The Teacher Aide Professional Learning and Development (PLD) Fund is helping to make professional learning opportunities more accessible to teacher aides.
As part of the Teacher Aide Pay Equity Settlement this year, teacher aides are now enjoying the opportunity to access more PLD thanks to the Teacher Aide PLD Fund, which came into play on 1 July 2020.
Twice a year, teachers’ union NZEI Te Riu Roa runs PLD workshops for support staff. These events are designed to give teacher aides a taste of the sorts of PLD opportunities that might be of interest.
This year PLD providers have been invited along to answer questions from teacher aides about the PLD which might be suitable for them. There is also information on how to apply to the fund and an opportunity for teacher aides to discuss their career pathways.
Amanda Alsweiler, Lead Organiser for NZEI, says the fund will give teacher aides the means to pursue courses that will help further their career development.
“We are seeing increasing demand for more training in te reo Māori, English as a second language support behaviour management strategies and learning support.”
Teacher aides can apply directly to the PLD Fund, with the backing of their school.
“It fits in nicely with a proper appraisal process,” says Amanda.
“It provides teacher aides with the opportunity to have a professional conversation with their SENCo or principal.”
Amanda says it all aligns with the work NZEI is doing on building a career framework for teacher aides.
“It’s about delivering PLD with some meaning to it. It’s the start of developing a well-grounded career structure for teacher aides.”
The next PLD event for teacher aides will be held at James Cook High School in Manurewa on 14 November.
The Teacher Aide PLD Fund was agreed as part of the Support Staff in Schools’ Collective Agreement negotiations last year. Five teacher aides worked alongside NZEI Te Riu Roa staff who met with the Ministry of Education and New Zealand School Trustees’ Association working group every fortnight since February.
Following ratification on 3 July 2020, the Teacher Aide Pay Equity Claim Settlement received an extra $1.5 million to bring the total available for the pilot to $2.29 million over 18 months to support the professional learning and development of teacher aides.
For more information for schools and teacher aides and the online application form, go to the Teacher aide PLD pilot fund(external link).
BY Education Gazette editors
Education Gazette | Tukutuku Kōrero, reporter@edgazette.govt.nz
Posted: 10:45 am, 5 November 2020
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