Page 1386 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 13 May 2014
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MS BURCH: I thank Mr Gentleman for the question. The code of professional practice and conduct issued by the Teacher Quality Institute certainly raises the bar another notch for the teaching profession in the ACT. The expectations set out in the code make plain for all teachers the behaviours that they should exhibit in doing their job. The code provides explicit guidance on the professional practice and conduct required of teachers as a condition of their registration and so contributes to the improvement of quality in the teaching profession as a whole.
Teachers are expected to model their professional practice and conduct to demonstrate three important principles: personal and professional integrity, respect for others and responsibility for their contribution to the profession and to the community. I do not think that any teacher or, indeed, any member of our community will be surprised by these expectations. They are what we are accustomed to from our teachers, which they demonstrate in our classrooms. But making the expectations explicit in a code provides a clear expression of the standards of professional behaviour that we expect from our teachers.
We know that the role of a teacher in the classroom is a critical contributor to the educational success of our students. All parents and carers hold a high expectation about the quality of education of their children and what they should receive, no matter which school they attend. We must ensure not only that our teachers are able to perform professionally in this critical role but also that the community recognises their performance as professional and has confidence in their integrity and professional competence.
We should not underestimate the challenges that teachers face every day in practising their profession and in their endeavours for our students. We should also not underestimate their commitment to addressing those challenges, including the need to continue to develop their professional capabilities and the overall capacity of their profession.
The vast majority of our teaching profession know that they have the support and encouragement of all of us in striving for better outcomes for our students as a result of local, national and international tests that show how well they do. As many teachers themselves will say, good enough is not good enough when better is possible.
This code supports teachers along the path to full professionalisation and the community’s recognition of the importance of their role in our society.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Gentleman.
MR GENTLEMAN: Minister, what work has the Teacher Quality Institute undertaken to improve the practice and quality of teachers in the ACT and what feedback has been received?
MS BURCH: Since its beginning in 2011, the focus of the Teacher Quality Institute has been on key regulations governing the profession and, equally importantly, on measures to enhance teacher quality across the career stages that teachers follow as they enter and progress through the profession.
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