[kzn2nz]

My wife asked for more info about teaching in NZ secondary schools. She has a BA and postgrad diploma in education.


She wants to find out a bit more about working conditions, responsibilities over and above teaching and extramural duties.

Also important is class size (she mow teaches 40 in a class and 8 classes!)

Private vs govt schools?

What support materials can she expect, or will she need to make her own resources?

Pay??? (That is MY question! :D )



Thanks in advance.

[thepiesleys]

Hey try doingh a search - there must be a million threads on here about teaching with some very good information. Teaching in NZ is a pretty well paid job though, dependent on teaching experience.

[CjChris]

Example: I have ten years experience and a master's degree (US) and I anticipate (based on research on govt sites) that I will make in the upper 50,000's, which translates to about the same as I make as a teacher here in the US (not bad by NZ standards).

[kzn2nz]

Thanks for that. Seems the missus might be earning more than me! :/

[able]

Also important is class size (she mow teaches 40 in a class and 8 classes!)


From what I've heard secondary teachers have five classes and pupil numbers in classes can vary from twenties to low thirties with fewer in specialist senior classes.

[wanderingoregonian]

I've been in mostly primary schools. I find the class sizes moderate, with fewer of the huge classes I see back home (my best friend back home called me up thrilled one day that here class was down to 38 because one kid moved). I also find the classes calmer and quieter becuase many of them are carpeted (and often kids without shoes which keeps the carpet cleaner).

Another person i know teachers secondary - somehow she only teaches 4 days a week, which makes me think that the scheduling is a bit different from back home. She has line up of several different course areas too...

[auskiwi]

I am a primary teacher in Auckland. I have a U.S masters degree, a NZ bachelors degree and four years experience. I have 30 kids in my class (14 from non english speaking backgrounds) and am on $60k per year.

[able]

I've been in mostly primary schools. I find the class sizes moderate, with fewer of the huge classes I see back home (my best friend back home called me up thrilled one day that here class was down to 38 because one kid moved). I also find the classes calmer and quieter becuase many of them are carpeted (and often kids without shoes which keeps the carpet cleaner).


I didn't realise classes could be as big as this wanderingoregonian - is this a U.S.-wide phenomenon or are some states worse than others?

[auskiwi]

My kids were in classes of 17 or 18 in Oregon...

[able]

Thanks auskiwi - so were your classes unusually small for Oregon, or normal?

[CjChris]

Here in the eastern US, my senior English classes have traditionally run anywhere from 18-29 in public high school, which is quite typical of most teachers I know.