Inner Space | Classroom Skills
tech first nz programme working well The first evaluation report of Teach First NZ has been released and the news is good. The report praises the implementation of the programme and highlights its success at attracting talented individuals to teach in schools serving low decile communities. The report, written by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), is the first phase of a four year independent evaluation, commissioned by the Ministry of Education. For the 2013 intake, 16 participants were selected out of 261 applicants. NZCER found the “thorough” and “rigorous” selection process and the high calibre of those selected to be major strengths of the programme.
All participants completed the first year of the two year programme, teaching in secondary schools in Auckland and Northland, with NZCER finding that participants are well supported in their schools. The vision of reducing educational inequalities is central to the programme’s success and the report found that participants have a “very clear focus” on why they are teaching – ensuring that all their students achieve their full education potential, regardless of socio-economic background. In the long term, Teach First NZ aims to build a community of alumni leaders continually working to advance educational opportunity in New Zealand, while also increasing the status of teaching as a profession. While Teach First NZ is new to the education sector, teachers are enthusiastic about the benefits of the initiative. The report describes strong in-school mentor support enabling
participants to become successful teachers. Participants were frequently described as “high calibre… hard working… friendly… resilient” and “well liked” and the report found that participants have raised expectations and energised departments. All partner school principals stated that, if possible, they would like to employ more participants in the following year. Principals “unanimously” judged Teach First NZ participants to be “performing extremely well in the classroom”. The report recognises that, like most new teachers, Teach First NZ participants found behaviour management challenging in the first few months, but had soon developed strong and learning–centred relationships with students. The report said participants were “extremely hard working and resilient,” and had “won over” some difficult classes.
Some participants were even reported to be “beacons” in their schools, through raising student literacy and NCEA achievement levels. A survey used to measure student perceptions of their teachers, while indicative at this stage, found that students taught by Teach First NZ teachers reported their classroom engagement as similar to students taught by more experienced teachers. Participants were also having a positive impact in the wider life of their school communities, using “a range of strategies to build relationships, and many had taken on extra duties such as coaching or assisting with sports teams or cultural activities”. In terms of future planning for the programme, the report noted the importance of good communication systems, placing participants in schools and departments that have the capacity to provide robust support, and ensuring good mentor selection.
www.principalstoday.co.nz Term 3, 2014 | 21