Act wants to reform major parts of the education system, including MoE, partnership schools and the curriculum. AdobeStock by Feng Yu
<h2><span data-contrast="auto">The New Zealand Institute (NZI) – a think-tank composed of various academics and researchers – have released a new report on Initial Teacher Education (ITE), calling for a reform of the current system.</span><span data-ccp-props="{";201341983";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Michael Johnston and Stephanie Martin are the authors of </span><i><span data-contrast="auto">Who Teaches the Teachers?; </span></i><span data-contrast="auto">they</span> <span data-contrast="auto">believe the current University-dominated ITE system doesn’t produce “classroom ready” teachers. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/latest-print-issue/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Read the Term 3 edition of <em>School News</em> HERE</strong></a> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Johnston is a Senior Fellow with the NZI and has previously held positions with the Victoria University of Wellington’s Faculty of Education. Martin is an adjunct fellow with the NZI and has been a practising primary teacher since she graduated from the University of Auckland in 2016. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<figure id="attachment_27816" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-27816" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img class="wp-image-27816 size-full" src="https://www.schoolnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AdobeStock_366547958-scaled.jpeg" alt="" width="2560" height="1707" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-27816" class="wp-caption-text">The authors of a new report believe new teachers are ill prepared for the classroom. Photo: AdobeStock by Ljupco Smokovski</figcaption></figure>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Together, the authors carried out an analysis of current ITE courses across its nation and concluded that there was an insufficient focus on the “science of learning”. Other issues the authors identified included: inadequate foundational skills for teachers in literacy and numeracy; too-little practical experience which is disconnected from theoretical learning; and an inconsistency in the quality of practicum and assessment standards. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Based on these analyses, and Martin’s own experiences in ITE, the authors recommended that:</span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559685";:0,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li data-leveltext="-" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:1,";335559684";:-2,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769226";:";Calibri";,";469769242";:[8226],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";-";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">The </span><i><span data-contrast="auto">Education and Training Act </span></i><span data-contrast="auto">should be repealed. New legislation would enable more than one professional body to certify beginning teachers. The aim would be to encourage market competition, theoretically leading to better quality teachers and standards of teaching. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></li>
<li data-leveltext="-" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:1,";335559684";:-2,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769226";:";Calibri";,";469769242";:[8226],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";-";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">ITE academics (teacher educators) should be exempt from research activities to allow focus on training teachers, including classroom observation and assessment. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></li>
<li data-leveltext="-" data-font="Calibri" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props="{";335552541";:1,";335559684";:-2,";335559685";:720,";335559991";:360,";469769226";:";Calibri";,";469769242";:[8226],";469777803";:";left";,";469777804";:";-";,";469777815";:";hybridMultilevel";}" aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1"><span data-contrast="auto">Accreditation of associate teachers and a four-tier career structure for teachers similar to current academic systems. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">These recommendations aim to address what the authors see as pivotal issues in the current education system. The author state that declining literacy and numeracy rates among ākonga can be addressed through more rigorous teacher education and training, to a higher standard. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The full report, including the authors’ analysis of current ITE courses and its recommendations can be accessed </span><a href="https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/reports-and-media/reports/who-teaches-the-teachers/" target="_blank"><span data-contrast="none">here</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">. </span><span data-ccp-props="{";134233117";:false,";134233118";:false,";201341983";:0,";335551550";:1,";335551620";:1,";335559737";:0,";335559738";:0,";335559739";:160,";335559740";:259}"> </span></p>

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