Maximising your progress on your professional placements Friday 31st August

Overview and aims Consider your role and how this will contribute to the effectiveness of your placement and your development Understand the role of your moderation link tutor Understand the importance of the training plan and how this can support your development in school Guidance on best practice use of the training plan Further develop your understanding of how to make the most of your experiences and training both in school and university

Support from the University Moderation Link Tutor The University Moderation Link Tutor will: Provide a link between school and university Be your first point of call with any placement-related issues Make up to six visits to the trainee in school to carry out joint lesson observations with the School Mentor Moderate mentor judgements and placement provision Regularly review the teaching file and professional development file (refer back to intro to course notes for more detail on these) Support the development and review of any action plans considered necessary for the trainee

Aims of the training plan: To support trainees’ self-management of their professional development over the PGCE programme, including target-setting and review of progress against these targets. To facilitate mentor engagement with a trainee’s development over the whole PGCE programme, including target-setting and review of progress against these targets. To record training and professional development which takes place both in and outside of placement

Training plan: Trainee’s role Keep the training plan up to date and available for the mentor and university staff to view at all times Communicate and engage with mentors on a weekly basis through a timetabled meeting Ensure that the key discussion points from the professional discussions with your mentor during your weekly meetings are recorded in the training plan – share with mentor Collaboratively agree targets/actions with mentor and record in training plan – use these targets to help drive your development Constructively raise with moderation link tutor if weekly mentor meetings/lesson observations are not happening Inform Sally/Julie if your mentor has not attended mentor development sessions and/or seems unsure about Warwick expectations

Training Plan: Role of mentor Agree a time for a weekly meeting (ideally timetabled in advance) with the trainee during placements to review training and discuss trainee development Mentor and trainee to have a professional conversation about the trainee’s development during that week and the placement as a whole Support the trainee to monitor their progress against the termly and weekly short-term development targets Mentor to regularly sign training plan to acknowledge progress has been made against targets Signpost the trainee to colleagues with a particular expertise, subject specialists etc. to enable them to observe and learn from good practice across the school Highlight to the trainee and link tutor in a constructive manner if the training plan is not being used as effectively as it could be

Training Plan: Role of moderation link tutor University moderation link tutors will review your training plan on placement visits to ensure that it is an effective record of your development If the training plan is not being used effectively, moderation link tutors will challenge the trainee and inform the mentor to ensure the issues are addressed quickly

What does a good Training Plan look like? Up-to-date Professionally presented but can be handwritten – some sections can be typed if you prefer but don’t do things twice! Pertinent targets that are regularly reviewed so there is clear evidence of progress Professionally reflective Clear evidence of progress against termly and termly assessment profiles and targets (long term targets set at start of each term and weekly targets set during mentor meeting) Clear and succinct notes to summarise your weekly meetings with your mentor/class teacher

Targets – demonstrating your progress You will have at least one lesson observation a week (mentor or class teacher etc.) and you will agree on collaborative targets with your mentor based on this lesson Lesson observation forms will be added to your professional development file In addition, you will meet with your mentor once a week to discuss your professional progress (this is in addition to feedback on your lesson). Together, you will review progress since the previous week and agree targets for the upcoming week based on this professional discussion.

Termly targets will be set during the first group tutorial at university – but start thinking about these… What do you think the areas are that you want to focus on in your first term as a student teacher? What are you feeling anxious about? What might you find challenging? How will you know you have achieved these?

Nobody wants a mentee who… Everybody wants a mentee who… The importance of your character and your attitude when approaching your new mentor/mentee relationship Nobody wants a mentee who… Everybody wants a mentee who… Group activity – sugar paper and pens on tables to present as they wish!

No one wants a mentee who… Is only being mentored because they think it is what is expected Never really thinks about their own professional practice and what works well Thinks that they can suck their mentor dry of all their tips and tricks rather than develop their own approaches Cannot be bothered to think carefully before a mentoring session, what they want to get out of it Sees asking for help as a sign of weakness and failure Acts the helpless victim who just wants to be given the answer

Everybody wants a mentee who… Understands that schools are busy places and thinks about others as well as themselves Is always thinking about the impact they are having on the children and their learning Is self-aware Is proactive and takes ownership over their own development Comes prepared to mentor meetings and takes an active part in professional discussions Is not afraid to ask for help and support Has sought and acted on advice and guidance provided by colleagues Is an integral part of the school team Is kind and considerate and shows good manners - a please and thank you goes a long way!

Pause for thought… What will you try to do to make a positive first impression and to show your mentor that you are a gold star mentee?

What do I need to do now? Training Plan tasks: Pen portrait with relevant personal and professional experiences (complete in induction week if not yet done) Subject Knowledge audits and action plans (ongoing) Log of schools (ongoing) – complete for host school, add to during the year Safeguarding training (ongoing)– add induction week session, add to throughout the year Progress log (ongoing) – complete initial self-assessment, add to after each assessment profile Professional development log (ongoing) – add any INSET at start of academic year and keep adding to this

Other jobs… Start a teaching file Put your training plan and a copy of your WADs in your Professional Development file Start to familiarise yourself with the teachers’ standards Think about the targets you want to set for yourself for the first term Think about how you are going to make and sustain that positive first impression