In this Q&A, Jess, one of our dedicated Quality and Safety Advisors, shares how she supports, mentors and uplifts ECTs – from accreditation guidance and tailored mentoring to professional development programs and peer networking opportunities, all aimed at enhancing teaching quality and career progression from their first day on the job to achieving accreditation and beyond.
Q: Can you introduce yourself and your role at G8 Education?
A: My name is Jess, and I am one of the Quality and Safety Advisors in New South Wales as part of the education team with G8 Education.
Q: Can you describe your role and how it supports early childhood teachers in their professional journey?
A: The Quality and Safety Advisors support Early Childhood Teachers to be successful in their role. We support their understanding and implementation of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs). In New South Wales, Quality and Safety Advisors are also NESA Accreditation Supervisors. We support early childhood teachers in moving from Provisional to Proficient teacher accreditation. We also offer our proficient teachers support with their teaching practice and pedagogy, providing shoulder-to-shoulder support, coaching, mentoring, and being an extra person for them to bounce ideas off.
Q: How do you provide that support to early childhood teachers?
A: When an ECT (Early Childhood Teacher) comes on board or gains their teacher qualification, we have the ECT First Steps program. This is a three-month program tailored to their needs. We also offer ECT communities of practice and the ECT Roadshow for professional development and networking opportunities. Mostly, our support is one-on-one and tailored to the specific needs of each early childhood teacher. We offer support through our face to face in centre visits as well as connecting either over the phone or on a Teams meeting.
Q: How does the onboarding process work for new ECTs at G8?
A: When a new early childhood teacher comes on board or gains their qualification they join the ECT First Steps community. We organise a time to meet to identify the teacher's strengths, learning needs and professional development goals and put together a plan to support over the next few months.
Q: How has the First Steps program impacted the transition for ECTs?
A: The program supports ECTs in succeeding in their roles, whether they are new to G8 or stepping into an early childhood teacher role. It helps them grow professionally, identify where they need or would like support, and focus on their career goals.
Q: What challenges do ECTs face, and how do you support them?
A: ECTs, especially those with no sector experience, face challenges in managing classrooms and applying their theoretical knowledge. We provide coaching and mentoring to help them navigate these challenges and succeed in their roles. We view our ECTs as leaders within our services so we support them to develop their leadership skills and be active contributors to the centre leadership team.
Q: What happens behind the scenes to help ECTs with their accreditation?
A: The accreditation process can be daunting, in particular moving from Provisional to Proficient Accreditation, so having the NSW Quality and Safety Advisors also trained as NESA Accreditation Supervisors, we are able to offer our support to guide them through the process. We like to connect with our ECTs as early as possible to talk through the process and plan to offer 12 months of support as they work towards collecting their annotated evidence. We also work alongside our ECTs as they build their knowledge and understanding of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APSTs). This process allows the ECTs to reflect on their current practice and is also a wonderful opportunity for them to feel proud of the important work they do each day.
Q: How does your work contribute to the quality and consistency of early childhood education?
A: We drive quality by supporting and mentoring teachers and educators in line with the NQF, EYLF and APSTs. By sharing experiences and creating networks, we uplift the quality of education, leading to better outcomes for children and teams.
Q: Why is it important to have someone oversee the professional process for ECTs?
A: Having someone to coach, mentor, and guide ECTs supports them to feel empowered in their roles. It ensures they have the support they need to thrive and grow professionally. It also allows us to have consistency in the quality of ECTs we have in our G8 services so we can continue to provide quality education and care for our children.
Q: Is there a community for ECTs to connect and share ideas?
A: Yes, there is the ECT First Steps community, opportunities for networking through area manager groups, ECT Communities of Practice, and the ECT Roadshow. Our ECTs can also use the G8 Connect platform to share ideas and ask questions.
Q: Can you tell us more about the ECT Roadshow?
A: The ECT Roadshow is a professional learning and networking opportunity for our ECTs. It is a valuable session, which occurs once per year, for professional development, sharing pedagogy and practice, and connecting with peers.
Q: What do you love about your role?
A: I love the coaching and mentoring part of my role, building relationships, and seeing the outcomes of our work. It's rewarding to support educators and teachers overcome challenges and to see them succeed.
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to highlight about your work?
A: The feedback around the ECT First Steps program has been fantastic. ECTs feel supported, knowing they have someone outside their centre team to reach out to. We value their role as early childhood teachers and see them in a leadership capacity, providing them with the support they need to succeed.
