Professional Practice and Seminar Prim 3

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

170 hours

A current Working With Children Check (WWCC).

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry.

The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject synthesises Teacher Candidates’ understanding of the characteristics of professional knowledge, practice and engagement for professional accountability in the primary school context. The placement is focused on generalist primary classroom teaching across all curriculum areas and Candidates’ capacity to teach independently using sustained sequences of teaching that cater for the learning needs of individual students. Teacher mentors based in primary school settings and Clinical Specialists from the university will advise and monitor the Candidate throughout the placement

The professional practice seminars will focus on the context of the school, relationships with parents and the broader community and resources for teaching. Discussions and evaluations in seminars will focus on Candidates’ developing philosophical stance and emergent teacher identity. Candidates will provide evidence of their holistic development as an interventionist classroom practitioner during the Clinical Praxis Examination.

On completion of this subject Teacher Candidates should be able to:

• Use a range of strategies to establish a positive and inclusive learning environment
• Establish a safe and productive learning environment with clear expectations for student behaviour
• Independently access and manage a range of learning and teaching resources including technologies to support their teaching
• Describe their professional practice using the National Professional Standards for Teachers
• Plan and implement strategies to support their professional growth

There are 2 assessment tasks; both assessment tasks must be passed:

• Professional Practice, during all days of practicum, 40%
• Clinical Teaching Enquiry, during exam period, 60%

There are 3 hurdle requirements:

• Attendance on all days of practicum
• Attendance at all practicum seminars
• Satisfactory completion of all Professional Portfolio Artefacts

Churchill et al. (2011) Teaching: Making a Difference. Milton, Wiley

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject Teacher Candidates will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify the role of assessment in teaching;
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to learn;
• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence;
• Work in teams with skills in co-operation, communication and negotiation;
• Be independent of mind, responsible, resilient, self-regulating;
• Have conscious personal and social values base that is evident in their teaching.