An early childhood teacher has been censured after asking a child to bite another (file photo).

An early childhood teacher has been censured for "serious misconduct" after asking a 2-year-old child to bite the finger of another.

The woman, identified only as "teacher J", was looking after several children when one of them, "child A", bit the finger of another child.

Teacher J reprimanded the child but he did not listen – so she asked another teacher to bring over another child.

She then asked the second child to gently bite on child A's finger "so he knew how it felt", and the child complied.

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The matter was referred to the New Zealand Teachers Disciplinary Tribunal which agreed the nature of the incident "brought the teaching profession into disrepute".

In a decision released this week, the tribunal said it was "aberrant behaviour" on the teacher's part.

The tribunal said although the teacher didn't use force herself, her conduct amounted to a use of force by correction or punishment carried out under her direction.

Asking another child to use force made her conduct worse, and had a negative effect on both of the children, the decision said.

Following the incident the teacher expressed remorse to her employer, saying she felt guilty but was "at her wit's end", the decision said.

"I immediately knew what I did was wrong," she was reported as saying.

"I know what I did was completely against our positive guidance and in no way professional."

The tribunal acknowledged the teacher's lengthy career, which had been previously without incident, and the fact she had "immediately recognised her error".

She was censured and ordered to complete a professional development course within 12 months.

The teacher was also ordered to pay $458 in tribunal costs and $1693 to the Education Council's Complaints Assessment Committee.