1. School Based Training Stage 1 BA SBT3 September 2014

2. Roles and Responsibilities

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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
Schools will be paid £650 at the end of School Based Training when final assessments have been given to student and university.

9. Preparation Period

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. Observation and Feedback
Show Oasis and assessment booklet

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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)

22. 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?

23. 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

24. School Based Training Assessment Record

25. 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

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. Final Reporting Procedures

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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
to the link tutor
Critique report given

36. 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