Primary School Teacher

Tasks & duties

Primary school teachers may do some or all of the following:

• establish a safe classroom environment
• plan and prepare lessons and activities for the year, based on the children's needs and the curriculum
• teach English, maths, science, technology, arts and social studies
• keep up to date with curriculum changes and assessment methods
• set and mark tests
• keep records of children's work and progress
• help to develop children's social skills and behaviours
• write reports for parents and caregivers
• meet and establish a rapport with parents, caregivers, whānau and support staff
• attend weekly teacher meetings
• be responsible for leading a curriculum area within the school such as English or maths
• be involved in extra-curricular activities such as sports coaching, music, dance, drama, school productions and school fairs
• organise and lead school assemblies
• participate in parent/teacher information evenings and open days
• do lunch-time playground duty or road patrol duty
• work with gifted and talented students
• support students with learning needs
• have contact with other professionals, such as counsellors, speech-language therapists and psychologists
• deal with outside agencies and organisations, such as Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and the Ministry of Education

Skills & knowledge

Primary school teachers need to have:

Entry requirements

To become a primary school teacher you need to have a three-year Bachelor of Education (Teaching) degree or equivalent, or a degree and a one-year graduate Diploma of Teaching. 
Alternatively, you could have a four-year conjoint degree, such as a BA/BTeach, BSc/BTeach or BCA/BTeach, which combines study in teaching subjects with teacher training. 

Teacher recruitment scholarships (rural) are available for those living and planning to teach in rural areas. Scholarship graduates are required to teach in a rural primary school for a minimum of two years after completing their training.

Secondary education

Teacher education providers set their own entrance criteria. However most require applicants to be at least 17 years old at the time of entry and to have a tertiary entrance qualification.

Training on the job

Practical teaching experience is gained on the job. First year primary school teachers work closely with an associate teacher and are guided by senior staff. New teachers receive a time allowance to support their learning in the first two years of the job, including one day a week out of the classroom in their first year.
 
Primary school teachers attend courses, workshops and seminars to extend their skills and knowledge, especially if they are in charge of a curriculum area.

Registration

First year primary school teachers can provisionally register with the New Zealand Teachers Council (NZTC), once they have completed a teacher training programme. After completing two years of satisfactory work as a teacher, they can gain full registration. On becoming fully registered, they are issued with a practising certificate.

Useful experience

Useful experience for primary school teachers includes:

Related courses

General Primary and Secondary Education
Teacher Education: General (Pre-Service)
Teacher Education: Primary (Pre-Service)

For more information, please refer to Career Services.