[lockstock]

I thought I'd share some information with propective o/s teachers on here - stuff I learned the hard way.

I came to NZ in January ready to start the first job I was offered in a High School. It was great to start with but then the cracks appeared. After two terms I still didn't have a job description and was being sucked into a 'make it up as you go along' scenario with a Head of Department who was expert at doing absolutely nothing. But I digress. I resigned.

By chance, I found that the University of Wiakato runs a free 8 week refresher course for teachers who are returning to teaching. I enrolled as a way of finding out more about the NZ system. It is brilliant. Most of us are o/s teachers doing the same thing. It was intended to try and tempt back NZ teachers who had left the profession but has been hijacked by immigrants! It doesn't matter though because they are tailoring the course to our needs.


Some advice:


Get to know as much about the school you have applied for before you accept. Check it out on the TKI site for location and decile rating (socio-economic scale 10-1)

Make sure you have a contract and a job description before you start. Don't wait until you get there. Insist on it. If they can't provide you with one, there is something wrong.

As an o/s teacher you should have a designated member of staff as a 'mentor'
(part of the PPTA- union- collective agreement)

As an o/s teacher you are entitled to 0.1 time allowance with relief cover paid for by the Ministry for a term (I'll confirm that) - which is half a day a week- so you can do things to help bring you up to speed with the NZ system etc

Check if you are entitled to a relocation allowance - a lower decile school needing to recruit from overseas can claim on your behalf. It's about $4k. I missed out on it because the school appointed two people on one advert and both of us missed out on the technicality.

Invest time in looking on the Ministry website- it's got so much information.

Teacher registration- when you register as an o/s teacher you will be classified as 'provisional' and will need to go through two years of observation to achieve full registration. Having taught in the UK for 27 years and gone through threshold 1, 2 & 3 I though that was a bit harsh BUT I found out that if you are o/s with experience of a similar system (the UK's threshold does count) and are an experienced teacher (eg HOD) then you can appeal. I did and they've place me on 'subject to confirmation' which means 3 months obs - fair enough.

Be aware - your school may not know any of this and it's up to you to bring them up to speed!

The new NZ curriculum is much more flexible and far less prescriptive than the UK one. It's really forward looking and gives you much more scope to work with the kids.

I'm looking forward to my next job after finishing the Course - a lot wiser and a lot more prepared.

Good luck everyone.

[Spooky]

Thanks for starting this! Very useful indeed for folks like us.

Thought I'd add on with some useful weblinks I've found:

- Teachers Council NZ Administrative registration procedure for overseas teachers: http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/registration/how/eligibility/overseas.stm
- TeachNZ Info for overseas teachers: http://www.teachnz.govt.nz/overseas-trained-teachers (includes information on application process and relocation grant)
- Education recruitment Agencies for teachers, and it's free (apparently) since the employers pay the fee: http://www.teachnz.govt.nz/overseas-trained-teachers/employment/recruitment-agencies
- Education Gazette Job vacancies for all positions (academic and administrative): http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/vacancy.php

[Ashby]

Great thread!
Although I have decided not to go back into the classroom so I can homeschool my own kids, after reading this I almost wanted to go back. Weird.

[castleclan]

Thanks Lockstock, some interesting points to note. With you being on UPS 3 in the UK, did this help with the level you entered on the NZ pay scale?

[lockstock]

Thanks Lockstock, some interesting points to note. With you being on UPS 3 in the UK, did this help with the level you entered on the NZ pay scale?


Not in the slightest. It all goes on the NZQA assessment. You have to be prepared to forget what rate you were on in the UK. It counts for nothing here. It's qualifications and time served here, and when you get to the top of the scale..you stay there. One good point is that, unlike in the UK, getting a masters degree gets you more money.

[tea drinker]

Thanks for the info :nice1

[Ashby]

I read this thread and went to bed last night. I dreamed of mathematics!!:laugh

[JandM]

Did you write it down? You've probably discovered some brand-new formula, like the man that dreamt of the snake eating its own tail, and it was the form of an atom.:exit

[Ashby]

Did you write it down? You've probably discovered some brand-new formula, like the man that dreamt of the snake eating its own tail, and it was the form of an atom.:exit

Alas, it was only algebra! Not exactly groundbreaking! :D

[Susan&Dennis]

Lockstock, that was a wonderfully helpful post! This starting-to-prospect-for-work secondary teacher thanks you. I've already contacted Waikato to see if they plan to offer another course. One thing that others might consider if wanting to bypass or complete the "provisional" status more quickly is to ask their previous administrator to write a letter documenting their training/practice observations in their earlier position. This could shave a year off the two-year "provisional" status. Cheers--S.

[lockstock]

By the way...I can spell 'prospective' and 'Waikato' -I'm thinking too fast for my keyboard skills. Sorry!

Glad to be of help guys. Another thing (although I've said it before on here) just because NZQA accepts your qualifications and experience and just because NZIS accepts your qualifications and even if the Teachers' Council accepts it all, the salary people won't. On your first day (if not before) take every scrap of paper and documentation you sent off to the aforementioned and show it all to your principal who has to sign a form that s/he has seen it.

When did the banana go blue please?

[Spooky]

One thing that others might consider if wanting to bypass or complete the "provisional" status more quickly is to ask their previous administrator to write a letter documenting their training/practice observations in their earlier position. This could shave a year off the two-year "provisional" status. Cheers--S.

Sorry for being so anal, but what specifically could be added to the letter of reference that "documents our training/ practice observations"? I am in the process of asking my ex-employers to write a letter and want to make sure I get as much useful information in the letter as possible. :nice1

[thewoodies]

:D Thanks this is really helpful - i would prefer to do a course first - but if i do get a job its great to know the pitfalls.

[napiers]

Teacher registration- when you register as an o/s teacher you will be classified as 'provisional' and will need to go through two years of observation to achieve full registration. Having taught in the UK for 27 years and gone through threshold 1, 2 & 3 I though that was a bit harsh BUT I found out that if you are o/s with experience of a similar system (the UK's threshold does count) and are an experienced teacher (eg HOD) then you can appeal. I did and they've place me on 'subject to confirmation' which means 3 months obs - fair enough.


This is timely! I've just had an email from the Teachers Council about this. They said that on the info I've given them I've been given provisional registration but if I provide a bit more then then I might get registration subject to confirmation. I need to give them evidence I've crossed the threshold (I'm halfway through a letter asking to go to UPS2) or performance review and evidence of recent professional development. I have to do it within a month or get them to give me provisional registration now and then I have 6 months during which they could amend registration.

Has anyone used the 6 month option and, whichever option I follow, does it matter that our plans have changed slightly and I will probably not be in NZ till next August? Would appreciate any thoughts or comments. :nice1

[lockstock]

I wasn't aware of any 6 months option. I applied almost a year after receiving my provisional reg. And they didn't charge me to amend either.

[napiers]

I think I'll try to get info to them within a month. They just said that if I think I'll need longer than a month they'll approve me with provisional and amend my category if I send it within 6 months. We'll see. I'll try to get my UPS2 letter done quickly and find the other stuff - I'm keen to get it all sorted because then all my paperwork will be done and dusted.

[Spooky]

Hi we're not from the UK system though we're on the Cambridge GCE system. Could you elaborate/ explain a little more about what the UPS2 is in relation to the work scope and responsibilities? Would help us in 'translating' that info into skills when we draft our reference letter. Thanks! :nice1

[Susan&Dennis]

Sorry for being so anal, but what specifically could be added to the letter of reference that "documents our training/ practice observations"? I am in the process of asking my ex-employers to write a letter and want to make sure I get as much useful information in the letter as possible. :nice1

Happy to clarify! My understanding from reading/exploring NZTC info, Spooky, was that the two-year provisional status could be shortened by a year if I was able to document a strong and consistent program of teacher training & observation during my career. So I gave that verbiage to my principal and asked her to write a letter describing our teacher induction program. She did that and even provided copies of documented classroom observation visits. When I finally find that job, I'll turn this over and ask to speed up the provisional process.

Now, I may not understand fully how all this works, so I'll be very happy to hear details from people who've already experienced this. From what some others have said, it may be possible to shorten (even bypass?) provisional status quite a bit more.

Query: Is there a salary reduction at the provisional level? I thought there might be.

Cheers, S

[lockstock]

Hi we're not from the UK system though we're on the Cambridge GCE system. Could you elaborate/ explain a little more about what the UPS2 is in relation to the work scope and responsibilities? Would help us in 'translating' that info into skills when we draft our reference letter. Thanks! :nice1


The UK payscales bear no relation to the salary you get in NZ. It's your qualification level they look at.

[lockstock]

Query: Is there a salary reduction at the provisional level? I thought there might be.

S

There's no salary reduction, just a whole load of observations and criteria to fulfil. And some jobs specify full reg.

[Susan&Dennis]

There's no salary reduction, just a whole load of observations and criteria to fulfil. And some jobs specify full reg.

Thanks for the clarification, Lockstock! S.

[thewoodies]

would it not be better to be observed for longer to make sure your doing it the NZ way? Ive just sent mine off - hope it doesnt take as long as NZQA!!!!

[lockstock]

would it not be better to be observed for longer to make sure your doing it the NZ way? Ive just sent mine off - hope it doesnt take as long as NZQA!!!!


No.

[Spooky]

University of Wiakato runs a free 8 week refresher course for teachers who are returning to teaching.

Oh cool - it's free! http://edlinked.soe.waikato.ac.nz/pages/index.php?page_id=8967

[lockstock]

And it's been the best thing I've done in a long time. i can't recommend it highly enough.

[Hejwitch_uk]

Does anyone know if a similar course exists in Chch?

[Spooky]

Adding a useful thread started by icemaiden on the TC process: http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=21129

Also, the TC registration costs NZ$120.