The Languages and Culture team (Secondary Education – Learning and Teaching Directorate) is establishing the Virtual Language Mentoring Network (VLMN) to support beginning and/or isolated languages teachers
7-12, especially those without the support of a head teacher with languages background. A beginning teacher is one in their first five years of teaching.
Early career and geographically remote teachers of languages often work as the only language teacher in a school and have specific needs which cannot always be met at school level. This is a chance to build a network of language teachers across the state who can help and support each other, plus a valuable opportunity to participate in professional development.
The VLMN will include a Language Officer (Michelle Walls) from the Languages and Culture team and up to fifteen school-based language teacher mentors (selected via expressions of interest) working to support the mentee teachers.
Expressions of interest are invited from early career/geographically remote teachers of languages 7-12 (mentees) who would like to join the Virtual Languages Mentoring Network (VLMN) for 2017. Apply via the link below.
The VLMN will:
- - identify professional learning needs for mentees and mentors
- - implement evidence-based mentoring practices to develop the capacity of mentees
- - support teachers of languages in working towards and maintaining accreditation at a range of career stages
- - build the capacity of virtual and face-to-face language teacher networks.
The Virtual Language Mentoring Network will begin with a centrally-located two day conference for both mentors and mentees. The Languages and Culture team will provide release to participants to facilitate mentoring support and to attend targeted professional learning.
Selection criteria:
Contact Michelle Walls, A/Language Officer on 02 9244 5573 or at michelle.walls2@det.nsw.edu.au to find out more.
Expressions of interest should be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 24 February 2017
- EOI to become a VLMN mentee (language teachers in first five years/geographically remote).
Would you like to be a mentor?
The Languages and Culture team is also seeking mentors for the Virtual Language Mentoring Network (VLMN). In selecting mentors, we will consider selection criteria responses, to ensure members are drawn from a wide range of schools, languages and experience.
Experienced language teachers and/or Head Teachers participating in this program will have significant professional development opportunities and be given the opportunity to build skills at the APST Highly Accomplished Teacher level. Expressions of interest are invited from suitably qualified and experienced teachers.
Expressions of Interest should be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 24 February 2017
- EOI to become a VLMN mentor (experienced language teachers)