An apple for the teacher?

In this paper the current status of teaching as a profession and the morale of teachers in Australian schools in the current era provide a framework for the examination of the intent and outcomes of teaching excellence awards. The introduction of teaching excellence awards into the school education sector is found to be a reflection of the economic era in which the current education system is situated with the awards process viewed as potentially politically manipulative. A research study carried out in NSW public schools between 2000 and 2002 suggests teachers' experiences and attitudes range from optimism to negativism, exhilaration to cynicism, and empowerment to constraint. Teachers report concerns over the status of teaching in the community with many also identifying a slump in teacher morale over recent times. This paper provides an opportunity to reflect upon the issues of teacher morale and the status of the teaching profession in the current era in Australian schools while reviewing the teaching excellence awards process.