Clarity in your first classroom programme
Upskill your Tōmua | Provisional teachers and their mentors in assessment for learning.
We are offering a two-year professional learning programme for Tōmua | Provisional teachers and their mentors. We’ve called our programme ‘Clarity in your first classroom’. Why? Because when teachers new to the profession are clear about what their ākonga are learning, why and how they are learning it, how the learning is going, and what to do next - great things happen.
We know that you are committed to improving your team’s capability so that they can make the biggest difference for your ākonga. That’s why ‘Clarity in your first classroom’ is right for your staff.
How the programme works
Assessment for learning is the backbone of effective classroom practice. ‘Clarity in your first classroom’ is a two-year blended professional learning opportunity. Our programme isn’t just about self-review or reflective practice. Instead, we support both the Tōmua | Provisional teacher and the mentor to build new knowledge, test out it in their practice, and get feedback from the facilitator along the way.
We support the Tōmua | Provisional teachers to develop the six assessment for learning capabilities outlined in Michael Absolum’s Clarity in the Classroom.
Tōmua | Provisional teachers experience a combination of face-to-face workshops, facilitated online courses, and virtual professional learning groups. They are supported the whole time by one of our most experienced assessment for learning consultants.
Mentors can also engage in the online course. However, the mentor’s main learning in ‘Clarity in your first classroom’ is how to effectively mentor to improve student outcomes. Our facilitators will work with groups of mentors from a range of schools to build and enhance their mentoring capability.
We’ve planned ‘Clarity in your first classroom’ to start in Term Two with a one-day face-to-face event where Tōmua | Provisional teachers from a range of schools work together, supported by their mentors and your facilitator. Then we move into a regular cycle of learning that is manageable and meaningful for both the Tōmua | Provisional teacher and their mentor.
Programme overview
Why we developed ‘Clarity in your first classroom’
We know that teachers who feel supported in the first few years are more likely to stay in the profession. A range of school leaders across Aotearoa New Zealand have shared their growing concerns about Tōmua | Provisional teachers variability of understanding and application of assessment for learning. As consultants, we work with many Tōmua | Provisional teachers across the country who tell us that they left their initial teacher training feeling ill-prepared to embed assessment for learning. That’s where we can help.
What is the commitment?
Assessment for learning is a Ministry of Education professional learning priority. Kāhui Ako and regional clusters can apply for regionally-allocated PLD for this programme. We can support you to apply for funding in either the term four or term one application rounds.
Tōmua | Provisional teachers and mentors need to be able to commit time and energy to this programme. Clarity in your first classroom fits perfectly with Tōmua | Provisional teachers additional release time.
