As part of the process for moving to (full) registration, provisionally registered teachers / early childhood teachers (PRTs) are required to find a mentor to help guide them through VIT’s Inquiry process. This mentoring support is central to the development of new teachers and those who have been out of the teaching profession for an extended period of time.
Any teacher who wishes to become a mentor for a PRT moving to (full) registration should participate in a VIT-approved mentoring program.
The VIT recommends participating in the Effective Mentoring Program (EMP). We have also been working closely with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools and Independent Schools Victoria to extend the reach of mentoring programs across Victoria.
Effective Mentoring Program (EMP)
The EMP is a two-day professional learning program developed and delivered as a partnership with the Department of Education and Training (DET). It is open to any experienced (fully) registered teacher.
This program is a blend of the skills and knowledge fundamental to mentoring, and knowledge about the process for moving from provisional to (full) registration. Participants explore the practice of mentoring and how mentoring can support new teachers to improve their teaching practice.
A refresher program is also offered for mentors who undertook the Effective Mentoring Program more than three years ago. The Refresher is a one day course and, like the EMP, is booked through Cambridge Education.
Program structure
The EMP is structured as follows
Day 1
- understanding mentoring
- Mentoring Capability Framework (MCF)
- VIT registration process
- understanding the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST)
- VIT’s Inquiry cycle and adaptive expertise
- Inquiry questions and actions plans
- introducing the Codes of Conduct and Ethics, and
- MCF action plan and evaluation.
Day 2
- mentoring skills
- making teaching practice public
- exploring options for observing practice
- mentoring in practice
- understanding the APST
- role of mentors at each stage of the Inquiry
- Inquiry samples of evidence
- Victorian Code of Conduct and Ethics for teachers, and
- recommendation process overview.
Attendance at all days as well as completion of the online course modules are required to complete the EMP and receive a certificate of completion.
The VIT has developed useful guides to assist mentors and provisionally registered teachers with the Inquiry process.
How to register
Registrations for the 2021 EMP Seminars are closed. The 2022 EMP Seminar dates will be published on the VIT website as soon as they are available. You can also stay up-to-date via our Professional Practice newsletter.
Other mentoring programs
While teachers from all sectors are welcome to register for the Effective Mentoring Program, VIT has been working closely with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS), Sandhurst Diocese, Ballarat Diocese, Sale Diocese and Independent Schools Victoria (ISV) to extend the reach of mentoring programs across Victoria.
Last updated: 08 Nov 2021