Week+8+-+Accountability

=__Week 8 - Accountability__= ** by Hazal Doruk **

Performance & Development Culture OR How to Survive Accountability in Your First Year of Teaching
**Guest Lecturer: Diane Powell**

In this morning's lecture, Diane talked about accountability, our accountability as professional teachers. In our first (and subsequent) year of teaching, we will be subject to an annual performance and development review based around the Professional Standards for Graduate Classroom Teachers. We are responsible for our Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) full registration as this is not something that is given to us automatically when we graduate. Each school's Staff Code of Conduct and Duty of Care Policy will be different, and we need to ensure that we are familiar with the policies at our school. These should be outlined in the induction process, however it is still our responsibility to chase them up if they aren't. When it comes to assessment and reporting, we need to be aware of the National, State and Local requirements. Again, each school's approach might differ from the next.

Diane referred to the Professional Standards (I). She mentioned the importance of getting to know how your students learn and thus how to teach them effectively. Not only this, but she advised that we get to know what it is we are teaching, or, the content. She encouraged that we read the students' profiles before the start of the year, to get to know them, their interests, and to help get them onside from day one by showing an interest in their lives. We are to plan and assess for effective learning and create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments.

In referring to Professional Standards (II), Diane pressed the importance of using a range of teaching practices and resources to engage students in effective learning, to keep them interested, to make learning both fun and exciting. As teachers, Diane also urged that we reflect, evaluate and improve our professional knowledge and practice. Teachers now days are not only expected to teach, but to justify their methods, using empirical evidence/research in order to keep up with the times/most valuable/effective practices. And lastly, Diane outlined our responsibility to be active members of our profession.

Diane outlined the VIT Requirements. We are expected to make collegial visits so enhance our skills and reportoire. A portfolio is a must have, and should include annotated samples of work, unit outlines, lesson plans and assessments. We should ask our mentors to complete reflections of our lessons, and should write them ourselves as well, as reflection is a great tool to self assess and outline areas that need improvement. We should attend Professional Development/Learning days to add to our knowledge and skills. Sign off was another point mentioned here but I must have missed what that was about so if someone else wouldn't mind explaining what it's referring to that would be great!

Diane expanded on the point of Staff Code of Conduct and Duty of Care by reiterating that we familiarise ourselves with our school's expectations regarding professionalism. She underlined the importance of supervision in our first paid placement, and suggested we get to know the expectations placed on us regarding yard duty, camps, excursions and sporting events. We need to ensure that our communication skills are diverse enough to interact with the range of people concerned, from our students to colleagues, from parents to stake holders. Hopefully the parents won't be as cut throat as the stakeholders :oP In regards to students with special needs, there may be aids coming and going from our classrooms, but we must remember that they are there only as aids, and that we are still in control of the child in question. As much as we might like to, we can't palm off responsibility to the aids. We must ensure that we build good rapport with all the auxiliary staff, which will include the aids.

What we need to be aware of in regards to assessment and reporting is that in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9, it is mandatory for all students to participate in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy. In Prep, students may also have to participate in the Prep Entry Assessment/ Australian Early Childhood Development Index (AEDI). Reporting is usually done twice a year using Quick Vic (or school's equivalent), although some schools create interim reports in Terms 1 and 3 as well. Diane suggested that we use ongoing monitoring i.e. keep a journal of observations of students' interests and styles of learning. This simple tool will make report writing a lot easier. This tied in to Diane's point on testing FOR, AS and OF learning at the local level when she suggested that as graduates, the most important testing is AS the students are learning i.e. ONGOING MONITORING of LEARNING WHILE IT"S HAPPENING! Diane also mentioned the inclination towards a 3 way conference during parent teacher interviews, where the child is present during the interview. Traditionally students had to wait at home in anxiety to hear how the interview went once their parent returned home. I also missed what the Individual Learning Improvement Plan (ILIP) was so if someone else could again jump in and help me with this one that would be appreciated!

You are NOT alone... not only a Michael Jackson hit but a mantra for all us graduates. We have to remember that all teachers, including the ones that we look up to in awe and wonder how they became such amazing teachers, started off as graduates. Diane reminded us that there are support mechanisms in place to make the start of our career a positive experience, to take advantage of all that is on offer professionally, socially & personally, that we are part of a Learning Community; so there is far more to be gained by being participatory, and that if we feel that we simply aren't able to cope, there are counselling services on offer. Diane mentioned a great book that provides practical advice for dealing with difficult children called KARMA CLASSROOMS (I wish I'd had access to this one on my prac!) Diane also touched on our school's performance and development culture. The school's responsibilities include: Diane also mentioned that Portfolios are kept up to date as they should be ready for possible internal audits!
 * Having a comprehensive set of induction materials, which are kept up to date
 * Ensuring that all new teachers participate in an effective induction program, which includes mentoring
 * Providing training for staff involved in mentoring and induction
 * Monitoring and evaluating the induction program
 * Ensuring that the induction and mentoring are aligned to VIT and meets DEECD guidelines

Next, Diane spoke about the Principles of Learning and Teaching aka POLT. She referred to it as the "what" of teaching. She outlined some of the aims: Diane then went on to talk about her E4 Model, now called "Some key characteristics of effective teachers". Characteristics include:
 * To build consistent, comprehensive and improved pedagogical approaches within and across schools, while still allowing flexibility, innovation and local decision making at the school level.
 * Focus teaching to meet the diverse needs of students
 * Strengthen learning communities within and beyond the school.
 * Empathy = intellectual identification of oneself with another. Experiential injustices can impact on our behaviour towards others. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) offers us the capacity to deal with people in a rational manner.
 * Energy = vigour, force, activity (passion)
 * Efficacy = power to produce (desired) effects
 * Evidence-based = interpret, analyse and reflect upon data

Diane mentioned the E5 Instructional Model: if POLT is the "what", the E5 model is the "how" of teaching.

Diane then presented students' responses to what makes an ideal teacher, and the POLT principles that relate to their responses. Here was the first list: POLT Principle: Students learn best when students’ needs, backgrounds, perspectives and interests are reflected in the learning program.
 * Someone who listens to what I have to say
 * Someone who bothers to get to know me
 * Someone who doesn’t yell at me
 * Someone who understands my feelings
 * Someone who praises my efforts
 * Someone who talks to me in the yard

Regarding ENERGY: As teachers we must remember that we aren't the only ones who have "bad days". Students may have a lot going on in their personal lives, and in fact, school might be their only real happy/safe time of the day/week. We must ackowledge all efforts. Planning will help our days run smoothly and pass by quickly.

Here are another set of characteristics of an ideal teacher: POLT Principle: Students learn best when the learning environment is supportive & productive. Learning connects strongly with communities & practice beyond the classroom.
 * Someone who likes to take us outside for games
 * Someone who makes the learning real by letting me use the computer and do hands on stuff to solve problems
 * Someone who makes the learning real by letting me use the computer and do hands on stuff to solve problems
 * Someone who is fair
 * Someone who can laugh with us, not at us!
 * Someone I can talk to whenever I need to
 * Someone who lets me make mistakes

Regarding EFFICACY: Our relationships and approaches towards our students impacts on their learning outcomes. Our relationships and approaches towards our colleagues and community impacts on our productivity and professional growth.

Some more examples of an ideal teacher: POLT Principle: Students learn best when the learning environment promotes independence, interdependence and self motivation. Students learn best when they are challenged and supported to develop deep levels of thinking and application.
 * Someone who wants me to do my best
 * Someone who keeps our classroom interesting so that I want to learn new things
 * Someone who keeps our classroom interesting so that I want to learn new things
 * Someone who encourages me to work with others & share ideas
 * Someone who believes in me
 * Someone who gets me to think about my learning

Regarding EVIDENCE-BASED: We need to assess, monitor and record each child’s progress to make informed, honest remarks and evaluations. We assess for, as and of learning to ensure inclusiveness and delivery of effective educational programs. Our pedagogy needs to be based on sound research findings and reflective practices. Action research should be operating in all schools to address local needs.

Diane's last list of characteristics an ideal teacher has: POLT Principle: Assessment practices are an integral part of teaching and learning. Diane also mentioned that there were VIT Workshops to come. These should be quite valuable.
 * Someone who makes it clear what I have to do to improve my work
 * Someone who lets me make decisions about my work sometimes
 * Someone who gives us a chance to decide on the assessment criteria
 * Someone who lets me give my opinion about other students’ work

I found Diane's lecture very valuable as it reinforced the importance of framing expectations and treating the students as independant, and valuable participants who deserve respect. Not only that, but that we, as teachers, need to earn their respect by being passionate and knowledgable, as well as professional and supportive at all times. During my prac, unfortunately, the children only responded to yelling as that's how they were used to being treated. That's why I'm really looking forward to setting up my own class from start to finish, and taking ownership of a culture, environment and teaching style I can be proud of.

**Reference Web Sites:**

[|http://www.vit.vic.edu.au]
 * Victorian Institute of Teaching:**

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 * Principles of Learning and Teaching (PoLT) P -12**

[|http://www.education.vic.gov.au]
 * DEECD Education:**

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 * Teaching at DEECD:**