Professional practice expectations
Administration Package
An administration package has been developed for completion over the four main professional practice placements of the BEd(Tchg) EC. This package is only submitted after the final professional practice at the end of the third year.
The associate teacher and student teacher should identify administrative tasks to become familiar with over each professional practice placement. We recommend that student teachers complete around seven to eight tasks while on each placement, while also being sensitive to other demands on their associate teacher’s time. Follow the instructions in the package with regard to recording information and signing off completed tasks.
TCHG103: Ngā Anga—Care and education frameworks and pedagogies
The first professional practice is embedded in TCHG103. This course introduces student teachers to practice frameworks taught across the programme, including kaupapa Māori, curriculum and pedagogical approaches, and constructs of culture, criticality, professionalism and ethical practice. Student teachers examine the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards, the EC regulatory framework, and professional guidelines such as Tātaiako and Tapasā. The course focuses on notions of wellbeing, belonging, diversity, cultural responsiveness and sustainability, inclusivity and reflective practice.
The five-week TCHG103 professional practice placement supports student teachers to strengthen their understandings of relational pedagogy and to engage sensitively and responsively with children, whānau and colleagues. It also enables them to see how different ideas about children’s engagement, perspectives, wellbeing and learning that have been introduced in their coursework are supported by teachers within the early childhood context and to practise using these approaches themselves.
Student teachers will work towards achievement of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards, in a supported environment and the key teaching practices for year one.
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.