Associate Teacher Meeting

1. Associate Teacher Meeting February 2010 EDPRAC 621A

2. Haere mai and welcome Whakatepea te ko, kia kotahi We are in this together

3. Welcome Barbara Watson and Tanya Brand, from the Faculty Professional Support Team, will be working in the practicum team in 2020. Barbara will be enhancing relationships and connections with the community through her work with associate teachers and Tanya will be working predominantly with student teachers.

4. Additional Support for Student Teachers in 2010 Tanya Brand: • Moodle support • Practicum briefings • Individual interviews • Podcasts and discussion forum

5. Additional Support for Associate Teachers in 2010 Barbara Watson: • Phone calls for new associate teachers • Professional development opportunities • Online support and discussion • Looking towards restructuring of practicum through partnership ‘cluster’ arrangements

6. New Initiatives • General Changes: • First practicum may be completed in “home centre” • Graduating Teacher Standards • DELNA is compulsory for all undergraduate student teachers

7. New Initiatives • Bachelor of Education • Changes in this programme mean there is now a taught component in each of the EDPRAC courses. • Professional Support People meet with all year one students each week in semester one • Compulsory number of courses must be passed before going on each practicum • Students must prove that they are prepared for practicum (eg attendance at briefing meetings, formative assessments) • Reflection (Year one)

8. New Initiatives • Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE): • EDPRAC 621A – Student teachers must meet the requirements for this course before being given approval to engage in EDPRAC 621B. Please record any concerns you have and make sure these are shared with students. • Emphasis on GTS in documentation and assessment • EDPRAC 621A Moodle discussion forum (Tanya) • Recognise that EDPRAC 622 is also a learning experience

9. New Initiatives Graduating Teacher Standards: Aotearoa New Zealand Example: The New Zealand Teachers Council Graduating Standards are listed in the Bachelor of Education Teaching Handbook, page 29. Students are advised to become familiar with the seven standards that are listed under the three domains: Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice, Professional Values and Relationships. During the practicum collect information, documentation and resources that will contribute towards your evidence of achievement of the graduating standards.

10. New Initiatives E-Portfolios Year two students have been introduced to My Portfolio (in 2009) which is a programme similar to a social networking site STEP (School of Teacher Education Practice) currently in negotiation with CEDD (CENTRE for Educational Design and Development) about how this may be progressed

11. Role of University Supervisorin Assessment • Support and communication • Feedback on reflections and level of writing • Advice regarding Faculty Support • Awareness of possible problems • Communication within triadic relationship • No-surprises in triadic assessment • Facilitation of agreement, final judgement (if necessary) and clarity about outcome of triadic assessment

12. Possible Outcomes • Pass - learning achieved for all learning outcomes, if any LOs are not met the practicum result is a fail • Fail • In Grad Dip provisional pass (dependent on subsequent passing of language course or assessment) all LOs must be met (apart from concern about language) • A provisional pass must be confirmed with Barbara Backshall • If any language issues identified in BEd university supervisor to arrange appropriate support.

13. New Centre • Academic Success Centre • Student Learning Coordinator • Academic English Language Support • Speech Language Therapist • Associate Dean (Students)

14. Other support for students (and no less important): • Maori Student Support Coordinator • Coordinator Pasifika Academic Success Services (PASS), • Library Manager • Counsellors • Disability Services

15. Equity Issues • Concerns have been raised about student teachers experiencing racism in our courses. • Experiences? • Possible actions? • Discussion

16. Role of Associate Teacher Provide opportunities for students to: • gain practical experience • construct new learning, knowledge and understanding • try out ideas and theories to test and modify them in practice Observe student’s teaching • model and discuss own assessment, planning, teaching, evaluating and reflecting • introduce student to teachers and families • induct into centre’s policies and programme • provide support, encouragement and professional challenges • monitor progress carefully • discuss student responsibilities and participation/contributions • provide regular verbal and written feedback • discuss any concerns with student and university supervisor • regard student as professional colleagues • contribute to the triadic assessment process • complete weekly reports

17. Student teacher responsibilities Contact associate teacher and visit centre if possible Attend 7.5 hours each day Follow centre or kindergarten policies Provide profile for notice board Inform of any absences Provide evidence of understanding from course work Maintain confidentiality and ethical practice Communication and team work Engage in teaching and learning Understand teaching responsibilities of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Consistently reflect on own practice Document involvement in teaching and learning Demonstrate teamwork Prepare for triadic assessment and contributeprofessionally

18. Hazel Hagger: Orientations to learning

19. Graduate Diploma in Teaching Conceptualising Practice 1 March – 19 March This is a three week introductory practicum, the first practicum for students who began their study in this programme in January 2010, or if they are part time, January 2009. They are visited once by a university supervisor and engage in a formative triadic assessment.

20. Diverse group • Culturally and linguistically • Wide variety of degrees and experiences • Age range • For some student teachers in this programme this is their first extended period of time in a centre or kindergarten • Others are currently employed in centres

21. Establish professional relationships and communicate competently with children, parents and colleagues Demonstrate a developing ability to practice effectively and contextually in early childhood education settings Demonstrate an ability to integrate theory, research and practical experience in own developing pedagogical practice in early childhood education settings Learning Outcomes

22. Feedback The practicum assignments, which are innovative, reflect best practice in ECE services and give students the opportunity to engage in complex reflections on their teaching. They seem to mirror the Graduating Teacher Standards and they increase in complexity through the three teaching experiences. The course outlines suggest that the courses support the teaching experience.

23. Portfolios The portfolio is intended to provide evidence of the student teacher having met the learning outcomes on the practicum and of their work in each of the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) courses.

24. Reflection • DATA • Brookfield’s critically reflective lenses • Smyth’s Stages in Personal and Professional Empowerment

25. Weekly Feedback Is important to let student teachers know how they are getting on. Discuss any feedback you write with student teachers. You are settling in well and I know you worked hard to learn all the children’s names. We are enjoying your input and enthusiasm. Future Directions: Please be aware of all the areas of learning and do not focus on just those you are most comfortable with. It would be interesting to hear more about what you are learning in your courses.

26. If you have concerns • Address them to the student teacher in the first instance and as soon as possible both verbally and in writing • Contact the university supervisor, a meeting may assist to address the issue • The university supervisor is likely to contact us but… • If it is still not resolved please contact me on 623 8899, extn. 48216 or d.lee@auckland.ac.nz

27. Final Reports • Are specific to the learning outcomes • Include examples that demonstrate competence, for example: Learning Outcome 1: “Kia ora Jane, from the outset you showed professionalism in your communication. You clearly had a good understanding of the learning outcomes and the importance of communication in teaching. You were sensitive in developing relationships with children, you did not rush them and were thoughtful about how it would be for them to have a new face in the centre. You also worked really hard to develop relationships with families/whanau and, although this was a challenge for you, it was great to see you make progress. I suggest that you continue ot work on this in your next practicum. Your teamwork is fantastic and you are a great team contributor. We will miss your input.

28. If the learning outcome is not met: Kia ora Jane, although your poor attendance contributed to your lack of success on this practicum I was also concerned at the lack of enthusiasm you exhibited. It was hard for us to support you in our busy centre when it did not appear that you wanted to be here. It did not seem that you made much effort to develop relationships with children, teachers or families.

29. If any of the learning outcomes are not met • Triadic assessment should still take place • Student teacher will be aware that there are areas of concern • University supervisor facilitates, ideally the student teacher will understand that they have not demonstrated adequately that they should pass • All concerns should be documented in final report

30. Triadic Assessment • Important component of our programmes • Times can be negotiated when setting final visit • Facilitated by university supervisor • Student teacher begins process • No new information should be shared • A collegial and collaborative process • Includes reference to documentation and examples from portfolio • DVD available to borrow

31. Principles of Student Teacher Documentation • Reflections are of a high quality (rather than quantity) • Student teacher’s ability to notice, recognize and respond to children’s • learning is evident in documentation • (includes ‘assessment’ and ‘planning’) • The planning process is cyclical and authentic

32. Support for Associate Teachers • Web Site • Associate Teacher Handbook and meetings • Practicum handbooks • University Supervisor • Practicum Coordinator (d.lee@auckland.ac.nz) • DVDs (new one coming out this year) • Combined Associate Teacher Symposium (12 June 2010 at MIT)

33. Thank you for your support of our programmes. Kia kaha, kia manawanui.