MTch professional practice expectations

Find out about the requirements and expectations for each professional practice placement in the Masters of Teaching and Learning (Primary).

Beginning the year

The student teacher and mentor teacher agreement is completed as part of the induction process. It attests that mentor teachers have clarified how the student teacher will work within the school and ensured that the student teacher understands school policies and procedures, including those related to the Health and Safety at Work Act (2015). The student teacher and mentor teacher agreement form should be returned to the Education Professional Practice and Partnerships Office (professionalpractice@vuw.ac.nz).

There will be an initial visit by the student teacher’s kaiārahi in February or early March. This may take place in person or via Zoom. This visit allows both mentor teacher and student teacher to check that they are happy with their mentor teacher/student teacher agreement, to establish the role of the kaiārahi and to answer any questions.

Term 1: Settling in and beginning as a teacher

The focus for student teachers in the initial part of the school-based programme is to establish productive working relationships with their students and mentor teachers. They should also become familiar with the teaching team and learn about how their school operates. Student teachers are encouraged to attend team and staff meetings.

Early in the term there is a one-week full-time professional practice (PP1).

Expectations during this term include:

Student teacher and mentor teacher set regular weekly hui to reflect and set goals.
Student teacher keeps a record of hui, goals and next steps to share with kaiārahi.
Student teachers observe the mentor teacher and discuss teaching approaches and decisions.
Student teachers use the mentor teacher’s plans to co-teach at least two lessons with their mentor teacher each week in English and mathematics, and at least one in another learning area.
Mentor teachers complete weekly observations based on professional relationships and professional learning teaching standards.
Student teachers should negotiate and agree to professional learning goals for the first half-year (to align with the standards) with their mentor teacher and kaiārahi.

In the second half of the term:

Student teachers begin to make their own lesson plans for regular teaching in English and maths.
Student teachers design two- to three-lesson sequences.
Mentor teachers provide feedback and guidance on a wider range of teaching standards.

Professional practice 1

This one-week full-time school placement in March gives MTch student teachers an opportunity to immerse themselves full-time in their mentor school setting and learn more about the school as a whole as well the class they are assigned to.

At this point, student teachers have participated in Ngā Mihi, a one-week full-time campus-based programme, and several weeks of teaching and learning in their courses. They have been introduced to The Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession.

MTch student teachers are encouraged to participate in the life of the school and begin to engage in teaching practices within their classroom. They should observe and discuss with their mentor teacher:

relationship building and wellbeing
teacher practices and decision-making
the wider school context, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnerships
teaching and learning routines and resources
planning and preparation for teaching and learning
interaction patterns and organisation.

These observations provide a foundation for their university-based learning in the first part of the year and enable student teachers to gain insight and examples that support them to connect practice to theory.

Required Tasks for PP1

1.Reflective log - Student teachers should keep a daily reflective log of their experiences and observations, using pseudonyms for the school and members of the school community. The reflective log should record:

Activities and experiences that the student teacher has participated in each day.
Observations about the interactions between teachers/kaiako and ākonga/students, with thoughts about teachers’ reasoning and decision-making behind the interactions.
Ideas/’takeaways’ and questions about effective teaching practice.
Observations and questions about the school context, community and protocols/systems.
Understandings about the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Māori in school practices.
Changes in their assumptions, for example, about establishing routines, relationship building, teacher/kaiako practices and decision-making, and the wider school and centre context.

2. Observations - Student teachers should select one teaching session or part of the day to complete a focussed observation. While observing, student teachers write down what they notice in as much detail as possible using the observation prompts provided.
They should then compare and contrast what they noticed, and why, with another student teacher in the same context. If this is not possible, student teachers should pair up with someone in their whānau ako rōpū to compare and contrast their observations.

Prompts for further discussion and reflection in pairs include:

The aspects of children’s or students’ wellbeing and learning that the teachers/kaiako promoted.
How teachers/kaiako fostered an inclusive classroom culture or learning environment.
How Mātauranga-a-iwi and te reo Māori formed part of the teaching and learning.
What digital teaching and learning tools were being used and for what purpose.

The observation and notes from the discussion in pairs should form part of the reflective log above.

Student Teacher Progress Report From Mentor Teacher

Mentor teachers are asked to briefly report on the student teacher’s professionalism and progress during the Term 1 of the professional practice, in line with the professional learning and professional relationships standards, and Code of Professional Responsibility. A brief form is provided for this purpose.

Term 2: Taking more responsibility for teaching, learning and planning

In Term 2, student teachers continue to work in their ‘home school’ and also have a four-week full-time professional practice placement in a ‘swap’ school context.

Expectations during this term include:

Student teachers continue to show progress on previous feedback.
Student teachers design learning for a group of learners with support and guidance.
Student teachers can take responsibility for a whole class or larger groups at appropriate points in the programme (e.g. morning routines or transitions).
Teaching standards and key teaching practices that have not been addressed become a focus.
Student teachers prepare for the 4-week swap.

Professional practice 2: Teaching in a new context

At this point in the programme, student teachers experience a different learning environment by swapping schools with another student teacher in their cohort. The focus is on the student teachers’ ability to transfer the skills they have developed in their ‘home school’ and to plan for a new learning context under the pressure of time. During the four-week swap, the key element is that the student teacher has a chance to teach two lesson sequences in as many curriculum areas as possible.

Expectations for this placement include:

Student teachers design and implement sequences of learning across a range of curriculum areas.
Student teachers demonstrate a range of management strategies appropriate to the context.
Student teachers manage teaching and learning for half days and up to 2 – 3 days a week by the end of PP2.
Student teachers take responsibility for the whole class or cohort at appropriate points in the daily programme, such as the beginning of the day or in transitions,
Mentor teachers induct and support the swap student teacher into their teaching space.

Term 3: Preparing for major responsibility

In the lead up to the eight-week teaching block, student teachers continue teaching small groups independently and progress to teaching – or continue to teach – the whole class independently leading into their major responsibility professional practice (PP3).

Student teachers collaboratively plan the overall programme with their mentor teacher, with the expectation that the student teacher will lead the daily and weekly planning, monitoring and evaluations during the major responsibility period. Student teachers and mentor teachers should collaboratively plan the teaching programme for the upcoming period of major responsibility during PP3.

Early in Term 3, there should be an email, phone or Zoom exchange between the kaiārahi, mentor teacher, and student teacher to confirm an overall programme plan is completed. This conversation should be initiated by the student teacher.

In the weeks prior to the 8-week PP3, weekly observations by the mentor teacher should continue to be provided.

Professional practice 3 (PP3)

This 8-week full-time teaching placement is where student teachers demonstrate their competence in the teaching standards and readiness to teach.

Expectations for this placement include:

A minimum of 3 – 4 days major responsibility for teaching and learning each week for 6 consecutive weeks.
Other teaching days do not have to be consecutive and can be negotiated depending on the class and school programmes.
The student teacher should undertake all day-to-day planning during major responsibility and should increasingly plan ahead at unit level.
By the end of this Professional Practice the student teacher should demonstrate that they can sustain a regular class programme and manage a 0.7 teaching load.
Mentor teachers should provide seven written observations (one per week in the first seven weeks) using the teaching observation report form with planning attached.
Student teachers should complete a written reflection for observed lessons.
Student teachers must submit at the end of the placement: two summative reports - one from visiting kaiārahi and one from mentor teacher.

We encourage student teachers to get as much experience as possible, but also to have time to reflect and think, and conduct their Te Ara Hapai - culminating professional inquiry (CPI).

In the final week of PP3 – week 8 – student teachers should step back from teaching in order to focus on completing gathering evidence for, and presenting their findings of, their culminating professional inquiry. Students must remain in school for all days of PP3.

Term 4: Drawing it all together

After PP3 is completed, student teachers continue in their host schools for two days a week. The student teachers have a heavy assessment load at this time, so it is expected that they will have fewer teaching responsibilities than they did over the eight-week professional practice period.

Expectations:

Student teachers should collaboratively and independently teach small group and whole class lessons co-planned with Mentor teacher.
Mentor teachers should complete four written observations (one per week) using the teaching observation report form with planning attached.
Student teachers should complete a written reflection at the end of each lesson on the attached planning.
Mentor teachers should complete the summary of progress form describing the student teacher’s progress in relation to the teaching standards since conclusion of eight-week placement.