Starting as a Maths Pathway teacher is a big shift in the way you've done things in the past. This shift can be daunting, confusing, and can lead to frustration. We understand this, and we want to make sure teachers are fully supported in their transition to this new way of teaching.
To help support our teachers, we have developed a teacher professional development course. This course is built into the system itself, and is designed to help teachers progress from the basics and understanding the system right through to taking the system and using it in new and beneficial ways for their particular situation.
The main component of this course is the ShuHaRi video series. The videos go through every facet of being a teacher in a Maths Pathway school, and are designed to gradually shift the way you teach, and support you while you do so.
Perhaps more importantly however, is the school-wide series of meetings and discussions that goes with the videos. We understand that all the changes required to teach Maths Pathway are daunting. This is why it’s very important to have a strong support network while you're learning, and participate in the activities outside the videos.
Schools should run a meeting approximately every two weeks, each meeting focusing on a successive ‘level’ of the training videos.
For more information on the training videos, please see this article.
Options for a teacher who comes into a school that’s already established:
- Option 1: Do the PD course as normal
Because it was designed for the purpose, the full PD course, the videos, questions and meetings, is the best way for new teachers to learn how to use Maths Pathway and how to become Maths Pathway teachers. Doing the course this way will guarantee that you are fully supported, all your questions are answered, and there is always someone to point you in the right direction.
- Option 2: Find a mentor
If your school can’t run the full PD course for any reason, you should find someone who is already familiar with the system (if possible, your school’s teacher trainer) and get them to help you work through the training. This way you at least have one person who you can go to with questions, and who you can discuss the changes in your classroom with.
- Option 3: Self-directed study
The last option is for you to do the course by yourself. While you will still learn everything you need to be a Maths Pathway teacher, this can feel like a lot more work than it should. Using the videos and the articles on this Help Site (start with MP101), you will be able to get a full understanding of how the system works, and how you can operate within it.