New supports launched for teachers

Issue: Volume 96, Number 14

Posted: 14 August 2017
Reference #: 1H9dx0

New support for networks will provide additional resource for teachers in health and PE, languages, inclusive education, digital technologies, Māori medium education and te reo Māori in English medium settings.

Five new opportunities to provide support for teachers are getting underway this term. They are part of Networks of Expertise, a component of the broader redesign of professional learning and development (PLD), which has been carried out in conjunction with sector representative groups and the Education Council.

Networks of Expertise seeks to grow and develop existing and new curriculum, teaching and learning networks. Five initial components are now being implemented ahead of a wider roll-out over the coming 12 months by established networks or subject associations. The support will be tailored to the specific needs of teachers.

Health and PE

Support in this area is being coordinated by Education Outdoors New Zealand (EONZ), the New Zealand Health Education Association (NZHEA) and the Home Economics and Technology Teachers Association of
New Zealand (HETTANZ).

Rachael of NZHEA says, “We are making the most of our expertise and experience to build capability and strengthen our networks. Having the opportunity to work together enables us to strengthen teaching and learning in our subject areas.”

The associations will develop workshops and online resource material for both primary and secondary teachers. They will also cover the development of new resources for teachers.

Languages

Support in this area is being coordinated by the New Zealand Association of Language Teachers (NZALT).

Annabelle of NZALT says the association is “very pleased to have been given this opportunity”, stating it will allow them to “support teachers of all languages, including te reo Māori, Pasifika languages and NZSL”.

NZALT has plans to provide a regular newsletter, run inquiry clusters and offer financial awards for teachers to access learning opportunities. It will work collaboratively with the different language groups to identify and address the needs teachers have.

Inclusive education

This area is being coordinated by Massey University.

The support is for SENCOs/learning support teachers and leaders across New Zealand. It provides various online and face-to-face opportunities for networking and professional learning nationally and regionally, including:

  • informal networks: connecting with colleagues, contributing to forums and sharing evidence-based practices and resources
  • professional networks: subscribing to a professional practice network and participating in online webinars, meeting up at regional and local hui, partnering around research inquiries, collaboratively curating a digital repository of links and resources
  • learning networks: completing short course learning modules and projects for credentialing with the potential to cross-credit towards a formal qualification.

Mandia of Massey University says, “The exciting aspect of Network of Expertise is how learning support leaders and teachers can collaborate to share good practice, with the opportunity to use this as a professional learning pathway to formal certification”.

Digital technologies

This area is being coordinated by New Zealand Association for Computing, Digital and Information Technology Teachers (NZACDITT).

In July educators from across New Zealand participated in a week-long event supported by the Ministry and Google’s Outreach Programme.  It was aimed at developing teacher capability in implementing the new Digital Technologies curriculum.

Julie of NZACDITT says the event was “hugely successful in meeting its aims and demonstrated the power of collaboration across sectors and across schools for the delivery of PLD”.

NZACDITT is offering free membership to all primary, intermediate and Kura Kaupapa Māori teachers until the end of the year.

Māori medium

New networks will be established to support Māori medium and Māori language educators across the entire learning pathway (0–18 years). These networks are initially being formed in the Bay of Plenty/Waiariki and Waikato regions.

The networks will provide opportunities for online and face-to-face support, and will actively explore how iwi can be used as a key repository of expertise. A core focus of the support will be developing local, tailored solutions to issues that teachers and leaders face on a day-to-day basis.

Further development

These five areas are the first phase of a broader roll out of support in 2018. Over the next two months, further design work will be carried out with sector representatives.

For further information about each support, visit services.education.govt.nz/pld/networks(external link)

 

BY Education Gazette editors
Education Gazette | Tukutuku Kōrero, reporter@edgazette.govt.nz

Posted: 9:00 am, 14 August 2017

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