National Professional Standards for Teachers

In case you haven't heard, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) released National Professional Standards for Teachers on February 9.

According to their website, the standards aim to "promote excellence in teaching and provide a nationally consistent basis for recognising quality teaching. They make explicit what teachers should know, be able to do and what is expected of effective teachers across their career".

There are 7 standards:
Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
Standard 2: Know the content and how to teach it
Standard 3: Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning
Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
Standard 5: Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning
Standard 6: Engage with professional learning
Standard 7: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

These standards are arranged around 3 domains:
Professional Knowledge (1, 2)
Professional Practice (3, 4, 5)
Professional Engagement (6, 7)

And recognise 4 career stages:
Graduate Teachers
Proficient Teachers
Highly Accomplished Teachers
Lead Teachers

Apparently, these standards are part of a push towards greater acknowledgement of teachers' work, particularly as many leave the profession because of the lack of career advancement.