Second Year PCT Programme (for Teachers who Teach 0-3 Year Students)

Course Programme

All sessions (excluding Zoom Meetings) will run between 9.30am and 3.00pm. The structure of each session will follow this daily format: 

Session 1: Starting Back!

Wednesday 23 February 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm 

Morning – 

Refresher information regarding the Induction and Mentoring Programme;

Revisiting the codes and standards, setting goals in alignment with your school procedures;

Reflecting on our classroom/learning environments, management and organisation;

Developing connected, positive relationships;

Working with children with challenging behaviours and creating inclusive environments;

Revisiting health and wellbeing, growth mindset and mindfulness.

Presented by Jo Williams

Afternoon – 

Community engagement that strengthens success for Pasifika students;

Guidance around effective communication with parents/caregivers/community;

So’otaga – making connections, building on values, beliefs and a sense of belonging;

Exploring Pasifika culture, values, proverbs, celebrations, protocols and co-constructing

learning that encompasses cultural Fa’a Samoa that aligns with NZ key competencies;

Opportunities to learn greetings, instructions and simple songs through practical activities, useful websites and resources;

Discussion around Pasifika people’s achievements (artists, authors, mathematicians etc) that can be shared with our students;

Further reading/research recommendations.

Presented by Saga Frost

Session 2: Let’s Make Maths Fun Whilst Making Maths and Learning Count!

Wednesday 23 March 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm 

This ‘how to’ maths session will build both teachers’ and students’ confidence and knowledge in all areas of maths, as well as emphasize how to have fun while learning. 

We will explore numeral identification, place value, multiplication and division, fractions, decimal fractions and proportional thinking through the use of materials, games and activities in order to reinforce and embed these vital maths concepts in primary and intermediate school classrooms.

Presented by Jill Smythe

Session 3: Celebrating and Supporting English Language Learners (ESOL)

Wednesday 6 April 2022

10.30am – 12.30pm Zoom Meeting  

This session will provide opportunities for discussions around English language learners, what they bring to our classroom, what they need and how best we can support them and scaffold their learning. Practical ideas, activities, resources, documents and websites will be explored.  

Presented by Jo Williams

Session 4: The Importance of Oral Language, Sensory Experiences, Play and the Foundation Skills that Lead to the Development of Reading and Writing

Wednesday 18 May 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm    

This session addresses the importance of providing daily oral language opportunities, sensory experiences and different types of play. It aims to increase teachers’ pedagogical knowledge of the foundation skills that children in the 0-3 age range need to continue developing. A variety of practical, visual and fun activities will be presented, aimed at developing children’s speaking and listening skills, including their thinking, questioning and inquiry skills.

Today’s session highlights how the connection between oral language, sensory experiences, play and the foundation skills contribute to reading and writing development.

Presented by Jo Williams

Session 5: Inquiring Through the Visual Arts – Building Agency Through Self Expression

Wednesday 22 June 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm    

Thinking about The Arts as a toolbox for exploring, discovering and presenting;

Developing ideas through making and doing Visual Arts;

Practical guidelines for organising arts activities.

Presented by Juliette Laird

Session 6: Developing an Inquiry, Thinking and Questioning Learning Culture

Wednesday 10 August 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm    

Morning – 

This practical and visual session aims to provide teachers with a ‘thinking and questioning’ toolkit that can be used immediately to create and foster a thinking and questioning learning culture. We will discuss the importance of modelling thinking aloud and the need to guide children to ask different types of questions for different purposes.

We will look at using graphic organisers and other thinking resources such as Thinker Keys that can scaffold and extend children’s thinking and problem solving. ‘The person who does the thinking does the learning’ (nzmaths.co.nz).

Presented by Jo Williams

Afternoon – 

Digital technology, cyber safety, management tips, integrating digital technology across the curriculum and an opportunity to explore some of the best websites.

Presented by Glenn Pressnell

Session 7: Get Your Students Moving!  (And let’s not Forget the Singing!)

Wednesday 21 September 2022

9.30am – 3.00pm    

Morning – 

Fitness, dance, indoor/outdoor activities and sport;

Research shows that singing and music, movement and laughter light up our brains for learning. This workshop aims to bring all of these together through exploring some simple, non-threatening ways to implement more of these aspects of The Arts in an integrated, cross curricular way. 

By the end of the morning teachers will realise that they do not need to be a professional singer, musician or dancer to integrate more singing, music and movement into their day. 

During this session we will familiarise ourselves with the dance curriculum and look at the dance elements to see how we can use these to combine some fun and straightforward movement experiences.

This workshop will also provide an opportunity for exchanging and sharing ideas, websites and resources that can guide our fitness or sports programmes by encouraging more indoor/outdoor movement activities with junior children. 

Presented by Manpreet Dhaliwal

Afternoon – 

Teachers’ Presentations;

This is an opportunity to draw on the strengths and passions that our teachers have developed over their last two years of teaching. Now that the teachers are approaching full certification, we would encourage several teachers from the programme, who show leadership qualities, to step forward and provide short presentations of their choice, showcasing their areas of developing expertise from which we as educators can all benefit.

Presented by the PCT Teachers