New Zealand Teaching Standards

Standard 1

Te Tiriti o Waitangi PartnershipDemonstrate commitment to tangata whenuatanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership in Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Understand and recognise of the unique status of tangata whenua in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Understand and acknowledge the histories, heritages, languages and cultures of partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Practise and develop the use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

Standard 2

Professional LearningUse inquiry, collaborative problem-solving and professional learning to improve professional capability to impact on the learning and achievement of all learners.

• Inquire into and reflect on the effectiveness of practice in an ongoing way, using evidence from a range of sources.
• Critically examine how my own assumptions and beliefs, including cultural beliefs, impact on practice and the achievement of learners with different abilities and needs, backgrounds, genders, identities, languages and cultures.
• Engage in professional learning and adaptively apply this learning in practice.
• Be informed by research and innovations related to: content disciplines; pedagogy; teaching for diverse learners including learners with disabilities and learning support needs; and wider education matters.
• Seek and respond to feedback from learners, colleagues and other education professionals, and engage in collaborative problem solving and learning-focused collegial discussions.

Standard 3

Professional Relationships

Establish and maintain professional relationships and behaviours focused on the learning and well being of each learner.

• Engage in reciprocal, collaborative learning-focused relationships with: - learners, family and whānau - teaching colleagues, support staff and other professionals - agencies, groups and individuals in the community.
• Communicate effectively with others.
• Actively contribute, and work collegially, in the pursuit of improving my own and organisational practice, showing leadership, particularly in areas of responsibility.
• Communicate clear and accurate assessment for learning and achievement information.

Standard 4

Learning-focused Culture

Develop a culture that is focused on learning, and is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety.

• Develop learning-focused relationships with learners, enabling them to be active participants in the process of learning, sharing ownership and responsibility for learning.
• Foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among learners so that they experience an environment in which it is safe to take risks.
• Demonstrate high expectations for the learning outcomes of all learners, including for those learners with disabilities or learning support needs.
• Manage the learning setting to ensure access to learning for all and to maximise learners’ physical, social, cultural and emotional safety.
• Create an environment where learners can be confident in their identities, languages, cultures and abilities.
• Develop an environment where the diversity and uniqueness of all learners are accepted and valued. 
• Meet relevant regulatory, statutory and professional requirements.

Standard 5

Design for Learning

Design learning based on curriculum and pedagogical knowledge, assessment information and an understanding of each learner’s strengths, interests, needs, identities, languages and cultures.

• Select teaching approaches, resources, and learning and assessment activities based on a thorough knowledge of curriculum content, pedagogy, progressions in learning and the learners. 
• Gather, analyse and use appropriate assessment information, identifying progress and needs of learners to design clear next steps in learning and to identify additional supports or adaptations that may be required. 
• Design and plan culturally responsive, evidence-based approaches which reflect the local community and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership in New Zealand. 
• Harness the rich capital that learners bring by providing culturally responsive and engaging contexts for learners. 
• Design learning informed by national policies and priorities.

Standard 6

Teaching

Teach and respond to learners in a knowledgeable and adaptive way to progress their learning at an appropriate depth and pace.

• Teach in ways that ensure all learners are making sufficient progress, monitor the extent and pace of learning, focusing on equity and excellence for all. 
• Specifically support the educational aspirations for Māori learners, taking shared responsibility for these learners to achieve educational success as Māori. 
• Use an increasing repertoire of teaching strategies, approaches, learning activities, technologies and assessment for learning strategies and modify these in response to the needs of individuals and groups of learners. 
• Provide opportunities and support for learners to engage with, practise and apply learning to different contexts and make connections with prior learning. 
• Teach in ways which enable learners to learn from one another, to collaborate, to self-regulate, and to develop agency over their learning. 
• Ensure learners receive ongoing feedback and assessment information and support them to use this information to guide further learning