1. CQUniversity Final Years Embedded Professional Learning 4/5
Professional practice
Professional you!

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

3. 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).

4. 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

5. EPL 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

6. 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.

7. 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’

8. 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

9. Responsible behaviour planning
Preventive
Supportive
Correcitive

10. 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

11. Supportive Strategies
This 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. What they’re not… Interns are not: Internal relief
Teacher aides in the classroom
Internships are not:
An extended supervised practicum
100% classroom responsibility for the duration

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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?
In most cases the intern can teach the classes for the day (depends on specific class context though)
Probably, this depends on availability of supply teachers – in some cases the intern could teach the classes for 2 days while the school finds a suitable teacher to replace the mentor and assume the mentoring role.

19. 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?
3. yes, the mentor can use any time release from their intern teaching to attend PL opportunities.
4. No, this contravenes the internship agreement signed by DET, CEO, QTU, QIEU, QCT and CQUniversity

20. 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?
5.No, but the intern could be invited to go on the camp
6. Yes, as this would be part of a teachers work. Any specific sport supervision may require specific briefing or training.

21. 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.
7.Yes
8. Internship come back to what is a fair thing. It would be fair to share this role over the internship

22. 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?
Yes. Interns are meant to be immersed in the total life of the school. This should not be detrimental to their class-based work however. They should be well briefed on any workplace health and safety issues and procedures of relevance regarding supervision of afterschool activities, transporting students etc.

23. 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?

24. 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

25. 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

26. Statement Length Use the first person
1-2 pages or 500 words
Use the first person
Use the present tense, wherever possible

27. 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? 

28. 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?

29. 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?

30. 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.

31. 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?

32. 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

33. 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.

34. 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

35. 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)

36. 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?”

37. Be aware that Putting down other teachers or schools, Blaming the kids
Making excuses….
doesn’t look good

38. 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.

39. 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?

40. 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.

41. Get ready for the final leg of this journey!