PREPARING FOR BLOCK PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Procedural requirements

Doing, Reflecting, Learning

Procedural tips for success

Clearly understand the expectations for observing and teaching

Know what is on the report and ensure your mentor does too

Ensure that a formative report is completed about mid way

Don’t let ‘concerns’ fester Hours, missing days, industrial

action…….

Observations and portfolios

Check out the web site about portfolios. Talk with your STS tutor about their specific requirements

When observing the mentor teaching.. Try to write the lesson plan as it happens Think back once finished about what

happened and add notes. Have your work with you everyday;

organised carefully for easy reference.

Behaving ethically and legally

Expectations of professional behaviour Experience builds understanding Take advantage of teacher’s experience

and ask questions Look around for policies, code of ethics

etc If in doubt, don’t….. Then ask questions Do not accept responsibility for students

in the absence of the teacher

5 strategies for maximising your learning on professional experience

The following looks at 5 strategies briefly mentioned earlier Analyse your attitude towards learning Reflect on your learning Understand the context within which you

are working Cultivate collaborative work practices Nurture your self esteem

Attitudes of a reflective practitioner (Dewey, 1933)

For the most effective outcomes, you need to exhibit: Open-mindedness – acknowledge the many

perspectives, alternatives Responsibility – consider the consequences Wholeheartedness – we fear being

criticized, making mistakes – however need to be able to take risks

Be an ‘agentic’ learner

Be aware that students learn from….

The teacher Each other – often students understand things

better when explained by someone who is of similar age

By themselves – they are have many avenues to learn from that you will have no contribution to eg Internet, TV,…

….. And they learn different things – Although you have planned certain learning, it doesn’t mean that they all ‘get it’ the same way

They often learn things that you didn’t intend. THEREFORE – constantly evaluate what is

happening

Daily reflection on your learning Make a regular time each day to reflect

on the day – make notes on your lesson plans that you can return to later.

What was significant about my teaching today?

Why? What did I learn about teaching today? What did I learn about myself today?

Quality reflections.. Try to..

Identify your personal response Actively think about what your saw etc Reflect on school-wide issues as well as

your own teaching Link with your previous knowledge and

experiences Ask questions of yourself and others Identify contradictions Synthesise your emerging understandings The best reflections for learning are when

you go beyond the obvious and ask ‘why?’

Understand the context that you are in. What is important here?

Be observant Look for socio-economic and cultural

indicators – what affect do they have? Find out about local policies for practice;

also jurisdictional documentation Observe interactions to gauge ‘climate’ –

between staff, students, others Be prepared to work within boundaries

and respect school culture. Not everything will fit your philosophy.

Take time to reflect

Write about them – lesson notes, journals

Talk about them with other students, teachers

Make a conscious effort and time to think!

Don’t be afraid to ask others the ‘why?’ questions

Be successful - Be consistent Recognise your own perspectives Envisage the perspectives of others Develop predictable and known

management strategies – routines, rules. Caring rather than controlling Be planned and confident in your

preparation

Cultivate collaborative work practices

Who with? Teachers, coordinator, uni staff, peers, others in

the school community Prac can feel isolated when you are working with

one mentor. Make opportunities to talk with other staff

Not a whinge session (although we all need to ‘dump’ sometimes) – an opportunity for learning and reflection

Working together provides mutual support; shared involvement (ideas and resources) generates better learning outcomes for students

Be prepared to listen

Nurture your self esteem

Look after yourself Self-esteem affects outcomes Stay positive. Negativism produces no

joy for anyone If you make mistakes, remember they

are not failures, but learning opportunities.

Strategies…..

Using the strategies

Set realistic goals – check the guidelines, what is expected of you at your stage of learning to teach?

Ask for feedback – written, verbal, formal, informal. Be prepared to listen carefully, don’t react too quickly, but reflect. It is your choice what you do with feedback. If written feedback is not forthcoming, ask for it. You may also have to remind your mentor about a formative run through of the report at the mid point of the placement.

Using the strategies

Manage time and be organized – know yourself. Do you waste time procrastinating? Are you easily interrupted? Do you try to do too much at once? Write lists, sort out your time at school and at home. You should not be up to midnight planning – use your time effectively.

Monitor your energy and stress levels – avoid ‘burnout’. Manage your time and recognize your levels of energy/stress.

Using the strategies

Cultivate a support network – professional collaboration as before, but also personal; friends, family can assist in managing time, organization as well as stress levels. Make time to talk with your peers.

Celebrate success – plan time for you – video, outing, coffee, drinks???

Enjoy!