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Learning to Teach: A Survey of Provisionally Registered Teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand

by Marie Cameron, Rachel Dingle and Keren Brooking

ISBN 978-0-477-10052-6 (paperback)
ISBN 978-0-477-10053-3 (web)

© New Zealand Teachers Council, 2007

Opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily coincide with those of the New Zealand Teachers Council.

Foreword

In 2006 the New Zealand Teachers Council launched the Learning to Teach research programme to investigate the quality of advice and guidance provided for provisionally registered teachers in early childhood education services, Māori medium settings and in other primary and secondary schools. This induction period of provisional registration is increasingly viewed as the 'final practicum' of initial teacher education.

The report from the first phase of the research programme, which was carried out by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER) and entitled Learning to Teach: A Literature Review of Induction Theory and Practice, was published in early 2007. This report by Marie Cameron provided a critical review of New Zealand and international literature describing best practices, underpinning theories and evaluations of approaches to induction, including mentoring and the assessment of newly qualified teachers.

For the second stage of the Learning to Teach research programme, the researchers were asked to investigate how the mandated programmes of advice and guidance were experienced by provisionally registered teachers. Through a national survey and follow up focus group interviews, they asked the teachers what their induction had consisted of, what they had valued, and what barriers they had encountered. This project was carried out by a team from NZCER and built on the findings from the literature review by the lead researcher, Marie Cameron. With Rachel Dingle and Keren Brooking, this team have completed a report rich in data about induction practices in Aotearoa New Zealand. Not only will the Teachers Council find this report extremely useful as an evidence base for building policy for provisionally registered teachers, but so will many other groups in the education sector.

Our sincere thanks go to the reference group who helped guide this research and responded to draft reports. The group included representatives from Te Tari Puna Ora o Aotearoa, the Ministry of Education, the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers Association, the New Zealand Educational Institute Te Riu Roa and the Council's own early childhood and Māori medium advisory groups. They made a significant contribution to the outcome of this research.

The Council is pleased to make this report available to the wider education community. The findings are extremely helpful in casting light on induction practices for newly qualified teachers in New Zealand. Some of the findings will cause concern, and others are a tribute to the many people in the profession who are committed to supporting provisionally registered teachers in a highly professional way.

The Council is committed to working with the profession to ensure that quality advice and guidance is accessed by all provisionally registered teachers, who will in turn, enrich the wider profession and the quality of teaching and learning in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Peter Lind
Director
June 2007

Acknowledgements

This report has benefited greatly from the whole-hearted engagement of colleagues, teacher educators, and others within the education sector who generously provided ideas and critical comment during the research process. Cynthia Shaw and Anna Gruner from the New Zealand Teachers Council co-ordinated the extensive feedback from the different sectors on the surveys and the first draft of the report. Kate Ord trialled the ECE survey for us.

Jane Gilbert of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, as project sponsor, was a source of sage advice as well as providing detailed and thoughtful appraisal of the first draft of the report. We are grateful to Joanne Edgecombe and Christine Williams for their patience and diligence in preparing this report.

Finally, there would be no report without the co-operation of hundreds of teachers who were prepared to give up their precious time at the end of the school year, and into the Christmas break, to complete our surveys. Also, we are grateful to the many teachers who, at very short notice, set aside their other plans to attend focus groups in their own time. We owe these teachers an enormous debt of gratitude.

Thanks also to: the School of Teaching, Learning and Development in the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland; the Auckland Kindergarten Association; the Franklin Kindergarten Association and Wellington colleagues for providing venues for the focus groups.

Executive summary

The early years of teaching (the induction phase) are now acknowledged to be a critical stage in the development of a teacher's career, influencing both the quality of their teaching and their retention in the profession (Cameron, Baker, & Lovett, 2006; Cochran-Smith, 2004; Kane & Mallon, 2006; OECD, 2005; Renwick, 2001). Experiences at the start of their teaching careers shape teachers' commitment to developing their practice, their work with colleagues, young learners and families, and their attitudes to the importance of lifelong learning. In New Zealand the decision about the awarding of full teacher registration status is based on attestation by the school principal or equivalent person in an ECE centre/service that the applicant is a satisfactory teacher, as demonstrated by evidence of formal processes of induction involving appraisal and supervision. While New Zealand has been a world leader in the provision of funding for the induction of provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) in schools, and has recently provided induction funding for teachers in early childhood education (ECE) services, there is evidence that not all PRTs are receiving their entitlement to structured programmes of mentoring, professional development, targeted feedback on their teaching, and assessment based on the requirements for full registration as a teacher (Anthony, Haigh, Bell, & Kane, 2007; Cameron, 2007). This raises concerns about the extent to which current induction policies and practices contribute to teacher competence and provide assurance that PRTs have the knowledge and skills to justify their full registration.

The New Zealand Teachers Council has identified the two-year induction period for PRTs in ECE services, primary and secondary schools, and Māori medium settings as the priority area for it to strengthen the quality of the teaching profession. It commissioned a three-stage programme of research on teacher induction for 2006—2007. The first stage, by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZCER), resulted in the publication of Learning to Teach: A Literature Review of Induction Theory and Practice (Cameron, 2007).

This NZCER report Learning to Teach: A Survey of Provisionally Registered Teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand constitutes the second stage of the research. The first part of this report provides the findings from a national survey in November 2006 of PRTs in ECE services, primary and secondary schools,^¹ and Māori medium settings towards the end of their second year of provisional registration. The second part outlines the findings from focus groups of teachers in February/March 2007 who reported systematic and supportive induction practices in their survey responses. Both phases were designed to contribute information on PRTs' orientations to their workplaces; the extent to which they received their induction entitlements; the use of the PRT teacher time allowance; their mentoring experiences; the feedback and guidance they received on their teaching and other aspects of their work; the degree to which their advice and guidance programmes were targeted to their identified needs; the collegial support they experienced; the provision of formative and summative feedback; the evidence that their principals or equivalent person in the ECE sector used to attest that the requirements for full registration had been met; other opportunities for professional learning; their overall satisfaction as teachers, and their suggestions for improving the system of advice and guidance for PRTs.

NZCER developed two versions of a PRT survey instrument. The first was for teachers in schools, and the second for those in ECE centres/services. The Teachers Council sent the surveys to the home addresses of all PRTs in their second year of teaching for whom it had contact information. Application forms for provisional registration do not require applicants to specify the teaching sector to which their qualifications apply, so the database did not show this information unless applicants were already employed when they applied for provisional registration. Surveys were sent to 1834 primary, secondary, and Māori medium context teachers, and 908 ECE teachers. Over 50 teachers contacted us because they had been sent the incorrect survey, so it is likely that this also occurred for other teachers who may not have contacted us to obtain a correct version. Overall, 571 PRTs (204 primary, 157 secondary, 178 ECE, four teachers in Māori medium contexts, and 28 unknown school sector) returned completed surveys. Response rates of 24 percent for ECE and 23 percent for schools were obtained. While the surveys were anonymous, respondents were asked to complete a permission form with name and contact details if they were prepared to be contacted for participation in focus groups. Three hundred and forty teachers returned permission forms. When the survey forms were returned the data was entered into a SAS/STAT® software dataset. All data analysis for this report was generated using SAS software^². Teachers who indicated that they had had systematic and supportive induction programmes were then matched against those who had indicated that we could contact them for focus groups. Teachers in this category were employed throughout New Zealand, and we held focus groups in areas where there were enough potential participants. This resulted in seven focus groups situated in or near three major New Zealand cities. Notes were taken at all focus groups which were audio-taped, and summarised. Common themes across summaries were identified.

The two respondents in Māori medium contexts who reported systematic and supportive induction programmes were interviewed by telephone in Māori by a Māori researcher.

While the study has provided useful and comparative information on the range and quality of induction experienced by teachers in ECE services, primary, and secondary schools, there is inadequate information on induction in Māori medium settings. Feedback from the teachers who did participate suggests that the issues and priorities in these settings are rather different, and that approaches that involve more than "translation" of mainstream requirements will be necessary. We suggest that this issue be a specific focus of the Phase 3 (case study) research.

The central findings from our study tell us:

1. Many teachers began their period of provisional registration uncertain about their entitlements to an induction programme and their responsibilities to their registration body, the New Zealand Teachers Council. This is not a good start for the development of teachers with a strong sense of responsibility to their profession, its standards, and to their own professional learning. The research suggests that it would be worthwhile for the Teachers Council to strengthen its professional connection with teachers at the time they first apply for provisional registration. This would ensure that all PRTs know about the support that their workplaces are funded to provide, and what is expected of them as PRTs during the induction process. This initial contact would also enable the Teachers Council to establish its ongoing role as the professional body for all registered teachers early in their careers.

2. Many teachers in primary schools and the ECE sector began their teaching careers in relieving positions, and had several teaching positions in their first two years of teaching. This may have worked against schools "owning" and taking responsibility for PRTs when they were employed as temporary staff members. It may have impacted on the consistency of their support. The high levels of teacher turnover evident in this study are likely to have implications for the workplaces that lose teachers, those that re-employ them, and the consistency of teaching and learning programmes.

3. Some teachers, particularly in the ECE sector, were expected to take on management or other responsibilities in their first year as a PRT. Too much challenge too early in a career has the potential to create challenges to health and wellbeing and may divert PRTs' energies from their teaching practices.

4. While most PRTs were provided with an orientation to their workplaces, a significant minority of teachers found this to be of limited help. Twenty percent of PRTs in schools did not have an opportunity to meet with the principal of their school during their first week of employment. When this did occur, two-thirds of primary teachers and a third of secondary teachers reported that meeting with their principal was helpful.

5. Almost all PRTs indicated that they felt welcomed and valued as a staff member and PRTs in schools reported that a number of teachers as well as their tutor teacher had supported them.

6. There were differences between sectors in the levels of commitment shown to the induction of PRTs. A large proportion of PRTs in all sectors considered that it was up to them personally to seek out assistance, although this was much higher in the ECE sector. About a fifth of ECE and secondary teachers and 14 percent of primary teachers considered that they had been left alone to "sink or swim". Twenty percent of ECE teachers, 26 percent of secondary teachers, and 12 percent of primary teachers reported that in their learning centres the registration process was seen primarily as a compliance exercise for audit purposes rather than as a support process.

7. Twenty percent of secondary teachers were teaching subjects for which they were not qualified and/or trained. The more they were required to teach out-of-field the more likely they were to disagree that their school acknowledged their status as a beginning teacher, and the more likely they were to agree that no-one was really interested in how they were getting on as a teacher. This situation has implications for the quality of teaching received by some secondary students.

8. All learning centres are funded to provide time to support the professional development of their PRTs and many PRTs did not have access to all of their mandated time allowance. More than half of the secondary teachers were teaching, on average, an hour more than provided for in their employment contracts, which reduced their non contact time and time available for advice and guidance.

9. Teachers in primary and secondary schools reported using a significant proportion of their time allowance for planning, preparation, and assessment. Their advice and guidance time was also used for extra-curricular, administrative, and other responsibilities. Less time was used for learning from other teachers. While most teachers in all sectors used some of their time allowance to document their progress towards full registration, this was the most frequent use reported by ECE teachers.

10. Most teachers were assigned a person (mentor) to provide them with individual mentoring and support throughout the two years of provisional registration. However, a small percentage of secondary teachers (12 percent), primary teachers (5 percent), and ECE teachers (8 percent) did not have anyone specifically assigned to support and supervise them during their induction.

11. PRTs in all sectors rated mentor provision of emotional support and encouragement as the most important mentoring activity. This occurred frequently for two-thirds of school teachers, and half of the ECE teachers. Good working relationships are essential if PRTs are to be responsive to feedback from others on their progress, strengths, and learning needs as teachers.

12. Around half of the PRTs believed that it was "very important" to have advice and guidance programmes that pinpointed their individual needs, set goals, and provided planned experiences to achieve the goals, and about three-quarters considered that this had occurred for them. However, analysis of the types and frequency of feedback in relation to their teaching indicated there were areas, such as using assessment to inform future teaching, which could have been given more focus.

13. PRTs highly valued being observed while teaching and receiving formative feedback. Primary teachers were observed most often and ECE teachers least often. It is possible that almost a fifth of ECE teachers may not have been formally observed.

14. PRTs typically did not have frequent opportunities to observe their mentor teaching, with around half reporting that they had not seen their mentor teaching at all. This finding may indicate a reluctance of some mentors to open up their classrooms to the scrutiny of others or lack of common time for this to occur. Although time is available for this to occur in primary schools, primary PRTs were only slightly more likely than their secondary colleagues to have observed their mentor teach. In contrast, while similar numbers of ECE teachers reported seeing their mentor teach, they were somewhat more likely to have done so more often.

15. In many schools, teaching continues to be a private act, with infrequent opportunities for teachers to watch and learn from their colleagues' teaching. Few secondary teachers had frequent opportunities to observe other teachers, compared with 60 percent of primary teachers. The data also show that only a third of teachers in primary schools, and 11 percent in secondary schools rated observations of other teachers as "very important". We suggest that this could be because mutual classroom observations are rarely part of schools' collective approaches to improving teaching, and therefore observations are seen as something that is done by PRTs or for appraisal purposes rather than as a development activity between colleagues. More than half of the ECE teachers indicated that they had observed other teachers and children in their centre/service frequently, although it appears that over a quarter may not have observed other teachers at all. Over half of ECE teachers considered it to be "very important" to observe colleagues and children.

16. Significant numbers of PRTs appeared to have missed out on formative feedback on important aspects of effective teaching:

a) Around 40 percent of teachers in all sectors were not given feedback on their encouragement of critical thinking.

b) ECE teachers were much more likely to report being given feedback on how they were linking the curriculum with children's interests and needs (74 percent), compared with 59 percent of primary teachers and 33 percent of secondary teachers.

c) ECE teachers were much more likely to be provided with assessment of their efforts to reflect and value te au Māori. Fifty-nine percent of PRTs in ECE teaching contexts reported receiving feedback on their support of te reo Māori me ona tikanga in their programmes, compared with 32 percent of primary PRTs and 29 percent of secondary PRTs. Forty-five percent of ECE PRTs reported feedback on inclusive practices for Māori students, compared with 34 percent of secondary PRTs and 27 percent of primary PRTs. Given that supporting and increasing Māori achievement throughout the education system is a key focus for the Ministry of Education, the low levels of guidance for new teachers in supporting Māori learners is concerning.

d) Feedback on how PRTs were communicating with parents and families was provided for 72 percent of ECE PRTs, 59 percent of primary PRTs, and 33 percent of secondary PRTs.

e) Primary PRTs were much more likely to have been given feedback on using children's assessment results to plan further learning for individuals and groups. Seventy-two percent of primary teachers reported that they were given this feedback compared with 63 percent of ECE PRTs, and 44 percent of secondary teachers. Seventy eight percent of primary teachers, 63 percent of secondary PRTs, and 57 percent of ECE teachers reported that they had been given formative assessment on how they provided feedback to children on their learning.

17. PRTs tended to be uncertain about the criteria that were used to assess their achievement of the criteria for full registration although more ECE teachers (62 percent) indicated that the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions were used, compared with 40 percent of primary and secondary teachers. Around a third of primary and secondary teachers did not know what criteria were used.

18. There was a strong message from the surveys and focus groups that teachers in all sectors wanted more direction about the evidence required to satisfy the Teachers Council that they have met requirements for full registration. Many teachers (particularly those in the ECE sector) reported investing a lot of effort into gathering material as evidence of their having participated in an advice and guidance programme, but they were uncertain if they were meeting the requirements. Some PRTs reported that regular attendance at PRT workshops that were focused on the discussion and documentation of their attainment of the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions provided a strong source of support and specific guidance. Unfortunately, few PRTs were able to access these programmes.

19. Limited numbers of teachers participated in external professional learning opportunities offered by subject associations or external agencies such as those offered by School Support Services. Consideration could be given to encouraging and increasing PRT participation in high-quality external supports throughout their induction period.

20. Towards the end of their second year as teachers, while the majority reported that they were still enjoying teaching, 16 percent of ECE teachers, 23 percent of primary teachers, and 21 percent of secondary teachers were not as happy about teaching as they had expected to be.

21. Twenty percent of secondary teachers, 17 percent of primary teachers, and 11 percent of ECE teachers did not expect to be teaching in five years' time.

22. Overall, this study demonstrates that the current system of support and assessment for PRTs depends largely on the capabilities and learning conditions in their workplaces, with primary teachers more likely to report induction that assisted them to develop confidence and skill in teaching and made a difference to their students' learning. PRTs typically reported that while their colleagues were very willing to share ideas and resources, there were infrequent opportunities for scheduled work together that was focused on strengthening children's and young persons' learning and achievement. More primary teachers than secondary teachers reported taking an active part in whole-school professional development, being involved in collaborations with their colleagues, and receiving guidance and/or encouragement from other teachers. These activities, which involve working alongside others, tackling challenging tasks together, problem solving, and trying things out together, provide settings for new teachers to ask questions, get information, learn how others solve problems, give and receive feedback, reflect, and learn from their mistakes. Louis, Kruse, and Marks (1996) have pointed out that "without professional community, most individual teachers will find it difficult to sustain the level of energy needed to reflect continually on and improve their practice for the benefit of authentic student achievement" (p. 178).

23. It is critical that full admission to the teaching profession is based on sound assessment practices and shared expectations of what is required to earn fully registered teacher status. This study indicates that currently many PRTs are unclear about the criteria that were used to assess their teaching, and may not have been assessed on a number of important Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions. Given that the Teachers Council is reviewing the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions, and that new graduating teacher standards are to be introduced in 2008, the review of the system for awarding full registration to teachers is timely. The review could provide a fruitful opportunity for the educational community to clarify the requirements for full registration in each sector, and the process by which this is best achieved. Efforts to enhance the quality of teacher learning in the first two years of teaching also provide an opportunity to strengthen the understandings and pedagogy of all teachers, and contribute to enhanced learning for students and children.

24. The results emphasise the importance of mentor selection, so that PRTs have access to a person with the dispositions, personal qualities, and relevant teaching expertise to support them. As well, mentors require allocated time and ongoing professional development to develop their knowledge and skills in the support of PRTs. We suggest that mentors' expertise would be enhanced if they were part of a quality mentoring community external to their workplaces.

25. This study suggests the need for collaboration between all those individuals and agencies that have a stake in teacher induction. This means that the Ministry of Education, the Teachers Council, the Educational Review Office, schools, ECE centres/services, external providers, initial teacher educators, in-service providers, and policy makers need to develop comprehensive and aligned approaches to teacher induction. All participants need to be clear about policies and expectations for the use of the funding for induction. Accountabilities for the use of funding may need to be strengthened, particularly in the ECE sector where funding is new.

1. Introduction

Newly qualified teachers in New Zealand employed in the school and ECE sectors are categorised as being "provisionally registered". Employers in schools and ECE centres and services are provided with government funding for two years to provide their PRTs with an "advice and guidance" programme. According to Lind (in Cameron 2007, preface, i) all PRTs are "entitled to a structured programme of mentoring, professional development, observation, targeted feedback on their teaching and regular assessments based on the standards for full registration". At the end of their provisional registration period, PRTs apply to the New Zealand Teachers Council for full registration status. Ideally all teachers would be as positive about their induction experiences as this teacher:

I have had a great two years. I've been allowed to explore all areas, take on opportunities in and out of school. My tutor teacher is always a step ahead or [standing] behind me. Questions are answered, or investigated if the answers are unknown. I had a supportive team and school. For me, my philosophy on teaching is the greatest thing. I look at it when I feel pressured/or the paperwork seems great. I ask myself "Why did you want to be a teacher?" Then I get back on task. You have to be optimistic. Teachers learn as well as teach. Tutor teachers and PRTs have to work well, find common ground, support each other, utilise the essential skills that we are trying to instil in our students. (Written survey comment from primary school teacher)

However, the available research (Cameron, 2007) suggested that not all newly qualified teachers worked in supportive and collegial environments that built on their knowledge and skills. The previous research provided some indication that there was no room for complacency about the consistency and quality of induction support within the school sector, but did not provide a national picture of induction across all sectors, with gaps most evident in the ECE and Māori medium sectors. Previous research did not provide an overall picture on the type and frequency of induction experiences that teachers experience; whether teachers consider these to be helpful; the induction activities that teachers value and the frequency with which they occur; how evidence for making decisions about full registration is gathered; and the consistency of the full registration process.

Research tells us that experienced teachers are much more likely to stay in teaching when they work in environments with professional work conditions that permit them to work effectively (Futernick, 2007). Similarly, the quality of the professional experience in the early years of teaching is acknowledged as key to teacher retention and teacher quality (Cochran-Smith, 2004; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; OECD, 2005; Youngs, 2002). It is because teacher induction is so important to teaching and to children's and young persons' learning that the Teachers Council has commissioned a series of research projects focusing on this stage in a teacher's career. The project is intended to inform policy development and identify and share successful induction practices in New Zealand. This is the second stage of a three-stage project for the Teachers Council on the induction of teachers in New Zealand and consists of a national survey and focus groups of PRTs. It follows an NZCER literature review Learning to Teach: A Literature Review of Induction Theory and Practice (Cameron, 2007). The third stage of the research programme will comprise a set of case studies in selected ECE, kura kaupapa Māori, and school settings to be carried out during 2007.

The report is presented in four parts: the first part analyses the survey results from the ECE teachers. The second part analyses the findings from the survey results from primary and secondary teachers in schools. Focus group findings and insights from telephone interviews of two teachers in Māori medium contexts are presented in the third section. The final section summarises and discusses the key themes emerging from this data.

Purpose of the research

This research is intended to provide information on the following questions as posed by the Teachers Council:

What is the nature of current advice for induction and mentoring programmes in New Zealand?
What are the professional understandings within schools and ECE settings that inform their advice and guidance programmes and the various supporting roles and structural support for PRTs (including use of the support grant and the Beginning Teacher Time Allowance (BTTA))?
What has been the range of advice and guidance support experienced by PRTs?
What support did PRTs find useful and transformative, and why? How did such support connect with their pre-service teacher education and with their beliefs about their professional learning needs?
What external support is provided (e.g. School Support Services) and how effective has this been as perceived by PRTs?
What are effective practices in gathering evidence of professional learning?
What are effective practices in assessment of the professional learning of PRTs?

2. Analysis of survey results from PRTs in ECE centres and services

Purpose

The surveys were designed to provide the Teachers Council with data that:

describe the nature of existing practices, including assessment processes, of advice and guidance programmes accessed by PRTs in a range of settings in New Zealand; and evidence for what is the impact of such programmes on the professional learning of the PRTs (Agreement for Services, p. 9).

Survey methodology

NZCER developed a single survey instrument for PRTs in a range of ECE centres and services including state kindergartens, private and community-based education and care facilities, and home-based services. The design of the survey instruments benefited from the perspectives of numerous stakeholders, a lengthy and complex process. Appendix A contains the version of the survey instrument that was sent to ECE teachers.

Draft versions of the surveys were sent to the Teachers Council for feedback from the Council and from stakeholder groups. Versions were also sent to key informants in the ECE sector who had assisted us during the literature review stage. Several versions of the surveys were produced before they were acceptable to us and to stakeholders. The survey instruments were divided into nine sections:

1. Details of teacher education programme and school information
2. Orientation experiences
3. Use of PRT time allowance
4. Mentoring experiences
5. Assessment of teaching
6. Other professional development and learning experiences
7. Satisfaction as a teacher
8. Suggestions for improvement of induction into the profession
9. Teacher demographic information

The short time frame for the project did not allow for extensive field testing. A colleague sat alongside three ECE teachers as they completed the draft survey, noting any concerns about the functionality of the survey or content, and discussed these with us. We made minor organisational changes to the ECE survey in response to this feedback.

Sampling

The Teachers Council provided an anonymised list of teachers who were nearing the end of their second year of provisional registration to NZCER to allow us to produce the ECE samples. It was initially agreed that a sample reflecting gender, ethnicity, dates of birth, sector, type of school or centre, and location would be selected from the list. This approach relied on the specificity and accuracy of the information on the Teachers Council database provided by applicants. Application forms for provisional registration do not require applicants to specify the teaching sector to which their qualifications apply, so the database did not show this information unless applicants were already employed when they applied for provisional registration. As many teachers had applied for provisional registration before they had been appointed to a teaching position, there was no usable information on if or where they were teaching, or the sector in which they were employed. We therefore made the decision to send surveys to all teachers for whom there was the required information rather than to sample. This resulted in a census of all possible respondents.

NZCER produced survey packs containing information about the survey, the survey, a stamped return envelope, and a consent form for teachers to complete if they were willing to allow us to approach them for participation in the focus groups. The Teachers Council addressed and mailed out the surveys to teachers' home addresses indicated on its database, in November 2006. The deadline for responses was 8 December 2006.

Response rates

We were contacted by approximately 40 ECE teachers who had been sent school surveys; in these cases we sent them the correct survey. It is likely that there were other teachers who received the wrong survey, but who did not let us know this. This is likely to have affected the response rate.

The response rate by the cut-off date was of concern, so the Teachers Council sent out reminder letters via email to those who had not responded. Some reminder letters were posted where email addresses were not available. The reminder letter generated requests from teachers asking for another copy of the survey which was mailed out to them by NZCER with the return deadline extended to 10January 2007.

Nine hundred and eight surveys were mailed to ECE teachers. Of these, 57 were returned as undeliverable, leaving a sample total of 851. It appears that many teachers changed addresses in the two years following their application for provisional registration. Completed surveys were received from 183 teachers and refusals/unable to participate replies were received from a further 10 teachers giving an overall response rate of 23 percent.

Although this response rate seems low we do not know the actual size of the population we surveyed. Teachers who were provisionally registered two years ago may not have continued in the profession and it is clear that many surveys did not reach their intended recipient. The response rate calculated as a ratio of returned surveys compared with surveys that actually reached PRTs may well be much larger than 23 percent.

The number of survey questions generated considerable data, and responses to the first draft of this report indicated that readers wanted a report with fewer tables for easier readability. For this reason we have placed some of the tables in Appendix C, and included comparisons from the school sector survey.

Characteristics of the ECE sample

We had surveys returned from four males (around 2 percent) and 179 females (98 percent) in our sample of 183 teachers. This is consistent with the sector workforce which had 1 per cent male and 99 percent female teachers in 2006. The majority of provisionally registered ECE teachers (54 percent) were over 40 years indicating they made up the largest proportion of newly registered teachers in this sector (Table 44, Appendix C).

While Pākehā teachers (71 percent) predominated, Māori comprised 14 percent of our sample. There were more Pasifika respondents in ECE than in our school sample (3.8 percent). Seven percent of ECE teachers were Asian (Table 45, Appendix C).

Around half of the ECE teachers who replied to our survey were employed in privately owned education and care centres, with about a third in community-based education and care centres. Ten percent of replies were from teachers in state kindergartens (Table 1).

Table 1 Type of ECE service

ECE sector	Number	Percentage
State kindergarten	19	10.4
Education and care (community-based)	55	30.1
Education and care (private)	91	49.7
Home-based ECE service	8	4.4
Other	3	1.6
Unknown	7	3.8

About a third of the ECE respondents were in the Auckland region although all regions were represented (Table 46, Appendix C).

The majority of respondents (69 percent) were teaching in all-day services, with 18 percent working in sessional (less than all day) programmes.

Around two-thirds of teachers undertook their teaching qualifications while they were employed in ECE centres (Table 47, Appendix C). This distribution reflects government targets to increase the number of qualified and registered teachers in teacher-led ECE services, resulting in significant numbers of people undertaking their formal teacher preparation while employed in centres.

Two-thirds of first appointments were permanent, with a quarter of teachers taking on supervisory responsibilities in their first year (Table 49, Appendix C). By their second year, over 30 percent of ECE teachers were undertaking supervisory roles.

Two-thirds of respondents had a change of employer during their period of provisional registration (Table 51, Appendix C). Over 40 percent reported having three or more positions. The survey does not provide reasons for the high levels of teacher turnover, although evidence from the focus groups suggested that turnover can be associated with negative employment conditions. Whatever the reasons, teachers may be less likely to experience effective induction when they move from workplace to workplace, although for some teachers, moving made a positive difference to their induction.

Sixty-five percent of teachers recalled receiving a letter of appointment to their teaching position, 21 percent did not recall a letter of appointment, and 14 percent could not remember.

The demographic distribution of the survey responders suggests that the results reported are representative of the ECE PRTs. However, as the response rate seems low we do not know how much non response bias there is in terms of attitudinal data. Therefore, care should be taken when generalising these results.

Use of the PRT support grant^³
The allowance that centres received for supporting PRTs was used for a range of activities, with attendance at courses noted by over half the teachers (Table 2). It appears that less than half the teachers were provided with a time allowance to work on their registration requirements, while around 22 percent of teachers were not aware how the incentive allowance was used in their first year. Only 13 percent did not know how the allowance had been used in their second year of provisional registration.

Table 2 Use of PRT support grant in first and second years

	First year		Second year
Use	N	Percentage	N	Percentage
Professional development courses	101	55.2	117	63.9
Time allowance for me to work on registration requirements	74	40.4	85	46.4
Attendance at conference(s) and support groups	64	35.0	78	42.6
Books	48	26.2	48	26.2
Other	38	20.8	45	24.6
Don't know	40	21.9	24	13.1

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

Orientation experiences

Most ECE teachers (69 percent) reported that they had a formal orientation to their centre.

Given the small size of most centres it is surprising that almost 20 percent said that they were not introduced to the rest of the staff (Table 3). As in the school sector, about 40 percent did not spend time with their official mentor/supervisor; have expectations for their advice and guidance explained; or were shown the induction support kit Towards Full Registration. Only 20 percent were informed about external support groups for PRTs. Given that many learning centres fail to provide this information, perhaps this could be provided to teachers from the Teachers Council as part of the provisional registration process.

Table 3 Orientation activities

Activity	N	Percentage
Introduced to rest of staff	151	82.5
Introduced to children	142	77.6
Meeting with head teacher/supervisor	141	77.0
Expectations for teachers explained	141	77.0
Introduced to parents/whānau	134	73.2
Shown how to access supplies and resources	126	68.9
Key policies and systems explained	125	68.3
Meeting with management	124	67.8
Tour of centre/map	116	63.4
Spent time with official mentor/supervisor	112	61.2
Information about particular centre/service context, decision making, children, community, centre goals and aspirations	109	59.6
Information about administrative requirements	106	57.9
Introduced to key support staff and/or office holders and their roles	106	57.9
Social function with staff	95	51.9
Meetings with other PRTs	81	44.3
The support kit "Towards full registration" was shown to me	81	44.3
Advice and guidance requirements and entitlements explained	75	41.0
Information about professional associations	62	33.9
Information about union	50	27.3
Meeting with committee	48	26.2
Informal "buddy" (not mentor) assigned	40	21.9
Information about beginning teacher groups outside the ECE centre/service	35	19.1
Pōwhiri/formal welcome	25	13.7

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

The orientation activities that were considered important by PRTs in the ECE sector are shown in Figures 1 and 2. Teachers considered it very important to be introduced to colleagues, children, and parents. Next in perceived importance was information about their work.

Almost all teachers who responded to this question thought it was important to have their advice and guidance requirements and entitlements explained to them, although this had not occurred for 60 percent.

Figure 1 Importance placed on meeting groups and individuals

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response.

Figure 2 Importance placed on other information

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response

Less than a quarter of respondents considered that their orientation had helped them to a great extent to make the transition into teaching as a PRT and a similar percentage thought their orientation to their centres was of limited or no help to them (Table 4).

Table 4 Extent to which orientation programme assisted PRTs

	Number	Percentage
A great extent	43	23.5
A reasonable extent	67	36.6
A limited extent	41	22.4
Not at all	11	6.0
Unknown	21	11.5

Use of PRT noncontact time

Seventy-two percent of ECE teachers reported that they spent noncontact time working on documentation relating to gaining full registration. This figure is somewhat confusing as less than half the teachers had indicated in their response to Question 6 in the survey that they received noncontact time. Over two-thirds of ECE teachers indicated that they used PRT noncontact time for programme planning and for considering evidence of their teaching effectiveness (Table 5). Around two-thirds of early childhood teachers reported using noncontact time for professional reading; assessments with children; locating resources within their centres; and meeting with other teachers. Half of the teachers reported using the time to visit other centres.

Table 5 Activities done during PRT noncontact time

Activity	N	Percentage
Documentation related to gaining full registration	131	71.6
Considering evidence of teaching effectiveness	123	67.2
Programme planning	121	66.1
Professional reading	114	62.3
Assessments with children	112	61.2
Locating and preparing resources within centre/setting	112	61.2
Meeting with other teachers	110	60.1
Administrative tasks	106	57.9
Meeting with other PRTs	98	53.6
Observing teaching processes in own centre/setting	95	51.9
Visits to other centres/settings	91	49.7
Tasks related to external responsibilities	89	48.6
Using Internet teaching resources	60	32.8

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

The areas considered important by teachers aligned well with how they actually spent their time (Figure 3). The large amount of missing data appears to be because teachers did not rate the importance of activities if they had not experienced them personally.

Figure 3 Perceived importance of activities undertaken in noncontact time

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response.

Advice and guidance programmes

Allocation of an assigned mentor

Almost all ECE teachers (92 percent) indicated that they had an assigned mentor to support their induction.

Teachers' qualitative comments illustrated how promises for support on appointment were not always realised in practice. For example:

I was promised several times, but my supervisor never quite 'got around to it' over 18 months.

Teachers pointed to difficulties in some centres in finding a fully registered teacher to provide supervision:

In [xxx] centre we didn't have any registered teachers so I didn't receive any support and guidance.

Still negotiating, as it is very difficult to get a mentor at the moment as the registered teachers whom I approached have already got more than they can cope with.

Our service policy stated that my regional manager will be my 'supervising teacher' but she does not have full registration. I have arranged for a colleague with full registration to be my 'supervising teacher'. My service does not seem to place much importance upon supporting me through the registration process. I now have so much work that I do not have time to meet the requirements of the support and guidance programme.

Activities undertaken during advice and guidance programmes

Over 80 percent of teachers identified that their advice and guidance programmes included activities that were likely to have assisted them to develop their teaching. These activities included being observed teaching and receiving feedback, discussing children's learning, sharing teaching approaches, and receiving emotional support and encouragement. Most teachers reported that they were helped to pinpoint their learning needs, set goals, and plan to address them. ECE teachers were much more likely to use the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions as a focus for their induction activities than were primary and secondary teachers (Table 6).

About 57 percent formally observed their mentor teaching in their centre in their first year as a PRT, with this percentage dropping slightly in the second year (54 percent). There did not appear to be a general reduction in induction activities in the second year, and PRTs reported slightly more assistance in some areas.

Table 6 Activities undertaken as part of the advice and guidance programme in the PRTs' first and second year in the programme

	First year		Second year
Activity	N	Percentage	N	Percentage
Having your mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor observe your teaching, and giving you feedback on your teaching	154	84.2	149	81.4
Discussing your children's learning with your mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor	150	82.0	154	84.2
Sharing effective teaching approaches	145	79.2	147	80.3
Mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor providing emotional support and encouragement	144	78.7	146	79.8
Observing teachers and children in your centre/service	143	78.1	119	65.0
Examining documentation of children's learning with other teachers in your centre/service to improve approaches to teaching	143	78.1	151	82.5
Pinpointing your learning needs, setting personal goals, and planning a systematic programme to meet them	142	77.6	145	79.2
Assistance with managing children's behaviour	141	77.0	131	71.6
Sharing teaching with other teacher(s)	141	77.0	124	67.8
Use of Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions as a focus for feedback on your teaching	138	75.4	142	77.6
Collaborative work with others in centre/service	137	74.9	135	73.8
Mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor observing for registration requirements	136	74.3	142	77.6
Advice on effective communication with parents/whānau	127	69.4	121	66.1
Mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor helping with assessment	123	67.2	120	65.6
Mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor helping you adapt your teaching to meet the needs of children who require more individual support	111	60.7	118	64.5
Observing mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor teaching in your centre/service	105	57.4	98	53.6
Help with managing your administrative responsibilities	101	55.2	113	61.7
Help with report writing	80	43.7	79	43.2
Observing teachers and children in other centres/settings	66	36.1	61	33.3
Observing mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor teaching in another centre/setting	24	13.1	26	14.2

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

Frequency and importance of induction activities

Collaborative work and shared teaching with other teachers occurred most frequently, as did examining and talking about children's learning (Figures 4 and 5). Half the teachers reported frequent opportunities to talk about children's learning with their supervisor. Given the importance to PRTs of consistent personal and emotional support (Commonwealth Department of Education Science and Training, 2002; Stansbury & Zimmerman, 2002), it is somewhat concerning that only 28 percent of ECE teachers reported receiving emotional support and encouragement on a weekly basis. Eighty-three percent of surveyed teachers thought that emotional support provided by mentors was important/very important.

Thirty-seven percent of teachers had frequent opportunities to observe their mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor teaching in their own centre, and a quarter received frequent formative feedback on their own teaching. Around a third of teachers had frequent guidance in pinpointing and planning to address their specific needs and goals, and 40 percent reported that their mentors frequently used the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions as a focus for feedback on their teaching. Forty-six percent had frequent help with managing children's behaviour. However, only 28 percent had frequent help in adapting learning approaches to children's specific needs. The responses appear to indicate a need for more frequent and more focused attention to assisting PRTs to think about their teaching practices and outcomes for children.

Figure 4 Frequency with which activities associated with the mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor took place in the first year of the advice and guidance programme

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage it highlights a "negative" response.

Figure 5 Frequency with which other activities took place in the first year of the advice and guidance programme

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response.

Our respondents thought that most of the induction activities listed in the surveys were important. Figures 6 and 7 show that over 80 percent of teachers considered it important to: observe their mentor teaching; observe other teachers and children; be observed and receive feedback on teaching; participate in collaborative work; and share teaching approaches with others. All of these activities have the potential to strengthen teachers' pedagogical understandings. Eighty-four percent of teachers thought that it was important/very important to be helped to teach in ways that addressed children's specific learning needs (however, only 29 percent received this help regularly).

Figure 6 Perceived importance of activities with the mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor undertaken in the first year of the advice and guidance programme

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage it highlights a "negative" response.

Figure 7 Perceived importance of other activities undertaken in the first year of the advice and guidance programme

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response.

ECE teachers' judgements about their advice and guidance programmes

In order to gain a picture of PRTs' views on a number of important aspects of induction, teachers were asked to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with 16 statements about their own advice and guidance programmes (Figure 8). Because most teachers agreed with most statements, we have emphasised the items where teachers strongly agreed. Fifty-two percent of teachers strongly agreed with the statement that they were welcomed and valued as a staff member, and 48 percent strongly agreed that they had kept a written record of their advice and guidance programme. Forty-one percent strongly agreed that their mentor was well informed about teaching and centre practice, with 37 percent strongly agreeing that their mentor knew how to help them to develop their practice. About a quarter of teachers agreed strongly that their advice and guidance programmes were carefully documented according to Teachers Council requirements, and that their programmes had been systematic and organised. Clearly, many teachers were not strongly positive about important aspects of their induction.

In addition, 20 percent of teachers considered that their advice and guidance programmes were about "ticking the boxes", and the majority (71 percent) of teachers believed that it was up to them personally to seek assistance. Around a third of teachers considered that their status as a PRT was insufficiently acknowledged, and that they were overloaded with responsibilities.

Figure 8 ECE PRTs' judgements about their advice and guidance programme

Notes: Where numbers on charts are not clearly legible they are generally less than 5% and therefore not of great importance to the interpretation of the results.

The vertical line at 0% represents a neutral response. The negative axis does not indicate a negative percentage; it highlights a "negative" response.

ECE teachers' overall perceptions of advice and guidance programmes

About 40 percent of ECE PRTs judged that their tutor teacher had assisted them greatly to develop skill and confidence in teaching (Table 7). A slightly higher percentage (44 percent) strongly agreed that their tutor teacher had assisted them to meet the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions. Less than a third of teachers strongly agreed that their induction programme had made a difference to their children's learning and achievement. This finding further suggests that significant numbers of PRTs require professional learning experiences during induction that have been shown to link to enhanced pedagogy and children's learning in ECE education (Mitchell & Cubey, 2003).

Table 7 Percentages of PRTs assisted to a great extent (ECE sector)

Aspect	Assisted to a great extent (n=183) %
Tutor/mentor/supervisor assisted in developing confidence and skill in teaching	41.5
Tutor/mentor/supervisor assisted in meeting the Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions	44.3
Induction programme made a positive difference to their children's learning and achievement	31.7

Assessment of teaching

Table 8 shows the professional areas where our ECE respondents received formative feedback. Eighty percent indicated that they had been encouraged to reflect on their teaching in order to improve it, and about three-quarters received formative assessment on their curriculum planning and how they communicated with parents. Two-thirds received formative assessment on most other areas of teaching. Areas where less than half the teachers received formative feedback were use of ICT, grouping, and inclusive practices for Māori children (although when compared with the primary teachers they were almost twice as likely to have received formative assessment on inclusive practices for Māori).

Table 8 Areas where teachers were provided with formative feedback

Activity	Number	Percentage
Encouraging you to reflect on your teaching to improve it	146	79.8
Curriculum planning	140	76.5
Matching curriculum to children's learning needs and interests	135	73.8
Communicating with parents and whānau	132	72.1
Using a range of teaching approaches	128	69.9
Helping with documentation of children's learning	128	69.9
Professional responsibilities and behaviour	127	69.4
Building positive relationships with children	125	68.3
Your relationships with other colleagues	125	68.3
Positive management of child behaviour	124	67.8
Responding constructively to children's disruptive behaviour	119	65.0
Inclusive practices for all children	117	63.9
Using assessment results to plan further learning for individuals and groups	115	62.8
Supporting te reo Māori me ona tikanga	107	58.5
Providing feedback to children on their learning	105	57.4
Encouraging children to think critically	104	56.8
Ways to engage parents in children's assessment	102	55.7
Management of time	98	53.6
Ensuring that assessment is fair, valid, and reliable	96	52.5
Finding appropriate resources	96	52.5
Ways to engage children in their own assessment	95	51.9
Devising an engaging education programme	94	51.4
Use of ICT in your centre planning and teaching	88	48.1
Grouping children for learning activities	86	47.0
Inclusive practices for Māori children	83	45.4
Other	14	7.7

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

The person most likely to provide formative assessment to ECE PRTs was identified as their mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor (43 percent), with about a quarter reporting that their head teacher assessed them (Table 9). About 7 percent were assessed by a senior teacher/professional adviser. Senior teachers may have been part of their centres or may have been employed by an umbrella organisation to provide services for a number of centres. The data are difficult to interpret because of the wide range of terminology used in the ECE sector for different supervisory roles.

Table 9 Person responsible for providing assessment

	Formative assessment		Summative assessment
Position	N	Percentage	N	Percentage
Mentor/tutor teacher/supervisor	78	42.6	85	46.5
Head teacher/supervisor	47	25.7	42	23.0
Senior teacher/professional adviser	13	7.1	12	6.6
Other teacher(s) in centre/service	6	3.3	6	3.3
Assistant/deputy supervisor	3	1.6	2	1.1
Other	13	7.1	15	8.2
Unknown	23	12.6	21	11.5

The Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions were used for both formative and summative assessment for about two-thirds of the ECE PRTs (Table 10), with about 15 percent reporting that the Professional Standards were employed^⁴. Around 10 percent did not know what assessment criteria were used.

Table 10 Set of criteria used for formative and summative assessment of ECE PRTs

	Formative assessment		Summative assessment
Criteria	N	Percentage	N	Percentage
Satisfactory Teacher Dimensions	114	62.3	112	61.2
Professional Standards	28	15.3	25	13.7
Don't know	19	10.4	21	11.5
Unknown	22	12.0	25	13.7

Table 11 shows the evidence that was used to ascertain that teachers had met the requirements for full registration. Compared with other sectors, ECE teachers reported selecting a wider range of evidence to demonstrate that they had met the requirements for full registration. As well as records of observations, and written feedback from tutors, ECE teachers included notes on observations of children, how these had influenced their teaching, and examples of children's learning resulting from their teaching. A majority of teachers included artefacts such as photographs, and samples of communication with parents. These sources of evidence have the potential to provide authentic ways to show how PRTs think about, plan for, and evaluate their teaching and their children's learning.

Table 11 Sources of evidence used for decisions about full registration for ECE PRTs

Activity	Number	Percentage
Notes from your observations of children and comments on how these observations informed your teaching	138	75.4
Written feedback from your supervisor/tutor teacher at regular intervals throughout your advice and guidance programme	133	72.7
Records of observations of your teaching	121	66.1
Examples of how you assessed the children's learning	141	77.0
An outline of your advice and guidance programme for year one and year two	104	56.8
Appraisal records	127	69.4
Record of your reflection on your teaching	150	82.0
Record of professional learning (and how it impacted on your practice)	128	69.9
Examples of your feedback to children	96	52.5
A unit of teaching, showing objectives, teaching plans, assessment	85	46.4
Examples of child learning resulting from your teaching	125	68.3
Samples of how you have communicated with parents/whānau about children's learning and development	127	69.4
Samples of your feedback to children, e.g. how you have encouraged children to use and contribute to assessment	100	54.6
Photographs (with annotations)	131	71.6
Audio or videotapes of your teaching	16	8.7
Samples of newsletters etc. to parents	121	66.1
Letters of commendation from others (head teacher/supervisor, parents, colleagues)	75	41.0
Other	16	8.7
None of the above	1	0.5

Note: As more than one answer could be given, percentages may not sum to 100.

Other professional development and learning

For most of our respondents, the most common professional development activity was collaborative learning with colleagues in their own centres. Around two-thirds said that they frequently participated in centre/whole-service professional development, and a similar percentage reported that they frequently took an active part in centre/service self-review and development. Slightly more than half of the teachers frequently participated in external courses, and read regularly to improve their content knowledge. About half occasionally received guidance from outside advisers, suggesting that teachers would benefit from greater engagement with external experts to help them to access new ideas and work together to enhance the quality of learning within their centres.

Less than 10 percent frequently attended beginning teacher support groups, and more than half had not attended any. The survey does not provide information on the reasons why teachers did not attend support groups. Possible reasons may include lack of support groups in their area, centres not prepared or able to release PRTs to attend, or meetings being held outside normal working hours. Whatever the reasons, many PRTs in the ECE sector are currently missing out on this source of external support.

Table 12 Other ECE professional development and learning

Activity	Frequently %	Occasionally %	Not at all %	Unknown %
Collaborative learning with other colleagues in my centre/service	73.2	20.8	3.3	2.7
Participating in centre/whole-service professional development	63.9	31.2	1.1	3.8
Taking an active part in centre/service self-review and development processes	61.2	32.8	3.3	2.7
Participating in external courses or workshops related to teaching and learning	55.7	37.7	4.4	2.2
Guidance and encouragement from my head teacher/supervisor	54.6	26.2	8.2	10.9
Reading to improve my content knowledge	54.1	39.9	2.7	3.3
Guidance and encouragement from other teachers in the centre/service	52.5	37.7	6.0	3.8
Reading about theory and practice to extend my knowledge of ways to help children gain a deeper understanding and interest	43.7	50.3	1.1	4.9
Participating in external courses or workshops related to teaching in general	38.3	44.3	12.0	5.5
Engaging with professional associations	33.3	46.5	12.6	7.7
Familiarising myself with local resources	25.7	59.0	11.5	3.8
Guidance from support people, such as Early Intervention Teachers, GSE staff, senior teachers, professional development advisers	25.7	51.4	18.6	4.4
Collaborative learning with teachers from other centres/settings	13.1	63.9	16.9	6.0
Beginning teacher support groups	9.3	25.1	54.1	11.5
Involvement in the union	9.3	18.0	65.0	7.7

Other experiences that have contributed to PRT learning

A wide range of other opportunities to extend professional learning were identified in the respondents' qualitative data. Some of their comments^⁵ are classified under key areas, as follows:

Own knowledge and networks

Knowledge of Samoan language and culture. Networking with other Pacific Island centres. Knowledge of Māori culture, Tongan, Niue, Cook Island, Tokelau all contribute to my learning as a teacher.

Wider leadership activities

Given responsibilities at senior level very early in my teaching such as reviewing policies and setting new ones.

Have been lead participant in year-long PD–Kei Tua o Te Pai [learning story exemplars].

Change of position from teacher to head teacher of another centre. Huge learning curve for me. Dealing with parents as a head teacher. Observing students who have been on practicum at my initial centre of work. Interviewing for a new team member.

Being put in the position of acting head teacher when the head teacher is away or sick. Very good way to learn about all aspects of running a centre.

Member of board of trustees for primary school.

Assisting student teachers as associate teacher has contributed to my own professional development because when their evaluating lecturers come to make assessments, comments about the centre and practices have been favourable.

Participation in professional development initiatives in own centre

As my centre has joined the ELP [Educational Leadership Project] I attended varieties of workshops/seminars, which helped me immensely to improve my teaching, documentation, assessment etc.

This year our centre participated in the ELP for the entire year and I took it up as a challenge and attended ALL the workshops which were after school hours 6:30 to 9:00 and benefited a lot.

Opportunities to visit other centres

Being able to see other centres working, and watching how they do things. You pick up ideas of what you can implement and what you wouldn't implement ever.

Attendance at conferences and courses

Going to the ECE conference in Rotorua 2006. Meeting up with other PRTs every 3—4 months.

Early Childhood Conference (Rotorua 2006).

Childspace Conference (Wellington 2006).

Attending the Childspace 'Enthusiasm for Education' conference Sept 15—16th 2006. Journals distributed by NZCER Press, e.g. Early Childhood Folio, The NZ Annual Review of Education, and set Research Information for Teachers.

Going to a conference in Wellington, wonderful experience especially in year two when motivation was waning. Returning to post grad studies best thing I did.

Attending professional development programmes workshops and TV programmes re ECE–example of other great teachers.

Participation in research

Working at a 'centre of innovation'. [Our centre] is researching 'How support for families aids children in their learning and development'. The nursery team I am a part of are working with two researchers at [xxx] University in gathering our data and writing a paper on our topic next year.

Formal study and ongoing learning

Studying further has given me a greater knowledge and it keeps you up to date.

More education. For example I'm still trying to finish the BEd.

Satisfaction as a Teacher

Many PRTs in ECE settings were employed in centres throughout their initial teacher education programmes and would therefore be relatively well prepared for the realities of teaching. Eighty-five percent of teachers in ECE centres found teaching to meet or exceed their expectations. Eighty-eight percent thought their centre was "a great place to work". Only 16 percent were not as happy about teaching as they had thought they would be and 88 percent of ECE respondents expected to be teaching in five years time.

Table 13 ECE Teacher satisfaction

	Agree %	Disagree %	Unknown %
Teaching meets or exceeds the expectations that I originally had	85.3	7.7	7.1
I am not as happy about teaching as I thought I would be	15.9	78.1	6.0
My centre/service is a great place to work	88.5	8.8	2.7
I expect to be still teaching in five years time	88.5	7.6	3.8

Although most ECE teachers had a strong commitment to teaching, the following section illustrates for some teachers this appeared to be in spite of the quality of their induction programme.

ECE teachers' suggestions for the improvement of teacher induction

A key theme in ECE respondents' suggestions for improvement of induction was the necessity for all teachers and employers to be aware that the programme of teacher preparation continues into the first two years of employment as a PRT. They identified the need for better communication with newly registered teachers and employers about expectations for them and their centres; better information and clarity about how to demonstrate that they have met the requirements for full registration; and more accountability within the system for the provision of effective advice and guidance programmes. Some typical comments were:

Information:

I think the Ministry or the concerned authorities should inform the PRTs about what they are entitled to receive from the Ministry for their professional development process.

Having a person in the Ministry for each area to be able to liaise with people (beginning teachers) would be an advantage.

Owners and managers need to be more aware of requirements for provisional teachers especially if they are not teachers themselves.

Having the institutions doing the teaching [preparation] providing students [with] the knowledge of what is expected. Not just saying 'You still have two [years] teacher rego left, now bye.'

Ask centre owners to draft a budget of how money will be spent over the two years so a discussion happens between the centre and the PRT at the beginning of registration about how the money could be spent. Gives PRT an idea of the amount and scope of what could be achieved. Brainstorm ideas. List of what people have used the money on in the past.

If the Teachers Council came to centres to inform all new teachers about the requirements they have, face to face.

Ensure that all teachers are doing the same amount of work towards registration, as I feel that is not happening.

Some centres actually need it spelt out to them how to use the PRT funding. Myself and another staff member (we are both NZEI members) ended up writing up PRT Guidelines for our management as we got sick of pestering them for funding. It took about six months before they took any notice of it.

Expectations for experienced PRTs should acknowledge their previous experience:

Please develop guidelines/format for teachers [experienced] working for years to become fully registered. I hope you understand that they need a different approach from teachers straight out of college.

I have a teacher in my centre from England who has 25 yrs teaching 0—6-year-olds. The only thing she has not achieved is Te Reo and the Māori module. Why can these teachers not have a 3-month, 1-day a week in a class or distance learning on this module? This way these teachers can be registered earlier and be an asset in an area where teachers are still a problem.

More external monitoring and accountability is required to ensure that teachers receive their entitlements:

As I suggested in Question 25, there needs to be consistency between early childhood care and education settings in their approach and overseeing of teachers undergoing registration.

It is very easy for employers to 'tick the box'. I believe that the Teachers Council needs to put some form of monitoring of employers into place to ensure that their part or obligations to the new teachers are being met.

Each centre needs to have policy on teacher registration.

They need to make sure all the clauses of the policy work!!!

Grant needs to be used properly and given to [the] registered teacher.

Many younger teachers I have met at courses do not feel they have any input into how their PRT funding is spent. It appears some centre owners embrace the PRT and the funding and use it as meant and others just spend it as they wish, without benefiting the PRT.

All teachers must receive their teacher release time:

Time should be allowed each week for reflective diary etc. (i.e. reflecting on relevant goals set that month with tutor). I have had to do this at home in the weekends.

Having centre managers/supervisors be more supportive and offer PRT noncontact time during work hours to work on registration requirements–paper work.

More time for registration/noncontact time–it is not being given enough in some centres.

1. We need time to do our folder.
2. Because we are not getting any time off the floor we are not able to do our folder.

Adequate time for others to support PRTs.
More guidance about evidence for attainment of requirements for full registration:

Have the [registration] booklet ECE focused, rather than covering all education ages. Make it more relevant to ECE. Have relevant examples to ensure PRTs and mentors are on the right track.

Encourage PRTs to have their supervisor work in their own centre with them, or at least be able to work with each other at regular intervals over the two years.

Compulsory attendance once per term, networking with a cluster of centres in your area with PRTs. Release time paid for from PRT funding and meeting at MOE offices to talk about the four dimensions (one per term) with other PRTs.

Workshops on the four dimensions of PRT. Keep them small and have participants from similar type centres, e.g. all kindergarten teachers or all day care teachers.

Clearer guidelines for advice and guidance programmes.

Provide opportunities to network with other teachers.
Access to high-quality, relevant external programmes of support for PRTs.
Opportunities for continuing professional development such as attendance at courses, conferences, and for further qualifications:

Provide provisionally registered teachers with information on professional development.

My centre did not allow me to get out to do courses a lot as they would get lower funding if I wasn't there. They would not allow me to see information on professional development.

The teachers' comments point to areas where essential system supports can be strengthened for PRTs. Improvements in these supports will lead to improvements in the teaching and learning conditions in the ECE sector which in turn are likely to enhance the learning of children.