Mentoring Pre-service Teachers

To take this course, you must:

• Be a qualified teacher
• Have a teaching degree and/or extensive and relevant previous teaching experience 

Technology Requirements
We recommend a laptop or desktop computer and a reliable internet connection. For most courses you'll need to download and populate assignments. These are usually available in Microsoft Word.

Course fees
Course fees must be paid before learning can begin, either via online credit-card payment, or by contacting info@uconline.ac.nz to request an invoice. Please note: fixed invoice payment dates apply, so we recommend getting in touch with us as soon as possible to request an invoice, as this option is subject to availability.

This course has one assessment where you will be asked to submit an audio recording of a mentoring feedback conversation (maximum 30 minutes) and use the recording to identify what went well, what didn't, and any areas for improvement.

Upon successful completion of the course you will be issued a digital badge to recognise your learning achievements. This can take up to 2 months to be delivered after the marking and feedback period.  

Grant Buchanan

Lecturer | School of Teacher Education

Nikki Tod

Lecturer | School of Teacher Education

Sandra Williamson-Leadley

Senior Lecturer | Education

Grant Buchanan
Grant also teaches Physical Education courses with primary pre-service teachers and works as a professional practice lecturer. He completed a master’s thesis on mentoring in primary schools in New Zealand. His research focuses on understanding the ecological nuances of mentoring teachers and using mentoring to build professional capability. 

Nikki Tod 
Nikki's professional background includes ten years of classroom teaching in primary schools. This includes senior leadership positions, mentoring pre-service and beginning teachers, and lecturing in Initial Teacher Education at UC for over twenty years.

Her Master of Education research focused on educational leadership (with an emphasis on professional learning for developing teachers) and culturally-responsive practices. She's committed to best practice in ITE and values the mentor-mentee relationships that underpin the growth of a mentee’s teaching practice. 

Sandra Williamson-Leadley
Sandra's professional background includes 17 years as a primary school teacher in NZ. This includes senior leadership positions, mentoring pre-service and beginning teachers, and ten years as a teacher educator.

Her doctoral research focused on the perspectives of primary teachers regarding the impact of professional development when integrating educational technologies in their classroom practices. She's been involved in mentoring as a student and associate/mentor teacher, and is now a professional practice lecturer for initial teacher education students on placement.

Please note: our instructors develop and present video content within their courses, but are not always the course facilitator. The course facilitator will engage with learners in the course forums, answer queries and mark assignments.