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.
TCHG220: Ako 2: Te Tirohanga Whānui - Approaches to EC curriculum, assessment and planning
This course introduces student teachers to theories and practices for curriculum, assessment and planning, including kaupapa Māori and Pacific Peoples’ perspectives. They use multiple approaches and tools to gather information and reflect on children’s diverse ways of being, knowing, doing and relating, to plan for individual children. Student teachers examine how interpersonal, temporal and material environments influence children’s curriculum experiences and engagement. Attention is paid to culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogical practices that support kaiako/teachers’ attunement to children and their whānau, hapū and iwi.
The five-week TCHG220 professional practice placement supports student teachers to strengthen their understandings of, and ability to use, multiple approaches and tools to gather information and reflect on children’s diverse ways of being, knowing, doing and relating, in order to plan for an individual child within the social context of the ECE setting. Student teachers are also supported to explore and reflect on the influences on their own identity as a teacher, to deepen their understandings of the languages and cultures of children and whānau in the setting and to engage in culturally responsive and sustaining interactions with children and, where possible, their whānau.
TCHG224: Ako 4: Kia Mataara—Intentional pedagogies in local contexts
In this course, student teachers examine how intentional pedagogical practices can support young children’s social and emotional growth, competence, and sense of belonging and wellbeing. They also examine how cultural, family/whānau and community contexts frame children’s social and emotional wellbeing, teachers’ pedagogy and the development of local curriculum, including for children with additional learning needs.
The six-week professional practice placement embedded in TCHG224 supports student teachers to work collaboratively with members of the teaching team, children, parents and whānau to enact local curriculum consistent with Mātauranga-a-iwi. Student teachers will also explore the use of video as a tool to support their reflection on their own pedagogical practices. Student teachers will continue to work towards achievement of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Code and Standards, in a supported environment, and the key teaching practices and indicators for year two.
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.