Name: ID:.. Professional Experience Year 1-2012 & Year 2-2013 Middle School/Secondary HANDBOOK 12 January, 2012
CONTACT INFORMATION SCHOOL PLACEMENT ISSUES: Please contact Sally Cole regarding any issues about the suitability or timing of the school placement, absenteeism or sickness. If Sally is not available then these issues can be addressed through the School Services Coordinator, Ph: 8201 3330 Sally Cole Office: Education Building 4.55 Phone: 8201 3329 email: sally.cole@flinders.edu.au ACADEMIC or STUDENT ISSUES: Any questions or issues regarding the purpose of this professional experience can be addressed to Shane Pill who is the academic coordinator for all professional experiences in the Middle/Secondary degrees. Shane is also available for consultation over any issues regarding the behaviour or performance of pre-service teachers. He can be contacted with questions or concerns and is available for consultation by school supervisors, mentor teachers, university liaisons and the university pre-service teachers. Shane Pill Office: Education Building 5.11 Phone: 8201 2277 email: shane.pill@flinders.edu.au Professional Experience Website http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/education/professional-experience/ 2
INTRODUCTION to the PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PROGRAM Professional Experience (PE) is an essential component of the Bachelor of Education combined degree. Teaching is a professional discipline and pre-service teachers need the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become effective practitioners. At the completion of the PE program, all pre-service teachers are expected to achieve the Standards for Entry to the Register for the Teachers registration Board of South Australia. Undergraduate Bachelor of Education students will complete four PE placements for a minimum of 80 days over a period of four years. Master of Teaching students will complete two PE placements for a minimum of 60 days over a period of two years. Pre-service teachers are allocated to government, Catholic and Independent schools/centres for periods of PE. The links between schools, other educational institutions and Flinders University are highly valued. All placements of pre-service teachers in schools will be made by officers of the PE Office, School of Education and on no account should pre-service teachers directly approach schools/centres to arrange their own placement. NOTE: If you have a school contact person willing to mentor you, you must make an appointment to see Sally Cole prior to negotiations. Once a placement has been made, pre-service teachers are obliged to take up the placement. Forfeiting the placement will normally result in the PE being delayed until the next scheduled PE period. This will normally extend the course completion date. Note: Pre-service teachers should not request a placement in schools where they have a personal relationship with a member of staff or a student at the school. Special requirements or preferences will be considered, but are not binding on the university or its officers. The PE Office placement officers will only use a pre-service teacher s allocated Flinders email address and the contact details recorded with the Flinders University Student Information System. Therefore, pre-service teachers must keep the PE Office staff informed of any changes to their address, contact details or withdrawal. 3
CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECK (CHC) The three schooling sectors (The Department of Education and Children s Services, Catholic Education and the Independent Schools Board), have informed the Vice- Chancellor that all University staff and pre-service teachers must have cleared a CHC before they can undertake their planned activities within schools. The onus is on each pre-service teacher to apply for a CHC and a clearance must be obtained before applying for a PE placement. Procedures for obtaining the CHC through the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (not the police station) are explained on the following website: http://www.flinders.edu.au/staff/teaching-learning-resources/police.cfm Pre-service teachers are required to attach a copy of the CHC which lasts for 3 years, to their PE application. RESPONDING TO ABUSE & NEGLECT (RAN) Under the Children s Protection Act of 1993, teachers and other groups of people who work with children and/or young people are obliged by law to notify relevant authorities if they suspect that a young person has been abused or neglected. Flinders University School of Education pre-service teachers are required to undertake RAN training before beginning their PE. RAN Training information is available on the Flinders University PE website. http://www.flinders.edu.au/ehl/education/professional-experience/ Pre-service teachers are required to attach a copy of their RAN certificate to their application for professional experience. NOTE: It is the responsibility of pre-service teachers to keep and maintain the original copies of their CHC and RAN certificates. NAME BADGE You are required to wear your Flinders University Name Badge while on PE. Application details available on the Professional Experience Website Other Information/Name Badges EMAIL SIGNATURE All correspondence with schools and with the PE Office, including emails, must be written using correct English spelling and the correct grammatical arrangement of words in sentences. Please set up the following email signature for all your emails - Website: http://www.flinders.edu.au/emailsignature/ Your full name Student ID Course (e.g. BEDSBA, MTS) Year of Study (e.g. Year 1) PE Program (e.g. PEY1&Y2, PE1) 4
BASIC EMERGENCY LIFE SUPPORT The DECS Basic Emergency Life Support (BELS) program has been introduced to replace the former First Aid for Centres and Schools (FACS) program. Pre-service teachers are only required to complete the BELS program prior to gaining employment with DECS. First Aid Frequently Asked Questions: http://www.chess.sa.edu.au/training/faqa.htm ATTENDANCE AT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT Pre-service teachers must attend all allocated days in order to successfully complete each PE. Missed days must be made up and a medical certificate provided for the days absent unless approval from the PE Office has been obtained for the absence. If absence is likely to be for an extended period contact the PE Office as soon as possible. Keep the school informed. PROFESSIONALISM Pre-service teachers must present themselves in an appropriate manner and be aware of the professional standards of dress, speech, written communication and conduct, as would be normally expected of a member of the teaching profession and of a pre-service teacher of Flinders University. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ASSESSMENT STANDARDS PE assessment is aligned with the standards described by the Teachers Registration Board (TRB), Professional Teaching Standards for Entry to the Register. TRB website: http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/ 5
Professional teaching standards for registration in SA Professional & Collegial Learning Teachers actively engage in personal and collegial learning within the professional community Learner Respect Teachers foster trusting and respectful relationships with all learners Parent/caregiver &Community Partnerships Teachers work effectively with parents/caregivers and the wider community Learning Processes Teachers know about learning processes and how to teach and implement Learning Content Teachers know the content they teach Learner Context Teachers know about learner contexts and diversity Planning & Teaching Teachers plan and implement teaching strategies for successful learning experiences Feedback & Reporting Teachers assess and report learning outcomes Learning Environment Teachers create a safe, challenging and supportive learning environment Indicators of the standards can be read at http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/pdf/standards_entry-to-register.pdf 6
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE YEAR 1 & YEAR 2 PROGRAM Year 1 Preferably 5 days in semester 2 PLUS Year 2 10 days over the year TOTAL: 15 days in the same school, either single days or blocks to be negotiated with the school. ASSESSMENT At the completion of the 15 days, deliver the Record of School Visits and the Report to the Professional Experience Office. Please keep copies. DUE DATE: Within 5 days of completion of placement. Overview of Professional Experience Year 1 & Year 2 AIM The guided professional experience provides an opportunity for the pre-service teacher to: Observe the work of teachers Observe the characteristics of young people of different ages and in different stages of learning Relate their developing theoretical understandings to the world of the classroom Interact with individual students and small groups of students Interact with the school community as a beginning professional Clarify their commitment to becoming teachers of middle/secondary school student Be involved with school programs ie. Dance production; Sports program etc. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES That the pre-service teacher will: Begin to understand the work of the teacher Practice relating to young people of different ages and stages of development Demonstrate an ability to relate theoretical understandings to the practical setting of the classroom Demonstrate an ability to interact effectively with young people Become accustomed to the idea of taking the role of the teacher THIS PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IS PLANNED TO: Include a series of developmentally appropriate learning experiences and tasks for the pre-service teacher Provide opportunities for the pre-service teacher to understand and begin assuming the role of the teacher Reduce anxiety about assuming the role of the teacher Provide an experiential basis for understanding their university studies 7
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE: Guided observation Interacting as a beginning professional with members of the school community Recording of observations and experiences Engaging with individual young people or small groups of young people Discussion and reflection with peers, professionals and university tutors SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES (Examples) School Orientation (Guided Tour) A day in a junior secondary class A day in a senior secondary class Time in the library A day with the special education teacher Shadow a teacher to all their different lessons Undertake yard duty with a teacher Work with students receiving extra literacy/numeracy or study skills support Speak with the school counsellor to gain an insight into her/his work Go on an excursion Sit in on student behaviour management or talk about behaviour management policies and strategies with Year Level Coordinators and/or Assistant Principals Shadow a School Services Officer for part of a day Attend school professional development sessions Work with individuals or small groups in class on a task directed by the teacher Work with a small groups of students Observe the flow of lessons in different learning areas Shadow a TRT (relief) teacher for a day Shadow specialist teachers for a day Observe lessons in the computer room for a day Attend staff meetings Work with the school SRC/Student leadership group Work at the school swimming and athletics carnival In addition to the 15 days in school it is in your interest to involve yourself in the schools extra-curricular program. For example: sport coaching, drama production, choir, science club etc. 8
School Selections All school placements will be organised by the PE Office at the School of Education, Flinders University. Do not make individual approaches to schools on your own behalf without prior permission from the PE Office to ensure that schools are not deluged by requests (which they cannot by themselves approve) from individual preservice teachers. When the PE has been finalised, letters of confirmation will be emailed to schools and pre-service teachers from the PE Office. Please do not contact schools before the confirmation letter is received. We suggest that, initially, pre-service teachers email the nominated school contact person to organise a preliminary familiarisation visit and induction to the school and to discuss any key issues which may be pertinent at this stage, such as; - any subject specialisation - particular strengths or interests - special circumstances which should be considered. Issues for pre-service teachers to consider regarding the professional experience placements 1. In normal circumstances, pre-service teachers are advised to seek a variety of school placements in the 4 year PE program. For example, we strongly encourage pre-service teachers, if at all possible, to include a country placement. Pre-service teachers might also wish to consider the range of schools in which they could work: government or non-government; large or small; advantaged or disadvantaged; progressive or traditional; challenging or comfortable; co-educational or single-sex. Involvement in a variety of school settings provides pre-service teachers with a breadth of experience which in turn appears to enhance their employment prospects. 2. Pre-service teachers are not to undertake a PE at a school attended by their siblings or children, or where they have worked or held a position of responsibility or are related to a staff member. As a general rule, pre-service teachers should also avoid returning to a school where they were a student. It s important that from the outset pre-service teachers define their role in the school as a professional colleague, not as a former student or a parent, etc. 3. Pre-service teachers should ensure they have clearly identified the university topics which are directly linked to their PE. University-based studies and school-based PE are designed to complement one another. 9
4. Pre-service teachers encounter a variety of teaching styles, of learning styles, of attitudes, of ideas. Try not to be judgmental. Instead, approach everything you encounter as a learning opportunity. Above all, evaluate what you are doing, and work to improve your performance. 5. Appropriate dress code is essential. Conservative attire is strongly advised; remember that first impressions can mean a great deal. Contact the school prior to the placement to confirm the dress code. 6. Involvement in extra-curricular activities is highly recommended in association with (not as replacement for) PE activities. Extra-curricular (sometimes called co-curricular) are activities generally occurring outside of curriculum time. This might involve sport, drama, debating, SRC, camps, parent committees (school council or curriculum committees, for example), musical productions, etc. A contribution outside the norm of classroom teaching adds immensely to the richness of the experience, and to the qualities pre-service teachers can offer to prospective employers. However, pre-service teachers may not undertake any PE, extra-curricular or other activity in a school or school camp when normal classes are scheduled at Flinders University for topics in which the pre-service teacher is enrolled. 7. It is worthwhile for pre-service teachers to speak with mentor teachers about particular strengths or interests they possess, and to explore ways in which these can be incorporated into the learning program. 8. Pre-service teachers also find that paid and voluntary work in allied fields (sport coaching, drams societies, subject tutoring) all add significantly to the package they present to future employers. 10
Guidelines for Withdrawal from the professional experience placement Failure Pre-service teachers in topics that require them to undertake a PE are subject to contractual agreements established between the organisation providing the placement and the University. The following provisions apply to situations involving unsafe or unsatisfactory student performance in such placements or unsatisfactory provision of placement by the placement provider. A Topic Coordinator may withdraw a student from a placement, either for a specific period of time and subject to specific conditions or for the remainder of the duration of the placement, where: 1. The pre-service teacher is consistently unable, after due instruction and guidance, to perform satisfactorily without an inappropriate or an unattainable degree of supervision from supervisory personnel with respect to: 1.1 Skills involving a client s comfort or safety; 1.2 The performance of technical procedures already taught, demonstrated and practised in a prior clinical or practical situation; 2. The pre-service teacher performs in a manner detrimental to the PE of other students; 3. The pre-service teacher breaches the legal, ethical or professional codes of the organisation providing the placement or of the industry concerned; 4. The pre-service teacher demonstrates gross negligence in the performance of an assigned duty; 5. The placement provider is unable to maintain an appropriate placement experience for the pre-service teacher. Where a Topic Coordinator withdraws a pre-service teacher for the remainder of the placement for reasons listed in 1 to 4 above, a fail result normally will be recorded in the topic. Where a pre-service teacher s placement is terminated because of lack of appropriate support by the placement provider, no fail will be recorded and the pre-service teacher will be assisted to find an alternative placement to enable them to complete the placement topic. If at the end of your PE your performance is deemed to be not yet satisfactory a grade of F (Fail) will be given by the University for the topic. If these circumstances should arise, your attention is drawn to the relevant rule for the Bachelor of Education: PE topics may not be attempted more than once except with the permission of the Faculty Examinations Board. 11
INFORMATION for the SCHOOL MENTOR TEACHER Following feedback from schools, there are now a series of professional experiences in the first two years of the four year undergraduate double degree program for middle/secondary pre-service teachers. It is expected that pre-service teachers undertake a total of 15 days in the same school (preferably 5 days in semester 2 Year 1 and 10 days in Year 2) so that they become wellfamiliarised with the setting. If they subsequently have two different schools for their 3 rd year and 4 th year experiences they will have had a significant range of experiences in three different school settings, which has become an important consideration for their future employability. Pre-service teachers have guidelines for specific tasks. This ensures that they use the days effectively to observe, learn, begin to assist student learning with individuals and in small groups, assist the staff member with yard duty and other professional responsibilities, and begin to understand the complexities of the tasks of the teacher in the middle/secondary school setting. They will use their workbook to keep a record of the days of attendance and the tasks that are undertaken on the visits. ASSESSMENT The Record of School Visits in the pre-service teacher s Handbook should be signed by a member of the school staff at completion of each visit to indicate that the pre-service teacher has been present at the school that day. On completion of the 15 days, a report is completed by the pre-service teacher and a comment and signature is required by the School Coordinator. As pre-service teachers undertake this topic and its associated school visits, it is important that all involved with the visits recognise that at this point the pre-service teacher has completed just one year of university studies. If you have any questions, queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Sally Cole in the Professional Experience office. Phone: 8201 3329 Email: sally.cole@flinders.edu.au 12
Professional Experience Year 1, 2012 & Year 2, 2013 Pre-Service Teacher: Student ID: Name of School: School Coordinator RECORD OF SCHOOL VISITS Visit 1. Date of Attendance Class or Area of the School visited Hours attended Signature of a School Staff Member 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Please Note: It is the responsibility of the pre-service teacher to ensure that this log is completed after each school visit. At the completion of the 15 days, hand in the Log Sheet and the Report to the Professional Experience Office. Please keep copies. DUE DATE: Within 5 days of completion of placement in 2012 School Coordinator Signature: Date: Pre-service Teacher Signature: Date: 13
Professional Experience Office School of Education Telephone: 8201 7671 Fax: 8201 2568 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REPORT 2012&2013 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE YEAR 1-2012 & YEAR 2-2013 PRE-SERVICE TEACHER (student) SCHOOL CO-OPERATING TEACHER/MENTOR SCHOOL CO-ORDINATOR YEAR LEVEL(S) SUBJECT(S) (if applicable) UNIVERSITY LIAISON 15 day Placement Preferably Year 1 5 days; Year 2 10 days (Single days or 5 day blocks) School Context: To be completed by the Pre-service teacher Please write a brief statement about the school and the classroom/s you have worked in during your placement Learning Evaluation: To be completed by the Pre-service teacher Please write an evaluation of your learning during your placement Summary statement: To be completed by the School Coordinator/Principal OVERALL ASSESSMENT Not Satisfactory Satisfactory School Co-ordinator / Principal Date Pre-Service Teacher Date 14