about g r e a t e r p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f parents and t h e community and a need f o r schools t o explore avenues whereby t h i s p a r t i c i p a t i o n can be expanded and be f r u i t f u l t o a l l concerned.. . I t opens up ideas on t h e school .making increased use o f the resources a v a i l a b l e i n
the community and the community having g r e a t e r use of the resources o f t h e schools.
2.2 THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES