Specialist Classroom Teachers (SCT)
Aims and objectives of the SCT role
The SCT role offers a career opportunity for secondary teachers to develop and demonstrate their professional learning leadership skills. This is an ongoing and evolving role and will be further developed over time.
The establishment of this role came from a recommendation made by the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Remuneration (2003) that a broader range of career pathways be developed to offer more attractive career prospects to teachers. Having a wider range of career opportunities available is expected to aid in the recruitment of graduates and assist in the retention of experienced teachers who wish to focus on professional teaching practice. The SCT role was identified as one from which all schools could benefit, with its focus on leadership of professional learning.
The aim of the SCT role is to contribute to enhancement of quality teaching practices in all schools by providing support for the professional growth of other teachers in the school. This in turn is aimed at improving learning and achievement outcomes for all students, especially those most at risk of underachievement. This professional learning support could be through:
- supporting and assisting beginning teachers to develop and demonstrate effective teaching practices
- supporting and assisting beginning teachers to maintain a purposeful learning environment that engages students
- supporting and assisting other teachers in the school with effective teaching practices and maintaining a purposeful learning environment that engages students
- supporting and assisting teachers to expand their knowledge, skills and attributes to increase teaching effectiveness
- encouraging collaborative and shared practice
- providing leadership in school-wide professional learning and development.
Implementation of the SCT role in schools has seen a wide range of support provided to teachers: coaching, mentoring, leading mentoring programmes, leading professional learning groups, providing professional reading and leading discussion groups, developing reflective practice, classroom observations/support, supporting beginning teachers, developing classroom management strategies, leading professional learning programmes in the school, and facilitating and supporting professional learning communities.
Readings/Resources
2008 SCT collective agreement conditions
Circular outlining features of the 2007–2010 Secondary Teachers' Collective Agreement including the changes to the SCT terms and conditions.
SCT guidelines for 2008
Guidelines and the application form for SCT time allowance.
Review of the SCT pilot
This review was undertaken alongside the implementation of the SCT scheme, in state and integrated secondary schools across New Zealand, in 2006. The SCT pilot was established as part of the settlement of the Secondary Teachers’ Collective Agreement (STCA) 2004. The SCT pilot followed a recommendation of the Ministerial Taskforce on Secondary Remuneration (2003) to explore and establish new career pathways for secondary teachers.
