Special Education Teacher?

[aleks]

Hello everyone. I have searched the forum but it seems I can't information about the following dilemma so if anyone has experience regarding this, I would be very thankful if you could share some knowledge with me

I am planning to do a phd in New Zealand. Since I'm married, my wife and me are planning to both go to New Zealand together. She is a special education teacher. We both come from Serbia, and she studied Special Education in Serbia. I understand that in order for her to work as a special education teacher she needs to have her diploma assessed by NZQA and then register at Teaching Council. That is all fine. However, I have found there is a difference in studying special education in Serbia and New Zealand. Namely, in NZ you study to be a teacher and then specialize in special education. In Serbia, it is 4,5 years programe which allows you to work as special education teacher. It is a bachelor degree in special education. By the length of study, my wife would fit into what is necessary in NZ to be qualified for the job. Even so, by the time we get there for me to start my phd, she will also have a masters degree (we are both doing post-graduate degrees in Belgium, where I also finished my BA). Obviously, my concern is whether she will be able to get her degree assessed since there is NZ and Serbian system (BA in teaching+specialization in spec. education vs. extended BA degree in spec. education). Has anyone had experience with this? We are certainly going to have her diploma assessed or at least try to, but before we start, I wanted to check if anyone had a similar problem.

Thanks in advance!

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

I don't remember anyone having raised this question before, but I'm sure if anyone knows anything, they'll get in touch when NZ wakes up later on.

Meantime, have you put this question to the NZTC themselves? Many people have said how helpful they are towards foreign teachers trying to sort out their registration.

[aleks]

Thanks for the welcome! I will definitely contact Teaching Council, as you advised. I was sorta afraid that they will simply disregard the problem and say that you have to have your qualifications assessed firstly. I sent an email to NZQA but got no reply. I will write an email to the council. Anyhow, if anyone is familiar with this issue, feel free to share your opinion or experience. Cheers!

[Sam B]

I don't have experience with your specific question, but I work in a special needs school. All the teachers at the school have just a normal primary school teaching qualification - they don't have any specialist qualifications at all (except those that have gone on to do extra qualifications by choice). It would be great to have teachers who had more specialist qualifications working in this field. If her qualifications are assessed and passed by NZQA, then I am sure there are plenty of special schools here who would be interested in offering work.

[aleks]

Thanks Sam for the positive feedback. Her specialization is what we here call oligophreno-pedagogy, which in fact is work with mentally retarded children (all levels). We will definitely have her qualifications assessed by NZQA, because it is a starting point. Once again, thank you for the answer and I hope you won't mind if I (or my wife) ask you some practical question regarding the work in special needs schools. All the best!

[Sam B]

No worries, ask away.

[sophiedb]

Another option might be to contact an organisation like IHC or CCS - they work with a lot of special needs kids and might either have relevant vacancies or contacts who do. Also a possible source of volunteer/temp work to get NZ experience

www.ihc.org.nz

www.ccsdisabilityaction.org.nz

[aleks]

thank you for the post sophie, very interesting and helpful.