Archived Directors Message

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

Tēnā koutou, Greetings.

As it often seems, summer proper does not seem to kick in until schools start back for Term 1. For those who have just returned back to work, I hope you had a relaxing break.

Joanna's succesor, Kathy Smith, brings undoubted leadership skills honed by extensive experience in the education sector. She has a keen understanding of teacher issues and the wider education environment, and this knowledge makes her an ideal person to head the Council and act as a voice for New Zealand teachers.

Sadly, the Council has also farewelled Debra Marshall-Lobb, who has provided the Council with key advice and guidance from the practitioner's point of view. As a well respected professional leader, Debi provided valuable insights and advice in the governance of the Council and provided particular leadership in issues relating to Māori education.

Like Debi, her replacement, Toni Waho, Tumuaki of Palmerston North's Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Mana Tamariki, not only has knowledge of Māori education, and, in particular, the Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa programmes, but possesses extensive experience and knowledge as a well respected educator.
In this message:

Code of Ethics Workshops

The Council has contracted Massey University to run a nationwide series of workshops which will help teachers understand how to apply the Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers in their everyday practice as teachers and colleagues of teachers. The Massey University team is designing the sessions to be relevant, exciting and challenging. They will work through authentic scenarios and complexities that teachers in New Zealand have identified, helping teachers to frame, discuss and attempt to resolve, professional dilemmas in an ethical manner.

Eight workshops will be held nationally from 21 February to 21 March 2007. There will be no charge for the workshops. The workshops were advertised in the February 5th 2007 Education Gazette. You can find more information and enrol on-line at the website for the workshops at http://ethics4teachers.massey.ac.nz .

Bi-lingual version Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers : Ngā Tikanga Matatika

The New Zealand Teachers Council has released a bi-lingual version of the NZTC Code of Ethics for Registered Teachers. The format of the Code of Ethics poster has been redesigned with Ngā Tikanga Matatika in te reo Māori on one side and the Code of Ethics in English on the other.

The Code of Ethics was first published by the Council in February 2005 after extensive consultation across the education sector. Ngā Tikanga Matatika has been in development since the Code of Ethics was first published. The Council's Māori Medium Advisory Group has been closely involved at every stage of the development of Ngā Tikanga Matatika.

Ngā Tikanga Matatika expresses the same commitment and ideals in te reo Māori as the Code of Ethics. Ngā Tikanga Matatika will be positioned as a key document for teachers working in Maori Medium but it has relevance and significance for all teachers.

The Code of Ethics/ Ngā Tikanga Matatika poster will be distributed to all learning centres, schools and Kura.

Decisions of Disciplinary Tribunal

After careful consideration and consultation with key stakeholders, the Council decided that Disciplinary Tribunal decisions regarding teachers are to be published. All decisions will be published in full without containing any identifiable names or particular features of persons referred to in the decision to the extent possible, unless expressly ordered by the Disciplinary Tribunal. These decisions will be published at the end of February 2007 on the New Zealand Teachers Council website.

Amnesty for schools / teachers without current practising certificates

There is concern from the Council and members of the profession that there are people in teaching positions without registration or authorisation. Registration and holding a current practising certificate, assure Boards, professional leaders, other teachers and the public that certain criteria have been met. These include the standards for teaching qualifications or standards for full registration and the criteria for fitness to be a teacher and of good character.

These are aspects to be valued by the profession and when a teacher has a current practising certificate it means they have met the accepted standards to belong to the teaching profession.

It is an offence to be appointed or continue to be employed in a teaching position without registration or authorisation beyond 10 days in a calendar year. This offence can see a Board liable for a fine of $5000 and an individual who allows themselves to continue to be employed without registration or authorisation is liable to a fine of $2000. In exceptional circumstances where processing of an application is delayed, it is possible for a professional leader in sectors where there is compulsory registration to request the Council to give authorisation for a person to be employed beyond the allowable 10 days. Such authorisation is given in the form of an extension to teach and these are only issued when:

The Council has offered an amnesty period until 5 April 2007 to allow teachers and to ensure they are legally employed.

Updating Details

It is really important, and much appreciated, when teachers update their personal details when ever these change. These changes may be any or all of:

Updating contact details can be done in a number of ways:

Web-forms	www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz By following a link on the NZTC homepage teachers may submit an electronic notification.
Email	inquiries@teacherscouncil.govt.nz
Post	PO Box 5326, Wellington. On the bottom of the letter to which a practising certificate card is attached is a personal details form teachers may detach and post.
Phone	04 471 0852
Fax	04 471 0870

In Conclusion

I welcome comment and feedback from you on any of these matters or other issues you may wish to raise with me. You may contact me at peter.lind@teacherscouncil.govt.nz.

Dr Peter Lind
Director