Teaching Council! I just got my NZQA back!

[nycstarbucks]

Good news and bad news, i received my NZQA this morning, however im now feeling very nervous,
It says i am a level 7, unfortunately my BSc with education degree cannot be given comparibility to a specific recognised teaching qualification in New Zealand. This's because in New Zealand a teaching degree would take 4yrs and mine only took 3. The only reason they seem to have given me the certificate thing is because i have a 'statement' (could be my GTC certificate or my head teachers letter) that states i have the core components of secondary teacher education.

They're now saying, the Teaching Council has the discretionary provision to consider my application and i should call them regarding this matter.

Do you think i should call them about my application even though they wont have received it yet and ask them whether it's a problem? Eek im sooo worried now, i cant imagine not going to NZ now, i've built it into my head that im going!

Please give me some advice! Has anyone had a similar thing happen?

[JandM]

Just proceeding from logic here, not any special knowledge... They say you should contact the Teaching Council, so contact the Teaching Council. Even if they haven't yet had your specific file, if you tell them what your letter from NZQA said, they will know what the situation is, and will be able to tell you in detail what you need to do next.

[nycstarbucks]

Okay more questions, the teaching council form, it says it wants a fee of $200 my cheque book is obv in £ and the only other option is a credit card which i dont have. Do you think if i gave them my dad's credit card number and details they'd accept that? As long as they get paid it shouldn't matter right?
Also, they talk about English Proficiency, and proof. Do i really need to give them proof even though my degree certificate im sending this as a certified copy should show this? Is there anything else i should send to prove this?
Man im stressed! Ha.

[JandM]

Okay more questions, the teaching council form, it says it wants a fee of $200 my cheque book is obv in £ and the only other option is a credit card which i dont have. Do you think if i gave them my dad's credit card number and details they'd accept that? As long as they get paid it shouldn't matter right?

Quite right - they just want the money. It doesn't matter whose card it is as long as it works.

Also, they talk about English Proficiency, and proof. Do i really need to give them proof even though my degree certificate im sending this as a certified copy should show this? Is there anything else i should send to prove this?

http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/r...tc0webform.pdf I found the form you're talking about. On the end of the form (scroll down) there are instructions to help you fill it in. Section F tells you exactly what is needed. If your degree certificate does not specifically say that the course was taught in English, then you ALSO need what it says.

This evidence will be in the form of a written statement from the institution confirming that English was the language of instruction for this
qualification.

And yes, you really have to go through all the hoops, exactly as told. I know it seems like overkill - YOU know you're English, so it's obvious you speak English - but they don't know you from Adam, so they need everything proved by an official third party, in words of one syllable, so they can tick the boxes they have to tick. Just take a deep breath and think of it as helping them to process your forms really fast.

[nycstarbucks]

Gosh, i dont even know who to call at my university to ask for a certificate of some sort asking them to write that my degree was in English. How about my GCSE's and A Level certificates? "all schooling qualifications"...eek.
Ive emailed the Teachers Council aswell, i cant believe you have to prove you're English. hmm.

English/Maori has been the medium of instruction in all primary and secondary schooling
(Evidence required)** and
• all schooling qualifications have been completed in English/Maori (Evidence required)**

[JandM]

Keep calm here... Read the question, and notice my bolding.

Section F: Language proficiency  Applicant to complete
See the TC0 Completion Guide for detailed instructions on the eligibility criteria, and documents to attach for this section.
13. Official languages of NZ
You need to tick one of the following to show proficiency in English/Maori.
[ ] Teacher education in English and in a country where English is an official language. Attach specified documents
[ ] English/Maori is first spoken language and medium of instruction in all schooling and qualifications. Attach specified documents
[ ] English / Maori language test Attach certified copies of test

So you'll tick the first box, as that's the one that applies to you. Then you'll write to the Registry at the university you attended, tell them you're applying to emigrate and need to prove that your teacher education was conducted through the medium of English, and ask them for a letter on headed paper to state that that was the case.

I don't see why you think this is so strange? They want to be certain that any foreign teacher (and you WILL be foreign, in NZ) can communicate properly with the pupils. That's why they have to have proof you speak English.

(Incidentally, in case you haven't gathered this already, you will be expected to learn a certain amount of the Maori language and customs to function in NZ schools, but you don't need to worry about that ahead of time, as training will be provided.)

[nycstarbucks]

in case you haven't gathered this already, you will be expected to learn a certain amount of the Maori language and customs to function in NZ schools,

Haha i had a feeling this would be case. Ive been trying to take some in on the many NZ websites ive been on.
Okay sounds simple enough now you put it that way, im just stressed because i thought my application was all ready to send off and then i noticed the English Proficiency bit and it threw me. grr.
Thanks for the direction JandM what would i do without you!

[JandM]

What you would do without me? In this particular case, get your paperwork sent back to put right, probably, and we don't want that to happen, wasting your time.

[tea drinker]

I think that I wrote on the application that I was born in England, native English speaker and all education carried out in English but didn't ask Uni's to write that. Maybe it helped that my transcripts from the (UK) Universities and all other certificates were all in English?

Know what you mean about all the forms but NZQA and NZTC are a requirement for teachers so jump through the hoops

[JandM]

They must have changed things, then. The guidelines for that section say

You are considered proficient in English if:
• You completed your teacher education in English (Evidence required)* and
• You completed your teacher education in a country which has English as an official language

* This evidence will be in the form of a written statement from the institution confirming that English was the language of instruction for this
qualification. Please refer to the following website for a list of countries where English is an official language
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lis...cial_languages and scroll down to English.

So Louise can't get away with what you did, unfortunately.