Placement structure

Overview

Each placement is made of up two components:

1. The Interim Period (weeks one and two)
2. The Block (weeks three and four)

Throughout each component and each placement, there is an expectation that Teacher Candidates will progressively develop their classroom teaching experience. The placement is structured so that a substantive amount of the time each week is spent teaching and observing classes.

All lessons taught should be fully planned, documented, reflected upon, and evaluated. These should be maintained in the Teacher Candidate’s ePortfolio. The ePortfolio should always be available to both Mentor Teacher(s) and the Clinical Specialist. Teacher Candidates will be expected to house their placement ePortfolio in PebblePad, the University’s preferred software application.

Teacher Candidates are expected to maintain a record of all lessons observed and taught. It is the responsibility of each Teacher Candidate to keep track of lessons taught and observed in order to fulfill their teaching requirements.

In addition to the minimum teaching requirements, it is expected that Teacher Candidates will formally document observations in their placement setting (or, where circumstances do not permit this, a specified minimum number of lesson observations as deemed feasible by the school/centre and in consultation with the Clinical Practice Coordinator).

The lesson tally sheet will be uploaded to the ePortfolio and sent to the Clinical Specialist in the final week of the placement. If there are any concerns about meeting the observation and teaching requirements, these should be discussed with the Mentor Teacher and Clinical Specialist.

The Interim Period

The interim period is to provide Teacher Candidates with opportunities to work under the direction of the Mentor Teacher and Clinical Specialist for a sustained period (approximately the first 10 days of the placement). Teacher Candidates will be working with individual learners and groups of learners leading up to teaching the whole class and planning for this using formal documentation, including lesson plans, unit plans, and assessment records.

Teacher Candidates are expected to maintain professional documentation, respond to constructive feedback, and reflect on their teaching practice. Before the placement, Teacher Candidates should provide cumulative evidence of fully documented lesson plans for lessons that have been implemented, reflected upon, and evaluated in terms of implications for future teaching practice.

At the end of the interim period, the Mentor Teacher will complete an online formative assessment in the form of an interim report. This will be moderated with the Clinical Specialist.

Candidates identified as not travelling at the expected rate of progress will be referred to the Clinical Practice Coordinator and relevant support processes instigated to assist the Candidate

The Block - second half of placement

Following the interim period, Teacher Candidates are expected to plan, teach, and evaluate lessons delivered and should be building towards full control. Teacher Candidates will undertake graduated responsibility for independent teaching (supervised) across semesters in placements one to three (and placement four for Early Childhood & Primary Teacher Candidates).

At all times during the second half of the placement, Teacher Candidates are expected to maintain professional documentation in their ePortfolio, (including personal notes on feedback provided by those observing and assessing their practice), respond to feedback, evaluate, and reflect on their teaching practice.

A summative evaluation of teaching practice will be provided at the end of the placement, that is at the completion of the placement period. Reports will be completed by the Mentor Teacher in consultation with the Clinical Specialist and the final mark is moderated before being submitted to the University. Any unsatisfactory assessments will be referred to the Clinical Practice Coordinator.