The Classroom Intensive Program was introduced in 2014 to provide Aboriginal employees in their final year of teacher training with classroom experience while completing their studies. Five Aboriginal and Islander Education Officers participated in the initial pilot program, spending one term working alongside mentor teachers. The program aimed to boost completion rates, close the gap between theory and practice, and help graduates find employment. An evaluation found it increased classroom readiness, developed mentoring relationships, boosted confidence, and facilitated completion of studies, with 60% of participants graduating as teachers. The program showed that with support in the challenging final year, coaching, and flexibility to extend practice teaching, Aboriginal employees can complete their studies and become teachers.

1. Classroom Intensive Program
Keryl Gorton
Principal Consultant
Equity and Diversity
Education Department Western Australia
#OurMobTeach Conference, 30 September 2015

2. CLASSROOM INTENSIVE PROGRAM
A new program for Aboriginal educators in closing the gap
between teaching theory and practice.
Introduced by the Department of Education Western Australia in 2014 to
assist Aboriginal employees to obtain classroom experience while in their
final year of a Bachelor of Education or Graduate Diploma in Teaching.

3. The Program
Aboriginal employees in their final year of teaching studies were
released from their duties to work in a classroom for one term
alongside mentor teachers while fulfilling study requirements.
 Five AIEOs participated in 2014
 2 - metropolitan
 3 - regional

4. Program Aim
 Boost course completion rates
 Close the gap between teaching theory and practice
 Assist graduate teachers to gain employment.

5. Expected Benefits
 Developed the CIP to raise the level of support and strengthen the
existing approach to ensuring Aboriginal employees in their fourth
year of teaching studies:
 were better prepared to participate in final practicum, while also
successfully completing studies
 increased classroom readiness
 developed mentoring and coaching relationships
 increased confidence and capacity on graduation

6. The Timeline
 Five AIEOs in their final year of studies:
 released from duties to work alongside mentor classroom
teacher for ten weeks in Term 1 2014 (Phase 1)
 final practicum Term 3, 2014 (Phase 2)
 graduate employment, Term 1 2015 (Phase 3)

7. Program evaluation
CIP evaluated using survey information from each of the three phases:
 Phase 1: at end of intensive classroom experience;
 Phase 2: at end of practicum
 Phase 3: at end of first term of graduate employment
Principals, mentor teachers and participants were surveyed
Survey questions focussed in context of Australian Professional Standards for
Teachers.
Evaluation Report submitted to MATSITI
#OurMobTeach

8. Evaluation –what did it tell us? Increased classroom readiness
 Participants considered strongly that they had done so
 Mentor teachers and principals indicated participants had improved but like all graduating teachers they are
still on a pathway to develop
 Developed mentoring and coaching relationships
 Participants, mentor teachers and principals positive responses highlighted growth in professional
engagement and application of the knowledge and skills received from coaching by mentor teacher
 Increased confidence and capacity for their practicum
 Participants, mentor teachers and principals positive responses indicating their observed ongoing confidence
 Facilitated completion of study commitments
 All participants retained in course
 Three of five participants completed within the timeframe
 Two required additional time to demonstrate competency
 Increased confidence and capacity on graduation
 60% graduated (3 participants)
 66% (2 of 3 participants)
 Small survey sample during Phase 3 which reflected/consistent
responses with previous surveys

9. What have we learned?
 Additional time to strengthen readiness to graduate links positively to the impact of the
CIP in building confidence and motivation to continue and complete studies (as
evidenced by the retention of the remaining 40%).
 CIP experience conducted in home school provided an opportunity for participants to
demonstrate their capacity to develop and transition into the teacher role resulting in a
subsequent offer of employment – both graduates employed offered a fixed term
contract in their home school. This may be significant in a pathway to employment.
 Principal advocacy is essential. All participants were well support by their schools and
principals throughout their studies and in seeking graduate employment.
 Coaching complemented CIP and supported participants particularly in their studies
and practicum.

10. Conclusion – what works?
CIP has shown that employees stay engaged and complete teaching
studies and go on to graduate if:
 they are well supported during the academically challenging final
year of study
 have access to specialist coaching support from trained coaches
with recent teaching experience
 extra time/flexibility is available to:
 observe in the classroom from a teacher perspective
 extend final practicum (if required) to demonstrate teaching
knowledge and skill.

11. Narelle Ryder… artist, CIP graduate
 Ms Ryder recently created an artwork (pictured right) to thank the CIP program for the opportunity
to participate and said that each item on the painting represented a part of her learning journey.
 “My artwork is about me in my future teaching role being a proud Aboriginal woman,” Ms Ryder said.
 “The eight white circles are the eight learning areas of the Australian Curriculum. The footprints are
the unique students, mentors, teachers, principals and significant others who have walked in and out
my life and, more importantly, left footprints embedded into this learning journey.
 “The boomerangs represent my elders who are watching over me and supporting me through this
journey.
 “The red, black and yellow lines coming from my head and passing through the white circles symbolise
that I teach my students in an Aboriginal way.
 “Finally, the lines, patterns, dots and designs within my head are my way of constructing,
deconstructing and organising my knowledge.
 “They represent my professional values, my unique leadership qualities and me being a role model to
myself, my family, my community and my people.”

12. Discussion:
what works?
so what?
what’s next?