Mentoring the Next Generation - top of mind on World Teachers’ Day
21 October 2010
On 29 October leaders in education will gather on World Teachers’ Day to answer a crucial question - what does it take to mentor the next generation of teachers in New Zealand?
“The 2010 New Zealand Teachers Council conference will showcase the findings of an innovative national pilot programme in induction and mentoring of New Zealand’s newly qualified teachers,” says Director Dr Peter Lind.
“In their first two years on the job, new teachers work with experienced mentor teachers to develop their teaching expertise.
“The fact we’re expecting a full house tells us leaders in schools and early childhood education (ECE) are strongly invested in quality professional development for their newest teachers.”
Dr Lind says conference participants will be fortunate to hear the perspective of internationally renowned scholar and keynote speaker, Professor Marilyn Cochran-Smith from Boston College, USA.
Her address, titled A Tale of Two Teachers: Perils and Possibilities in Learning to Teach will focus on the important issue of induction and mentoring for new teachers.
Cochran-Smith says “teaching is rightly regarded as an intellectual activity and when it is acknowledged that teachers are motivated, at least in part, by love of learning, then it becomes clear that what is needed are more opportunities for teachers to work with others in learning communities; raise new questions about students, subject matter, assessments, equity and access...”
“Teaching is complex – both emotionally and intellectually. Mentoring helps beginning teachers to develop the learning, knowledge and expertise required of teachers,” said Dr Lind.
“The focus of the pilots is on mentoring the next generation of educators to build them into confident and satisfied teachers.”
Video presentations of the keynote speaker, induction and mentoring pilots and panels will be available on our website www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz from early November.
ENDS
Contact: Director, Dr Peter Lind on 04 470 9055 or 0274 311 523 or
Communications Advisor, Charlotte Brown on 04 470 9087.
Biography of Professor Marilyn Cochran-Smith
Marilyn Cochran-Smith is the Cawthorne Professor of Teacher Education for Urban Schools and Director of the Doctoral Program in Curriculum and Instruction at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College.
Dr. Cochran-Smith is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and the Laureate chapter of Kappa Delta Pi. She is a member of the National Research Council’s Committee on Teacher Education, which was charged by Congress to study the state of teacher education in the U.S. Cochran-Smith was President of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) in 2004-2005. She was also co-chair of AERA's National Panel on Research and Teacher Education and co-editor of their report, Studying Teacher Education (2005).
Dr. Cochran-Smith has written nine books, four of which have won national awards, and more than 150 articles, chapters, and editorials on social justice, practitioner research, and teacher education research, practice and policy. In 2007, Dr. Cochran-Smith received AERA’s Research to Practice Award for her book, Policy, Practice and Politics in Teacher Education.
Professor Cochran-Smith is an active researcher and has concentrated her research on teacher education across the professional lifespan. Visit her website http://www2.bc.edu/~cochrans/
Induction and Mentoring Pilot Programme
In 2009 the Council commissioned an Induction and Mentoring Pilot Programme comprised of four sector specific pilots and an evaluation. The overall aims were to:
- trial the Council’s Draft Guidelines for Induction and Mentoring Programmes and for Mentor Teacher Development in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- trial models of training and support for mentor teachers and induction for provisionally registered teachers.
The four pilots are:
Early Childhood Education – New Zealand Kindergartens’ Regional Networks
Primary – Auckland’s UniService’s Educative Mentor Programme
Secondary – Massey University’s Professional Learning Community
Maori Medium – Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi’s Connected Approach
To find out more about the Pilot Programme visit http://www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/prt/research/index.stm
Voice of a mentor teacher – Kindergarten pilot
Natasha McClelland, a mentor teacher from the New Zealand Kindergartens’ pilot described the programme as an amazing journey.
“The pilot has given me a sense of direction as a mentor teacher and supported and guided much of the teacher registration process.
“Seeing my provisionally registered teacher achieve her goals and have those ‘aha’ moments has been a highlight.
“Being able to have that professional dialogue and those important learning conversations was some of the best professional development I have had.”
For more information on induction and mentoring visit the Council’s website www.teacherscouncil.govt.nz/prt/index.stm