School Based Training Stage 1 BA SBT3 September 2014

Roles and Responsibilities

Expectations of a Mentor What would you expect of someone who was mentoring you in any context?

A mentor’s personal characteristics and their interpersonal skills and qualities are obviously important, as is their professional commitment. Mentors should: be enthusiastic about teaching; be willing to reflect on their own practice; be able to articulate their professional knowledge; be open-minded with the view that their approach to teaching and learning is not the only one, nor indeed the “best”; be willing to develop their own skills in, and understandings of, teaching and learning; be accessible, with a sympathetic and understanding approach; have a positive and encouraging attitude; have the ability to be critical in a constructive manner; be a good communicator and a good listener; be committed to the role of mentor; Brooks V. & Sikes P. (1997) The Good Mentor Guide, Buckingham, Open University Press

What is a Mentor? A mentor is a person who helps me to think things through; to get from where I am now to where I need/want to be. Coaching and Mentoring – progression possible. Further details of training throughout the year in Partnership Guidance or contact Angela Ashley A.Ashley@mdx.ac.uk

The Mentor The mentor should : Co-ordinate trainee experience in the school and the assessment of the trainee; Support planning process for trainee, liaise with class teacher and sign off files; Observe, feedback & identify targets; Meet the trainee to review targets and progress against the standards; Monitor the trainee file – weekly; Liaise with University link tutor. Refer to partnership guidance - responsibilities of the mentor Time for mentors to read and discuss

The Trainee The trainee should: Behave in professional way and demonstrate positive values, behaviour and attitudes expected of a teacher; Arrive by 8.15am and stay after school to attend meetings, work in classroom etc. Attendance on day link visits and block is compulsory. A record must be kept of attendance. Please contact the link tutor if the trainee is frequently absent for a day or has an absence of more than three consecutive days.

Link Tutor Support Link tutor will contact mentor during the preparation weeks to check on trainee, offer support and arrange visit Link tutor visit – two for a final practice and for a school new to Middlesex. Link tutor will meet with mentor, do joint observation of teaching with mentor, give feedback (jointly if possible) to trainee and meet briefly with class teacher if appropriate Link tutor will provide contact details for mentor to seek support Should there be difficulty in contacting the link tutor please contact Angela Ashley, Academic Placement Coordinator a.ashley@mdx.ac.uk 0208 411 4254 Schools will be paid £650 at the end of School Based Training when final assessments have been given to student and university.

Preparation Period

Trainee Teacher Information Primary trainees – 2 previous placements – BA SBT1 - Reception/KS1 and one at BA SBT2 - KS2 for most students BA SBT3- students have opted for a preferred KS Trainees must show you both previous assessment reports Standards and discuss how to address targets

Preparation Period Agree timetable with trainee Activity Seven half days Teaching + observation of one session of an experienced teacher, trainees should teach every day. Half day PPA with CT and team Planning and resourcing sessions alone Supporting in class, further observations of experienced teachers (including the class teacher) Agree timetable with trainee Trainee organises SBT Files Primary - complete ‘Thinking for Teaching’ + annotate medium term plans have first week’s planning and resources in place have completed child profile conferences and set up assessment section of the file

Preparation Cont.. Look at the expectations for planning in the Trainee Requirements – discuss in small groups. Planning changes after Mid Point Look at weekly file check sheet – are expectations clear? Look at checklist for Child Profiles – are expectations clear? SEN child included – discuss? Clarify expectations of planning – refer to Student Teacher Requirements and discuss in small groups. Take queries

Is the trainee ready to start? Look at the scenarios. What action would you take? Pairs to discuss and feedback

File Signing Sign the School Based Training Checklist to authorise start of the placement See examples of planning early on and offer guidance If the trainee has only a few minor adjustments to make you may sign off the file on the following Monday and the trainee may start teaching on Tuesday If the trainee has been unable to reach a satisfactory standard having been well supported, issue a Cause for Concern form. Inform the link tutor. Send a copy of the form to the University. Do not let the trainee start teaching.

National Priorities How are we addressing the following? SEN – child profile, focus across the subjects, dedicated coordinator Reading + Phonics – workshops, focus in lectures, observation visits. In school students must observe phonics teaching and teach phonics. Mentors, Class teachers or Link Tutors should observe students teaching phonics. English staff coordinating

Observation and Feedback Show Oasis and assessment booklet

Observing the Trainee – when? Trainees have two observations per week, total 2 hours One by the mentor. One by class teacher Time should be pre-arranged Do observe in the first week Vary subjects/activities/context and time of day Do a joint observation with link tutor and another colleague Refer to Assessment Booklet

Observing the Student Teacher Week 1 - perhaps just observe in a general way. Week 2 onwards trainee must identify a specific focus, for observation with standard specified on form. Mentors and class teachers should also be involved in identifying a focus for observations. Trainee should provide you with a teacher-led activity/lesson plan and files Agree where to be positioned during observation Avoid engaging with the children during direct teaching but interact/listen during independent work to gain greater insight into planning of teaching Only in cases of danger/health & safety issues or serious disruption should the class teacher ‘take over’ the lesson

Example Observation Is there consistency of expectation? Observe the student teacher - identify positives aspects of her practice - prioritise areas to improve and strategies to develop practice Introduce to lesson plan observation form Watch video clip – Year 1 Numeracy London Provider Group in 3 – discuss their observation – role play feedback one person to observe How did you start? Approach/philosophy? Professional dialogue A mentor is a person who helps me to think things through to get from where I am now to where I need/want to be Refer to page 4 in Assessment booklet Blank forms and examples of completed forms. Critique targets on the latter

Giving Oral Feedback One person feedback as mentor Another role play the student teacher Third person observe Observer to identify effective skills and strategies that mentor uses After 10 minutes group to agree effective skills and strategies and to suggest how feedback could have been even better Remind of definition of mentor used at start

Giving Written Feedback Use the Middlesex University Observation Form Readable handwriting is fine, better than word processed days later! Don’t need to complete every section every time Be positive and constructive in your praise and criticisms Set suitable targets and expect to review them before the next observation (liaise with class teacher)

Setting Targets: The right words? Target setting and meeting them is a major part of trainee’s development Target and an appropriate strategy – suggestions? Less is more – don’t overwhelm, liaise with class teacher Trainees should consolidate targets on the weekly review of targets form Discuss targets at weekly timetabled mentor meeting The hardest targets - more able trainee, avoid starting with ‘continue to…..’ Activity – suggestions for more able trainee Show weekly review of targets form – look at completed example?

Standards for Teaching DfE 2012 Part One – Teaching – the 8 Standards Part Two – Personal and Professional Conduct Set of statements which define the behaviour and attitudes expected Discuss how easy you find it to use and meet the standards in your own teaching Activity: Sorting the Standards

School Based Training Assessment Record

Assessment Record To ensure that the trainee is clear about how the block is progressing To build self-esteem and confidence by summarising trainee strengths at this stage Joint process with trainee, mentor and class teacher – professional dialogue To set clear targets which are accompanied by strategies to meet them Explain what we mean by specialist coaching opps

Role of Trainee Prior to meeting the mentor (and class teacher) for mid point: Student should have reflected on feedback, identified strengths and targets for the remainder of the block from weekly review of targets Student should have highlighted the Assessment of Standards Criteria to show the level they feel they are currently achieving. Mentor can alter these Engaged in professional dialogue with mentor prior to mid point meeting

Role of the Mentor Prior to meeting liaise with CT and link tutor to identify strengths, targets and strategies Liaise with CT and link tutor to identify the grade in each of 8 standards, at mid-point (best fit) Meet with student teacher (and CT if possible) to finalise and discuss progress Monitor that student teacher has worked on targets using given strategies

Expected Level of Student Teacher Students must achieve a minimum of grade 3 in all standards by mid point. Expectation is that they will achieve grade 1 or 2 by the end A student teacher not achieving grade 3 in any of the standards must be issued with a Cause for Concern and a Progress Support Plan and the link tutor informed If a finalist has an overall grade 3 at mid point then this may also trigger a Cause for Concern Notification or an additional visit from the link tutor. However not all students at Grade 3, at mid point, will be a cause for concern. These students will be on track to achieve Grade 2 by the end of the placement, and will therefore only need a progress support plan. All trainee issued with a cause for concern will also require a progress support plan, as part of the cause for concern procedures. Refer to page 5 Assessment Booklet

Grading using the Assessment of Standards Criteria Activity Read Guidance Notes Consider table Sort the levels given for each of the eight standards Comments Use example of highlighted features

Mid-point Review with Link Tutor The link tutor and mentor must liaise prior to grading student and particular concerns will be discussed Students will have a mid-point review meeting with link tutors Targets, strategies and grades will be discussed Students with “Cause for Concern Notifications” will be supported Students with a grade 3 at mid point will also be given additional support

Final Reporting Procedures

What is required: On a final placement the link tutor will make a second visit to discuss final reporting procedures. Professional dialogue with trainee and class teacher prior to grading School Based Training Assessment Record showing grades from previous SBTs as well as SBT3 Expectation is that all student teachers will be grade 1 or 2 by the end of placement Assessment of Standards Criteria highlighted to show agreed levels Summative Report

Purposes Both assessments are used as QTS evidence Tutors gain information from these assessments to inform action plans and course content Students share these assessments with mentors and class teachers in NQT year The summative report is part of University reference for first teaching appointments Assessments for final placements are used to inform Career Entry & Development Profiles

Issues Identified by Student Teachers and Schools Strength or target only identified as a number Something identified as a strength and then given as a target No clear target “Continue to …” Strategies not given Contradicts mid-point assessment

Summative Report Transfer the grade entered on the Assessment Record Write 3 – 4 substantial paragraphs summarising the student Does narrative relate to the grade given? Does this report give a “feel” for the individual? It should be more holistic than the assessment of standards Remember it will form part of the trainee reference for his/her first appointment Give a copy of each assessment to the trainee by the end of the placement email to the link tutor Critique report given

And finally… Thank you for your support of initial teacher training at Middlesex. I hope you have enjoyed mentoring and I look forward to working with you at Stage 2 training. Angela Ashley Academic Placement Coordinator