Integrity in Practice:
Code of conduct and standard of practice – As a teacher it is important to know that we follow a code of conduct in relation to the Department of Education. The code of conduct protects us as teachers for how our work is performed and how we conduct with others. It is fundamental to know that all interactions with students and parents must be always professional.
Professional boundaries – As a beginning teacher it is important to remember you are a teacher not their friend. It is vital to ensure that you are separating your personal life and professional life. Crossing boundaries can create a hard and unbalanced work environment.
Appropriate communications – It is important to note social media can be a fantastic tool if used appropriately. You must ensure as a teacher you are not friends or accepting friend requests from students or families. Also important as a beginning teacher, ensure your privacy settings are up to date, separating your personal and professional life.
Conflict of interest – Conflict of interest complaints are common when it comes to the Department of Education. It is important you declare and note any conflict of interest with your principal as well as the Department of Education so it can be documented. When in doubt declare the conflict of interest.
Information management and security – It is important you protect your information. To ensure information is kept safe it is good practice to always lock your computer, wait for your printing, check your emails are going to the correct person. Most importantly, ensure you dispose confidential information correctly. As a beginning teacher it is vital to know that employees who improperly access and or disclose information from work databases can face dismissal or criminal prosecution.
Gifts and benefits – Usually end of year Christmas gifts are given to teachers. It is important to note that these are fine however, it is important you declare any gifts received to your principal to ensure they are appropriate. As a beginning teacher it is ok to refuse a gift if you feel it is inappropriate.
Ethical decision making – It is important to note that when making decisions you need to ask yourself if that decision is an ethical decision. If you are ever unsure speak up and ask. If ever in doubt ask your principal if it is the right decision.
Mandatory reporting – As a teacher you are a mandatory reporter, and you are mandatory for reporting. If something doesn’t feel right and you are unsure it is always better to report, better to be safe than sorry. It is also your duty to report to the principal.
OneSchool:
OneSchool is a tool used in all Queensland State Schools. OneSchool is used to gather and collect all the information about students who are enrolled at the school. It is used very often by teachers for many different reasons and purposes. Some of the purposes of OneSchool are behaviour reports, medical records, enrolment records, student grades and many more. It is very important for Queensland State Schools to keep all their records and data all in one place. Firstly, OneSchool is a great program for analysing, implementing, and reviewing data. It is very clear and easy to use through the class and student dashboards as these dashboards provide all the information to review and analyse. It allows you to see where students are all sitting in relation to Naplan, standardised testing , diagnostic testing and, academic reporting throughout the school year. This makes it a lot easier to understand where each student in your class is sitting. OneSchool is not only used for data collection, it is also is a great tool to use for curriculum, assessment and reporting. OneSchool allows you to create course and assessment planners as well as create individualised curriculum support plans for students in your class if needed. With all of the student records in one place it makes it much easier for beginning teachers. As a beginning teacher it is also really important that you ask for training in OneSchool as not many teachers are given appropriate training on how to use the program.
Professional Engagement: Cathed Careers:
CathEd Careers focuses on many dioceses throughout all of Queensland. Catholic schools around Queensland focuses on the heart of catholic education and their focus is on educating the whole person, head, heart, and hands. There are many opportunities within Queensland CathEd Careers to be able to move around Queensland in relation with the dioceses. If you were to work in a rural school, there are various benefits for working in a rural school. Such as accommodation and salary benefits. As a beginning teacher it is nice to hear how Catholic schools in Queensland support graduate teachers outside of school. Each diocese provides a structured 2 year program to support beginning teachers as you transition from graduate to proficient in relation to QCT. They also support beginning teachers with career stages and requirements. As a catholic school it is nice to come together and collaborate with all the schools in your diocese to build positive relationships.
Career Readiness: Queensland College of Teachers:
The Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) is the authority for the teaching profession for teachers in Queensland. QCT is governed by a board, this board is made up from many different educational people. Such as teachers, principals, and deans. Every Queensland teacher falls under the QCT. QCT’s main role is for teacher registration and supporting teachers through this process. There are many requirements in relation to get registration for example doing police checks. QCT represents teachers and the profession of teaching. As a teacher you need to be able to show to QCT that you are meeting each APST of teaching and continuing to be involved in professional developments. At QCT there is a Professional Conduct Unit. This team investigates teacher practice and content and deals with any complaints they may occur. This team is made up of lawyers and ex police officers. As a beginning teacher it is important to be aware of what QCT does as well as the teams associated with QCT.
