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NZEI - PCTAG Bay of Plenty representative’s Newsletter November 2009

PCTAG (Primary Classroom Teachers Advisory Group) meets once a term in Wellington. The group is made up of 12 teachers elected from all regions of the country. PCTAG provides advice to NZEI National Executive and also responds to requests for feedback on Primary Teachers issues. The current Bay of Plenty representative is Roger Pooley from Rotokawa Primary School in Rotorua.


Please pass this on to anyone you know who maybe interested
In the following areas:
• Organisational Changes
• Support Staff Workforce Strategy
• Primary Sector Strategy
• New Zealand Teachers Council Policy Changes
• GSE update and Special Education Review
• National Standards
• VIP
• Regional issues
• Social Network Websites


Organisational Changes
National President recapped changes brought in at Annual Meeting. An interesting aside was mention of the Member Support Centre (0800 number). It is manned by 4 people and they have been dealing with up to 200 calls a day. The biggest users are principals.

Support Staff Workforce Strategy
Geradine Ryan spoke to PCTAG about the background of the Support Staff Claim and where they were to date. Some of the future work will be looking at evidence that supports the running of schools through the work of Support Staff. Is the research and reality matching?

Primary Sector Strategy
Planning over the next three years was around the goals being used in recent Branch and DC/AC planning. Possible targets groups to raise membership is relievers and PRTs (maybe approach Tutor Teachers and Associate Teachers). One suggestion is for an early WSRs social meeting at Branch level to find out who’s new and who needs a buddy. Similar approach could be extended to relievers.
There will be PUMs (Paid Union Meetings) in March next year, but these will not have the traditional arrangement and are likely to be more workshop in nature.

New Zealand Teachers Council Policy Changes
These changes are already available to see on NZTC and NZEI (see under Teacher Registration) websites. New RTC are available.

GSE update and Special Education Review
Karen Wibley (NZEI staff member) talked about two campaigns on now for GSE staff. Talked about the restructuring for Auckland and Southern Regions. Talked about the Positive Behaviour for Learning Action Plan focussing on decile 1-3 schools.
Special Education Review expected to be finished mid 2010. Terms of reference are available on MoE website. First consultation document should be out soon.
GSE members can experience flack from teachers when in schools, but this flack is misguided.

National Standards
National President spoke about the forum held in Wellington on the 19th November. She constructed a one-page statement that was due for release this week. There were varying degrees of support of National Standards, but there was a call for time for trialling. 2010 has 3 major initiatives for schools; NZC, Behaviour of Learning and National Standards.

VIP
VIP (very interested practitioners) is a concept of Jane Porter’s to identify motivated people in branches who could help with supporting, disseminating and leading information delivery. This was pitched to PCTAG as something to consider taking up. It was looked at favourably.

Regional Issues
National Standards
Tutor Teachers for teachers in kura.

Social Network Websites
If you haven’t already, you may want to look at (and hopefully join up) the following;
http://www.teachersmatter.org.nz
http://www.strongertogether.org.nz
http://www.fairdeal.org.nz


Next Meeting
The next meeting of PCTAG will be held at NZEI National Office, Wellington, 26-27 February 2010.


__________________
PCTAG representative
Roger Pooley
Rotokawa Primary School, Rotokawa, Rotorua
Ph: (07) 345 6129
Email: roger.pooley@gmail.com
blog: http://pctagbop.blogspot.com/


Should you want to know more on any of these, be part of an email tree for further information, or want to know more about the role of PCTAG please contact me.