- Published by:
- Department of Education
- Date:
- 5 Apr 2023
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Beginning Teacher Conferences and career supports
Registrations are open for the conferences, beginning June 2023. Other supports are also available for teachers early in their career.
Registrations are open for the 2023 Beginning Teacher Conference series, beginning Thursday 1 June 2023.
The free conference series is focused on preparing and inspiring new teaching professionals at the beginning of their careers in early childhood education.
The conferences will help early childhood teachers seek solutions to the issues that are most relevant to their day-to-day work and support them in applying theory in their teaching practice.
To strengthen the 2023 program, we have updated the conference format to include workshops to support small-group discussions on practice and pedagogy.
The 2023 conference series is available both online and in person, at the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership in the Melbourne CBD.
Conference details
Conference dates are:
- Thursday 1 June 2023 (online): 9 am to 3 pm.
- Friday 23 June 2023 (in person): 9 am to 3 pm
- Friday 25 August 2023 (online): 9 am to 3 pm
- Wednesday 25 October 2023 (in person): 9 am to 3 pm.
Please visit the Beginning Teacher Conferences website to register for the session you’d like to join.
End-to-end career supports
The department also provides supports for early career early childhood teachers to underpin the continued development of high-quality practice aligned to the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework.
In addition to helping teachers early in their careers, the supports are tailored to assist educators who are upskilling and leading a kindergarten program under ‘funding by exception’ or transitional funding arrangements.
Visit the program website to access supports, including:
- individualised coaching to support the development of practice for early childhood teachers and eligible educators in their first year of practice
- Communities of Practice for teachers and educators in their second to fifth years of practice
- an Alumni Network to help coaching and/or Communities of Practice participants stay connected and share their professional growth and expertise.
Find out more
For further information, refer to Beginning Teacher Conferences and the End-to-end career supports website.
Coaching support for returning early childhood professionals
Free coaching support will be available in Term 2, 2023, for early childhood teachers and educators returning to the sector.
In Term 2, 2023, a free coaching service will be available for teachers and educators returning to or joining the Victorian early childhood workforce.
Gowrie Victoria will coordinate the coaching, which supports early childhood professionals returning to the sector following a period of extended leave, as well as those transitioning to the Victorian sector after working as a teacher or educator interstate or overseas.
The program will help returning teachers and educators familiarise themselves with relevant programs and frameworks, such as the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. The program will also help participants access local networks and development opportunities.
Join the program
Gowrie Victoria is seeking expressions of interest from people keen to participate in the program starting in Term 2, 2023.
Gowrie Victoria will consider the specific needs of teachers and what support they are looking for. They will then determine which coaching package is most suitable and match all participants with a coach best placed to support them.
The service will be available to early childhood professionals across Victoria, including regional and rural areas. Sessions will be held face-to-face or online at times arranged by coaches and participants.
Find out more
For further information, refer to the Gowrie Victoria website.
New training for coaches and mentors
New professional learning is available for experienced early childhood educators and teachers to become mentors.
The department is providing a new Coach and Mentor Training program for experienced early childhood educators and teachers from Term 2, 2023.
The program will help experienced professionals in the sector develop their skills to become a coach and mentor for new educators and teachers.
Based on best-practice industry standards and research, the Coach and Mentor Training program will have core modules focused on coaching and mentoring theory and skills.
Additional specialist modules are available to tailor this program to address participants’ professional learning needs or priority areas within their service.
The program will be delivered over 3 months and will include both online and in-person content.
Find out more
For more information, including eligibility details, refer to the Coach and Mentor Training program.