NZEI Te Riu Roa broadly supports the common practice model which has been designed by educational researchers and experts. However, the union, which represents around 30,000 primary school teachers, says time and resourcing to prepare the best learning experiences for tamariki are more important than mandating.
In response to the Minister of Education's announcement about mandating common practice model this morning, Mark Potter, president of NZEI Te Riu Roa said that mandating teaching practice should never cut across or undermine the professional autonomy of teachers.
“A lot is mandated for teachers already. What the teacher needs is the time and resourcing to ensure they are properly prepared to teach while maintaining their professional autonomy to deliver the curriculum in a way that is responsive to the children they work with.”
The union said that any introduction of any new teaching practice needed to be properly resourced.
“We’re not talking about a new initiative here, rather the Ministry is putting a pin in work that’s been done since October last year where experts have been developing an approach that brings together a common practice for teaching. We’ve been told that resources will be available next year to implement the new requirements. We want to see that teachers get proper resourcing to do the best job for their akonga.”
Mark Potter said that while they broadly support the model, they were wary of any standardising of teaching or testing that might see a return to high stakes assessment such as the failed National Standards.
“Whānau want to know what their tamariki are learning and where their progress is at, but high stakes assessment drives unhelpful behaviours for teachers and students.”
ENDS