Associate Teacher Professional Development workshops reach a decade

After launching in 2012, professional development evenings continue to be a valuable resource for Associate Teachers (ATs) across the country.

Working in early childhood centres, ATs provide crucial guidance and support to NZTC student teachers during the practical component of their studies.

Associate Teacher Professional Development (ATPD) events were originally held in cities throughout New Zealand, with ATs travelling to come together to discuss and share strategies for effective mentoring with the support of NZTC academic staff.

Now ten years on, the college continues the tradition of providing discussion-based, engaging workshops to equip ATs with tools that support them in their mentoring partnership, in new and ever-evolving ways.

When the country first went into ‘lockdown’ from Covid-19 in 2020, NZTC swiftly moved to virtually support the ECE sector from the safety of people’s homes. AT PD workshops began to be delivered virtually which enabled far greater reach and easier access for ATs.

"Hosting these workshops virtually has meant that ATs can access mentoring support from their own spaces and engage in collaborative conversations with other ATs throughout the country,” says AT Support Lecturer, Chelsea Bracefield.

Workshop topics connect to current professional needs and areas of interest in the ECE sector. Reflection, bicultural practice, and discussions on professional standards are just some of the topics covered in the weekly events.

“ATs find our professional development workshops beneficial and insightful to help guide, remind, prompt and reassure them as they mentor students, helping to support best practice for both parties,” says AT Support Lecturer, Amy Thynne.

For new Associate Teacher, Dania Norman, the workshops have been a key way for her to enhance her mentoring while collaborating with, and learning alongside, other ATs across New Zealand. She recently attended the workshop ‘Mentoring and your wellbeing’ and is looking forward to upcoming sessions.

“The content was wonderful. This is my first time being a home centre AT so I want to learn as much as possible about how to be a great AT for my student.

“It was great to discuss wellbeing because I was quite focused on the academic side of the process, so it was great to be reminded to take a holistic approach. I also liked hearing of practical ways to help students and what other ATs are doing.”

The college’s professional development support for ATs has evolved over the last decade as the needs of the ECE sector have changed and accessibility and reach across NZ has become key to support. Professional development requirements and the challenges of Covid-19 are just some of the changes that have been experienced by the sector in the last few years.

“In partnership with our ATs across New Zealand, NZTC is committed to continuing the work of the past decade to ensure access to every AT across New Zealand, listening to their voices, and committing together, to guide students in their journey towards becoming outstanding ECE graduates,” says Chief Executive, Selena Fox.