Summary

Introduction

The Ministry of Education intends to "support schools and teachers to lift achievement "and to "measure educational achievement so we can do better" (Ministry of Education, 2012), as part of its commitment to the targets set by the Better Public Services programme. Within this context, the Ministry aims to provide quality data and analysis to inform teaching practice and teaching and learning. Information can also be used for supporting initiatives to further lift the quality of teaching and improve professional leadership in schools. 

With these goals in mind, this paper synthesises information about teachers and teaching in New Zealand from the 2010/11 cycle of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). TIMSS is a large-scale comparative study of mathematics and science achievement at the fourth and eighth grades (Years 5 and 9) around the world. TIMSS collects students' achievement data and background contextual information from students, teachers and principals.

The paper combines information on mathematics and science from Year 5 and Year 9 in New Zealand and internationally. It covers teachers' qualifications and experience, their professional development, and their levels of confidence and preparedness to teach mathematics and science. The paper examines techniques and resources used in the classroom for student engagement as well as student engagement with their mathematics and science lessons. Finally, the paper looks at methods employed by New Zealand teachers to monitor student achievement in their classrooms and how this compared internationally.