'Treat our casuals well, they are gold': supporting casual beginning teachers of health and physical education

Casual teaching for many graduates provides the first opportunity for employment as a newly qualified teacher. Currently, schools across NSW rely heavily on the availability of these casual teachers and this demand is likely to increase as both new and experienced permanent teachers make choices about their careers in teaching. The issue of teacher retention is important for the future of education and requires an understanding of the factors which shape beginning teachers' career choices and professional development. This paper reports the experiences and concerns of graduates from a New South Wales university who entered the teaching profession as casual teachers. These issues are considered by focus groups of casual beginning teachers and school executives as they offer suggestions for improving the workplace conditions and enhancing the development of casual beginning teachers of health and physical education.