Welcome / Tēnā koutou katoa
Tēnā koutou katoa, tēnā koutou ngā tumuaki hou e mahi ana ki roto i ngā kura puta noa i te motu. He mihi nui, he mihi aroha tēnei ki a koutou, nō reira, tēnā koutou katoa.
This website provides online modules that support the First-time Principals Programme, which is an 18-month induction programme to support all newly appointed principals of all school types throughout New Zealand. Funded by the Ministry of Education and delivered by a project team at The University of Auckland, the programme's purpose is to assist first-time principals to increase their educational leadership knowledge, skills, and influence in their current school context. The programme is delivered through residential courses, mentoring, online learning, self assessments, and programme evaluations.
The online modules on this website are designed to prepare programme participants for the residential courses, and to provide them with multiple learning opportunities as they work with their mentors between courses.
The module topics have been selected to assist the professional learning and work of new principals by increasing their influence as leaders of teaching and learning in their schools. Each module is designed to help new principals with a specific leadership area.
Four online modules
Module 1: Planning and Reporting prepares first-time principals to fulfil their legislative requirements, and to develop evidence-based plans that clearly relate to the specific educational goals of their school, in order to enhance the teaching and learning outcomes.
Module 2: Elements of Teaching Effectiveness identifies from leading research the most influential and effective classroom teaching practices that improve student achievement, and provides strategies for principals to identify if these practices are known to teachers and being used in their classrooms.
Module 3: Tackling Tough Issues (due 2008) focuses on the people dimension of the principal's work by providing a research-based model for improving interpersonal relationships in the school and critiquing one's own current practice, so that high-quality professional relationships can support school-wide teaching and learning goals.
Module 4: Examples of Teacher Effectiveness
Using the modules
Each module has been structured so that the parts can be used in sequence or independently, to suit the individual learning needs of each principal and their current school context. However it is recommended that, initially, the modules are looked through sequentially. Between residential courses during the programme, online activities are used to support the application of the material to school contexts.
Revision or preparation for others
These modules have been made available on the Internet so that others can use the material, either as preparation for aspiring principals, or as revision and updating for established principals. Local principal cluster groups and principals' learning communities may find these modules a useful basis for their activities and discussions.
Nāku iti nei,
John Locke
Project Director
First-time Principals Programme
The First-time Principals Programme Online Modules website is a joint venture between The University of Auckland and the Ministry of education.