TEACHING COUNCIL

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TEACHING COUNCIL

• Presented by
• Anne McElduff, B.Ed LLB
• Deirbhile Nic Craith B.Ed M.Ed
• I.N.T.O.

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Teaching Council

• Teaching Council Act 2001
• Establishment Day (March 2006)
• General Objectives and Functions
• Professional Codes

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Teaching Council Act Objectives

• to promote teaching as a profession
• to promote professional development
• to maintain and improve quality of teaching
• to establish standards, policies and procedures
  for the education and training of teachers

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Objectives and Functions of the Council

• review and accredit programmes of teacher
  education
• act as the competent authority for the
  recognition of qualifications..

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Objectives and Functions of the Council
(continued...)

• establish, publish, review and maintain codes of
  professional conduct for teachers.including
  standards of teaching, knowledge, skill and
  competence
• conduct inquiries into fitness to teach of any
  registered teacher and impose sanctions

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Objectives and Functions of the
Council (continued)

• establish induction proceduresand criteria for
  probation.
• advise the Minister.conduct researchhave regard
  to.financial resources available
• establish and maintain a register of teachers.
  procedures and criteria for registration
  including the issue of certificates and renewal
  of registration

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Composition of the Council

• Total number is 37 members
• 11 Primary Teachers of which 2 are nominated by
  representative union
• 11 Post Primary Teachers of which 4 are nominated
  by representative unions
• 2 nominees of Colleges Of Education

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Composition of the Council (ctd)

• 2 nominees of other Third Level Institutions
• 4 School Management
• 2 Parents
• 5 persons nominated by Minister, including a
  representative of ICTU and IBEC

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Committees of the Council

• Executive
• Registration
• Finance
• Vetting
• Education
• Investigation
• Discipline

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The Register

• Council establishes and maintains the Register
• Full Particulars of each R/T including
• employment details
• findings of any disciplinary proceedings
• Register may be published / FOI able

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The Register (continued)

• Available for Inspection
• Payment of teachers by Government is subject to
  registration
• onus on teacher to apply to renew annually

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Refusal To Register

• Council may refuse
• Person informed of decision and the reasons -
  within 21 days
• Option to apply to High Court
• High Court may confirm decision / annul / vary /
  give other directions as appropriate

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Fees

• Fees may be charged for
• registration, issue of certificate of
  registration, late renewal, removal, correction,
  any other service, etc.
• Council may recover.a debt.in any court of
  competent jurisdiction, from any person by whom
  it is payable

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Fitness to Teach

• Council or any person may apply for an inquiry
  into fitness to teach on all or any of the
  following grounds
• Failure to comply with provision of the Acts
• Professional misconduct
• False registration
• Medically unfit

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Fitness to Teach

• Council has powers, rights and privileges vested
  in High Court
• summonsing of witnesses
• compelling the production of documents
• administering the oath
• answering questions.

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Fitness to Teach (continued)

• Failure to cooperate is an offence / maximum fine
  1500 / Contempt
• Council may dismiss application or
• Make a finding of unfitness to teach

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Fitness to Teach (continued)

• Council may decide
• remove teacher from register
• suspend maximum 2 years
• retain subject to conditions, including
  attendance at professional courses or seeking
  assistance
• Teacher may appeal to the High Court or if not
  Council obliged to apply ex-parte for
  confirmation

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Core Values of the Teaching Profession

• The Educational Experience
• Educational Outcomes
• Relationships

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Core Values The Educational Experience

• Commitment
• Quality Of Education
• Student-Centred Learning
• Responding to Change
• Professional Development

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Core Values Educational Outcomes

• Holistic Development
• Cultural Values
• Social Justice, Equality and Inclusion

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Core Values - Relationships

• Collegiality
• Collaboration
• Respect
• Care
• Cooperation

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Two Aspects of Professional Code

• Professional Practice
• Teaching
• Knowledge
• Skill
• Competence
• Professional Conduct

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Purpose of the Code of Professional Practice

• To promote quality teaching and learning
• To encourage and support teachers in their
  professional role
• To promote the teaching profession

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Professional Practice

• The Teacher and Student
• Student Background
• Student Development
• Student Potential
• Student Learning
• The Teacher and Parents
• Partnership with Parents

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Professional Practice

• The Teacher and Curriculum
• Curriculum Process
• Curriculum Content
• Teaching Approaches
• Resources
• Assessment
• Curriculum Change

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Professional Practice

• The Teacher as Learner
• The Teacher as Reflective Practitioner
• The Teacher as Lifelong Learner
• Professional Collegiality

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Professional Practice

• The Teacher, the State, the Community and the
  School
• Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
• Parents, School Management and Co-professionals
• The Local Community
• Learning in the School Community

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Code of Professional Conduct

• Purpose
• To establish and promote the maintenance and
  improvement of standards of professional conduct
  of teachers

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Code of Professional Conduct

• Teachers should
• take care of students under their supervision
  with the aim of ensuring their safety and welfare
  insofar as is reasonably practicable

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• respect confidential information relating to
  colleagues, students and families gained in the
  course of professional practice, unless the
  wellbeing of an individual or a legal imperative
  requires disclosure

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• uphold the reputation and standing of the
  profession. They should act with honesty and
  integrity in all aspects of their work. They
  should avoid direct conflict between their
  private interests and their professional work

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• respect students, parents, colleagues, school
  management, co-professionals and all in the
  school community. They should interact with them
  in a way that does not discriminate and that
  promotes equality in relation to gender, marital
  status, family status, sexual orientation,
  religion, age, disability, race, ethnicity,
  membership of the Travelling Community and
  socio-economic status.

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• Recognising the unique and privileged
  relationships that exist between teachers and the
  students entrusted to their care, teachers should
  conduct these relationships in a way that is
  professional, respectful and appropriate.

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• not practice the profession while under the
  influence of any substance which impairs their
  ability or medical fitness.

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Codes of Professional Conduct

• provide complete and accurate information and
  authentic documents with respect to their
  professional status, qualifications and
  experience. They should use only their own names,
  as set out in the register, in the course of
  their professional duties. They should provide
  complete and accurate information on any
  professional matter as requested by the Council.
  They should not counsel or assist any person who
  is not a registered teacher to represent himself
  or herself as being so registered.

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