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.

For both mentors & mentees, Regional workshops, Face-to-face workshops, Webinars, 1:1 support, Online e-learning, Guidance booklets, Workbooks, Workshop slides & notes, more

 

Te Poipoi Kaiako is structured around these seven Kaupapa | Themes

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.

Express your interest

Explore the programme outline

To learn more, explore the programme outline:

Te Poipoi Kaiako regional workshops

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.

  • Rārangi take awheawhe | Workshop agenda

    Rārangi take awheawhe | Workshop agenda 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

     

  • Workshop highlights

    Workshop highlights 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, 2026

Ngā rā me ngā wāhi | Dates and locations

Iwikatea | Balclutha: Tuesday, 24 February – Register

Ōtautahi | Christchurch: Thursday, 26 February – Register

Kirikiriroa | Hamilton: Tuesday, 03 March – Register

Porirua: Wednesday, 04 March – Register

Rotorua: Wednesday, 04 March – Register

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, 2026

Ngā rā me ngā wāhi | Dates and locations

Iwikatea | 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

Te Poipoi Kaiako online workshops

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, 2026

For Pou Tautoko | Mentor teacher: Friday, 20 March – Register

For Pia, Provisional teachers, Overseas Trained Teachers: Monday, 23 March – Register

 

Term 3, 2026

For Mentor teachers | Pou Tautoko: Monday, 24 August – Register

For Pia, provisional teachers, Overseas Trained Teachers: Friday, 21 August – Register

 

Te Poipoi Kaiako webinars for Pou Tautoko

Webinars for Pou Tautoko and mentor teachers

Webinar #8: Supporting your mentees with understanding diverse learners

Monday, 20 October 3.30pm & Tuesday, 21 October 7.00pm

Realising the value of diversity and inclusion requires us to self-reflect, engage in critical inquiry, and explore unconscious biases. We can foster equity by promoting inclusive teaching practices and building positive relationships with mentees and Pia to ensure all ākonga are affirmed in their identities and abilities. In this webinar we will explore strategies for working with your mentees or Pia to support critical reflection, encourage inclusive pedagogy, and design for learner variability.

Mā wai tēnei whakaaturanga? | Who is this webinar for? 

This webinar is for Pou Tautoko and mentor teachers.

Sign up to this webinar

2026 Webinars

We will be running four webinars for Pou Tautoko | mentor teachers in 2026.

Registration links and content descriptions will be posted here soon.

In the meantime, please add these dates to your 2026 planner!

Term 2

Monday, 04 May – 3:30pm or Tuesday, 05 May – 7:30pm

Tuesday, 09 June – 3:30pm or Wednesday, 10 June – 7:30pm

 

Term 4

Wednesday, 21 October – 3:30pm or Thursday, 22 October – 7:30pm

Monday, 16 November – 7:30pm or Tuesday, 17 November – 3:30pm

 

Te Poipoi Kaiako programme resources

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.

Te Poipoi Kaiako programme resources

To access these programme resources:

1. Visit training.education.govt.nz

training.education.govt.nz webpage

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

Access programme resources

 

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: 

'Ingoa tuatahi | First name' is required
'Ingoa whānau | Last name' is required

Te Poipoi Kaiako 1:1 support

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

Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand

Ministry of Education’s local offices

Contact us

If you have any questions about this programme, please contact us at mentor.support@core-ed.ac.nz