New Zealand Graduate School of Education Graduation Ceremony

Hon Heather Roy speech to the New Zealand Graduate School of Education Graduation Ceremony; Christchurch; Monday, March 29 2010.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. 

Thank you Charlotte [Buxton, Tutor, New Zealand Graduate School of Education] for your warm welcome.  Graduate school directors Kevin Knight and Lois Chick, staff, ladies and gentlemen, and most importantly - graduates. 

It's a real honour for me to be part of your graduation ceremony - to celebrate with you, your friends, your colleagues and families. Please accept my congratulations on your achievements. Today is your day - enjoy it, because you've earned it.

As teaching graduates you are embarking on one of the most important jobs in our society. You will be responsible for equipping your students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed. This responsibility makes teaching a profession full of many challenges but one that offers enormous rewards.

I was asked recently in a media interview to name the teacher that had changed my life. My 6th form English teacher immediately came to mind. She gave me a love of literature and great vocational advice; amongst other things.

When asked this question most people can answer without hesitation. This is because teachers play such a critical role in the lives of their students and can make a significant difference to their education and to their future.

Many of you graduating today will become the answer to this question in the future. You may think that's a burden of responsibility and it is, but it is also a great privilege to have this sort of influence on someone's life.

Usually a person's favourite teacher was someone who took a keen interest in them, knew their strengths and weaknesses, and was a great classroom teacher.

These characteristics highlight the very practical nature of the teaching profession - a point sometimes overlooked in teacher training.
 
The New Zealand Graduate School of Education stands out in this respect because a great deal of emphasis is placed on providing practical classroom experience. As interns, you have had consistent exposure to a range of students in the classroom and, under the tuition of competent and experienced practitioners you have developed your skills in classroom practice, behaviour management, and special education.

As Minister responsible for Special Education I'm delighted that you obtain training in this area. Your experience in special education is another unique feature of The Graduate School programme. Most students graduate with little if any training in special education - practical or theoretical - to cope with the range of needs among students. Despite this, we expect teachers, even on their first day of teaching, to deal with the needs of any student who comes through their classroom door.

The training you have received in this area of education makes you invaluable to the schools you will work in because you will have the confidence to teach all students with effectively and be able to support them appropriately.

The training programme you have completed at The Graduate School is rigorous, comprehensive and highly regarded by teaching practitioners throughout the country. I visit many schools and always hear very positive feedback about the quality of teachers that have graduated from your programme.
 
I suspect this is largely because The Graduate School insists on a high exit bar. You are here today because you have proven that you can teach independently, support students with a range of needs, and have demonstrated the competencies of an effective teacher.

You are ready to embark on your careers. You have had training in an institution that is committed to preparing teachers well and it is now up to you to take what you have learnt and apply it in your own classrooms.

As teachers, you have the opportunity to make a real difference to your students' education. It is internationally acknowledged that the most important factor in learning is the teacher. Despite the odds being against some students in terms of disadvantage, effective teachers have the ability to outweigh these factors and ensure everyone in the classroom reaches their potential. Student success has far more to do with excellent teachers than poor circumstances.

You are entering the teaching profession at an important time in education - when many changes are occurring within the sector. You all have a leading role to play.

The National/ACT/Maori Party government's greatest priority in education is to tackle underachievement. Too many students are leaving school without the necessary skills to make a meaningful contribution to society. The government has several initiatives underway to identify and support those who are falling behind. Among these are the implementation of National Standards, Trades Academies, Service Academies and measures to reduce truancy.

Alongside these initiatives it is also important that we provide students with learning environments they find engaging and relevant to their needs and interests.

That is why this government believes in choice in education. We recognise there is no ‘one size fits all model' that suits every child so having a range of educational opportunities is becoming increasingly important.

Working towards this end, I chaired the Inter-Party Working Group for School Choice throughout last year. The working group reviewed international and national research, visited schools throughout the country, including The Graduate School, and discussed a range of areas within education. We released two reports earlier in the year based on our review and recommended ways to increase schooling options for students. 

One consistent and overwhelming finding across our investigation, and a crucial factor in any learning equation, was well-trained and effective teachers who have high expectations of their students. Whichever school setting parents and students may choose, we need competent teachers - such as yourselves - to facilitate learning, engage with students, and ensure that they succeed. 

We ask a lot of our teachers but I know you are up to the challenge. You follow in the footsteps of previous graduates from this training institution who have gone on to teach at schools throughout the country, been rewarded for their competencies through early promotion to senior management positions, and have remained teaching in New Zealand to the benefit of our students.

When we think about education broadly, I believe that learning must never end. No matter how highly skilled one becomes, it is an individual's willingness to learn and be open to new things that matters. To stop learning is to stop growing, and when learning ceases we are less equipped to deal with change. As American philosopher, educator and author Mortimer Adler once said:

"The purpose of learning is growth and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as long as we live." 

You have long and rewarding careers ahead of you. Congratulations again on your achievements, thank you for letting me share this special day with you, and I wish you all the very best for the future.