Block Course

I had to give up a couple of days during the Christmas holidays to attend the block (face to face) course at the Epsom Campus. Now the good thing about this is that everything is paid for by MOE which I only accidently found out about while I was up there and chatting with another newly appointed RT Lit.  I knew the papers were paid for but it is important to keep all travel cost and accommodation costs. getting an invoice for the university papers is a bit tricky as everything is done online now and you have to generate your own invoice and take everything into your base school. They will then send it off to MOE for reimbursement.

It was good to meet the other RT Lits at the course... but I am really over study.  The course is delivered online through Auckland Uni using Moodle.  There were about twenty people in our group predominantly women -some new teacher grads who didn't get jobs, Reading Recovery teachers, ESOL teachers, Head of English teachers  - really quite a mix.  Another good tip if you are considering doing the papers there is a 50% subsidy available apparently.

Training Commitments

When you become an RT Lit you agree (unless you are already trained) to complete four P.G.Diploma papers in Special Education Literacy through Auckland University.  If you are interested in completing some papers before getting a RT Lit job make sure you do the papers at Auckland University (they will not cross credit from other providers).

Literacy Education specialisation: Provides academic and professional knowledge to enhance teachers’ professional practices in specialist and advisory literacy teacher roles. The programme focuses on the application of strategies to support children’s literacy and especially in developing expertise to meet the needs of low literacy achievers. The programme is for any teacher with an interest in literacy who wishes to enhance their practice.

I have to complete these papers in the first year:
EDPROFST 700A   (15 Points)
EDPROFST 700B   (15 Points)
Literacy Education: Research and 
Practice
Understandings of research tools adequate for empirical study and an application of theory to literacy practices, critical analysis of how research questions are constructed and ability to situate and view educational issues and questions within major theoretical frameworks in literacy education will be developed.
EDPROFST 702   (30 Points)
Challenges of Literacy Difficulties Research and practice in literacy education, including specific intervention strategies and resources will be examined and evaluated in depth. This will include an examination of the social, cultural, economic, psychological and physiological factors that influence literacy development, including approaches to support and overcome literacy difficulties experienced by diverse learners, including Mäori and Pasifika children.

Feelings: 700A does not appear to support the application of strategies to meet the needs of low literacy learners -having completed the block course and having the paper unpacked my feelings are still similar to above.
I am entitled to 1/2 a day per week so have negotiated taking one day a fortnight. Will be keeping in touch with neighbouring colleague and also with lecturer and online colleagues.
Looking forward to 702 as this might be applicable in everyday work life.

Job Description

"This literacy service was developed in response to the recommendation of the Literacy Taskforce (in March 1999) for a nationally co-ordinated system of literacy interventions. Resource Teachers: Literacy (RT:Lits) provide literacy expertise to assist the small number of children in years 0–8 who require intensive teaching in reading and writing and their teachers" (literacyonline.tki)

The RT:Lit will be  based at Glenholme school and be employed by 
the board of trustees of that school to work in an itinerant role on behalf of a 
designated cluster of schools – Rotorua Cluster
The role of the RT:Lit is to provide itinerant, specialize literacy support for Year 0-8 students who are at risk of failing to learn to read and write and for their teachers.
The role will include teaching children directly and modeling and 
demonstrating effective practices, strategies, or techniques for teachers so 
that: 
• Children receive appropriate literacy programmes on an ongoing basis; 
• Teachers can use the skills they have acquired with these students and 
others with similar needs. 
The role will include regular tutoring and supervision so that: 
• A child is tutored by the RT:Lit on a regular basis; 
• Following a period of regular tutoring, the child’s programme is taken 
over by the school’s personnel, with the RT:Lit adopting a monitoring 
role until the child is discharged


Feelings: I believe I can carry this job out effectively and professionally and learn a great deal about literacy practice.  
Question : How different is this from Reading recovery?

The Interview

The interview panel were The Management Committee for our cluster and consisted of: Two principals, Literacy Advisor for BOP, one RTLB and the other RT Lit based at Glenholme.
Usual type interview with set questions asked by each member in turn and time for me to ask or state my claim  further.
The next day I got the CALL! What a thrill to secure this position one week before the end of the school year.  After getting in contact with  Nancy and Sharyn from Glenholme and filling in the required paper work - it was just a matter of cleaning out my classroom (no mean feat) and having a relaxing holiday.

Applying for the Job!

It all began at the end of Term 4 2010 when I saw the job advertised in the e-gazette and decided to apply.  I had been working in my school for six years and felt it was time for a new challenge, a change of career or at the very least a change of level all of which was not possible at my school.

My referees were very positive and in my favour I had previously trained and worked as a Reading Recovery Teacher plus I had a Post Grad Diploma in Second Language Teaching prior to gaining my teaching degree.

These jobs do not come up very often and I didn't think I had much of a chance considering all the wonderfully talented teachers around however the first step was, of course, submitting the application.

I was so surprised and absolutely excited when I got the call to have an interview.