Profession to have a say on future teachers

In close consultation with the teaching profession, the NZ Teachers Council recently released new approval, review and monitoring processes and requirements for initial teacher education (ITE) programmes.

This means that the teaching profession is set to have a say on the approval of New Zealand’s 170 ITE programmes and those selected to become the country’s future teachers.

Council director, Dr Peter Lind, said the new requirements will encourage collaborative partnerships between teacher educators and teacher practitioners. 

“Teachers will be given the opportunity to influence the future of their own profession through membership of panels that approve and review the effectiveness of New Zealand’s ITE programmes.”

The profession will also be involved in the selection processes of candidates into ITE programmes.  

Dr Lind said the Council has developed a forward-looking model based on national and international research that reflects the nature of teaching as an applied professional qualification.

“The new requirements will support ITE providers who have ongoing engagement with the profession throughout a student teacher’s journey to become a practising teacher. 

“Student teachers will be assisted to carefully interweave ideas and concepts, learned in their coursework, with meaningful teaching practice.”