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A national curriculum needs national teaching standards ACER’s Dr Lawrence Ingvarson argues in a recent paper that because curriculum standards go hand in hand with standards for teaching, a partnership between these two areas would be of great benefit to Australian education. Two significant developments in this area have recently taken place: the creation of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the National Partnership on Quality Teaching (NPQT). The success of each of these developments depends on the success of the other. For example, national curriculum statements will have important implications for what teachers should know and be able to do. However, successful implementation of a national curriculum will depend fundamentally on the willingness and capacity of teachers to meet those standards. The implementation of a national curriculum would benefit from a strong partnership with a national body for professional standards and certification, according to Dr Ingvarson. This body could work with teachers’ professional associations as they develop and refine their standards. The process would need to be conducted alongside unions, governments and other employers, as they seek to build rewards for professional certification into their enterprise bargaining agreements and conditions for career progression. This new agency could work alongside ACARA to develop teaching standards in each of the specialist fields of teaching, and to provide a certification system for all teachers and school leaders who believe that they have met those standards. It would need to provide a credible assessment and certification system, ensuring it is responsive to, but independent from all stakeholders. Since we are moving to a national curriculum, it makes sense to move to a national system for the certification of teachers who are able to teach the various components of that curriculum. It seems appropriate to ensure that teaching standards reflect what is unique about, for example, what accomplished English, history, mathematics and science teachers know and do. It makes little sense to have distinct curricula for these subjects but generic standards for those who teach these subjects. Ingvarson says it would not make sense economically or professionally for employers in every state, territory and sector to develop their own certification system. It is time to ask the profession to develop its own national system for defining high quality teaching of the curriculum, promoting development toward the related standards and providing certification to those who reach them – and to demonstrate that this system is a rigorous indicator of teachers who can make the aspirations of the national curriculum a reality in their classrooms. National curriculum and national professional teaching standards: Potentially a powerful partnership by ACER’s Dr Lawrence Ingvarson is No. 184 in the Seminar Series of the Centre for Strategic Education. The report is available at <www.cse.edu.au>. « Back to eNews
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ACER’s Dr Lawrence Ingvarson argues in a recent paper that because curriculum standards go hand in hand with standards for teaching, a partnership between these two areas would be of great benefit to Australian education. Two significant developments in this area have recently taken place: the creation of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) and the National Partnership on Quality Teaching (NPQT).

The success of each of these developments depends on the success of the other. For example, national curriculum statements will have important implications for what teachers should know and be able to do. However, successful implementation of a national curriculum will depend fundamentally on the willingness and capacity of teachers to meet those standards.

The implementation of a national curriculum would benefit from a strong partnership with a national body for professional standards and certification, according to Dr Ingvarson. This body could work with teachers’ professional associations as they develop and refine their standards. The process would need to be conducted alongside unions, governments and other employers, as they seek to build rewards for professional certification into their enterprise bargaining agreements and conditions for career progression. This new agency could work alongside ACARA to develop teaching standards in each of the specialist fields of teaching, and to provide a certification system for all teachers and school leaders who believe that they have met those standards. It would need to provide a credible assessment and certification system, ensuring it is responsive to, but independent from all stakeholders.

Since we are moving to a national curriculum, it makes sense to move to a national system for the certification of teachers who are able to teach the various components of that curriculum. It seems appropriate to ensure that teaching standards reflect what is unique about, for example, what accomplished English, history, mathematics and science teachers know and do. It makes little sense to have distinct curricula for these subjects but generic standards for those who teach these subjects.

Ingvarson says it would not make sense economically or professionally for employers in every state, territory and sector to develop their own certification system. It is time to ask the profession to develop its own national system for defining high quality teaching of the curriculum, promoting development toward the related standards and providing certification to those who reach them – and to demonstrate that this system is a rigorous indicator of teachers who can make the aspirations of the national curriculum a reality in their classrooms.

National curriculum and national professional teaching standards: Potentially a powerful partnership by ACER’s Dr Lawrence Ingvarson is No. 184 in the Seminar Series of the Centre for Strategic Education. The report is available at <www.cse.edu.au>.

A national curriculum needs national teaching standards