Join us for Te Poipoi Kaiako, designed to support mentors and their mentees on their journey to full certification.
Who is Te Poipoi Kaiako for?
- Provisional teachers (PTs) in English medium and Pia in Māori medium settings
- Overseas trained teachers (OTTs) with provisional certification
- Mentor teachers and Pou Tautoko
- Schools, kura and early childhood centres
This service is fully funded by the Ministry of Education for Aotearoa New Zealand kura, schools and early learning services. It aims to meet the needs of mentors, provisional teachers, and overseas trained teachers through improved and nationally consistent PLD guidance.
Te Poipoi Kaiako is structured around these seven Kaupapa | Themes
There is no need to enrol to participate. Please, simply register your interest by filling in the form at the bottom of this page to stay up to date with what is on offer.
Explore the programme outline
To learn more, explore the programme outline:
Upcoming workshops, webinars, and programme resources
Ngā Awheawhe ā-Rohe | Regional Workshops
Terms 1 & 3, 2026
Please join us at an upcoming regional workshop. There is no need for you to have attended a workshop before: any aspect of Te Poipoi Kaiako Mentor Support Programme can be accessed in any order and at any time.
Simply register using the links below and we will look forward to welcoming you.
Mentor teachers and Pou Tautoko will develop their mentoring practice, and induction and mentoring programmes.
Provisional teachers and Pia will develop their professional practice as they prepare to apply for Tiwhikete Whakaakoranga Tūturu | Full Practising Certificate.
There are 11 face-to-face workshops across the motu.
There is no charge for kaiako and teachers to attend the workshops as they are funded by the Ministry of Education.
Refreshments, morning tea and lunch will be provided. However, travel and release costs are not funded.
Workshops run from 9:00am–3:00pm. Refreshments are available from 8:45am.
The workshops are facilitated in English and te reo Māori and will be adaptive and responsive to the needs of attendees.
Each workshop will include unique content that will be different to previous years.
Come with your colleagues or alone.
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Rārangi take awheawhe | Workshop agenda
In the morning we will:
- Begin with whakawhanaungatanga
- Explore what’s new and on top, like Te Poipoi Kaiako online learning modules and other resources; Teaching Council resources; and other useful materials or information
- Look into what it means to demonstrate commitment to tangata whenuatanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership
- Explore the new 2026 Standards for the Teaching Profession
- Review the process to move to Tūturu | Full Certification
In the afternoon we will collaborate in breakouts in response to what the group would like to focus on, for example:
- What makes an effective induction and mentoring programme
- Establishing effective professional practices
- Sharing positive classroom management strategies
- How we can support our own and each others’ wellbeing
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Workshop highlights
For everyone:
- Connecting and networking with other mentor teachers, Pou Tautoko, Pia and provisional teachers
- Understanding the process to obtain Tūturu | Full Certification
- Initiating and building relationships and networks across your region
- Developing your culturally responsive practice and capabilities
For mentor teachers and Pou Tautoko:
- Exploring effective mentoring practices and the value of mentoring when creating a meaningful induction programme
- Supporting you to help current and future mentees to develop and embed their professional practice
- Gaining a greater practical understanding of what is required for a mentoring programme, and what is required to endorse a PT to move to full registration
For provisional teachers and Pia:
- Developing your professional practice
- Supporting you to develop what you need for Tūturu | Full Certification
For overseas trained teachers:
- Developing your understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand and our education context
Term 1, 2026Ngā rā me ngā wāhi | Dates and locationsIwikatea | Balclutha: Tuesday, 24 February – Register Ōtautahi | Christchurch: Thursday, 26 February – FULL Kirikiriroa | Hamilton: Tuesday, 03 March – FULL Porirua: Wednesday, 04 March – Register Rotorua: Wednesday, 04 March – FULL Te Papaioea | Palmerston North: Thursday, 05 March – Register Whangārei: Tuesday, 10 March – Register Whakatū | Nelson: Wednesday, 11 March – Register Ahuriri | Napier: Friday, 13 March – Register Tāmaki Herenga Waka | Auckland south and southwest: Tuesday, 17 March – Register Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland north and northwest: Wednesday, 18 March – Register |
Term 3, 2026Ngā rā me ngā wāhi | Dates and locationsIwikatea | Balclutha: Tuesday, 28 July – Register Ōtautahi | Christchurch: Thursday, 30 July – Register Kerikeri: Thursday, 30 July – Register Orongomai | Upper Hutt: Tuesday, 04 August – Register Tāmaki Herenga Tāngata | Auckland north and northwest: Tuesday, 04 August – Register Tāmaki Herenga Waka | Auckland south and southwest: Wednesday, 05 August – Register Ngāmotu | New Plymouth: Thursday, 06 August – Register Kirikiriroa | Hamilton: Tuesday, 11 August – Register Te Waiharakeke | Blenheim: Wednesday, 12 August – Register Rotorua: Wednesday, 12 August – Register Heretaunga | Hastings: Friday, 14 August – Register |
Online workshops
In 2026 we will again be offering online version of the workshops to accommodate people who are more than 2 hours' drive from a regional workshop.
These workshops will run via Zoom on different dates for mentor teachers | Pou Tautoko and mentees | Pia. The online workshops will run from 9:30am–2:30pm. They will cover similar content to the face-to-face regional workshops. They will be capped at 80 participants. They will not be recorded.
Term 1, 2026For Pou Tautoko | Mentor teacher: Friday, 20 March – Register For Pia, Provisional teachers, Overseas Trained Teachers: Monday, 23 March – Register |
Term 3, 2026For Mentor teachers | Pou Tautoko: Monday, 24 August – Register For Pia, provisional teachers, Overseas Trained Teachers: Friday, 21 August – Register |
Webinars for Pou Tautoko and mentor teachers
Webinars are available for all Pou Tautoko | mentor teachers. To make attendance as accessible as possible, we offer two date and time options for each session. Each webinar lasts approximately 60 minutes. Please register using the links provided below:
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Effective mentoring practices – 4, 5 May
Monday 4 May, 3:30pm & Tuesday 5 May, 7:00pm
Developing effective mentoring practice begins with deep self‑reflection, critical inquiry, and an awareness of the beliefs and experiences that shape how we support others. Great mentors recognise the unique whakapapa, values, and aspirations that each mentee brings, meeting them where they are and walking alongside them with empathy and purpose. Understanding the distinction between coaching and mentoring, and the different skills required for each, helps us respond to mentees with clarity, intentionality, and respect for their agency.
In this session, we will explore what we each bring to mentoring, including the people and experiences that have shaped our understanding of what good mentoring looks like. We will examine practices such as active listening, building relational trust, and designing mentoring sessions that promote learner agency and reflective growth. We will also consider how to gather feedback on our mentoring practice to ensure we continue to evolve in ways that affirm, empower, and uplift our mentees and their mokopuna or ākonga.
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Mentoring strategies & practices: Observations and feedback – 9, 10 June
Tuesday 9 June, 3:30pm & Wednesday 10 June, 7:00pm
A focused webinar for mentors exploring effective strategies for observations in learning environments along with post-observation feedback.
This session will support mentors to identify strengths, give clear feedback, and guide their mentees toward meaningful next steps in their practice.
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Strengthening communication practices for mentors and Pou Tautoko – 21, 22 October
Wednesday 21 October, 3:30pm & Thursday 22 October, 7:00pm
This webinar focuses on communication practices that underpin effective mentoring.
We will explore how mentors can approach challenging conversations, respond when progress feels slow, and communicate in ways that are respectful, purposeful, and supportive of professional growth.This concise webinar will support mentors to reflect on and strengthen their mentoring communication practices.
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Effective practice in our Aotearoa context – 16, 17 November
Monday 16 November, 7:00pm & Tuesday 17 November, 3:30pm
Understanding effective practice in Aotearoa begins with knowing ourselves – our culture, identity, and the beliefs that shape how we teach and mentor. In this webinar, we will explore how self‑awareness and cultural humility lay the foundation for supporting mentees to thrive in a uniquely Aotearoa educational landscape. Together, we will unpack expectations of ākonga in Aotearoa, examine how learners grow through relationships, identity, and hauora, and consider what it means to enact genuine Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnerships in everyday practice.
We will also focus on supporting Māori to experience success as Māori by valuing whakapapa, affirming identity, and creating learning environments where all ākonga feel seen, heard, and uplifted. This session will support Pou Tautoko and mentors to guide their Pia and mentees toward culturally grounded, inclusive, and responsive teaching.
Access programme resources
The Education Learning Management System is the main gateway into bespoke, self-directed resources designed to support your journey through Te Poipoi Kaiako, comprising:
- e-learning modules
- guidance
- workbooks
- workshop slides and facilitation notes.
To access these programme resources:
1. Visit training.education.govt.nz
2. Use your Education Sector Logon (ESL) to log-in (to create an ESL, please use the Ministry of Education's self-registration process.)
3. You'll find Te Poipoi Kaiako content, designed specifically for mentor teachers | Pou Tautoko and mentees | Pia
This walkthrough video outlines how to find and use the programme resources:
Express your interest
There is no need to enrol to participate in Te Poipoi Kaiako. Please simply fill in the form to receive updates on what is on offer:
1:1 support for Pou Tautoko and mentor teachers
Pou Tautoko and mentor teachers participating in Te Poipoi Kaiako | Mentor support programme are welcome to contact us at mentor.support@core-ed.ac.nz with requests for light touch, 1:1 remote support from a facilitator.
Please note we can only provide support for Pou Tautoko or mentor teachers. If a provisional teacher, Pia, overseas trained teacher, or people in any other roles have a support request (other than a question about the programme itself) they should liaise with their Pou Tautoko, mentor teacher, setting management or an appropriate agency.
Other sources of support
Contact us
If you have any questions about this programme, please contact us at mentor.support@core-ed.ac.nz.
