The Statement of Commitment to the Profession of Teaching is a voluntary declaration of a set of values and beliefs about the profession of teaching. It was drafted by educators, for educators, and formally launched by the Governor of Queensland on 7 April 2017. The address delivered by His Excellency, The Honourable Paul de Jersey AC, may be viewed here.
How might the Statement be used?
The Statement might be used in a variety of ways, both formal and informal, to inspire, to engage, and to emphasise what it means to be a teaching professional.
Some examples of contexts or ways in which the Statement might be used include:
- As part of welcome remarks given by a university lecturer to future teachers
- Recitation or acknowledgment in a teachers’ graduation ceremony
- As part of a public or private celebration of a transitional moment in the life of a teacher
- Public affirmation during the first assembly of a new academic year
- Incorporation into a school’s new staff induction process
- A gift to pre-service students from placement coordinators or their teaching mentors
- Presented to teachers moving from provisional to full registration (or its equivalent)
Ideally, it might be used at several times and on several occasions throughout the life of the same teacher. While the text of the Statement is fixed, including the attribution set out in the footer, neither ACEL branding, nor the date ‘7 April 2017’, are fundamental to its use.
Why was the Statement developed?
In 2015, the Executive of the Queensland Branch of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders identified that there was no widely known or commonly observed code of professional practice for the teaching profession. The members of the Executive saw a need for a statement of ethically based values; one that could exist concurrently with standards, codes of conduct, and legislative instruments, transcending but not overruling them. Mindful of the Charter for the Australian Teaching Profession (Teaching Australia, 2007), and similar documents used in other long-standing professions, the Executive resolved to develop wording that captured their spirit and spoke to all teachers.
Who contributed to the development of the Statement?
Development of the Statement was made possible by invaluable contributions from several organisations and individuals, and through consultation with representatives from:
Association of Special Education Administrators Queensland, Australian College of Educators (Queensland), Early Childhood Teachers’ Association, Independent Schools Parents’ Network, Independent Schools Queensland, Isolated Children's Parents' Association, Joint Council of Queensland Teachers’ Associations, Parents and Citizens Queensland, Queensland Association of State School Principals, Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Queensland College of Teachers, Queensland Department of Education and Training, Queensland Independent Education Union, Queensland Secondary Principals’ Association, Queensland Teachers’ Union, Queensland University of Technology, University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, and University of the Sunshine Coast.