Kia eke ki ngā Taumata, kia Pakari ngā Kaiako He ... - Te Puni Kokiri

Impact of professional development on the rest of theschoolRelationship of professional development to staffappraisalRelated to school goals, curriculum needs, schoollong term planCredibility of professional development programmeand facilitator/s0 10 10 10 1CommentaryRelevant professional developmentThe relevance of the in-service support or professional development programmes to thestudent, teacher, or school needs, was the main factor both teachers and principalsconsidered in terms of accessing in-service support and professional development. Otherconsiderations identified by principals were school management-related issues.Teachers on the other hand provided a mix of issues - some personal or family-relatedand others classroom-based or student-based issues. There were teachers who did notlike leaving their students with relievers, or who thought that their challenging studentsmight get into difficulty with a reliever. Teachers care a great deal about their studentsand seriously consider the pastoral care of students when leaving them with a reliever.Understanding professional development needsWhen new learnings or priorities were introduced to a school, it was the principal’s role toorganise professional development for their teachers around that new learning. Ifprincipals were unaware of the difference in needs between teachers in Māori-mediumand English-medium, then they were likely to provide the same professional developmentprogramme for both their English-medium and Māori-medium staff. Issues such assuitability and/or relevance to the needs of Māori-medium teachers were not explored.Appropriate relieversMāori-medium teachers were reluctant to leave their students with relievers who did notknow their students or their particular needs. Knowing that their students will haveappropriate relievers in their classroom would help relieve any anxiety teachers or theirstudents might have when attending professional development.Māori-medium specific professional developmentWhile teachers found some aspects of English-medium designed professionaldevelopment useful, it did not meet their needs as Māori-medium teachers. It ofteninvolved translating or adapting the strategies and tools in order to be used in their Māorimediumsettings. Māori-medium specific professional development is preferred, andneeded, to better meet their needs.Expert facilitators49