With all the toing and froing with COVID-19 and remote learning, a staggered and staged return to school, COVID leave and the dreaded ‘test’, many teachers run the risk of losing sight of the bigger picture: their careers and ongoing employment. We all, of course, want the best for our students and to work in safe, supportive environments. Many schools are making this a priority, as they should.
My big concern at the moment is that we are all distracted by the COVID climate and have lost sight of the coming teacher registration end date of 31 December 2022 for many of us.
A straw poll conducted across a range of independent schools has highlighted the lack of knowledge, lack of information, and a substantial underperformance with the mandatory professional development (PD) component of a teacher’s registration.
It is the individual’s responsibility to check their PD log in the e-Tams portal. A teacher should regularly attend to PD evaluations and check that everything they have completed is recorded.
Teachers should also keep an eye on their NESA-approved PD as well as their teacher-identified PD to ensure the regulated 100 hours are completed by 31 December 2022.
It appears that many teachers are nowhere near where they need to be – we are, after all, half way through a registration period.
There is a plethora of online PD opportunities (particularly through our union) that are NESA approved. There is professional reading and watching and discussion groups that can all be registered toward your PD obligations.
Please keep your eye on the ball if you intend to remain employed in a school after 31 December 2022.