Edition 2, September 2006

Letter from the Chair

The Teacher Registration Board has made excellent progress with preparing professional standards for teaching. In February this year, the Board approved the Professional Standards for Teaching at the competent level and every registered teacher was sent a copy to his or her postal address. The Board is now preparing professional standards at the graduate and accomplished levels.

The first set of standards was prepared with a high level of support from a wide cross-section of teachers including Indigenous and non- Indigenous teachers in urban and remote locations, government and non-government schools, teachers working across all levels of schooling and specialist areas of education, and teacher educators in Northern Territory tertiary institutions. The Board extends its sincere thanks to the teachers who gave of their time and energy in drafting this important document.

We are inviting classroom teachers, education leaders and teacher educators again to participate in developing professional standards for teaching in the Northern Territory.

The Board has continued to work very closely with other registration boards and, on 24-25 August, hosted the national meeting of the Australian Forum of Teacher Registration and Accreditation Authorities. The main agenda item at the meeting proposed national alignment of registration procedures and requirements.

Will you receive your renewal notice?

When the Teacher Registration Board last sent out an important letter to all registered teachers, many were returned as ‘Address Unknown’. This may mean that some teachers will not receive their renewal notices.

If you have changed your personal address or workplace, you can notify the Board by calling 8999 4197 or emailing trb@nt.gov.au

If you have changed your name, you will need to complete the Change details form and send it in with certified evidence of the change.

Three-year qualifications

The requirement of having a four-year teaching qualification to be eligible for registration has now been adopted in all Australian States and Territories. Most universities have offered only a four-year qualification for many years.

The number of teachers with a three-year qualification is diminishing each year. Many of them are highly experienced teachers with years of excellent practice behind them. It would be to the detriment of the profession if this great resource were lost through the introduction of registration.

To avoid registration difficulties in the future and to ensure that employment opportunities remain open, it is strongly recommended that all teachers with three-year qualifications ensure that their registration is maintained.

As of 1 January 2007, the Registration Board will bring in a new policy on three-year qualifications. This will not affect teachers who are currently registered and continue to renew their registration. It will affect people who have a three-year qualification and who allow their registration to lapse for more than one school year.

If you are uncertain of your position please do not hesitate to call us for clarification.