What is SACE or CPTD Points?
CPTD stands for Continuing Professional Teacher Development. This system recognises that teachers, like doctors, lawyers, psychologists and even accountants, need to continue their professional growth in order to serve our youth in this ever-changing world.
This system is managed by SACE (the South African Council for Educators) and is supported by the education departments. Teachers are expected to engage in these professional development activities.
More importantly, by partaking in these activities, teachers are investing in themselves.
This system has been put into place to recognise all useful teacher development activities:
This is by:
- Approving quality and credible professional development providers.
- Endorsing relevant and good professional development quality activities and programs.
- Allocating professional development (PD) points to such activities.
- Crediting each teacher’s CPTD account/record with the PD points they have earned.
Why do teachers need these points?
Educators are warned that without participating is activities that earn them CPTD points, they are contravening Section 7 of the SACE Code of Professional Ethics and can be denied their SACE registration which would mean that they may be unable to teach.
On the other hand, there are many ways to get these points and with loads of interesting courses out there that have been allocated CDTP points, it becomes a question as to what interests you and where do you see your teaching career going to?
How many CPTD points do I need?
Teachers need to earn at least 150 points over 3 years. This means aiming to get 50 points in a year. Teachers earning more than 150 will be recognised accordingly:
- 150 points: Certificate of Achievement (Bronze)
- 151-300 points: Certificate of Achievement (Silver)
- 300+ points: Certificate of Acheievment (Gold)
When do I need to earn them by?
These three-year cycles are slightly different for certain posts.
- Principals, Vice Principals, Primary and Remedial Teachers find themselves in the last year of their cycle. This current cycle began in 2020 and concludes at the end of 2023.
- Head Of Department teachers began theirs in 2021 and their cycle will conclude in 2023.
- High School and Combined School Teachers began their cycle in 2022 and have until the end of 2024 to earn their points.
How do I earn these points?
Educators are urged to try to strike a balance between the three types of activities available to earn points. These points will be recorded online. This Points Schedule is provided by SACE.
Here are the three ways to earn points:
Type 1: Teacher-Initiated
These are activities initiated personally by an educator. These are to address his or her particular needs that have been identified. Such activities would include
- Enrolling for an Advanced Certificate in Education,
- Writing an article for an educational publication,
- Attending a workshop,
- Developing material,
- Participating in professional learning communities,
- And using your classroom as a space to engage in action research
Type 2: Activities initiated by the school
These address common needs identified by a group. Examples of these activities include:
- Attending a workshop/ course as a school,
- Attending staff meetings,
- Responding to needs identified in your School Improvement Plan,
- Participating in subject committees,
- Implementing interventions as a response to department assessments.
Type 3: Activities initiated by Providers.
Providers that aim to meet teacher’s needs include Provincial Education Departments, Teacher’s Unions’ Professional Development Institutes, Higher Education Institutes, NGOs, Private Providers, or Professional Associations. Examples of such activities include:
- CAPS Training,
- Subject Content Knowledge activities,
- Activities addressing literacy and numeracy,
- Activities responding to department assessments.
Is Mindful Moves a service provider?
Absolutely. Mindful Moves does it’s best to support teachers and schools through all three types. Teachers and schools can:
- Initiate this as individuals, completing workshops online or in-person after hours and on weekends.
- We also offer workshops at schools for the staff.
- As a service provider we have SACE accredited workshops and courses.
How can Mindful Moves support teachers?
With a background in education, Mindful Moves has put together courses that support teachers in acquiring the knowledge and skills to work with all children in our inclusive schooling system. Due to the fact, that there are so many learning barriers which cause ever new learning difficulties, it is important for teachers to upskill as new needs surface in the classroom.
What courses does Mindful Moves offer?
Founder, Kerry-Ann Gordon, is a qualified teacher, Movement Facilitator and Brain Gym Trainer and Consultant. Through her years of experience, she has put together the following workshops:
- Unpacking Behaviour
- Teaching Grade R- An Overview
- Solutions to Impaired Concentration
- Fundamentals Reading and Writing Programme- Level 1 (Pre-Skills)
- 2 Left Feet
Are there courses that offer other opportunities?
Other courses Kerry-Ann can train, form part of what is referred to as a Learning Track, with opportunities to become a Movement Facilitator or Brain Gym Consultant yourself. This is recognised by Breakthroughs International and operates in more than 80 countries. These include courses such as:
- Movement Facilitator- BG 104
- Brain Gym 101
- Optimal Brain Organisation
Teachers who complete Movement Facilitator – BG 104, can use specific moves in their classroom for peak performance of learners. Completely Movement Facilitators Bg104, Brain Gym 101 and Brain Gym 110, will allow teachers to train others in this work.
Workshops or courses at home.
Contact us at info@mindfulmoves.co.za and share your particular needs. Once we understand what it is you need, we can direct you to a course or workshop that will best benefit you as you earn points.
Workshops can be arranged in-person or online after hours. This allows you to complete them in the comfort of your home. For this option you will need;
- A secure internet connection.
- A camera so that the facilitator can see you.
- A working microphone.
- The ability to print out handouts and manuals
Workshops or courses at school
To book a workshop at school, please contact us at info@mindfulmoves.co.za. The venue would need:
- Enough space to move around
- Bathroom facilities
- Shelter – an indoors venue
- Projectors and presentation equipment
What else can Mindful Moves offer teachers?
Our additional support offers teachers the opportunity to contact us if they need further assistance. We are available to talk through case studies and issues that relate to the courses and how they might consider the new skills and knowledge in real-life situations. We further may recommend:
- Profiles.
- Movement Sessions with a Facilitator.
- Or other stakeholders such as therapists where need be.
Supporting teachers post-Covid.
If Covid taught us anything, it was to be prepared for the unexpected. Post-Covid, teachers and therapists are reporting an increasing number of learners experiencing learning difficulties in more than one area at school.
Occupational Therapists have echoed this finding, reporting an increase in clients and areas in which they are challenged. What is interesting is the fact that delays and gaps exceeding the two-year disruption caused by Covid are being reported.
We believe our workshops and courses are needed now more than ever as we use methods that encourage a child’s natural potential to learn. We teach teachers’ strategies to use in their classes to:
- Improve Behaviour
- Improve Motivation
- Improve Participation
- Improve learner confidence
- Assist with learning difficulties
- With ADD/ADHD
- Autism
- Dyslexia
- Executive Functioning issues and more!
Contact us
To find out further information, please check out our website at www.mindfulmoves.co.za alternatively email us at info@mindfulmoves.co.za
