What is Advice and Guidance?
What is an Advice and Guidance programme?There is an assumption made when a teacher graduates from an approved programme of Teacher Education, that they have some of the theoretical knowledge they need to be a satisfactory teacher. Applying to the Teachers Council for provisional registration will check they are of good character and fit to be a teacher. The teacher registration programme they then undertake for a minimum of two years (in most cases) will examine their teaching practices and enhance those teaching skills.
The work the provisionally registered teacher will do during the two-year period is agreed between the provisionally registered teacher and the fully registered teacher who acts as a registration supervisor. The work comprises the Advice and Guidance programme.
Who should be involved?
- Provisionally registered teacher
- Fully registered teacher to act as registration supervisor
- Other teachers in the provisionally registered teacher's learning centre
- Management of the provisionally registered teacher's learning centre
- School/Kura/Early childhood community (e.g. another learning centre to visit; a teacher's network; professional development network)
What comprises an Advice and Guidance Programme?
The details of a programme will vary with the size of a school and whether or not you have a full or part-time teaching programme. For all teachers moving to full registration, the components of a good advice and guidance programme are:
- An identified supervising teacher who is already fully registered and must be for the entire period of the programme;
- A programme which is agreed to by you and your supervising teacher and which refers to the satisfactory teacher dimensions, and is based on self-review and learning centre processes;
- Professional and personal support from colleagues and from your management committee or employer;
- Observation and appraisal of your teaching by your colleagues, with reference to the satisfactory teacher dimensions, giving you encouragement to reflect on your own teaching beliefs and practice, and to take action to enhance your teaching.
- Professional discussions with colleagues focused on students' learning.
- Meeting with senior staff and other teachers to clarify the wider aspects of your work and responsibilities, including professional development.
- Participating in appropriate professional development and guided discussion, both informal and structured, within and outside your own learning centre, to develop expertise and to clarify the wider aspects of your work and responsibilities. Courses especially for beginning teachers are arranged in all districts by advisers from the School or Teacher Support Service, staff of Teacher Education Centres, principals' groups, and senior teachers or managers in early childhood services;
- A written record of your advice and guidance programme, including professional discussions and appraisal, with planning for further support and development and an indication of your participation in the planning and the corporate life of the school or centre.
Examples of worthwhile activities to include in an advice and guidance programme are:
- The opportunity to observe the work of other teachers in your own or another learning centre and discuss this with them;
- observation of other teachers and students in your own or another learning centre;
- discussions with parents, whanau, community resource people;
- discussion with other teachers such as guidance counsellors, senior staff or advisers
- becoming familiar with the library, teaching resources and records of the learning centre;
- finding out about the policies and procedures in your learning centre;
- studying professional material analysing your own professional needs and development;
- participating in courses and meetings (this would require release from your teaching duties) and reflecting on your teaching practice as a result of this.
- documenting your reflective journey.
The advice and guidance programme will be most intensive in the first year. By the second year the amount of supervision will depend on need.
Why an Advice and Guidance Programme?
To ensure that the professional training you have received is translated into satisfactory professional practice, your first two years of teaching must be supervised by already practised experienced professionals. (In other professions this is called internship or induction.) For this supervision to be acceptable to the NZ Teachers Council it must be in the form of a written programme that can be sent to the NZ Teachers Council if requested.
What if I am teaching less than half a teaching programme?
You need to be employed in a teaching position of at least .5 (half) of a full time position in 10-weeks blocks. This is so you can develop a relationship with the learners and their families, and report progress to them. If you are working under the .5 (FTE) although you can participate in the school or centre's advice and guidance programme (and should be encouraged to do so) the amount of teaching does not meet the service requirements to count towards full registration.
What if there is no Advice and Guidance programme for me?
"Good employer" requirements means there should be a programme in place in your learning centre. You should raise the matter with the professional leader of your institution. If you are in your first two years of teaching and occupying a full teaching position, your learning centre will be able to access the time allowance or support grant for provisionally-registered teachers. If necessary, check the policy of your learning centre and see what it says about staff support and staff development. As a last resort contact the NZ Teachers Council.
What happens to my Advice and Guidance if I move to a different school or centre?
Ensure that you take a written record of your programme, and your registration supervision details, with you. If you have several relieving positions (in minimum blocks of ten weeks) making up your two years of provisional registration, the principal or supervisor who finally recommends your full registration will need to be satisfied that there is evidence of a continuing advice and guidance programme over at least 2 years; so will the NZ Teachers Council. Provided you keep evidence of your advice and guidance programmes you could have gaps between your periods of employment as a provisionally registered teacher.
Provisionally registered teachers must undertake an Advice and Guidance Programme. This programme must be supervised by a fully registered teacher.
One of your colleagues in your centre may be a fully registered teacher and be willing to take on the responsibility as supervisor for your Advice and Guidance Programme. If this is not the case, you will need to find a fully registered teacher to be your registration supervisor.
This teacher may be teaching at a nearby early childhood centre or school. They may be a parent at your centre, or a friend. People who take on this responsibility find it useful for their own professional development. Remember the registration superviser must be fully registered for the entire time they are supervising you.
Negotiate with your registration supervisor an Advice and Guidance Programme which is convenient to you both and fits your own needs and meets the requirements.
Review and negotiate your programme as your needs change.
Registration supervisors may arrange with you that other staff in the centre observe and provide feedback to you throughout your programme, while the registration supervisor oversees the advice and guidance process.
Your Advice and Guidance Programme should be integrated with your centre's appraisal and professional development plans as required the Ministry of Education.
Meeting together with others in your local area may also be a source of support for you and for your registration supervisor.
Continue with this programme, keeping your own records of your experience and progress until the time when you can be recommended for full registration.
Develop an agreement process for working together at the earliest stage of your programme with your registration supervisor.
Keep brief notes of key areas of your professional development, of meetings and discussions with your supervising teacher or other colleagues, of action taken, as well as your own reflections on your progress.
If you change jobs before becoming fully registered, make sure that you take these records (signed by your registration supervisor) with you so your progress can be built on in your new position.
What about Advice and Guidance after doing two years of provisional registration?
If you are not recommended for full registration after completing the minimum period of provisional registration, you should continue to participate in an advice and guidance programme for another year. Unless this happens there is no way your progress towards meeting the criteria of being a satisfactory teacher can be assessed.
What if I get a 'sole charge' teaching position while provisionally registered?
An advice and guidance programme is still required if you are to become fully registered. This will be almost impossible to provide in a sole charge position without considerable input from experienced teachers outside the school or centre. Ensure that your employer is aware of your needs and that provision is made for support at the time of appointment. Sole charge teaching is regarded as a principal position and demands exceptional skills in a first or second year teacher.
What are the satisfactory teacher criteria?
They are the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions and the criteria is set out under "Renewing a Practising Certificate" under the 'Registration' heading of this website or click here for a direct link
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