Review of the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions

In 2006 the New Zealand Teachers Council began a project to develop new standards for use when teachers are gaining and maintaining full registration. New standards, the Registered Teacher Criteria (RTC), have been developed to replace the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions and will be phased in from 2010. A time frame for the implementation of the Registered Teacher Criteria has been developed and details can be found on the implementation page.

As part of the review a literature review was conducted investigating the theoretical underpinning and applications of standards to the professional practice of teaching. A copy of the report can be found here.

Consultation on the draft Registered Teacher Criteria 2008

Consultation with the sector on the draft Registered Teacher Criteria was carried out between July and October 2008. Consultation was undertaken through three ways:

  1. A postal survey of key stakeholder organisations.
  2. An online survey of a sample of teachers from the Council database.
  3. A consultation pack available on request to schools and early childhood education services.

Overall, responses to the draft Registered Teacher Criteria were positive with a high level of support for the criteria. The consultation also highlighted some improvements to the draft Registered Teacher Criteria were needed.  Based on this feedback several changes to the criteria were made. Four reports have been prepared on the consultation findings. To receive a copy of these reports please contact: research@teacherscouncil.govt.nz.

Registered Teacher Criteria Pilot Programme 2009

The University of Canterbury Education Plus was contracted by the Council to trial the draft Registered Teacher Criteria during 2009. Teachers from several Canterbury schools and early childhood education centres took part in the pilot programme.

The draft Registered Teacher Criteria pilot aimed to find out:

  1. Whether the criteria provide a valid and useful framework to guide professional learning and development of teachers.
  2. If the criteria are useful for reflecting on practice for both provisionally registered and experienced teachers.
  3. Whether the criteria provide a valid and useful framework to guide assessment and appraisal of all teachers.
  4. If the criteria are applicable across the range of teaching situations in New Zealand.

Findings from the pilot were presented to Council in September 2009. This information was used to further refine the draft Registered Teacher Criteria before gazetting for use by teachers from 2010. As stated above, the Registered Teacher Criteria have now been finalised and can be accessed here.

Development of an Overarching Registration Policy

As part of the review of the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions, the Council is also developing an overarching registration policy which will include:

  • assessment principles
  • guidelines for endorsement of teachers against the revised registration criteria and
  • clarification of issues such as the categories of registration and the definition of which roles and responsibilities constitute a teaching position.

During 2009, the Council sought feedback from the sector to aid development of the registration policy in two phases. Firstly, meetings were held with professional leaders throughout New Zealand to canvass views on registration issues including what full registration should signal to the profession and if changes should be made to the provisional registration and subject to confirmation categories. Based on this feedback a number of key policy proposals were developed.

In the second phase Council consulted on the policy proposals via regional meetings with professional leaders and the consultation document was posted to key stakeholders and available on the Council website. Feedback was also sought on a proposed new registration framework.

Two reports on the consultation have been prepared and are available on request by contacting research@teacherscouncil.govt.nz.

For the Council's other policies please go to Policies, Requirements and Guidelines.