Strategic Plan 2009 - 2012
Contents:
Vision
Mission Statement
Strategic Purpose
Functions
Values
Strategic Linkages
Strategic Vision 2009-2012
Strategic Goals 2009-2012
Key Focus for 2009-2012 for each Strategic Goal
Vision
Ū ki te ako, tu tangata ai āpōpō
Excel in teaching so our learners will excel in the future
Mission Statement
To set, maintain and promote standards of excellence in teaching
Strategic Purpose
1. To provide professional leadership in teaching
2. To enhance the professional status of teachers and
3. To contribute to a high quality teaching and learning environment for children and other learners
Functions
Under Part 10 of the 1989 Education Act, functions are to:
- provide professional leadership to teachers and others involved in schools and early childhood education
- encourage best teaching practice
- carry out functions relating to teacher registration
- determine standards for teacher registration and renewal of practising certificates
- establish and maintain standards for qualifications that lead to teacher registration
- carry out approval of teacher education programmes on the basis of these standards (with quality assurance agencies)
- develop a code of ethics for teachers
- carry out functions relating to teacher misconduct and reports of convictions
- set criteria for reporting serious misconduct and reporting on competence issues
- carry out functions related to teacher competence
- co-ordinate police vetting for teachers and others employed in centres and schools
- identify research priorities and sponsor or promote research on the basis of those priorities
- any other functions determined by this Act or the Minister.
Values
- The organisation supports the values of: awhinatanga; respect; manaakitanga; fairness; integrity; honesty; transparency.
- The Council is committed to working in ways which acknowledge the Treaty of Waitangi as New Zealand’s founding document.
- The values embodied in the Teachers Council Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers (2005) are considered core values for the organisation. They are based in four principles of autonomy, justice, responsible care and truth.
- As an autonomous Crown Entity, the Council also complies with the Standards of Integrity & Conduct (2007) issued by the State Services Commission. These state that we must be fair, impartial, responsible and trustworthy.
Strategic Linkages
2. NZTC Annual Report
3. NZ Government (2009) priorities for education.
4. Education Sector ICT strategy. Connecting the Sector
5. Education sector initiatives to strengthen teaching and learning
Strategic Vision 2009-2012
To be recognised and respected as the New Zealand teachers’ professional organisation which stands unequivocally for the promotion of quality teaching so that our learners may excel in safe, nurturing educational environments.
Strategic Goals 2009-2012
Continuing from 2008, the five key goals for the next three years support the Council’s vision of effective teaching to maximise learning opportunities for all children and young people. These are to:
1. Strengthen the quality of initial teacher education graduates
2. Strengthen the induction of provisionally registered teachers
3. Review and strengthen teaching standards for entry to the profession and on-going registration
4. Promote effective leadership for learning
5. Build recognition of and respect for the teaching profession through a focused communications strategy.
In addition, the Council will continue to work towards these additional goals, to:
6. Support provision of quality teaching in Māori medium settings
7. Support provision of quality teaching in early childhood education settings
8. Provide targeted professional learning and development opportunities to support the Council’s strategic goals
9. Strengthen operations of the Council to meet its strategic direction
Key Focus for 2009-2012 for each Strategic Goal
Strengthen the quality of teacher education graduates
- Review and revise the current guidelines and processes for the approval, re-approval and monitoring of initial teacher education programmes incorporating the Graduating Teacher Standards and knowledge from the Council’s induction research project.
Strengthen the induction of provisionally registered teachers
- Monitor and evaluate pilot programmes for induction of provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) and for training and support of mentor teachers. The programmes are trialling models that address issues identified in the Council’s induction research project, Learning to Teach (2007-8), and are also trialling the Council’s draft guidelines for quality induction and mentor teacher development and support.
- Develop and advocate appropriate policy for the induction of PRTs based on findings from the pilot programmes and their evaluation to strengthen induction practices and professional development of newly qualified teachers
- Support provisionally registered teachers in English and Māori medium schools and all teacher-led early childhood education centres to become fully registered and thereby enhance the quality of teaching and learning.
Review and strengthen teaching standards for entry to the profession and on-going registration
- Complete the review of the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions (STDS) to strengthen entry from provisional registration to full registration and phase in implementation of revised criteria to replace the STDS.
- Strengthen assurance processes for provisionally registered teachers to meet the standards for full registration, and for all teachers to renew practising certificates
- Develop an overarching registration policy, including a process of review and consultation on aspects of registration such as categories of registration for teachers.
Promote effective leadership for learning
- Promote leadership practices that support quality teaching and professionalism in learning communities throughout the sector
- Strengthen assurance processes for recommending full registration of provisionally registered teachers and the renewal of practising certificates.
Through a focused communications strategy, build recognition of and respect for the teaching profession and strengthen understanding of the value of registration and of the Council’s professional leadership role
- Advance and evaluate the implementation of the Council’s overarching Communications Strategy to further strengthen effective communications with the profession, key stakeholders and the public
- Refresh the structure and content of the Council’s website to improve clarity of information, and work towards a more dynamic use of the website as a communications tool.
- Strengthen communications with PRTs and those who have a role to support PRTs in their induction years.
Support the provision of quality teaching in Māori medium settings
- Consult with and support Māori educators to achieve high standards of teaching and learning for learners in all Māori medium settings
- Implement further Code of Ethics workshops for teachers in Māori medium settings, based on the pilot series in 2007-8 and 2008-2009
- Continue the next phase of the research programme, Whakamanahia te Reo Māori, to document and analyse the nature and range of te reo Māori needed by graduates of Māori medium initial teacher education (ITE) programmes to fully engage and extend the learning of tamariki / mokopuna.
Support the provision of quality teaching in early childhood education (ECE) settings
- Support the professional aspirations of the ECE sector through policy, research and communication
- Support the aspiration of the early childhood education sector for a fully qualified and registered ECE workforce by 2012 through well managed and communicated registration processes and through support for quality induction and mentoring programmes for PRTs in ECE.
- Ensure, through the approval processes, that there are high quality programmes for Initial Teacher Education for ECE.
- Support the development of leadership initiatives for the early childhood sector.
Provide targeted professional development to support the Council’s strategic goals
- Contract or work in partnership with professional development providers and other organisations to support initiatives such as the mentoring of provisionally registered teachers, the promotion, understanding and use of the Code of Ethics and leadership of learning communities.
- Examine the potential for using the Council’s website for supporting professional learning of teachers and professional leaders.
Strengthen operations of the Council to meet its strategic direction
- Ensure the Council’s legislative purpose and functions are appropriately supported through its governance structure and composition and election processes
- Ensure the Council’s fees structure supports its legislative purpose and functions.
- Improve ICT capability and capacity to ensure constant improvement in the delivery of Council services to teachers.