The Embedding Team Teaching Program (the Program) is a free professional learning program which supports funded kindergarten services to develop and embed team teaching. For many kindergarten services, the expansion to a 30-hour kindergarten program under the Best Start, Best Life reforms will only be possible with the increased use of team teaching.
Over a 2 to 12-week period, the Program will help early childhood teachers develop, refine and embed team teaching approaches and build a strong culture of collaboration and shared planning.
Monash University is delivering the program in partnership with the Department of Education.
Who can access the program
The Embedding Team Teaching Program is for teams of 2-4 early childhood teachers working together in a state-funded kindergarten program.
This program is designed for early childhood services that are facing significant change, challenges within their teaching team, or require support to adapt their practice to deliver increased program hours.
Program overview
The Embedding Team Teaching Program will help teachers trial, refine and embed team teaching approaches and build a strong culture of collaboration and shared planning.
The program will equip participants to:
- enhance their ability to implement effective, collaborative teaching strategies
- build strong, trusting team dynamics through reflective practice and innovative approaches
- improve child outcomes by integrating evidence-based approaches
- develop practical skills in teaching together with their team and gather insights to share across the service.
The Program is a multi-tiered coaching model providing different levels of support to services based on teaching teams’ ability to navigate the practice challenges and complexities associated with implementing increased kindergarten hours.
Coaching sessions will be held fortnightly, with online components (up to 1 hour) to be completed between sessions.
Differentiated coaching support hours are based on service characteristics outlined in the table below:
Tier 1: Focused
| Target audience |
|
| Program delivery |
|
| Subsidy | $1680 ex GST backfill contribution (2 ECTs for 2 full days) |
Tier 2: Guided
| Target audience |
|
| Program delivery |
|
| Subsidy | $840 ex GST backfill contribution (2 ECTs for 1 full day) |
Tier 3: Resource-based
| Target audience |
|
| Program delivery |
|
| Subsidy | $840 ex GST backfill contribution (2 ECTs for 1 full day) |
Program registrations and dates
The Program will run during Terms 2 and 3 in 2026. The coaching sessions and online tasks are a minimum requirement to complete the program.
Monash University will work directly with selected services to determine when the coaching sessions are delivered. Service leaders will be asked to provide session date/time preferences as part of their expression of interest (EOI) application.
The EOI application must be completed by the service leader. Applicants must have the support of their Approved Provider to complete the program and ensure that participating teachers understand they are being put forward to participate in the program and will be supported to do so.
2026 intake
The Program has a limited number of places. We recommend expressing your interest as soon as possible.
Prioritisation
If the Program is oversubscribed, priority will be given to kindergarten services that are:
- offering increased hours to priority cohorts
- based in Pre-Prep rollout areas for 2025/2026
- facing significant change and challenges to adapt their teaching practice to deliver increased hours
- identified as having complex change management needs or reduced operational support (such as single-room services, or Committee of Management services).
Geographic location and coaching tier allocation will also be taken into consideration in determining successful applicants (kindergarten services) if the grant round is oversubscribed.
How does this program differ from the online modules available?
The Embedding Team Teaching Program provides individualised coaching support for kindergarten services seeking additional guidance in developing and embedding effective teamwork strategies. Responding to their unique service circumstances and the teachers in their team, coaches will provide expert guidance, centred around implementation of an evidence-based learning program. With the support of the coach, participants will trial and embed practical tools to strengthen collaboration and shared planning to better support children’s continuity of learning across the day.
There are two online learning courses for Team Teaching available via the Early Childhood Hub.
Introduction to Team Teaching introduces the principles and benefits of team teaching and demonstrates how team collaboration can be strengthened through shared planning and communication strategies.
Leading Effective Team Teaching is designed specifically for educational leaders and complements the "Introduction to Team Teaching" series for teachers and educators. It supports leaders to strengthen and sustain team teaching practices through intentional, everyday leadership.
More information
For further information about the program, please contact team.teaching@education.vic.gov.au
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