CQUniversity Final YearsEmbedded Professional Learning

4/5

Professional practiceProfessional you!

Today – professional practice, professional you •Review EPL 3 experiences•EPL 4/5 overview•E-portfolios, statements and application

preparation

Remaining final year experiences•EPL 4 – Formal supervised placement – 4

weeks Mentor Teacher provides regular feedback,

weekly reviews etc•EPL 5 Internship – guided partnership – 6

weeks BLM student prepares a mid-point progress

report, Mentor Teacher provides feedback to that and brief final statement (the workload for them in relation to provision of feedback is minimal).

Expectations in booklets

•You must have a current blue card•You need to be at school 45 mins before

start of day and available for discussions/meetings after school

•You need to make up any days off for illness etc

•You need to let us know of any variation of Internship dates

EPL 4 - 4 week block•Planning and engaging in

all aspects of the Learning Manager’s role

•In lead teaching role for at least 50% of the time

•Involvement at other times is still in an ‘active’ role – co-teaching, working with small groups, observing, involvement in co-curricula activities etc

Distinction between “folios”• Working portfolio - your folder that

documents EPL documentation for use throughout the prac

• Professional portfolio – requirement for EPL 3, 4 and 5 in the form of an e-portfolio and relates to the professional standards

• Professional Folio - Folio for EQ teaching positions - a folio that includes specific evidence and forms as per their application process.

Planning for the term?

• You need to be organised for the 10 weeks

• You need to do all the kinds of planning teachers engage in (term plan, weekly plan, lesson plans etc)

• Focus should not be on filling in boxes and name of activity – but learning goals

• You need to plan what you teach, rehearse it, be organised for it and document it

• There is a rhythm and flow to the term, week, day.

• Be responsive and spontaneous too. Demonstrate ‘withitness’

Classroom Management Plan• Should complement the School Behaviour

Management Plan & build on work with Essential Skills

• It’s about thinking through specific strategies, having a range of strategies and practicing them so you don’t get lost ‘in the heat of the moment’

• It’s about a staged approach – all the different things you can do before reaching ‘corrective’ strategies

Responsible behaviour planning

Preventive

Supportive

Correcitive

Preventive Management Strategies (Adapt these and add specific examples)

This includes strategies and documentation which focus on:• Clarifying and communicating expectations and

requirements (including displaying these)• Involving students in clarifying/revisiting rules and

consequences• Class routines (entrances etc)• Physical organization and layout• Teaching expected behaviours for the term/unit/learning

experience• Modelling expected behaviours• Effective instruction giving• Establishing a positive and supportive classroom

environment• Designing learning experiences that are engaging for

students, using a variety of strategies and ways to involve them

• Providing incentives and acknowledging student learning and progress

Supportive StrategiesThis includes strategies and documentation which focus on:• Non-verbal communications – list specific things you can

do to reinforce desired behaviours and address inappropriate behaviours

• Verbal reinforcement/reminders (list specific things you could say)

• Redirecting behaviours (least obtrusive means)• Focussing on curriculum matters• Preparing for smooth transitions between activities• Invoking consequences – in least intrusive ways• Preventing escalation• Follows plan – reminding, encouraging, acknowledging

positive behaviours/developments

Corrective Strategies This may include strategies and documentation which focus

on:• Providing behavioural choices to the classroom student• Follow through on expectations and consequences• Stimulus change (appropriate environmental change to

change the context/situation)• Conferencing as relevant• Individual behaviour plan/contract• Progressive steps in School Behaviour Plan

This work draws on the following resource: Hutson, S (2005) Managing Student Behaviour: A Workbook for Teachers Maroochydore, Qld: unpublished manuscript

EPL 5 - Internships- what are they?

• Authentic work experiences• 50% full-time teachers load• 50% co-planning, team teaching, assisting,

observing and other professional experiences• Professional partnership• Collaborative • Bridge between practicum and beginning

teacher• Whole sch. experience v classroom

experience only • Co-teaching arrangement

Interns are not:• Internal relief•Teacher aides in the classroom

Internships are not:•An extended supervised practicum•100% classroom responsibility for the duration

What they’re not…

Important clarification • Interns: cannot be used as supply or substitute teachers;

however, an Intern may teach their Mentor’s class to release the Mentor for Internship Program meetings and other professional learning

•Mentors: cannot be used for substitute teaching while their

Intern is responsible for teaching that Mentor’s class.

Professionally worthwhile internships

•Immerse the Intern in the full range of teachers’ work

•Promote reflective practice•Provide the opportunity for the Intern to

work autonomously as a professional teacher and assume responsibility for planning and learning.

•Are collaborative partnerships based on mutual trust and respect

Internship ‘Authorization to Teach’•Internship Authorization is applied for by

CQU on behalf of the BLM student.•Has legal requirements and conditions•Authorization allows the Intern to teach

within the context of the Internship only (it is NOT provisional registration).

•Has a start and finish date that is registered with the QCT- CQU must be notified of any change to those dates.

Scenarios

•1. A Mentor teacher phones in sick for the day. Does the school need to call in a supply teacher?

•2. Mentor calls in sick and will not be returning to work for a week. Is it necessary to get a supply teacher?

•3. Can the Intern take the class while the teacher attend meetings at other schools? eg. Cluster planning meetings

•4. Another teacher in the school is sick and a relief teacher is not available. Can the Mentor or Intern cover the absent teacher?

•5. The year 7 class is one teacher short to go on camp (intern is with year 7). Can the year 6 teacher go on camp and the Intern take the class by themselves?

•6. Sports day is coming up. The school need to send teachers with the students. Can the Intern go for the day?

•7. Can an Intern observe, or go and assist in other classes?

•8. The Mentor has playground supervision. After the first day they ask the intern to do these duties without them being present.

•9. Can an Intern take responsibility for a whole school project such as training the Opti Minds team or assisting in the coaching of sports or cultural performances?

Assessment -Internship

•Internship Progress report - completed by Intern in reference to professional standards

•Brief philosophy statement •1. how you have demonstrated the

standards at this stage of your Internship•2. What do you believe were the outcomes

for the student/school community from your actions?

Assessment- Internship•Mentor teacher verification - completed

by Mentor after viewing/discussing intern’s report.

•Statement of completion signed by Mentor

•University signs off – copy of your report must be sent in with the reporting booklet

•Share your e-portfolio at day of celebration

EQ professional statement

•This statement of no more than 500 words is an applicant’s opportunity to demonstrate:▫knowledge and understanding of

departmental reforms, initiatives and policies in relation to learning and teaching

▫the applicant’s beliefs about teaching and learning

▫personal career aspirations

Statement

•Length▫1-2 pages or 500 words

•Use the first person

•Use the present tense, wherever possible

Beliefs about learning•Write down your beliefs about

learning

•Consider:▫How do I view students?▫What do I mean by learning? ▫What do I want students to learn? ▫What do/can I do to facilitate their

learning? ▫How do/can I help students overcome

obstacles to their learning? ▫What happens in a successful learning

situation? 

Beliefs about teaching•Write down your beliefs about

teaching

•Consider:▫Why do I teach? ▫What makes me feel good about

teaching? ▫What do I teach? ▫How do I teach? ▫How do I measure the effectiveness of

my teaching? ▫What would I like to change about my

teaching?

Professional growth

•How will you continue growing as a teacher? 

•What goals do you have for yourself and how will you reach them? 

•How have your attitudes toward teaching and learning changed over time?

•How will you use your student evaluations to improve your teaching?

•How might you learn new skills?

Add Examples

•Include teaching strategies and methods to help people “see” you in the classroom.▫By including very specific examples of

teaching strategies, assignments, discussions, etc, you are able to let your reader take a mental “peek” into your classroom. Help them to visualize what you do in the classroom and the exchange between you and your students.

Add Examples

•What are my most successful experiences as a teacher?

•What made those experiences successful? •How could those successes be transferred

to other teaching situations? •Conversely, what have I learned from my

least successful experiences? •How do I reflect upon my teaching and

use this to refine my teaching?

Now pull it all together… • I embrace teaching as an opportunity to ….

• I recognise children as ….

• As a teacher, it is my goal to

• In my professional experiences, I …

• …….. knowledge is central to my philosophy of teaching because it ….

• One way I work to encourage students to … This helps students …

• The process by which I work to

Applying for jobs•You need to submit your applications to

relevant employing authorities and look for opportunities

•The university sends the QCT a list of students who have successfully completed the BLM in November

•In most cases you will NOT be available for employment (within schools) for all of term 4

•You are entitled to time-off to attend interviews for jobs during the Internship.

The employment process – what they’re looking for•You know about and are able to carry out the

full range of duties and responsibilities of a teacher

•You can cater for different students and manage a classroom

•You have a good understanding of the key initiatives, syllabuses, policy documents

•You have good (real) examples of your practice•You can work as part of a team, within a

school community

The interview•Why should we employ you?•Can you do the job (really well)?•What is it about your background and

experiences that have meant you are ready for the job and take on the professional role?

•What have you got to ‘contribute’?•What are your strengths, your passions, your

attributes? Show something of yourself•Presentation aids/themes (work samples,

scrapbook, road map of journey, story)

Other things they are considering???• Your involvement in the school• Your enthusiasm • Your attitude towards work• Your confidence and competence• How you get on with people• Your commitment and sincerity (that you really

want to do this and you mean it)• Your presentation of self

• “Would I want you on my staff?” “Would I want you teaching my kids?”

Be aware that

•Putting down other teachers or schools, •Blaming the kids•Making excuses…. doesn’t look

good

Possible kinds of questions• Outlining process (“How do you go about

designing your classroom literacy program”)• Providing examples from what you have done in

the past (“Give us some examples of how you have catered to the needs of different learners”)

• “what if”scenarios you’re asked to consider what you would do if… (“What would you do if you had a child who is not responding to your classroom management and consequence system?”)

• Make sure you don’t just think about what you have done as a student, project yourself forward into the professional role… what you are going to do.

Sample questions • How do you create learning programs to achieve

literacy outcomes for all students?• What kind of assessment strategies have you

used and what kinds of modifications have you made for different learners?

• You have had a parent complain that her child is being bullied in the class. What would you do?

• In your new school you are one of a teaching team and have been asked to increase the use of ICTs in the classroom. How would you contribute to the learning team?

Final checklist

• Academic transcript is clear of I, PO, RO, DE• Passed all courses & will not have courses to

do after Internship• Have enrolled in EPL4 and EPL5 &

FAHE13001• Completed Student Protection briefing or

training• Current Blue card• Have all EPL 1, 2, 3 assessment packages• Downloaded QCT registration information • Downloaded DETE & other employment

application booklets• Organise forms for Mentors/referees to

complete if you are applying to work for EQ.

Get ready for the final leg of this journey!