VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF TEACHING

1. “In a completely rational society the best would aspire to be teachers, and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honour and highest responsibility anyone could have” Lee Iacocca VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF TEACHING Principals’ Briefing, February/March 2011

2. VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF TEACHING PRINCIPALS’ BRIEFING 2011

3. Minister for Education THE VICTORIAN TEACHING PROFESSION VCAA Curriculum VIT Registers teachers VRQA Registers schools 3 school sectors: Government Non-government (DEECD schools) (Catholic & Independent) All teachers in Victoria who work in primary, secondary or special schools must be registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching

4. REGULATING THE VICTORIAN TEACHING PROFESSION The Registration process: Complete evidence-based process to meet standards Meet fitness and suitability requirements Full registration Provisional registration (up to 2 years) 4 years tertiary education including at least 1 year teacher training Maintain suitability and professional standards Renewed every year Teachers with five year renewal of registration change to annual registration at the end of their current renewal period

5. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION Approved Qualifications Currently four years of approved study, including at least oneyear of teacher education If not, Permission to Teach is the only option Suitability To Teach Criminal record check and character reference Competence in communicating in English Declarations of mental and physical suitability to be a teacher If not, Registration may be refused Standards of Professional Practice At least 80 days of professional practice as a qualified teacher prior to registration Evidence of meeting the standards of professional practice If not, Provisional Registration will be granted • Checking Registration - letter, registration, public register • www.vitonline.vit.vic.edu.auPrincipals’ hotline: 1300 650 375

6. THE STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE Teachers are required to meet the standards of professional practice to be granted full registration • The Standards • describe what a teacher should know and be able to do • provide a shared understanding and language for teachers to articulate their work • focus on student learning • capture the complexity of teaching

7. PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION MEETING AND MAINTAINING STANDARDS

8. VICTORIAN INSTITUTE OF TEACHINGREGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS • Provisional Registration • All new entrants to the profession who cannot provide evidence they have met the standards of professional practice are granted provisional registration (Form A) • Applicants who have taught as a qualified teacher for at least 80 days prior to registration with the Institute can apply for immediate full registration (Form A + Part B) • Can re-apply for provisional registration after two years (Form R) where there are reasonable circumstances • Full Registration • Requires 8 standards of professional practice to be demonstrated • A structured evidenced-based process consistent across all schools, sectors and systems. • Provides an assurance that all fully registered teachers have met the same standards through the same process.

9. APPLICATION PROCESS FOR FULL REGISTRATION ACCORDING TO TEACHER REGISTRATION STATUS

10. SUPPORT FOR PROVISIONALLY REGISTERED TEACHERS AND THEIR INDUCTION • Institute Support: • Two day mentor training program (February and May) • After school welcome to the profession and seminar (March and July) • Materials and pro formas, CDRom • Advice and specific support as required • School Support: • A well considered teaching load and class allocation • Opportunities for PRTs and mentors to work together – regular • timetabled meeting times, shared classes, close physical proximity, • team teaching • Time allocation for effective induction and mentoring • Mentor co-ordination where there is more than one PRT • Reduced teaching contact for PRTs – more time to plan, assess, consult • with colleagues and reflect on practice

11. DEVELOPING EVIDENCE TO MEET THE STANDARDS • Gathering Evidence Of Professional Practice – Flexible Approaches • Teaching occurs in a variety of contexts. Any activity designed to • promote reflective practice needs to recognise this and cater for a • variety of approaches. • Teachers will benefit most from reflection when focused on issues that • are immediate and relevant • Casual relief and emergency teachers, specialist teachers and teachers • working in alternative education settings interact with larger numbers • of students for shorter periods of time. They will benefit from reflecting • on elements of practice in these contexts. • Flexible approaches to the gathering of evidence are appropriate for all • teachers. They will enable reflection to be more directly focused on • teacher needs.

12. PROVISIONALLY REGISTERED TEACHERS DEVELOPING EVIDENCE TO MEET THE STANDARDS Documented evidence collected while developing professional practice through one of these options provides the basis for provisionally registered teachers to demonstrate that their practice meets the standards for full registration.

13. DEVELOPING EVIDENCE TO MEET THE STANDARDS • Evidence should be drawn from teacher's working documents • as far as possible • Should arise from teachers’ normal practice (learning on the job) • Not a University assignment but an opportunity for reflective and • collegiate practice • Maintains focus on student learning • Addresses all aspects of teaching and provides for support in areas • needing further development. • The basis for professional learning in the first year of teaching • Replaces performance appraisal processes in the first year of teaching

14. MEETING THE STANDARDS FOR FULL REGISTRATIONTHE RECOMMENDATION PROCESS • Recommendation Process • Evidence of professional practice presented to a school based panel comprising: • the principal (or their delegate) • a trained mentor • a teacher nominated by the provisionally registered teacher • evidence provided by PRT prior to the meeting • meeting for about 30 minutes with the PRT, usually in Term 3 or 4. • an opportunity for collegiate discussion of professional practice and for PRTs to demonstrate their professional growth in relation to standards of professional practice. • recommendation report completed by the panel on the basis of the evidence • report provided to Institute recommending either full registration where • standards are demonstrated or an extension of provisional registration where • any standard of professional practice has not been demonstrated.

15. THE STANDARD OF PRACTICE REQUIRED FOR FULL REGISTRATION • The evidence gathering process is predicated on success. Where induction processes are working effectively, PRTs should be aware of any concerns about professional practice prior to presenting evidence to a school panel. • The level of professional practice is not set in the standards statements, but is inherent in the process required to demonstrate them. • The process encourages effective practice and provides clear and consistent evidence of the standards being met. • Evidence recording sheets and the Guide to Competent Practice have been developed to assist panels to report the evidence presented and make a decision about whether the standards have been met. The recommendation process should be used as part of annual review or performance appraisal meetings and process should not be duplicated.

16. APPLYING FOR FULL REGISTRATION • Application process • The provisionally registered teacher must apply for full registration • The teacher submits application form (Form C) with completed recommendation report (unless recommendation report is submitted electronically by the principal) • The Victorian Institute of Teaching grants full registration where there is evidence that the standards have been met based on the school recommendation • Audit process • A random sample of 10% of teachers applying for full registration • The teacher will be asked to send of copy of their evidence of professional practice to the Institute. The full registration process cannot be completed until the evidence is received • Provides the Institute with feedback about the evidence and the consistency of the process

17. RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION • Renewal of registration: • applies to all teachers who have full registration • occurs annually • is a retrospective process • is the responsibility of each registered teacher • requires teachers to demonstrate that they have • maintained: • their suitability to be a teacher, including fitness to teach • their professional practice having regard for the standards of professional practice Teachers currently in a five year renewal period move to annual renewal at the end of that period of time.

18. RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION - ALIGNING TO 30 SEPTEMBER • All teachers to pay the annual registration fee by 30 September annually • alignment during 2011 and then as teachers are granted full registration • Teachers gaining initial full registration to renew by 30 September 2011: • requirements for renewal pro rata the annual quantum • Teachers due to renew registration at end of five years: • extended to 30 September • Consent for a criminal record check required by 30 September of the fourth year of issue

19. CATEGORIES OF PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION

20. RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES PD activities contributing to teacher knowledge and practice as defined by the standards of professional practice are recognised for the purpose of renewal STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE FOR RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION

21. EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING • All teachers required to keep evidence of their employment and professional development activities • A random sample of teachers required to validate declarations made when applying for renewal of registration

22. EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING • Teacher identification of the factors that contribute to effective professional learning: • opportunity to have learning informed by ideas arising in the wider education community • engaging with colleagues on professional development activities • being able to apply new knowledge to school and class context • sharing new ideas and knowledge with colleagues • knowledge about what is available Inquiry Into Effective Strategies For Teacher Professional Learning www.parliament.vic.gov.au/etc/fs_ing_pd.html

23. SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS • Professional Development Activities Online Search Facility • www.pdi.vit.vic.edu.au • An online search facility of available professional development activities: • All activities and courses referenced to the standards of professional • practice and principles of professional learning • Email notification to teachers of areas of interest • Over 250 providers and 2000 courses and activities

24. SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS • A storage facility for evidence of professional development - MyPD • Website location to be announced  • An online repository for documentary evidence of professional development. • Linked to the VIT program code provided by Pdi providers • Recognition of Pd sourced from Pdi for renewal of registration • A mechanism for personal evaluation of professional development • A safe storage for teacher PD records. • A component of the new VIT online project

25. CASUAL RELIEF AND EMERGENCY TEACHERS – SCHOOL SUPPORT • Provisionally registered teachers working as CRTs • Where there is a relationship between the teacher and a school (short term work or regular CRT/emergency teaching days) support through: • assistance in the development of evidence of professional practice • an invitation to access in-school PD and curriculum days • opportunities to meet with other PRTs in the school • school commitment to convening a panel to assess the evidence of • professional practice • Teachers working on limited short term contracts • School support through: • an invitation to access in-school PD and curriculum days • an invitation to attend staff meetings on days worked • processes to facilitate communication between the CRT and the absent • teacher with regard to the teaching and learning of students

26. CASUAL RELIEF AND EMERGENCY TEACHERS – SCHOOL SUPPORT • Institute and DEECD support for schools to liaise with CRT networks: • opportunity for schools to recruit CRTs • opportunity for CRTs to gain relevant professional learning and to • understand school context and culture • assistance with organisation and program • information provided to CRTs in the local area • For further information contact Dawn Colcott • by phone: 8601 5842 or • email: dawn.colcott@vit.vic.edu.au

27. THE CODE OF CONDUCT • complements the Code of Ethics (developed in 2005) • assists teachers to make better decisions about their conduct and practice but is not a legal document • is a guide to the minimum standard of behaviour the • profession accepts • can be used to develop a school specific code of conduct • Mentor training seminars – using the Code with PRTs • PRT seminars – introduction to the Codes • Support materials on website: www.vit.vic.edu.au

28. CHANGES TO ONLINE SERVICES FOR TEACHERS • Update of Institute’s computer system and website • What does this mean? • teacher login to secure section of the website • online management of registration • online forms • secure school login - online updating of school information, recommendations for full registration , teacher registration data • Also • check past correspondence from Institute • email correspondence • register for seminars online

29. CHANGES TO INSTITUTE LEGISLATION

30. CHANGES TO INSTITUTE LEGISLATION • Highlighted changes: • Governance • Council reduced to 12; 6 elected, 5 appointed, Secretary of the DEECD or nominee • Registration – • Provisional registration for 2 years (changed from 1 + 1year) • Permission to Teach for a maximum of 3 years • Non-practising registration for an unspecified period • Recognition of standards at higher levels • Voluntary suspension or cancellation of registration • Annualised renewal of registration to be granted the 30 September in any year • Disciplinary processes • Initiated without a complaint or notification • Informal hearings to widen the lower level actions • Formal hearings have the power to cancel a teacher's registration for a specific period of time • Review by VCAT

31. THE IMPACT OF CHANGES AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL The National Professional Standards for Teachers: • Graduate Teachers • Proficient Teachers • Highly Accomplished Teachers • Lead Teachers

32. CONTACT US ADDRESS: The Victorian Institute of Teaching Level 24, 570 Bourke Street MELBOURNE 3000 MAIL ADDRESS: PO Box 531, Collins Street West VIC 8007 WEBSITE:www.vit.vic.edu.au STAFF IN THE STANDARDS AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING BRANCH: