MEETING SUBJECT:
Teaching Council Inclusive Education Advisory Group Meeting
DATE OF MEETING:
19 March 2021
TIME OF MEETING:
9:00am – 4:15pm
VENUE:
Matairangi Boardroom, Level 7, 80 Boulcott Street, Wel ington
ATTENDEES:
Frian Wadia (Chair), Thecla Moffat, Liz Cassidy, Jude MacArthur, Heather
Lear, Maree Kirk, Jenny Ritchie, Tracey McConachie
Pauline Barnes (Deputy Chief Executive – Professional Services), Jayne
Franklin (Manager Teacher Capability and Col aboration), Kel y Turner
(Team Leader Teacher Capability and Col aboration), Prisca MacDonald
(Team Leader Teacher Capability and Col aboration), Michael Thorn
(Manager Policy and Implementation), Poppy Shelton (Policy Analyst),
Libby Tregear (Lead Analyst), and Sally Macesmith (Board Secretary)
(minutes)
APOLOGIES:
Chloe Stokes, Matthew Truman
1. Karakia / Opening Remarks
The Chair opened the meeting with a karakia.
Donna Boniface had informed she would be stepping down from the TCIEAG due to unforeseen
personal circumstances
2. Minutes from the previous meeting
Recommendation:
That the TCIEAG approves the minutes as a true and accurate record of the meeting held on 25
September 2020.
MOVED
SECONDED
CARRIED
3. Inclusive Practice in Initial Teacher Education
Pauline Barnes, Jayne Franklin, Kelly Turner and Poppy Shelton joined the meeting at 9:35am.
Pauline Barnes gave an introduction and background to the Teaching Council’s new ITE Programme
Approval, Monitoring and Review Requirements, which took effect on 1 July 2019.
This included the timeline for change, the new expectations and what changed from the old
requirements, and what the Teaching Council is focussing on in the ITE space.
There was a discussion about the requirement for al ITE Panel members to be Registered and
Certificated teachers. Having panel members from outside the education sector could bring a wider,
ecosystem view to programme approvals and reviews. Other panels at the Teaching Council have lay
members, though experts or specialists would be preferable over simply having a lay person on an
ITE Panel. The TCIEAG suggested the Teaching Council consider including ITE panel members from
inclusive education, who are not Registered Teachers, with comprehensive understanding of up to
date inclusive practice.
The TCIEAG discussed the need for new graduates to be critical thinkers, not only to support diverse
learners, but to challenge the status quo in a safe way. They talked about the discrepancies in the
education system in New Zealand, with variable policies and practices in different regions. How can
we ensure that the student’s practicum experiences are genuinely inclusive, given there is no clarity
about what inclusion means in education.
There was a need to make it safe for Teachers to share their thoughts and what they are seeing that
needs to change – give them a voice when they see something that is not right. The Teaching
Council was trial ing a conference series with NZEI Te Riu Roa for beginning teachers. This could
bring that cohort together to share experiences and support them with knowledge/expertise.
Kel y Turner then spoke to the specific requirements for inclusive practice within the ITE
requirements and provided some examples from current programmes, including some Key Teaching
Tasks.
In the Values, the Code and Standards, the language needs to be explicit. Saying ‘all learners’ is not
enough. If everyone understood inclusion, it would be enough, but not everyone does.
There was discussion about whether we need more conditions/diagnosis specifical y stated in
program requirements as they influence teaching practice and adaptations, or do we wish to shift
away from these and focus on overarching values, principles and frameworks such as trauma
informed practice, understanding the neurodiverse brain and learning, UDL etc.
There was some discussion about how the Teaching Council can ensure that ITE providers were
partnering up with the most relevant and appropriate partners, to ensure an inclusive program.
The TCIEAG were provided a set of questions to see partnerships strengthening inclusive practice
capability in ITE.
Action: TCIEAG members to feed answers to questions into shared document.
Action: The Teaching Council consider including ITE panel members from inclusive education, who
are not Registered Teachers, with comprehensive understanding of up-to-
date inclusive practice onto ITE panels
Jayne Franklin and Kelly Turner left at 11:45am.
4. Proposed Legislative Changes to Disciplinary Regime
Michael Thorn and Libby Tregear joined at 11:45am.
Pauline Barnes gave a brief overview of the rationale and proposed changes to the legislation
regarding the powers of the Complaints Assessment Committee and Disciplinary Tribunal. This
would be a long process so would be discussed at a future meeting.
5. Consultation on Draft Rules & Guidelines on Physical Restraint
Libby Tregear provided an update on the Teaching Council’s mahi on the Ministry of Education’s
Physical Restraint Advisory Group (PRAG).
Frian Wadia declared she is a member of the advocacy group VIPS Equity in Education but is not
taking part in their work on the PRAG.
Discussions highlighted that this is an important piece of work to get right, and teachers need clarity
on when it is permissible to use physical restraint, so they feel confident to do so when necessary.
TCIEAG members were pleased with the shift in language within guidelines to students in distress,
based on the preliminary information available. There was some discussion on the need to offer a
platform for joint conversations between teachers and communities, so everyone is aware of the
various perspectives before they put in their submissions for the public consultation (once it is
open).
TCIEAG members agreed to meet via zoom if needed when the public consultation for the draft
guidelines opens, so they may provide input towards the TC’s submission.
Libby Tregear left at 1:45pm.
6. Core Business Update
Jayne Franklin and Prisca MacDonald joined at 12:45pm.
Jayne Franklin and Prisca McDonald presented an update from the Teacher Capability and
Collaboration team on three of the Teaching Council’s core workstreams: Professional Growth Cycle,
Rauhuia | Leadership Space, and Give Nothing to Racism in Education.
Professional Growth Cycle: Need to incorporate and highlight focus on values and codes more, so
the reflection on standards is done through a wider lens of accountability for al stakeholders.
Rauhuia: Leadership Capability Framework could do with a review, through an inclusive lens?
Great potential to network and bring together teachers passionate about inclusive education.
Creating safe spaces to al ow sharing of critical thinking and shifting attitudes.
Unteach Racism: Racism ……. and discrimination? App/ Tool needs to be extended to highlight the
underlying values and critical thinking necessary to ensure inclusive teaching practice in
educational settings. Need to create shift from deficit thinking to strengths-based thinking.
Action: Send invitation to Professional Growth Cycle Zoom hui to TCIEAG members.
Action: Send link to recorded Professional Growth Cycle webinar to TCIEAG members.
Action: TCIEAG members to feed answers to questions into shared document.
Jayne Franklin and Prisca MacDonald left at 1:45pm.
7. Policy/Education System General Update
Libby Tregear joined at 1:45pm.
Libby Tregear provided an update on the Teaching Council’s involvement in education sector wide
initiatives including:
• ECE Regulations Review
• Education Sector Action Plans
• Review of Ministry of Education’s stand-down guidelines.
Action: Highlight sections of the ECE Regulations on physical environment and staffing ratios to
seek specific comments.
link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4 link to page 4
Action: Order copies of the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016-2026 for the TCIEAG and Teaching
Council staff.
Action: Share the media reports on the Learning Support Coordinator.
Libby Tregear left at 2:45pm.
8. Competencies Framework
Developing a kete of resources for teachers was proposed at the previous hui. Te Kete Ipurangi is
already maintained by the Ministry of Education. The Chair proposed a Competencies Framework as
an alternative resource for the teaching profession.
The TCIEAG noted that the existing competencies frameworks,
Tapasā: cultural competency
framework for teachers of Pacific learners and T
ātaiako: cultural competencies for teachers of
Māori learners, are heavily used in ITE.
Recommendation:
That the TCIEAG recommends the Governing Council includes the development of a competency
framework for inclusive education as a strategic initiative for the 2021-2022 financial year. MOVED
SECONDED
CARRIED
The TCIEAG suggested the framework be uniquely New Zealand while stil having regard to
international research and the TCIEAG could lead the framework development.
A framework would go a long way to make up for the lack of inclusion in the Education & Training
Act 2020, create a culture of belonging, and link to several international and national objectives
regarding inclusion:
• United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4.5
1
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 2
42
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Articles 28 and 29
3
• New Zealand Disability Strategy 2016-2026 Outcomes 1
4 and 6
5
• Learning Support Action Plan – Building teacher confidence and capability, Wellbeing
• He Taonga Te Tamaiti / Early Learning Action Plan
9. Celebrating Success in Inclusion
The TCIEAG discussed ways the Teaching Council could celebrate success in inclusive education.
Ideas included:
• Items in the Teaching Council’s Matatū newsletter
• Groups on Hapori Matatū
1 By 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and
vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in
vulnerable situations
2 Article 24 – Education,
https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-
with-disabilities/article-24-education.html
3
https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
4 Education: We get an excel ent education and achieve our potential throughout our lives.
5 Attitudes: We are treated with dignity and respect.
• Col ecting stories from within TCIEAG networks.
10. Meeting Review & Close with Karakia
Items for the next meeting agenda included:
• tranche 2 of ECE Regulations Review
• proposed legislative changes to disciplinary regime
• improving engagement with community groups, student/whanau voices
• consultation on Draft Rules & Guidelines on Physical Restraint (the TCIEAG agrees to a Zoom on
this topic if the consultation ended before the next meeting).
The Chair thanked the attendees for their participation in the hui and the Council staff for their support
and presentations.
The TCIEAG would look to meet again in May 2021.
The meeting adjourned at 4:10pm.
Signed__________________________________ Dated_5th Nov 2021_______________________
Frian Wadia
Chair
Teaching Council Inclusive Education Advisory Group
Document Outline
