Early Childhood Education

Transcription

1 Professional Experience Handbook Early Childhood Education Guidelines for Pre-Service Teachers Site Coordinators Mentor Teachers University Liaisons Professional Experience Coordinators Dr Susan Krieg & Dr Jessie Jovanovic P: E: Professional Experience Placement Officer Adam Stewart P: E: flinders.edu.au/ehl/education/professional-experience/

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3 Early Childhood Education Professional Experience Handbook Guidelines for Pre-Service Teachers, Site Coordinators, Mentor Teachers, and University Liaisons Professional Experience Coordinators: Phone: Professional Experience Placement Officer: Phone: Dr Susan Krieg & Dr Jessie Jovanovic Adam Stewart Professional Experience Website: InPlace: Teacher Registration Board of SA:

4 Produced by the Professional Experience Office School of Education Flinders University GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001 Printed February 2013 The information in this Early Childhood Education Professional Experience Handbook is accurate at the time of printing; however please refer to the Professional Experience Website for any amendments after this date; CRICOS Provider: 00114A

5 Contents Introduction... 1 Executive Summary... 2 Professional Experience Overview... 3 General Information for Pre-Service Teachers... 5 Criminal History Check (CHC)... 5 Responding to Abuse & Neglect (RAN)... 5 Name Badges... 5 Professional Conduct... 6 Seeking Permission... 6 Attendance and Responsibilities... 7 Keeping Records... 9 Reports Preparing for Professional Experience Approach to Learning Year Aims Desired Learning Outcomes Roles and Responsibilities Appendix for Year Year 1 Record of Visits Year 2A & 2B Pre-service Teacher Attendance and Responsibilities Aims Desired Learning Outcomes Learning Strands Assessment Appendices for Year 2A & 2B & Year 1 MTeach Leuven Involvement Scale (modified)... 22

6 Record of Visits for Year 2A & 2B & Year 1 MTeach Professional Experience Report Year 2A & 2B Master of Teaching Block Placements Preparation Visits Preparing for the block Aims Desired Learning Outcomes Approach to Learning Learning Strands Planning Guide Assessment Ongoing Discussion, Reflection and Monitoring of Progress Assessment Flow Chart Interim Review Pre-Service teachers At Risk of failing the professional experience block Final Report Reporting Procedure Flow Chart Professional Experience - Interim Review Block Placement Professional Experience - Final Report Block Placement Payment for Placement Days Teacher Registration Board of South Australia: Professional Teaching Standards for Teacher Registration... 44

7 Introduction To the Principals, Directors, and mentors reading this handbook, thank you for your commitment and support of the Flinders University Early Childhood programs. We look forward to working with you. To early childhood students reading the book, we hope you experience the satisfaction of making a contribution to children s learning in each of the professional experience placements outlined here. This handbook sets out the aims of professional experience, the expected outcomes and the approaches to learning that underpin each professional experience. It provides clear guidelines for student teachers and their mentors with regard to expectations, an overview of the tasks that form the learning strands and outlines the assessment criteria for each professional experience. Throughout the book, the terms student teacher or pre-service teacher are used to refer to Flinders early childhood students. Professional experience in the early childhood courses at Flinders University are underpinned by a commitment to student teachers making a meaningful contribution to children s learning and to the centre/school s curriculum priorities. In many centres and schools, student teachers will make this contribution through their participation in inquiry or projects identified by the centre/school. In other centres and classrooms, mentor teachers may prefer student teachers to work through a set of adaptable and flexible tasks outlined in this booklet. These tasks are designed to focus the student teacher s attention on sustaining and deepening children s involvement in significant learning. Planning, implementing and evaluating curriculum experiences for individual children and groups of children provide student teachers with an opportunity to apply and test their emerging theoretical understandings about children s learning and development and to contribute to the overall learning program of the centre/school. Whichever approach is taken by your centre or classroom and whichever type of Professional Experience you are offering, please remember that in order to comply with Duty of Care responsibilities, student teachers must not be left alone with the children with whom they are working. Thank you for welcoming the student teachers into your centre/classroom. The relationship that the pre-service teacher develops with you as they observe and work in your setting is fundamental to the development of their skills, attitudes, dispositions, and knowledge about teaching in the early years. 1

8 Executive Summary Director or Principal Site Coordinator (person on site responsible for preservice teachers) Mentor Teacher (We prefer the term mentor to supervisor as it reflects a collegial rather than a topdown relationship) University Liaison Professional Experience Co-ordinator Professional Experience Officer Pre-Service Teacher Your role as a leader is vital to the ongoing partnership between your centre/school and Flinders University. Principals and Directors play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation of the site based learning component of teacher education. They welcome, encourage, monitor, support, communicate and problem solve as required. Principals, Directors and Site Practice Coordinators liaise with appropriate Flinders University personnel as the need arises. If you have any administrative queries, please feel free to call the Professional Experience Office. For professional concerns, please contact the Professional Experience Coordinator. Contact details can be found on the title page of this handbook. Responsibilities of the coordinator: Identify a mentor for each pre-service teacher Point of contact with University Liaison Ensure assessments are verified by mentors Where a pre-service teacher is at risk of failing, the site coordinator should take an active role with the mentor teacher and university liaison in contributing to the assessment Responsibilities of the mentor teacher: If you have identified a project: Discuss the pre-service teacher s role in the project and outline your expectations and review the research undertaken by the pre-service teacher OR Identify a child or a group of children that you would like to know more about in terms of their engagement and involvement in both planned and unplanned activities/experiences. The pre-service teacher will be gathering this information through their focused observations and they will then share this with you and develop and trial some plans for these children. Talk with the pre-service teacher/s about the timing of their preparation or weekly visits Offer professional mentoring as pre-service teachers progress through the placement Verify the pre-service teacher s learning in the appropriate section of the report and contribute to the assessment process Your role is critical in developing partnerships with centres and schools. Responsibilities of the University Liaison: Respond to requests for assistance from mentor teachers and pre-service teachers Organise group meetings with your pre-service teachers or visit them in their classrooms at least once during each semester in Year 2 professional experience and 2-3 times during professional experience blocks Moderate the assessment process if necessary Invoke the at risk process for students who are at risk of failing the professional experience block (see page 40) Responsibilities of the Professional Experience Co-ordinator: Present lectures and prepare pre-service teachers for each professional experience Use tutorials to reflect on the professional experience Works with mentor teachers and university liaisons to support students identified as at risk Responsibilities of the Professional Experience Officer: Negotiate placements with the pre-service teachers in centres and schools Provide a list of pre-service teacher names and contact details to staff Manage professional experience administration matters Responsibilities of the pre-service teacher: Contact the centre/school to arrange the first visit for the semester. If a group of students are involved at the centre, one student makes the first phone call. At the first visit, negotiate appropriate days/times for remaining visits Attend the centre on the arranged days and times. Use the sign off sheet as a record of your visits. This must be verified by your mentor at the end of the semester. If unable to attend, advise the centre/school before the starting time for the day Contribute to the project as negotiated with your mentor OR carry out an inquiry into children s involvement as outlined on page 18 and page 31 Assist and interact with children on an individual or small group basis wherever possible Participate as a member of a learning community Develop an understanding of the context of the setting Maintain a planning file that includes your observation notes, reflections and plans Use the TRB Professional Standards for Teachers as a framework for self-assessment of your professional experience. Provide evidence to support your claims. Share and discuss your assessment with your mentor teacher for reflection and verification Submit verified sign off sheet and self-assessment sheet to the Professional Experience office Communicate with families about children s learning and development 2

9 Professional Experience Overview 1. Professional experience Year 1: 5 full day visits (or equivalent) Occurs in the second semester of the first year of the degree program A total of 5 full day visits (or equivalent) to an early childhood setting (child care, preschool, school, etc.) Settings identify a project that enables students to contribute to children s learning and development Visits are undertaken concurrently with studies in EDUC 1221 Play, Learning and Development and reflection on the visits are a component of the final assessment for this topic The placement enables students to gain insight into many aspects of the work of an early childhood educator Where possible, the setting for Year 1 becomes the setting for Year 2A and 2B 2. Professional experience Year 2A: 10 single days Occurs in the second year of the degree program A total of 10 days in Semester 1, taken as single day visits to an early childhood setting (child care, preschool, school, etc.) The aim of the experience is for students to make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and development The visits are undertaken concurrently with studies in EDUC 2321 The Expressive Arts in Early Childhood. Students are introduced to the Leuven Involvement Scales and work with mentor teachers to assess children s involvement in the curriculum. Practical use of observational techniques, documentation and reflection are emphasised in this placement Students use the information they gather to plan, implement and evaluate learning experiences At the conclusion of this professional experience, students complete a self-assessment that is verified by their mentor teacher 3. Professional experience Year 2B: 10 single days Occurs in the second year of the degree program A total of 10 days in Semester 2, taken as single day visits to an early childhood setting (child care, preschool, school, etc.) The aim of the experience is for students to make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and development The visits are undertaken concurrently with studies in EDUC 2421 Literacy and Numeracy: Birth-4. The Leuven Involvement Scales are used as students work with mentor teachers for a more focused assessment of children s involvement in their learning Students use the information they gather to plan, implement and evaluate experiences across the curriculum At the conclusion of this professional experience, students complete a self-assessment that is verified by their mentor teacher and university liaison 4. Professional experience Year 3 (Undergraduate 25 days) & Year 1 (MTeach 30 days) A total of 20 consecutive days (4 weeks) is spent full-time in a preschool, school or integrated setting. Five visit days (10 for Master of Teaching) are completed prior to the professional experience block. The visit days occur in school term 2 and are negotiated with the mentor teacher. Students must complete all visits before proceeding to the professional experience block which occurs during weeks 1-4 in school term 3 Students elect to take one of three pathways preschool, or an integrated placement. This decision determines their placement for final year Where possible, settings identify a curriculum project/priority that students can support. The aim of the experience is for students to make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and development Emphasis is placed on planning, implementing and evaluating a curriculum that engages and involves children in deep and meaningful learning At the conclusion of this professional experiences, judgements are made about the student s readiness to continue to the final professional experience 5. Professional experience Final Year: 35 days A total of 30 consecutive days (6 weeks) is spent full time in a preschool, school or integrated setting. Five visit days are completed in Term 1 prior to the professional experience block, which occurs during weeks 1-6 in school term 2 Placement is determined by the pathway the student elects in their prior placements. It may be in a preschool, school or integrated setting Where possible, settings identify a curriculum project/priority that students can support. The aim of the experience is for students to make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and development The visit days occur in school term 1 and are negotiated with the mentor teacher. Students must complete all visits before proceeding to the professional experience block Emphasis is placed on planning, implementing and evaluating a curriculum that engages and involves children in deep and meaningful learning At the conclusion of this professional experiences, judgements are made about the student s readiness to enter the teaching profession 3

10 Professional experience Number of Days Time of Completion During the Program Time during School Term BEd(EC)/BA & BEd(SpEd/EC)/DisSt Programs MTeach (EC) Program Year 1 5 full day visits Semester 2 Term 4 (or equivalent) Year 2 (A) 10 days Semester 1 Terms 1 & 2 Year 2 (B) 10 days Semester 2 Terms 3 & 4 25 days Semester 2 End of Term 2 & Year 3 (5 preparation start of Term 3 visits + 20 day block) Final year Year 1 Final year 35 days (5 preparation visits + 30 day block) 30 days (10 preparation visits + 20 day block) 35 days (5 preparation visits + 30 day block) Semester 1 Semesters 1 (prelim visits) & 2 (block) Semester 1 End of Term 1 & start of Term 2 End of Term 2 & start of Term 3 End of Term 1 & start of Term 2 4

11 General Information for Pre-Service Teachers The practical and personal insights to be gained through professional experience will be invaluable to you as an emerging professional. The following guidelines are intended to help you to get the most out of your professional experience. Criminal History Check (CHC) The three schooling sectors, The Department for Education and Child Development (DECD), 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 pre-service teachers to obtain a CHC, which lasts for 3 years. Pre-service teachers are required to upload a copy of their current CHC on InPlace. Procedures for obtaining the CHC through the Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (NOT the police station) are available on the School of Education Professional Experience website in Preparation What do I need to do? 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. Full details of RAN Training information are available on the School of Education Professional Experience website in Preparation What do I need to do? A RAN lasts for the duration of the Bachelor of Education degree. It is the responsibility of preservice teachers to keep and maintain the original copies of their CHC and RAN certificates. Name Badges Remember that you are required to wear your Flinders University name badge whenever you are on professional experience. If you have not yet ordered a name badge, please follow the link on the School of Education Professional Experience website in Preparation What do I need to do? Please ensure that you have a name badge before you make your first visit to the centre/school. 5

12 Professional Conduct The way that you first make contact with the setting and your mentor teacher is important it will create an impression of you as an emerging professional and of you as a student from Flinders University. Please and if required phone the centre/school to arrange your first visit. Your mentor teacher is there to support your learning. He/she is likely to be more responsive to you if you show that you are interested, willing to learn, enthusiastic and behave professionally at all times. This means: Being punctual Listening respectfully Allowing yourself to be challenged Contributing ideas tactfully Being open, positive and sensitive in your communication Seeking and taking advice Capitalising on every opportunity to learn Respecting the confidentiality of the information you receive Observing the setting s conventions with regards to parking, dress, and use of the common areas Be aware that early childhood settings are very busy places and that educators are very busy people. This means that staff may not always have large amounts of time to spend with you. Plan ahead and communicate effectively. For example, if you need to discuss your observations and plans with your mentor teacher, let him/her know a day or so in advance. This will enable your mentor teacher to schedule some time to meet with you at some stage during the day. Being well prepared can help all parties involved in the professional experience to navigate busy and complicated schedules. Consider how you will let children and families know where you are from, when you are going to be in the centre, why you are going to be there, and what you are going to be doing whilst you are there. There are many different ways that this can be done (for example, posters, newsletter items, books (particularly for children), videos that can be uploaded to websites or played at the early childhood setting). Your mentor teacher can help you to choose the approach that will be most effective. Seeking Permission Observations. You are not required to seek permission from families in order to make written observations of children since the information that you gather is only to inform your teaching 6

13 program. However, you are expected to keep any information that you gather confidential. When recording the names of children, do not include surnames or other personal information such as the child s home address and date of birth (age in years and months is adequate). Photographs and videos. It is a requirement that you seek permission from a parent or guardian before taking photographs of children or making a video with children. Please check with your mentor teacher/site coordinator as to the arrangements that are in place regarding consent for photographs and videos and to be taken. Where appropriate, follow these processes in obtaining consent. If permission is not granted, you must not take photographs of that child and must ensure that the child does not appear in the background of another child s photograph or video. Placing a sticker over the face of a child whose family has not given consent is not acceptable. It is also advisable to ask children (even when parents have given permission) for their permission to take photographs. It is a child s right to say no to being photographed or video-taped and educators value this right by honouring the child s right to refuse to be photographed or video-taped. Please remember that photographs and videos should only be used: As a teaching tool or curriculum experience that is used to enrich or extend children s learning To document children s involvement and engagement in the curriculum To communicate with children, families and other members of staff about children s learning Photographs and videos should not be used to create souvenirs of the teaching experience. Once again, it is essential that any photographs or videos of children remain confidential and are not posted in public settings or on a public or private website (including social networking sites such as Facebook or Pinterest). Leaving the site with children (excursions). Under no circumstances should a pre-service teacher leave a site with a child without gaining appropriate permissions. Please be aware that leaving a site can include walking to the public oval that is next door to the school. Pre-service teachers should follow site procedures with regards to gaining permission for children to leave the site for any reason. Attendance and Responsibilities Punctuality and reliability are important aspects of professional conduct. Plan to allow yourself enough time when you arrive at the start of the day to get organised well before the children arrive. 7

14 Ensure that you can be contacted. It is important to ensure that you can be contacted in an emergency. Please provide the centre/school with your University address so that they can contact you by if necessary. It is also advisable to provide a phone number so that you can be contacted at short notice. If you are sick, please notify the setting before the children are due to arrive. (This may mean that it is appropriate to swap home or mobile phone numbers with your mentor).you will need to negotiate, either with your mentor teacher or the site coordinator, to make up any missed days. Please contact your university liaison if there are any problems in relation to making up missed days. An absence of two days or more should be supported by a medical certificate, a copy of which should be provided to your mentor teacher and your university liaison. You should also file a copy into your planning folder for further reference. All days missed due to sickness must be made up. Absence for personal reasons. From time to time, personal matters such as a death in the family or the ill health of a family member, require you to be absent from your placement setting. In these instances, you should notify the setting before the children are due to arrive. You should also notify your university liaison. Where possible, documentation should support any absence greater than two days. In these instances, you should also contact the course coordinator to discuss your situation. All days missed for personal reasons must be made up. Public holidays and closure days. In the event of a closure day, the following applies: Where possible, you should attend the event/professional development session that the teachers are participating in If the centre/school is closed and teachers are not attending an event/professional development session and are not attending the centre/school, you need to negotiate with your mentor teacher to make alternative arrangements for the day this might involve visiting another setting for the day or arranging to make up the day at the end of the professional experience block In the event of a public holiday, the following applies: You do not attend your site and you are not required to make up the day at the completion of the professional experience block the public holiday will be counted as one complete day in the total number of days completed 8

15 Being fully involved. You are expected to participate fully in the activities of the centre/school whilst you are there. Do not feel that you are limited to the tasks set out in this handbook use your initiative to capitalise on every opportunity that there is to learn something new or to practice a particular skill. Making a full-time commitment to your teaching placement. As you prepare, be aware of the expected time commitment. A full-day is expected to be 8.30am to 4pm. You may also be required to participate in events such as staff meetings, which occur after these hours. It is essential then that before you begin these placements, you ensure that care arrangements are made for any children for whom you are responsible and that you do not commit to any other work that would impact on your ability to be at the centre/school for the full day. It is not permissible to negotiate a late arrival or early departure from your site in order to collect children or to go to work. Keeping Records The following information is relevant for all professional experience placements: It is your responsibility to ensure that an accurate record of attendance is kept. For Year 1 & Year 2 undergraduates and Year 1 Masters of Teaching students, you are required to complete a record of visits, signed by your site coordinator or mentor teacher after each visit. Hard copies of the attendance sheets associated with each professional experience placement are located in the relevant sections of this handbook. Electronic versions of these attendance sheets can also be downloaded from the Professional Experience website. Please retain your completed attendance records for each professional experience placement (see relevant sections of this handbook for more details). For block placements, your attendance is verified by your mentor in your final report. Planning file. For all professional experience placements, you are required to keep observations of children s learning and development, session/lesson plans, documentation and assessment of children s learning, and responses to reflective writing tasks in a dedicated planning file. The planning file should be professionally compiled and well organised, and demonstrate thorough and thoughtful preparation. Your planning file should always be with you when you are in the centre/school and should be available to your mentor teacher, site coordinator and university liaison. It is important to remember that the information that is included in your planning file will provide evidence for any claims that you make about your learning during each professional teaching practice. Remember, too, that you are likely to use the information that you include in your planning file in the process of compiling your Professional Portfolio at the end of your course. 9

16 Thus, your planning file is a critically important document and should be constructed and maintained throughout each professional experience placement with great thought and care. Your planning file should include: A cover page outlining: Unit code (EDUC1225, EDUC2324, EDUC3528, etc.) Name of centre/school, site coordinator, and mentor teacher Year level (if in a school) A copy of your personal philosophy of teaching (Year 3 undergraduate, Year 1 MTeach & Final Year) Observations of children Copies of all teaching plans Documentation and assessment of children s learning (Year 3 undergraduate, Year 1 MTeach & Final Year) A reflective journal (for example, responses to reflective writing tasks) Feedback provided by the mentor teacher, site coordinator or university liaison Appendices that include: Your situational analysis (Year 3 undergraduate, Year 1 MTeach & Final Year) Findings from research undertaken in relation to each of the agreed upon curriculum priorities (Year 3 undergraduate, Year 1 MTeach & Final Year)Resources gathered before and during placements General documentation (such as written feedback provided by the mentor teacher, site coordinator and university liaison; medical certificates (in the event that you are absent for more than two days due to illness); signed attendance record verifying that you have completed the required number of professional experience days Your university liaison will read through your planning file when s/he visits you and will provide comment on the information gathered. Planning files are not submitted at the end of each placement, but do not destroy this file at the end of your professional experience placements. You may choose items from this folder as evidence of your professional development throughout your teacher education course. It is important to remember that a planning file is not a presentation file. A planning file is a working document which means that it should be practical, neat and accessible to all who need to have access to it. If you elect to maintain your planning file electronically, you must ensure that you print a hard copy of all of your documentation and that you ensure that the hard copies are updated as you update your electronic files. Saving your entire planning file to a USB stick each night and taking that with you to 10

17 your setting will prevent a situation where you do not have your most recent work ready and available for your mentor or university liaison to check. Reports Reports and/or attendance records need to be submitted to the Professional Experience Office. Electronic copies of the reports can be found on the Professional Experience website, and in the relevant sections of this handbook. Preparing for Professional Experience Prior to your first visit for each professional experience placement, it is important that you read through this handbook carefully. Be conscious that your mentor teacher will expect you to have an understanding of the aims of each professional experience placement and some idea about the different tasks you will be required to undertake. Although the specific focus of the tasks will be negotiated with your mentor teacher, arriving at the centre prepared to discuss the aims of the placement and the roles that you can fulfil will create a very good impression of you as an emerging professional. In preparation for each professional experience placement, you should spend time thinking about and organising your planning file/folder. You may also find it worthwhile to do preliminary research before making a visit to your placement setting. This is easily achieved since most child care centres, preschools and schools have a website where you can access and download some basic information about the setting. You are likely to use this information as you undertake your situational analysis of your placement setting in your block placements. Approach to Learning The approach to learning that is taken in all of the Flinders University Early Childhood Education professional experience placements promotes: Inquiry Discussion Reflection Problem solving Practical application Interaction Documentation (reflection, questions, findings) Team work 11

18 Year 1 This is the first professional experience placement at Flinders University for students enrolled in the BEd(EC)/BA and Bed(EC Spec Ed)/BDisability Studies. In this placement, pre-service teachers work collaboratively with their peers, teacher educators and centre/school staff on a project identified by a centre, school or community. The Year 1 placement offers the opportunity for pre-service teachers to make links between theory, practice, workplace and university learning. The placement involves five full-day visits to an early childhood setting (i.e. child care, preschool or school). The professional experience placement is undertaken in the second semester of the first year of the degree programs and is undertaken concurrently with the topics EDUC1225 Professional Experience Year 1 (Early Childhood) and EDUC1221 Play, Learning and Development. Aims This professional experience placement provides pre-service teachers with the opportunity to: Make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and the setting s curriculum priorities Observe the work of educators in early childhood settings Test and use their theoretical knowledge Interact with individual children and small groups of children Interact as a contributing member of an educational team Use a variety of observation techniques and a modified version of the Leuven Involvement Scale to gain insight into the types of experiences, activities, and ideas that engage young children Desired Learning Outcomes The projects identified by the centre, school or community provide opportunities for pre-service teachers to: Contribute to children s learning through investigation of a teaching and learning issue identified by the mentor teacher, centre, school or community Work with children and practicing early childhood professionals Explore contemporary issues in early childhood education 12

19 The pre-service teacher s effectiveness is related to the contribution they make to children s learning within the centre, school or community. The organisation of the 5 days can be flexible and structured to meet the needs of the project. Please use the sign-off sheet on page 16 to verify attendance. In designated tutorial times, pre-service teachers will share findings with peers and interested early childhood educators in the topic EDUC 1221 Play, Learning and Development. Year 1 Where possible, the setting in which the Year 1 placement is undertaken will become the setting for the Year 2A & 2B placements. Roles and Responsibilities For information regarding the roles and responsibilities of each person involved in the Year 1 professional experience placement, please refer to the Executive Summary on page 4. 13

20 Appendix for Year 1 Year 1 Record of Visits Pre-service Teacher s Name: Placement Centre: Mentor: DAY DATE HOURS PRESENT SIGNATURE OF MENTOR TEACHER TOTAL NUMBER OF HOURS: Please note: It is the responsibility of the pre-service teacher to ensure that this log is filled in and signed at the completion of each visit. Five full day visits (or equivalent) must be completed in order to pass the professional experience placement. Once completed, this form should be submitted to the Professional Experience Office, with a copy retained in the pre-service teacher s planning file. 14

21 Year 2A & 2B These two professional experience placements occur throughout the second Year of your undergraduate degree. Year 2A runs across Semester 1 of your second year of study and entails 10 single day visits, made once a week, to an early childhood setting (i.e. child care, preschool or school). Year 2B runs across Semester 2 of your second year of study and entails 10 single day visits, made once a week, to an early childhood setting (i.e. child care, preschool or school). Pre-service Teacher Attendance and Responsibilities Please see the academic calendar on the Professional Experience website or InPlace regarding when the first visit to the centre/school must be made. Subsequent visits are usually made on the same day, once a week, with the exception of school holidays. Please negotiate your days of attendance with your mentor teacher during your first visit to the centre/school. Once established, any change of day must first be negotiated with your mentor teacher and must suit your placement setting. Year 2A & 2B Aims These professional experience placements provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to: Make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and the setting s curriculum priorities Observe the work of educators in early childhood settings Test and use their theoretical knowledge Interact with individual children and small groups of children Interact as a contributing member of an educational team Use a variety of observation techniques and a modified version of the Leuven Involvement Scale to gain insight into the types of experiences, activities, and ideas that engage young children Plan, implement and evaluate a minimum of four experiences/activities each semester Reflect on the broader context of early childhood practice Gather evidence of their developing professional knowledge, professional practice and professional relationships 15

22 Desired Learning Outcomes Wherever possible, pre-service teachers will be in the same setting for both semesters, which offers an invaluable opportunity to work in an early childhood setting across the time span of almost a full year. It is anticipated that pre-service teachers will: Begin to identify ways that children develop through play Develop confidence in interacting as a professional educator in an early childhood setting Develop confidence in interacting with individual children and groups of children as a preservice educator Become competent observers of children s learning and development and develop an awareness of the changes in children s lives across a year Become aware of the factors that lead to high levels of involvement and engagement in curriculum experiences/activities Develop the ability to plan, implement and evaluate a minimum of four experiences/activities each semester that are responsive to the observed needs and interests of young children Become aware of the broader aspects of the early childhood learning environment, including an understanding of the role of the teacher, the environment as the third teacher, the importance of relationships, working with families and other agencies to organise for learning Learning Strands The learning strands associated with Year 2A and 2B provide pre-service teachers with many opportunities to test the theoretical understandings that they develop as they participate in lectures and tutorials and complete the readings associated with the topics. Whether they are working with their mentor teacher on a particular project or not, it is expected that pre-service teachers will plan, implement and evaluate learning activities and experiences for individual children or groups of children. In doing this, they are able to make a meaningful contribution to children s learning and the site s curriculum priorities. Year 2A and 2B are designed to draw from the university topics EDUC 2321 The Expressive Arts in Early Childhood and EDUC 2421 Literacy and Numeracy: Birth-4. In these topics, pre-service teachers develop a repertoire of ideas for enhancing children s learning and development and consider current research and ideas about how babies, infants and young children learn, develop and make meaning of their worlds. These topics aim to develop the dispositions, skills, and knowledge for engaging children in significant and challenging learning. Over both semesters, both in class and in the field, it is intended that pre-service teachers use a range of observation techniques and modified versions of the Leuven Involvement Scale to gain insight into the ideas, experiences and communicative events that engage young children. 16

23 There are three strands to the professional experience placement in 2A and 2B: 1. An inquiry into teaching and learning: observations of children s involvement 2. Planning for, and documenting, children s learning 3. Ongoing reflective writing tasks These three strands are discussed in further detail below. If the centre/site has a clearly identified inquiry or project, the pre-service teacher will be guided by the mentor teacher regarding their participation and contribution to the project. If the mentor teacher has not identified a particular project, the mentor teacher may identify an individual child or group of children that the staff at the centre/school would like to know more about, particularly in relation to sustaining and deepening children s involvement in significant learning. In this case, it is anticipated that the tasks for the 10 weeks could be as follows: 1. Inquiring into teaching and learning (weeks 1-3) Year 2A & 2B Visit Focus Task 1 and 2 Observations using appropriate Involvement Scale (see p.6 at the conclusion of this section of the handbook) With your mentor teacher, discuss the Involvement Scale to observe and record information about the children s involvement in their learning in your centre/school. Commence your observations as soon as possible. 3 Analysing and sharing your observations As a result of your observations using the Involvement Scale, write about your findings using the following questions to guide you: Were children more involved in particular experiences than others? Why do you think this was so? Discuss your ideas and observations with your mentor teacher. Have your mentor teacher sign off that you have shared these observations with him/her. Signature: 17

24 2. Planning for, and documenting, children s learning (weeks 4-10) Visit Focus Task 4 Planning a learning opportunity (sustaining and deepening children s involvement in significant learning) Develop a plan for stimulating, extending and sustaining the children s interest in a particular idea, activity or experience. When developing your plan: 1) Use the session plan format from your first year professional experience lectures to develop a written plan for the activity 2) Discuss your written plan with your mentor teacher prior to implementation 3) Record the session either using audio, visual or written tools (seek guidance from your mentor teacher regarding any consent issues if using photos or video to record your session) 4) After implementing your plan, reflect and record your ideas about the effectiveness of your session 5 onwards Ongoing, emergent planning and reflection Continue working with your mentor teacher to plan and implement at least one learning opportunity for an identified individual, or groups of children, each visit. As each session plan is implemented, it is expected that you write a reflection on what worked, what didn t and potential changes. These reflections need to be kept in your planning file. 3. Ongoing reflective writing tasks (to be completed throughout your placement) Ongoing reflective writing tasks are designed to encourage you to look more deeply at not only your planning methods but to also critically reflect upon children s learning and development. Your responses to your planning should be completed directly following each visit. Pre-service teachers should aim to respond to one of the reflective writing tasks/questions each week (see table on the next page), but also make more than one response to each task as their professional experience progresses. You can do this in your journal/planning file. You may choose to hand write your reflections but we would encourage you to use a word processor for your reflective writing as this enables you to extract and use aspects of your writing in your subsequent professional learning. Always keep a copy of your reflections and observations in hard copy and electronically. You could also comment more generally about the things that have surprised, confronted, disappointed or enthused you throughout your experience in the centre/school. Where appropriate, photographs, observations and work samples can also be used to illustrate what you have learnt. 18

25 Professional relationships Professional and collegial learning Teachers actively engage in personal & collegial learning within the community. Learner respect Teachers foster trusting & respectful relationships with all learners. Have you talked with your mentor teacher about the best ways to communicate with each other? After each visit, write about anything that has surprised, confronted, disappointed or enthused you. Have you got any examples of where you have accepted & worked upon feedback given to you from your mentor teacher? What do teachers do to develop positive relationships between themselves and children? What do teachers do to develop positive relationships between children? How have you been able to contribute to children s relationships with each other? How do teachers help children manage conflict? Are there any strategies that appear particularly effective? What do teachers do to support children to develop a sense of belonging? Professional knowledge Learning processes Teachers know about learning processes & how to teach & implement What opportunities are there for children to play? Are there any play experiences that children seem to avoid? If so, identify the experience and consider why this might be so. What are the features of an outdoor environment that is designed to promote and stimulate children s learning and development and respond to their interests? What are the features of an indoor environment that is designed to promote and stimulate children s learning and development and respond to their interests? What engages children in the indoor environment? Why do you think that is the case? What engages children in the outdoor environment? Why do you think that is the case? How is the day organised in the centre/classroom? Record the sequence of routines/lessons/activities for the day How do children move from one activity to another? Are they instructed to do so or do they choose? Year 2A & 2B Learning content Teachers know the content that they teach How is children s literacy and numeracy development supported by the play experiences offered in your centre/school? How have you used EYLF and SACSA to identify children s competence and plan learning experiences? What other research did you do to support children s learning? Learner context Teachers know about learner contexts & diversity What did you learn about the children you observed? Professional Practice Planning and teaching Teachers plan & implement teaching strategies for successful learning experiences How did you use your observations to inform your planning? 19

26 Assessment A report must be submitted at the completion of each semester, along with an attendance record. There are three components to the Professional Experience Reports for Year 2A and 2B: 1. A statement, completed by the pre-service teacher, which describes the site context. If appropriate, students can use the information contained in the site context statement to complete this section of the report. Site context statements can usually be found on the DECD website and on the centre/school website. 2. A self-assessment outlining what has been learnt in Year 2A and 2B. Assessment in Year 2A and 2B is linked to the Teacher Registration Board of South Australia s Professional Standards for Teachers and focuses on professional knowledge, professional practice and professional relationships. The self-assessment is completed by the pre-service teacher and shared with the mentor teacher. Emphasis is placed on the pre-service teacher providing evidence to the mentor to support the claims made in the self-assessment. The 2B report should build on the evidence provided in the 2A report. Pre-service teachers will be expected to develop (and collect evidence) of their competence in relation to the following Standards: Professional Relationships Professional and collegial learning: Accept guidance and work cooperatively with colleagues and other professionals in discussion, review and reflection to improve knowledge and practice Learner Respect: Understand the critical relationship between teacher and learner and can intentionally develop and maintain trusting and professional relationships with a diversity of learners, within legal, ethical and other requirements Professional Knowledge Learning processes: Demonstrate an ability to design and evaluate programs, locate and use various resources and structure learning opportunities to enthuse and engage learners Learning content: Demonstrate knowledge of current curriculum statements, conceptual frameworks and programs associated with relevant teaching areas and levels Learner context: Understand how to build on prior learning and analyse individual learning needs to plan strategies for and negotiate future learning Professional Practice Planning and teaching: Employ a range of teaching and learning resources and strategies to actively engage all learners and address their interests, learning needs and learning preferences 3. A brief summary statement is added by the mentor teacher or site coordinator and a recommendation about whether or not the student has met the required outcomes for Year 2. 20

27 A hard copy of the professional experience report for both Year 2A and 2B is included at the end of this section of the handbook. An electronic version of the report can also be downloaded from the Professional Experience website. At the conclusion of both Year 2A and 2B, the following documentation needs to be submitted to the Professional Experience Office: Professional experience reports Attendance records Planning files are not submitted at the end of each placement, but your university liaison will read through your planning file [which should include your reflective writing] when s/he visits you and will provide comment on the information gathered. Refer back to page 11 for information about your planning file. Remember that your planning file also needs to available to your mentor teacher throughout your placement. We expect that your reports and attendance sheets will be submitted within two weeks of completing Year 2A and 2B professional experience placements. Year 2A & 2B 21