Mandatory Industry Presentations
Integrity in Practice
As a beginning teacher, I recognise I have responsibilities and obligations to have awareness of ethics-related matters and contribute to an ethical workplace culture.
Once I am employed at a school, I will follow a code of conduct based on principles from the Public Sector Ethics Act 1994. This code provides a set of standards for employees, including myself, to follow in fulfilling our roles and making decisions (Lavelle, 2022). My responsibility includes, adhering to the code, the standards and all relevant policies and procedures and legal obligations. I will also comply with the Standard of Practice, as it provides me with ethical guidance about applying the code’s principles, values, standards of conduct to my work (Lavelle, 2022).
Mandatory reporting is my responsibility to report any violation of the code of conduct, standard of practice or departmental policies or procedures (Lavelle, 2022). Whether it involves reporting student harm to the principal or Intake or addressing an employee’s conduct with my supervisor or Regional Human Resources, I understand the importance of my role in maintaining the integrity of the educational environment (Lavelle, 2022).
Navigating professional boundaries is an ongoing process in teaching, as it is crucial to build positive relationships with students whilst maintain professional boundaries (Lavelle, 2022). I recognise the clear power imbalance when engaging with children and will refer to resources provided by the Queensland College of Teachers for guidance on professional boundaries (Lavelle, 2022).
In terms of communication, especially through social media and electronic communication, I acknowledge the importance of maintaining professional boundaries to protect both students and myself (Lavelle, 2022).
I understand the importance of transparency managing conflicts of interest to prevent potential serious repercussions for both the department and individuals involved (Lavelle, 2022). This involves identifying and declaring conflicts, collaborating with the school principal to develop a management plan, and regularly monitoring and updating the plan (Lavelle, 2022).
Gifts and benefits is another ethical consideration as I must declare any gifts or benefits to the school register or principal where the cumulative value in any financial year is more than $150 (Lavelle, 2022). I must also be cautious about the intentions behind gift-giving, ensuring it does not influence academic decisions (Lavelle, 2022).
As a teacher, I will have access to personal and confidential information, requiring responsible handling in line with departmental policies, legislation, and guidelines, including the Code of Conduct and the Queensland Public Service and Departmental Procedures (Lavelle, 2022).
I aim to develop ethical decision-making skills using the REFLECT acronym, recognising its role in analysing facts for informed decisions (Lavelle, 2022). The integral components of this process include transparency, consultation, and reflection, which ensure my actions align with ethical principles in the education.
The Benefits and Uses of OneSchool
OneSchool plays an important role in supporting be beginning teachers with administrative and organisational responsibilities. The Class Dashboard functionality in OneSchool, is a key feature that provides comprehensive insights into student records such as their, enrolment, student details, record of contact, academic reports, behaviour management, absences and student support (Fitzsimons, 2022). It facilitates efficient monitoring and tracking of students, enabling teachers to record strategies for both groups and individuals (Fitzsimons, 2022). The Class Dashboard can be used effectively for data analysis, fostering rich conversations between principals and teachers, as well as teachers and parents (Fitzsimons, 2022).
By using the data within OneSchool, teachers can analyse the data and current or past practices, identify areas for improvement and implement intervention strategies (Fitzsimons, 2022). For example, OneSchool allows teachers to create “class groupings” based on the information from the Class Dashboard, such as forming reading or numeracy groups. This data-driven approach helps implement targeted strategies for each group, addressing students’ diverse needs (Fitzsimons, 2022). By using OneSchool to document and review interventions, Teachers are able to know students and how they learn and increase their success within the school as they are continually reflecting and improving in their practice (Fitzsimons, 2022). Overall, OneSchool provides beginning teachers with the tools and insights needed for effective administrative and organisational practices.
Professional Engagement
Department of Education -Rural and Remote Areas
The Department of Education presentation on teaching in rural and remote areas has provided key insights that significantly influence my career decisions in education. With a substantial network of 1,262 schools and approximately 55,000 teachers, the Department of Education in Queensland stands out as one of the largest employers in the state (Davis, 2021). Additionally, the inclusive nature of Queensland state schools, regardless of circumstances and financial status, aligns with my values. The Department’s comprehensive induction programs, access to online learning resources, mentorship, and ongoing support through the Education Futures Institute further solidify the attractiveness of a career in education within Queensland’s rural and remote areas (Davis, 2021). I also value the commitment to collaborative work within schools is a priority for the Department, emphasised by the Centre for Learning and Wellbeing (Davis, 2021). This kind of support, professional development, and wellbeing assistance demonstrates a commitment to nurturing educators, which is important to me as a beginning teacher.
The benefits for beginning teachers working in the Department in rural and remote areas include career advancement opportunities and financial benefits including travel allowance, dependent travel allowance, recognition of service payment and relocation payments (Davis, 2021). Furthermore, the lifestyle benefits, such as close-knit communities and the chance to explore the country, make the rural and remote areas appealing for my career commencement (Davis, 2021).
Career Readiness
Working Effectively and Making the Most of Teacher Aide Time
As a beginning teacher, I will implement strategies outlined in the professional development presentation to maximise teacher aide time. It is my responsibility as the teacher to interpret the curriculum, apply pedagogy, use strategies, and employ resources effectively to ensure that students can engage in the curriculum (Kinnear, 2022).
It is my responsibility to mindfully plan and structure lesson sequences, to incorporate teacher aides as valuable resources to support learning objectives. A study conducted by Sharma and Salend (2016), showed that teacher aides’ experienced limited communication opportunities with teachers and unclear professional roles, therefore they are often taking significant responsibility for instruction, management, and socialisation support for students. However, this study clearly showed that this hinders students’ independence and socialisation (Sharma & Salend, 2016). Therefore in my classroom, I will establish clear communication and collaboration strategies with the teacher aides. This will include a communication book and a checklist to promote collaboration about preferences and expectations in the classroom (Kinnear, 2022).
As I am interested in teaching in a rural school, I may end up teaching a multi-age class. Therefore, I will ensure I use the teacher aides to consolidate explicit teaching for specific year levels, engage them in targeted activities or rotations, and integrate their support for predictable routines (Kinnear, 2022). This strategic approach allows teacher aides to contribute effectively to support students whilst creating an inclusive and collaborative learning environment and relationship between the teacher and teacher aide (Kinnear, 2022).
