Accreditation Support for Teachers Introduction to SUBTITLE Accreditation

Accreditation Support for Teachers Introduction to SUBTITLE Accreditation at DAY, MONTH, YEAR Proficient Teacher Module 5 of 5

MODULE 5: ADVICE FOR CASUAL OR PART-TIME TEACHERS

GAINING EMPLOYMENT Consider the following questions: • How have you approached schools when seeking casual and short-term teaching employment? • Based on your own experience, what advice would you give to other provisionally or conditionally accredited teachers seeking teaching work in schools?

EMPLOYMENT ADVICE Employability: • Provide an up-to-date CV • Cast a wide net and be prepared to travel • If possible, arrange to meet the school’s casual organiser in person • Be clear and flexible with your availability to teach • Ensure you present yourself professionally.

EMPLOYMENT ADVICE • • Be prepared for the phone call – short notice is normal, so be ready. Say yes – teach as frequently as you can, regardless of the school, subject or year level. Have a kit bag of engaging prepared lessons ready to use. Teach!

ESTABLISH PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS Build professional relationships within and beyond the school community. Consider: • Who are the key people/roles that you interact with during a typical teaching day? • What are the key professional relationships that you need to proactively develop while working as a casual or short-term temporary teacher in schools?

KEY RELATIONSHIPS Actively develop professional relationships with: • The person that called you to work at the school – these people receive direct feedback about your teaching from students, teachers, school staff and leaders. • Teachers and school staff. • The absent teacher (e. g. written feedback on lesson plans). • Head of faculty, stage or team. • Students, both in class and outside.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS Actively develop professional relationships with: • Parents / carers (e. g. communication through students, phone calls, student diaries, written feedback on student work). • APs, DPs, the campus principal / head of school. • Accreditation supervisor/s. • Student welfare personnel. • ICT support. • Other…?

BE PROACTIVE At schools where you gain regular employment: • attend staff briefings and meetings (ask if you can attend team based after school meetings) • ask to attend school-based professional learning (generally held after school) • engage in professional discussions with other teachers (e. g. about the content area, student engagement and management strategies, teaching and learning, assessment and reporting). • ask to observe exemplary teachers

BE PROACTIVE At schools where you gain regular employment: • ask to be observed by an exemplary or experienced teacher, mentor or supervisor and seek feedback about your teaching against the Standards • be proactive in learning more about your content area, teaching and learning, assessment and reporting. Outside school: • Continue your ongoing learning with professional networks and associations, online resources, and current curriculum.

BE INFORMED ABOUT THE SCHOOL • • General school policies and procedures (found on most school websites) Workplace Health and Safety procedures Evacuation plan and school lockdown procedures. Mandatory reporting requirements. Student medical alerts. Welfare, discipline, and/or student engagement policies Students with support needs, relevant risk assessments and risk management procedures.

DEVELOPING PRACTICE Advice when teaching day to day and/or on short term and temporary contracts: • Ensure each lesson is well sequenced, resourced and responsive to individual learning needs and abilities. • Demonstrate that you have high expectations for student learning, and set explicit learning goals. • Provide regular feedback to students about their achievement of learning goals. • Stand up and actively teach, each and every lesson.

DEVELOPING PRACTICE • • • Write your own lesson plans. If prepared lessons have been left, review them, check that the appropriate resources are available, then write your own lesson plan to teach it (this may also be written after the lesson and authenticated the next day). If the school has a preferred lesson plan template, use it. If not, use your own.

DEVELOPING PRACTICE Use the lesson plan to: • record student progress, learning outcomes, achievement, and areas for follow-up • Record your reflections against the Standards • Provide a copy for the absent teacher as a record of the lesson. Have selected lesson plans validated to use as evidence for accreditation at Proficient Teacher.

DEVELOPING PRACTICE Student Engagement: • Know and use the school welfare, discipline, and/or student engagement policies. • Actively manage your classroom, build a positive learning relationship with students quickly. • Demonstrate high expectations for positive student behaviour. • Be fair, reasonable, and consistent.

DEVELOPING PRACTICE Student Engagement: • Speak calmly with students, encourage them to use their ‘inside voice’. • Use humour appropriately, never use sarcasm. • Avoid confrontations and arguments, especially in front of other students. • Be patient, calm, and flexible. • Always follow up on consequences.