Professional Standards
Since its early days as the Board of Teacher Education, the QCT has proudly upheld the standards of teaching in Queensland.
The work of the QCT’s Professional Standards Unit is grounded in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), which were introduced nationally in 2011. This work supports and is supported by registered teachers all over Queensland:
- at all career stages
- in every educational sector -State, Catholic and Independent
- at every stage of schooling - early childhood, primary, secondary - and in tertiary education.
These bold and brilliant teachers demonstrate the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) in their practice and work with the PSU in numerous ways to embed the APST across the profession.
Alota Lima
Deputy Principal at Boonah SHS, Alota also works closely with the PSU in
her role as chair of the QCT Professional Standards Committee (PSC). This
committee oversees the application of the APST to range of QCT functions
including professional standards, teacher registration, teacher
certification, teacher education, initial teacher education program
accreditation and professional development. Alota is also a member of the
QCT Board.
Dr Craig Murison
As Dean of Education, Humanities and Business and Vice President Academic at Christian Heritage College (CHC) in Brisbane, Craig works to ensure CHC’s initial teacher education graduates meet the Graduate career stage of the APST. Supported by the PSU, Craig and the team at CHC undergo five-yearly program accreditation processes to ensure that the CHC initial teacher education programs meet the national standards and are ready to teach in Queensland classrooms. Craig also demonstrates his commitment to the national process by acting as a panel chair for the accreditation of initial teacher education programs of other providers. This process in Queensland is administered by the PSU.
Rebecca Sullivan
Rebecca is an early career teacher now teaching at Gainsborough State
School. To register as a teacher on completion of her Bachelor of Education
program, Rebecca had to demonstrate that she met the Graduate career stage
of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Rebecca transitioned
from provisional registration to full registration in 2018. She used
resources and attended workshops developed by the PSU to support her
collection of evidence to demonstrate that her practice met the standards
at Proficient career stage.
Rebecca is also a member of QBECT, the QCT’s Queensland Beginning and Early Career Teacher Reference Group, which is a forum for discussion about how the QCT can better support teachers in the early stages of their career. Through sharing ideas, initiatives and research, the group plays an important role in influencing the QCT’s work.
Lisa Cooper
Lisa is an experienced teacher, currently working in the North Coast region, with a range of experience from early childhood teaching to guidance officer in secondary education. Lisa has a career long association with the QCT through meeting the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements of all fully registered, practising teachers. These requirements ensure that registered, practising teachers are assessing their professional learning needs against the APST and then sourcing CPD activities that meet those needs. Lisa accesses the professional learning opportunities provided by the PSU to teachers through webinars, face-to-face workshops, resources and recommendations of CPD sources and activities.
Lisa is also a member of the Professional Standards Committee and nationally trained accreditation panel member, providing advice to QCT issues across the early years through to secondary schooling and teacher wellbeing. Lisa was a successful nominee for a QCT Teachers award in 2012.
Angela Martlew and Raymond Donohue
Certification is a relatively new activity of the PSU team. The process allows experienced classroom teachers in the Queensland state and Catholic sectors to voluntarily pursue national Certification, by demonstrating their teaching skills and abilities at the Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher career stages of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Certification allows highly skilled teachers to be recognised for their achievements and lead the profession, while remaining in the classroom.
Angela is a practising teacher from Mater Dei Primary School in Toowoomba. As a certified Lead Teacher, Angela uses her knowledge of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to support colleagues in her school to improve their practice, whether they are beginning their careers or applying for Certification.
Raymond is both a practising teacher at Kuranda District State College and
also a trained assessor, involved in the assessment of Certification
applications. His work ensures that successful applicants’ practice
demonstrates the APSTs at the higher career stages. As a Highly
Accomplished teacher, Raymond uses his knowledge of the APSTs to support
teachers in his school to improve their practice, whether they are
beginning their careers or applying for Certification.
Maria Woods
Maria’s commitment to education goes beyond her commitment to her school,
Sunshine Coast Grammar School, as a school leader. She is an active member
of a stakeholder group providing feedback to the local university’s initial
teacher education program to support continual improvement of their
programs. Maria is also a member of the QCT’s Principals’ Engagement
Reference Group (PERG). This group includes representation from all
principals’ associations in Queensland and provides a forum for new ideas,
initiatives and mechanisms to achieve continuous improvement in the pursuit
of the QCT’s strategic mission to consult with stakeholders to identify
issues of importance for the profession.
Many of the PSU team are registered teachers, too, and are proud to work at Australia’s oldest teacher regulatory authority, with the bold and brilliant teachers of Queensland.