Career Start

Use of time release

Time release is provided to early career teachers to engage in induction supports, including:

• practice-focused in-school mentoring
• learning alliance meetings
• 4 professional learning workshops, delivered termly.

Mentors receive time release based on the number of early career teachers they mentor. This allows them the time needed to support their teacher mentees, attend some learning alliance meetings and participate in the professional learning workshops held in Terms 1 and 4.

Practice-focused mentoring

Early career teachers and mentors:

• observe each other's teaching
• engage in professional conversations about teaching practices
• design and moderate assessment tasks to develop effective teaching practices
• engage in supportive conversations about wellbeing, professional identity, belonging and work-life balance to help early career teachers thrive.

Research shows that mentoring is most effective when it is:

• regular – mentoring meetings should occur weekly or fortnightly where practical
• protected – time between the mentor and their early career teacher(s) should be prioritised and protected where practical
• supportive – mentor meetings give time to develop teacher practice and discuss wellbeing, work-life balance and strategies to manage stress.

Learning alliances

Early career teachers and their mentors are part of local learning alliances, led by a dedicated area-based Learning Alliance Leader. The Learning Alliance Leader (highly experienced teacher) holds expertise in mentoring and coaching, teaching and learning, and classroom management practices.

Learning Alliance Leaders provide support to early career teachers and their mentors, including:

• support participating mentors through school visits, building their capability to provide effective support to their in-school early career teachers
• share expertise in coaching, mentoring, feedback and observation
• facilitate Career Start professional learning, including termly workshops and local Learning Alliance Meetings
• connect mentors and their early career teachers to supportive resources and tools
• provide advice regarding induction and onboarding
• provide further support to early career teachers or their mentors who are facing challenges.

Professional learning workshops

Early career and mentor teachers are supported through a comprehensive professional learning program.

Early career teachers will participate in a full day workshop per term delivered by Learning Alliance Leaders. This suite of professional learning will support early career teachers to:

• build their practice
• strengthen their professional identity
• develop strategies to improve their wellbeing and orientate themselves as early-career teachers.

Mentor teachers attend the afternoon sessions in:

• Term 1 – focusing on effective mentoring relationships
• Term 4 – to celebrate early career teacher and mentor achievements.