Teacher FAQ

At times, questions may arise regarding supervision of a teacher education student.

Should I Seek a Second Opinion?

If you have concerns regarding your teacher education student's ability to meet the required Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and feel they may be 'At Risk' of failing the placement, a second opinion is to be sought by another member of staff. If joint judgement deems there are concerns, an Assistance Request Form is submitted to the OPL. The full information regarding the process for assessment of placement can be found in the Supervising Teacher's Handbook under the section titled Assessment.

What If I Have Concerns About the Teacher Education Student from the Start of Placement?

If you have concerns from the beginning of the placement, please submit an Assistance Request Form so the OPL can walk you through the steps for assessment and supervision.

Alternatively, please contact the OPL on (02) 6773 3898 and ask to speak with the Student Support Coordinator.

Is the Teacher Education Student Required to Accompany Me to Staff Meetings and Duties?

The teacher education student is required to undertake the normal daily routine of a supervising teacher. This includes all duties, staff meetings, before and after school planning sessions and staff development days.

Teacher education students are required to give full commitment to the placement and should have organised other arrangements for childcare and arranged time from work.

Teacher education students are not to undertake duties on their own or supervise school students without supervision unless the placement is in the second phase of an Internship.

How Often Should I Meet with My Teacher Education Student to Discuss Their Progress?

To ensure teacher education students are given timely feedback regarding their progress, a weekly meeting is to be negotiated where the supervising teacher can complete the Weekly Review Sheet with the teacher education student.

For the final week, however, we ask that the Post-Placement Goal Setting Sheet is completed instead
of the Weekly Review Sheet.

The teacher education students will add this to their portfolio and use it for their next placement to create further goals.

What If I Have to Take Unexpected Leave During Supervision?

If the supervising teacher is is required to take some unexpected leave during the professional experience placement, one of the following can occur:

  1. The placement can continue under the supervision of an experienced casual or temporary teacher.
  2. If an experienced casual cannot be found to support the teacher education student, the placement will need to be postponed until a later date. If it is likely the leave will be for an extended period of time, the OPL may request the rest of the placement be completed with another teacher.
Can I Leave the Teacher Education Student Alone During the Placement?

A teacher education student cannot be left alone to supervise children. With the exception of an agreed Internship placement, only when a teacher education student has been moved to phase two are they allowed to individually supervise children.

How Do I Know If I Am Assessing the Teacher Education Student at the Appropriate Level?

Assessing a teacher education student at the appropriate level can be difficult. It is for this reason the Office for Professional Learning has created the Standards Assessment Continuum.

The continuum provides the supervising teacher with examples of activities in the different stages of teacher education students' training. This is an evolving document that will be updated throughout the year in line with feedback the OPL receives through direct conversation with supervising teachers and from placement reports.

More information regarding assessment can be found on the Assessing the Teacher Education Student webpage.