New allowance recognises expertise

21 June 2013

New allowance recognises expertise

NZEI Te Riu Roa says that a new teachers’ allowance, ratified by members covered by the Primary Collective Teachers’ Agreement recently, recognises classroom expertise and will help keep great teachers in the classroom.

The Advanced Classroom Expertise Teacher (ACET) allowance of $5000 per annum will be available from 2015.

To receive the allowance, teachers must show practice that demonstrates creativity and innovation based on research and theory, positive outcomes for all learners across the curriculum and strong engagement with other teachers and with families.

“This is an important step in NZEI’s goal of promoting improved career pathways for teachers. The focus on quality teaching is essential for student learning,”” says negotiations team leader and Auckland deputy principal Frances Guy.

She says the ACE teacher model was based on robust assessment of a teacher’s knowledge and expertise and was skills-based, not performance-based pay.

The Minister of Education has promoted the idea of performance pay that could be based on National Standards results.

“We totally oppose this as it would not be an accurate way to identify expertise.

“This (ACET) is a completely different model. It means excellent teachers can stay in the classroom and not go into management.”

It will be a rigorous process where teachers will be able to show their teaching expertise over the whole of the curriculum which can then be attested.

She says the process also supports good relationships and offers modelling to other teachers.

ENDS

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