GDip professional practice expectations

Find out about the requirements and expectations for each professional practice placement in the Early Childhood Education programmes.

Administration package

The administration package is designed to guide Student Teachers in early childhood settings to learn about the range of tasks that early childhood teachers complete beyond their learning interactions with tamariki.

This package has been developed for completion over the second and third professional practices and will only be submitted once to the Education Professional Practice and Partnerships Office after the final professional practice. The associate teacher and student teacher should identify a number of administrative tasks to become familiar with over each professional practice. For each professional practice we suggest that student teachers select 8 to 10 tasks. Students should follow the instructions in the package with regard to recording information and signing off completed tasks.

The administration package can be found on the Forms and templates page.

Non-contact time in EC centres

Early Childhood student teachers’ expected attendance parallels a typical work week for practising teachers; however, we would also like them to have access to some non-contact time. We are aware that non-contact arrangements vary across services and so suggest that students follow a similar pattern used in the professional practice centre (such as one hour per day or 1 - 2 longer blocks per week). However, we do expect students to do at least 30 hours child-contact each week except where the centre programme offers fewer child contact hours across a week.

Student Teachers' non-contact time should take place within the centre environment and include the range of activities that teachers complete. This may include:

• preparing assessment-related pedagogical documentation (such as learning stories).
• contributing to planning meetings.
• setting up the environment for learning.
• participating in activities involving parents and whānau.

Where possible, we ask that Student Teacher have their non-contact time alongside their Associate Teacher. This provides students with further opportunities to learn about the broader roles involved in teaching within EC contexts.

Professional practice 1

This one-week full-time school placement in February enables student teachers to notice how teachers establish relationships with tamariki, how centres are organised, teachers’ core practices, and the connections between practice and theory.

Where possible, student teachers are placed in pairs in each centre. They are encouraged to discuss their observations, reflections and questions with each other and available staff. Student teachers are encouraged to fully immerse themselves in the centre so that they can attend to the interactions between tamariki and kaiako, as well as to the dynamics of environmental messages and the teacher’s role.

At this point, student teachers have participated in Ngā Mihi, a one-week full-time campus-based programme, and one week of teaching and learning in their courses. They have been introduced to The Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession. They are very much feeling their way into what it means to be a teacher – and are excited and often a little nervous about the demands of the role.

This professional practice is mostly observational; however, student teachers are encouraged to participate in the life of the centre as appropriate and in negotiation with their associate teachers. Student teachers are learning how to notice:

• relationship building and wellbeing
• teacher practices and decision-making
• the wider centre context, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership
• teaching and learning activities 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.

Students are encouraged to participate in centre events and excursions, with direct supervision.

Required tasks for PP1

1. Student teachers should be briefed by the centre manager or associate teacher about safety procedures in their centre. There is no requirement of any forms to be completed for PP1.

2. Reflective log - Student teachers should keep a daily reflective log of their experiences and observations, using pseudonyms for the centre and members of the centre 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 tamariki, with thoughts about teachers’ reasoning and decision-making behind the interactions.
• ideas/’takeaways’ and questions about effective teaching practice.
• observations and questions about the centre context, community and protocols/systems.
• the role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and te reo Māori in centre practices.
• changes in their assumptions, for example, about relationship building, teacher/kaiako practices and decision-making, and the wider centre context.

Student teachers will be provided with a format for their reflective log.

3. 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 wellbeing and learning that the teachers/kaiako promoted,
• how teachers/kaiako fostered an inclusive centre culture or learning environment,
• how Mātauranga-a-iwi and te reo Māori formed part of the teaching and learning,
• if 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.

Associate teacher formative feedback

Associate teachers are asked to briefly report on the student teacher’s professionalism during 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.

Professional practice 2

Student teachers will continue to work on the administration package during this placement, as well further develop their professional and teaching skills in relation to the key teaching practices and indicators.

Half-way report

Student teachers should negotiate a time to meet with their associate teacher mid-way through the practice to discuss their progress.  They should use the professional practice report form to gain feedback from their associate teacher.  Students should record notes during the meeting onto the report form along with their own self-reflection. While the University does not need to see this half-way report, it is an important tool to help student teachers to assess their progress and to set goals for the rest of the professional practice.

Professional practice 3

During days-in-centre, student teachers should discuss their inquiry focus for the culminating professional inquiry. Professional discussions about this inquiry should continue throughout the professional practice so associate teachers can guide the development and ensure opportunities for this inquiry to progress.