Teaching Council applauds 2020 graduates’ resilience and adaptability

2020 has been a year like no other, transforming our lives in unprecedented and unforeseeable ways.

New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC)’s early childhood students have risen to the year’s challenges, however, proving their competence as they quickly adapted to study their qualifications from the safety of their own homes.

Students came together in new and flexible ways, forming supportive online learning communities where they engaged in collaboration, discussion and reflection through the college’s long-established learning platform, NZTC Online.

The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand | Matatū Aotearoa has applauded this year’s teaching graduates, acknowledging their hard work, adaptability and resilience in challenging times.

“The class of 2020 has had a tertiary experience like none before. This cohort of new teachers has made it through an incredible journey to graduate and becoming registered and provisionally certificated,” shared the Teaching Council.

“Due to lockdown they may have spent less time in classrooms or centres than usual but have completed equivalent and valuable alternative practicum experiences, such as digital teaching.

“We know that the length of practical experience is less important than the quality of that experience. Students that have been assessed as meeting the relevant standards will be able to graduate and we can be confident they will be ready to teach.”

NZTC Chief Executive Selena Fox concurred, “It has been so inspiring to see our students adapt and grow in the face of this year’s challenges. They have shown incredible resilience, commitment and competence, and it is these skills that will prove invaluable as they go on to lead, educate and care for young children.”