1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Adam Vot is a repeat visitor to the Happy Families podcast. 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: Why because he's one of the most sensible, one of 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 1: the most interesting, and one of the most pragmatic voices 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: when it comes to how we engage with schools as 5 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: parents in Australia. If you are a parent or a teacher, 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: this is one of those must listen interviews. Stay with us, 7 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: good day and welcome to the Happy Families Podcast. Real 8 00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,680 Speaker 1: Parenting Solutions every Day. This is Australia's most downloaded parenting podcast. 9 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: My name is doctor Justin Coulson and I'm absolutely wrapped 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: to have the CEO and founder of Real Schools operating 11 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: in more than three hundred schools around the country. Now, 12 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: Adam vod with me to talk about the things that 13 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: apply to us as parents, but also the stuff that 14 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: affects teachers. We're going to be talking about phone bands 15 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: in schools, overt sexual behavior in schools, teacher burnout, and 16 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: also a new book that he's got out that is 17 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: available for every teacher in the country. I think you're 18 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 1: going to want to listen to this conversation. There's so 19 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: much good stuff to discuss. Adam, Thanks for being with me. 20 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:04,559 Speaker 2: My pleasure, Chastam, we have an injury like that, mate, 21 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 2: I'm happy to talk for hours. 22 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 3: I'll try and keep it. 23 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: Sure, you're a tvcifer, stay, You've been on all of 24 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: the big shows, and people keep on ringing you because 25 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 1: you've got so many sensible things to say. Let's start 26 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: with what I think is probably a bit of a 27 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: softball one, but it's worthy of conversation because not every 28 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: school system is on board yet, but essentially state run schools, 29 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: government run schools around the country have unanimously over the 30 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 1: last year or two gotten on board with banning telephones 31 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: in school settings. So from nine to three, no telephones 32 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: if you're at school in a public system. What have 33 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: you seen in terms of the results around this. 34 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,040 Speaker 2: First of all, the results are undoubtedly a win. So 35 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 2: that doesn't mean that it's one hundred percent win, and 36 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 2: it doesn't mean that it's without problem being able to 37 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: tackle something like this. But when you consider where we 38 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 2: came from, but almost universally across the country, we thought 39 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: it was impossible to. 40 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 3: Ban mobile phones. 41 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: I actually write an article that was published in the 42 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 2: Age about six years ago where I said, I think 43 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 2: that we just have to accept that every kid's going 44 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: to walk around with technology in their pocket, And then 45 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 2: had to write another one about twelve months ago where 46 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 2: I confessed my wrongness, where I had to say that 47 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 2: this is actually the evidence is it's just having too 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: much negative impact on our young people. The evidence is 49 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: that they need a break and that school is a 50 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: great time to be able to get that break. So 51 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 2: the challenge is how do we do it? And I 52 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: think if we looked at the spectrum of where it's 53 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: worked and where it hasn't. 54 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,399 Speaker 3: We would see that there are schools that it's worked. 55 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:38,519 Speaker 2: Okay, there's a handful of schools where it hasn't worked, 56 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 2: and there are schools where it's worked exceedingly well and 57 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,959 Speaker 2: exceedingly well in terms of it being reported positively by 58 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:53,359 Speaker 2: all stakeholders, especially the kids. And so you know, when 59 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 2: I look at schools that have done this really well, 60 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 2: I think about one of our partner schools in Western 61 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 2: Sydney whose principal really clever guy. And when the directive 62 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 2: came through, because that's how it landed, we will ban 63 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: mobile phones. His first step was to bring in his 64 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 2: student leaders and he asked them to all bring a 65 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 2: friend who they considered to be one of the cool kids. 66 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: And he told this group of kids in his office, 67 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 2: none of the communication around this mobile phone band which 68 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: we have to do, none of it is going to 69 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 2: come from me or from our staff. 70 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 3: It's all coming from you guys. 71 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: So you tell me how do we get this done 72 00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 2: with parents, with staff, and with kids in a way 73 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: that has us all feel like we've got ownership of it. 74 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: And he's one school. That's one school that I would 75 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 2: say is like at the very pointy end of schools 76 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: where this has worked well and where his students are saying, 77 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: we love it. 78 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: That's such a great story. I love the student led 79 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: empowerment there. Adam, My read of whatever research has been 80 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: released indicates that there's been a seeming reduction in bullying. 81 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 1: There's more more high quality concentration happening, and better learning 82 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: happening in classrooms. Academic achievement appears to be on the up. 83 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: All of these things are being pushed onto this school band. 84 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 1: What else have you seen in the data? And is 85 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 1: there anything that's sort of really worth celebrating across the 86 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: board even though it's not a resounding success everywhere. 87 00:04:19,360 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the thing that's worth celebrating is the 88 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: first steps. So I don't think we should think that 89 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 2: this is going to dramatically improve naplan or ATR results 90 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 2: or anything like that. But I think that what we 91 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 2: can do is say that we can have real confidence 92 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 2: given the research. Why people are Jonathan Hyde and Sherry 93 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 2: Turkle and Genequenji and people who have all been saying 94 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 2: for years that this is actually changing young people in 95 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 2: the wrong direction. That I think what we should be 96 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: excited about is what happens to the students who say, 97 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 2: in year seven now and when they get the next 98 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 2: six years of practice being in the company of other 99 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:56,160 Speaker 2: people face to place, rather than staring downwardly at a phone, 100 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,960 Speaker 2: when they have postures in their life that they practice 101 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 2: that don't look miserable. If you think about the way 102 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 2: we look justin when we look at a phone, we 103 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 2: actually strike a pose of kind of putting our chin 104 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 2: down to our chest, which is the pose you make 105 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: with your body when you're miserable, when you're sad. But 106 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: when you think about what you look like when you're 107 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 2: actually talking to another person, we take a more happy 108 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: disposition when we're doing that. And so I think there's 109 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 2: incredibly while yes, I think we're seeing some green shoots now, 110 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 2: which we should be happy about. I think what we 111 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 2: should be happy about is the kind of young people 112 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 2: that will develop in six years time if they get 113 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 2: all the practice they need about being in that awkward 114 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: argie bargie sometimes uncomfortable, often happy conversation space with other people, 115 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 2: the kind of young people they'll turn into, which is 116 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:44,359 Speaker 2: that's what I'm more excited about. 117 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that. I want to pick up on 118 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: another tech issue here. In fact, there's a couple of 119 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: different places we could go, but I want to talk 120 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: about sexualized behavior in schools. This is in the news 121 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,440 Speaker 1: every other day. It's kids from let's say grade six 122 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: through usually to about grade ten, and it's unfortunately almost 123 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: always boys. Collective Shout and Advocate Organization for Women and 124 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,280 Speaker 1: Girls released a report recently called the Sexual Harassment of 125 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 1: Teachers Report. Teachers across the country are saying that they're 126 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: being subjects to explicit and inappropriate comments and groans and 127 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: moans from boys as young as grade four and grade five. 128 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:28,559 Speaker 1: We're seeing stories constantly about grade five, grade six, grade 129 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: seven boys, eight and grade nine boys who are setting 130 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: up chats and they're sharing racist and misogynist and anti 131 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:40,280 Speaker 1: semitic memes, and sharing child abuse material and hardcore pornography. 132 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: I mean, the stuff is it's toe curling, it's breath taking, 133 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: that the world's gone this way and that our kids 134 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 1: so young are being so affected by it. In terms 135 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: of this sexualized behavior in school, what are you seeing? Firstly, 136 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 1: to the degree that you're comfortable sharing, But secondly, and 137 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: perhaps the bigger part of this question, what are we 138 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: supposed to do about it? 139 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's that's that's second part of it is probably 140 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: the big question, because I think, like you justin I'm 141 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: seeing I'm seeing big problems, and I worry not only 142 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 2: like you said, boys are overrepresented in this data, and 143 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: also boys who you know, the boys that are not 144 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: they're not They're not just our kids who typically struggle 145 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 2: at school. 146 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 3: There are our kids in those you know, what we. 147 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 2: Might call exclusive or elite schools, you know, who have 148 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: all the advantages but still falling for this kind of 149 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:36,440 Speaker 2: I guess moral decay in the way that they're in 150 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 2: the way that they're being built. So I get concerned 151 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 2: for them because I think, what kind of young man 152 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 2: do you turn into? If you think early that that 153 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: at a formative stage that that's okay, or that it's 154 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 2: not only okay, but it's advantageous. And then I systemically, 155 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 2: if we don't do some take some action on this, 156 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 2: then I think that we put our workforce in schools 157 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 2: at enormous risk. So we will already have a national 158 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: teacher shortage crisis in the vicinity of thousands of teachers 159 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 2: that were short to run the program. Seventy five percent 160 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: of Australia's teachers are female. And if we create a 161 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 2: situation where we're driving them out of the profession at 162 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: a time that they have options, they can go and 163 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 2: do something else, you know, where they're not going to 164 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 2: be attacked by this. 165 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: I've got to jump in on this for just a sec, 166 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: just on that workforce issue. Writing this book about boys 167 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: at the moment, and the latest start that I've seen 168 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: coming out of the universities is that now for every 169 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,719 Speaker 1: ten girls who graduate with a degree in education, there 170 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: are only between two and three boys men graduating with 171 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 1: degrees in education. So the numbers are getting worse, not better. 172 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 2: Yep, on both sides of the gender of the gender equation. 173 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 2: Because the one thing about this kind of whether you 174 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 2: call it toxic maxculinity or anything else, is that. What 175 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 2: it does is it sexualizes the workforce. So it means 176 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 2: that we see teaching as a female job. So our 177 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: males don't want to get the barbs at the pub 178 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: about you know, what, are you a kiddy? Or you know, 179 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 2: when you're working with women all day and all that 180 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 2: kind of stuff. They don't want to get that, so 181 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: they're discouraged. But on the reality side of it, we 182 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: can get women entering the workforce as teachers who very 183 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 2: very quickly go hey, this isn't a workplace I'm safe in, 184 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 2: This isn't a workplace that's good for me on out 185 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 2: And so as parents, I think we're going to go, okay, 186 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 2: ask your question justin what are. 187 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 3: We going to do about it? 188 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 2: You know, and which for me is about going all 189 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 2: the way back to saying how do we raise better kids? 190 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: How do we raise kids with this capability to understand 191 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: that their behavior has impact positively and negatively on other people, 192 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 2: which means building for them a healthier relationship with the 193 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 2: shame of that comes when they do something wrong. So 194 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 2: what we see in kids typically is is kids who 195 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 2: respond four ways negatively when they do the wrong thing. 196 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: They often either attack other people, so they not my fault, 197 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: I blame someone else, They attack themselves. I think every 198 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 2: teacher's heard a kids say I'm stupid. Way of making 199 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,839 Speaker 2: it static and they can't improve, Yes you can. We've 200 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 2: got to hold that optimism for them. Sometimes they withdraw. 201 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 2: So we see this in all the stakeholders in schools. 202 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: Every teacher's seen a kid who makes a mistake throws 203 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: their book on the ground and storms out of the 204 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 2: classroom because they just can't handle the shame of falling short. 205 00:10:16,480 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 3: You know. 206 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: But every teacher also was thought about chuck and asiki 207 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 2: after a bad day, and a lot of parents have 208 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: thought about not shown up for a parent teacher interview. 209 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 3: Absolutely, in shame, we just go like a puff of smoke, 210 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:29,359 Speaker 3: We disappear. 211 00:10:30,520 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 2: And there's this avoidant behavior which goes to this overly 212 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 2: sexualized behavior that we're seeing in young people a lot 213 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 2: of the time as well. They just don't want to 214 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 2: feel the shame, so they do something else that kind 215 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 2: of distracts them or numbs them from that feeling. They're 216 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: all counterproductive. So what we need at a very early 217 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 2: age is for young people to see and recognize that 218 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 2: feeling of falling short, you know, either by their own 219 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:55,880 Speaker 2: doing or just for who they are, and to respond 220 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 2: to it productively. So teaching young people to resolve the 221 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 2: shame of all in short, rather than to do something 222 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 2: negative with it. It's the long handser, but for me, 223 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:07,360 Speaker 2: it's the only way we build kids who are capable 224 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 2: of resisting the urges that they're currently falling for. 225 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,240 Speaker 1: Adam, let's switch this to teachers for a moment. For 226 00:11:20,280 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: the last several years, there's been a lot of noise 227 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: made about teacher burnout, more teachers wanted to leave the 228 00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 1: profession than ever before. I'm not seeing this receding in 229 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: the data. I'm actually seeing it accelerating. Teachers being sexually harassed, 230 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: teachers being exhausted, more demands being placed on teachers in 231 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: terms of the system, the curriculum, the schools, and parents 232 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: expecting more of them as well. Number one, what are 233 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: you seeing? And again the follow up is how do 234 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 1: we arrest this decline? 235 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,559 Speaker 2: Really interesting when you look at the teacher well being 236 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 2: data out that's out there that there's nothing all that 237 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 2: new in it. We've known for probably twenty years or so. 238 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 2: The top three it begins pacts on teachers. Number one 239 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 2: is student behavior, so how they can handle young people 240 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 2: who are changing and their strategies aren't working anymore. The 241 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,559 Speaker 2: second one is workload. We made teaching so much about 242 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 2: compliance and less about actually just creating a young environment 243 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 2: where young people grow. We've even't teachers no time to 244 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 2: just talk to and get to know their students. And 245 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,080 Speaker 2: then the third thing that stresses them is issues with parents, 246 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 2: and it's driving them out of the profession. Teacher's got 247 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 2: a brief window at the start of COVID where, due 248 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,680 Speaker 2: to lockdown's parents were going, oh my goodness, I didn't 249 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 2: know teaching was this hard. I really appreciate the teachers, 250 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 2: but when the kids went back to school, it got worse. 251 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 2: So it's like we PopEd that bruise, and that worries me. Well, 252 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 2: worries me just as much now is that. I had 253 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 2: a conversation with the politician recently. You said, I just 254 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 2: think that when it comes to solving the teacher shortage crisis, 255 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: we're probably going to have to. 256 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 3: Rely on AI. 257 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 2: And for me, removing the social realm from what we 258 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:02,840 Speaker 2: view quality learning to should be something that frightens everyone 259 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: with a kid. So we need to actually take on 260 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,559 Speaker 2: this monumental task. And we talked about mobile phone bands. 261 00:13:10,559 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: We can do monumental tasks. We need to take on 262 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 2: this monumental task. Say, how do we create an environment 263 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 2: where we value education in our country for our kids, 264 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:24,439 Speaker 2: not just my kid? How do we take the competitive 265 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 2: nature out of it? How do we get it focused 266 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: on building good young people for the community, and thereby, 267 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 2: how do we make it a job that is aspirational 268 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 2: to young people in is ten or eleven and twelve 269 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 2: who are making decisions about what they want to do 270 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: at YUNI. 271 00:13:40,320 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: So I'm serving you up an opportunity to plug what 272 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: you do at real schools on a platter. Here it's 273 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: an unscripted, unplanned question. But as I'm listening to what 274 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: you're saying, so much of this feels like it comes 275 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: down to culture, and culture really does come from the top. 276 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: It comes from the leadership. Your work is all about 277 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: changing culture. It's all about leadership. Do you see the 278 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: same levels of staff attrition, same levels of b and out, 279 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: the same stresses in teachers who are working on culture 280 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: through the work that you do, all the work that 281 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: others do in terms of building stronger cultures and making 282 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: schools feel safer and better for people. 283 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 3: Almost a silly answer, nap. 284 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, the schools that do the culture piece right get 285 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: benefits for all three stay colder groups. So we've got 286 00:14:23,200 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: a school that we work with, Clarence High School, don't 287 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 2: mind mentioning them in Tasmania, and they've been working with 288 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: us for about eighteen months now, so they have not 289 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 2: they had an issue around they wanted to work on 290 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 2: student engagement. One of the outputs that they thought they 291 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 2: could get around it was improved student conduct and behavior 292 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:40,520 Speaker 2: in the school and they thought that one of the 293 00:14:40,560 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 2: measures of that could be their student suspension data. Now 294 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 2: they've done nothing about changing the threshold for suspension in 295 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 2: that school, so the kind of a watermark for what's 296 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 2: a suspendable offense in the school has not changed. But 297 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 2: eighteen months down the track, sixty percent drop in suspensions, right, 298 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 2: So this is a clear indication that they haven't made 299 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 2: it harder to suspend. They have a sixty percent better 300 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:09,840 Speaker 2: behaved student cohort because they said it's time to work 301 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 2: on the culture and to actually think about the way 302 00:15:12,520 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 2: that we're interacting with young people and working with parents 303 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 2: to try and get somewhere on it. Then I think 304 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 2: about a school that we've got a new South Wales 305 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: called Bermer Public School, so primary school, and the work 306 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 2: that's been done there on building a culture that benefits 307 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 2: the teachers is outstanding in this school. So they now 308 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 2: have a situation where the National School Improvement Partnerships and 309 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 2: Curtin University researched and studied the school and the data 310 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: that came back to them about how eighty seven percent, 311 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 2: ninety seven percent, one hundred percent of the staff making 312 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 2: statements about the fact that they feel safe, nurtured, comfortable 313 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 2: at the school that they have no intention to leave 314 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 2: the school. Now comparative to the profession as a whole, 315 00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,920 Speaker 2: anything that is above ninety percent, and typically for that 316 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: is so far above the standard curve, it's ridiculous. You know, 317 00:16:06,440 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 2: they're not hunting around for teachers. They've got teachers. 318 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 3: Ringing up and saying can we come and. 319 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 2: Work at this school because you know, we've heard the stories, 320 00:16:13,600 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 2: this is a productive place to work. At the same time, 321 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 2: their NAP plan results are through the roof. You know, 322 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 2: their parents satisfaction data is amazing and their kids but 323 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 2: when surveyed are telling us that the number one thing 324 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 2: that they value about this school is rule clarity. So 325 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 2: this isn't This is a school that basically said, forget 326 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:39,000 Speaker 2: the lists of rules, forget the control stuff. This is 327 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: a school that said, let's create an environment where kids 328 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: innate goodness can kind of come out of them. 329 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:45,200 Speaker 3: And it does. 330 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 2: And so this system of control and prevention that we're 331 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 2: constantly asking teachers to take on. You know, when I 332 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,760 Speaker 2: saw another statement of the paper the other day from 333 00:16:57,880 --> 00:16:59,840 Speaker 2: politicians saying it's time for us to crack down and 334 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 2: claim the classroom, I. 335 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 3: Was like, it's going on here. 336 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 2: You know what, are we some tyrannical leader of a 337 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,920 Speaker 2: authoritarian leader of a country trying to take territory off 338 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:12,439 Speaker 2: an enemy. 339 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, one. 340 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: We need to reclaim the way we work, not the ground. 341 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 2: You know, work the right way. All benefit, all stakeholders 342 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 2: will benefit. We've got to support teachers to find that 343 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 2: way working. 344 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 1: So when you say this, here's what I'm hearing. You 345 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: said that the three biggest challenges that have been consistently 346 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 1: showing up for the two decades student behavior, workload and parents, 347 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 1: and by working on culture, students start to behave better, 348 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,879 Speaker 1: which is it's not going to get rid of all 349 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: workload issues, but it's going to free up more capacity 350 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 1: so that you can do the work that needs to 351 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: be done. And parents aren't going to be on your back. 352 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: Why because the kids are actually having a good time 353 00:17:45,600 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 1: at school. They're glad to be there. So by working 354 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: on culture, you get a positive outcome. And yet it's 355 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,159 Speaker 1: just so hard to shift culture for so many. 356 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,119 Speaker 2: Schools because I guess they don't realize. First one, they 357 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 2: don't know how what culture is. So when they know, 358 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 2: I asked school leg I ask a room full of 359 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: five hundred principles, you know, who thinks the culture of 360 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:05,760 Speaker 2: their school is important? 361 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 3: Everyone puts their hand up. 362 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 2: And then I'll say, put your hand up if you'd 363 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 2: like to come out in the stage with me and 364 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 2: tell everyone what school culture is. 365 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:14,480 Speaker 3: And so a lot of go down. 366 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:17,800 Speaker 2: So we've got to get clear on what it is, 367 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:19,639 Speaker 2: you know, and we just call it a we just 368 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 2: call it a collective now for behaviors. 369 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: I just keep on coming back to this idea of culture. 370 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,240 Speaker 1: I mean, the whole conversation really is centered around creating culture, 371 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: whether it's around technology, whether it's around sexualized behavior, whether 372 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: it's around teachers feeling good or feeling burned out, and 373 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: even dealing with parents who can sometimes be pretty demanding 374 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 1: and add a lot of pressure to the lives of 375 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: teachers and principles. Let's wrap this up with your treatise 376 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: on culture. The new book is called Restoring Teaching, How 377 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: working restoratively unleashes the teacher within Adam. You've generously made 378 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: an offer to every teacher in Australia. Walk us through 379 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: the offer about the book and how it can help them. 380 00:18:58,080 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 2: So it's a second edition of something that I wrote 381 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,239 Speaker 2: a few years ago. We've definitely upgraded and updated it 382 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 2: to reflect some of these modern challenges that teachers are 383 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 2: facing at the moment. 384 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 3: We've given it a lay to ten thousand teachers. 385 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:13,040 Speaker 2: And at the moment you can get a print copy 386 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 2: at cost for us. But there's also an audiobook and 387 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 2: there's nothing weird a justin I don't know if you've 388 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:19,800 Speaker 2: done this then, sitting in a booth and reading your 389 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 2: own book for three. 390 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 3: Days and nine times. I've done it nine times. 391 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, as you find all the typos that you were 392 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: convinced weren't there. 393 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,399 Speaker 2: Yeah, And there's an audio book on audiobook and e 394 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 2: book available completely for free online for any teacher who 395 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 2: wants to read it. We've got Our mission as an 396 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 2: organization at real schools is to transform education in Australia, 397 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 2: which means that we need to be there for any 398 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 2: teacher and this is our way of being there for 399 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 2: them without. 400 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:47,959 Speaker 3: Them having to put their hands in the pocket. 401 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,480 Speaker 2: And I get emails all the time from teachers who 402 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 2: say that one a had recently the teacher who told 403 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 2: me that reading it kept during the profession, and. 404 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 3: I'll take that. So the big aim of the book. 405 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 2: Is to to teach teachers this restorative way of working. 406 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:06,359 Speaker 2: And then the second big aime of the book is 407 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 2: to restore the respect that we have for the teaching 408 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 2: profession through giving teachers access to exemplary practice. 409 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: Okay, and if parents want to have a look at 410 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: it because they're fascinated by the idea of a sortive 411 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: practice or what you're talking about, it's available on your website. 412 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: So we'll link to that in the show notes and 413 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 1: hopefully some teachers can take advantage of what I think 414 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 1: is an extraordinarily generous offering. I wish, I wish I 415 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: could give my book away to every parent in the country. Unfortunately, 416 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: my publisher would not. 417 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 3: Want of the joys it. 418 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 2: I'm one of the joys of going self published on 419 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:36,919 Speaker 2: something like that, Justin is that we get to we 420 00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,959 Speaker 2: get to make these kinds of decisions. So yeah, and 421 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 2: it's really important to us. And so for any parent 422 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 2: out there who might be interested, they can feel very 423 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 2: free to go and get themselves a free copy and 424 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 2: to even drop it into at their local school and 425 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 2: ask if they'd like to have a look. 426 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:55,560 Speaker 3: That's a great way for a parent to be generous. Adam. 427 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 1: Every time we talk, I walk away feeling real short 428 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 1: and hopeful about what education can be and how things 429 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,159 Speaker 1: can work out really well in schools. It's such a 430 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,959 Speaker 1: mixed bag in some ways. It just feels like a lottery, 431 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: a principal lottery, a teacher lottery on a day to day, months, month, 432 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: and certainly a year to year basis for so many families. 433 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 1: And I feel as if you bring a lot of 434 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 1: sense and sensibility to what is often considered the impossible profession. 435 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for the chat, my pleasure, Thank you 436 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:22,920 Speaker 3: very much. 437 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,480 Speaker 1: Adam Voyd is the founder and CEO of Real Schools 438 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 1: and the author of Restoring teaching. Like I said, we 439 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: will link to that in the show notes. I always 440 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: find these conversations so valuable and so helpful. The Happy 441 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 1: Families podcast is produced by Justin Rouland from Bridge Media. 442 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:39,160 Speaker 1: Like I said, check the show notes for everything we've 443 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,959 Speaker 1: talked about in relation to Adam and his work. If 444 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:43,840 Speaker 1: you'd like more info about making your family happy, I 445 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 1: have visitors at happyfamilies dot com, dot a u