Mentor twilight briefing 2016 final

Mentor Twilight: Year 1 Placement (BA Primary)

23rd February 2016

Welcome

Thank you for hosting our first year trainees on placement

Jess Baines-Holmes, Kathy Clements

This first placement provides trainees with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of the role of the teacher in a school setting: the education of their pupils is

their first concern and they are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in their

work and conduct in order to make a positive impact on pupil progress.

Key Dates2 days a week:

Monday 22nd February to Tuesday 26th April (7 weeks)

Easter Break:

Monday 21st March to Friday 8th April (3 weeks)

Four week Block:

Monday 3rd May to Friday 27th May (4 weeks)

End of Course Briefing: Thursday 27th April

Assessment points:

Interim Report (Form PB) Friday 29th April

Final Report (Form PC) Friday 20th May

Working in the Classroom Weeks 1 – 4 (2 days a week) 100% in classFocus on getting to know the pupils and their individual needs / school and class behaviour policies / assessment procedures (All trainees have TS2b & TS7b as targets in their Professional Action Plan).

Weeks 5 – 7 (2 days a week) 100% in classFocus on pupil progress – planning and assessing for a group in maths and English.

Weeks 8 – 11 (block weeks) 50% in classContinue the focus on pupil progress – planning and assessing for a group over a week assuming increased responsibility and whole class interaction.

This first placement is a collaborative one - working closely with the Class Teacher throughout.

Placement Tasks

• School context• Behaviour management• Phonics • Maths• SEND• EAL

These tasks will be introduced, shared and discussed and in university sessions.

Working in the Classroom – block weeks only

50% of trainee time is designated as non-contact for:• Assessment and recording of pupil achievement• Observation of other teachers • Evaluating pupil learning and teaching• Planning future learning• Reflecting on personal progress and updating

Professional Action Plan, files and e-portfolio

This time should be clearly timetabled and carried out in school at times agreed with the class teacher

Thank you!The role of mentor to Y1 students from the University of Brighton involves:• Sharing and monitoring of practice – including

observations, discussion and scrutinising of records• Making judgements and grading according to the

University grading descriptors, relevant to Year 1 of the programme

• Being a critical friend – mentoring and coaching• Facilitating an holistic experience for the students

Sharing and Monitoring of Practice

Observations

Planning and assessment folders E-Portfolio

Professional Dialogue

Grading Descriptors (Adapted from NASBETT)

See page 30 of PPiE Handbook

Making judgements and grading according to the

University grading descriptors

Aims & Expectations for the Placement • Demonstrate the capacity to work collaboratively and as an

effective member of a team, to make a positive contribution to learner's attainment and their enjoyment of learning (TS2, TS4b, TS8b&C)

• Establish a purposeful learning environment and a constructive framework for classroom discipline. (TS1a, TS7a-d)

• Use a range of appropriate observation, learning and teaching strategies to demonstrate secure subject knowledge and an understanding of diversity, equality and inclusion (TS3a-e, TS 5a)

• Use assessment techniques to support and guide learners and to make judgments about their attainment and progress (TS2c, TS6 a-d)

• Employ skills of evaluation to assess the impact of their teaching. (TS4d, TS8d)

Placement handbook p9

Grades should relate to the student’s

performance in relation to this point in their course – as a Year 1 trainee in a group

context

The placement tutor will visit to carry out a

part-lesson observation and a 3-way meeting

twice ideally prior to PB and PC form

Grading should take all areas of the student’s practice into account:

ObservationsContent of folders /

e-portfolioGeneral aspects such as

professionalism and engagement

Using the Grading Descriptors

• Trainees should be using the descriptors to monitor their own progress and to formulate their targets

• It is useful for them to have a hard copy to highlight as placement progresses

• Please discuss their progress with them

Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school, by:

• treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all

times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position • having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being, in accordance with statutory

provisions • showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others • not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law,

individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs

• ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law.

Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality.

Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the statutory frameworks which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.

PART TWO: PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

How do trainees learn best?

Trainee professional learning requires: • Critical reflection (solo)• Professional dialogue • Supportive, empowering relationships• Developmental models of learning and

assessment • Systematic, structured and sustained

learning opportunities• Evidence- informed

Suggested Mentor Schedule • Wk1 – Mentor meeting (22nd or 23rd February) • WK3- (7th or 8th March) - Mentor completes first progress report and records on form (PA)• Wk4 – Mentor meeting (15th or 16th March) • Wk 5 or 6 – Mentor completes second progress report (preferably jointly with placement tutor)

and records on form PA (or placement tutor can record if it is a joint review and observation).• Wk7 – Mentor meeting (25th or 26th April) Mentor sends interim report (PB) to Partnership

Office and placement tutor• Wk8 – Mentor meeting (3rd – 6th May) • Week 9 (9th-13th May) – Mentor completes third progress report and records on form PA. This

could also be tied in with the second placement tutor visit to review progress and moderate grades with the mentor which would then be recorded on form PA by the tutor and agreed by the mentor.

• Wk9 – Mentor meeting (9th – 13th May) • Wk10 – Mentor meeting (16th – 20th May) • Friday 20th May, 2016 – Mentor sends final report (PC) to Partnership Office and placement

tutor • Wk11 – Mentor meeting (23rd – 27th May)

Placement handbook p26--27

Professional development

From Action Plan

Planning lessons and activities

Evaluating learning

Weekly evaluation and preparation for mentor meeting

Mentor meeting

PH Form:• Record of mentor

meetings with a checklist for the weekly review.

• Completed weekly at mentor meetings.

• The student should complete this form!

Taken from the student’s Professional Action Plan on e-portfolio PebblePad and informed by weekly evaluation

Matters arising from the weekly evaluation and PH checklist

Future targets and actions for action plan (usually no more that 3 targets a week)

Targets V Actions

What is a target and what is an action?

A target is

• the aim to develop a new skill or strategy

• It will link to the Teachers’ Standards

• It needs to be achievable in the context within which it is set

Actions are

• the means to achieve the target

• Several actions may be required to reach a target

Target setting• Specific - precise, sharp and centred on trainee’s learning rather than an action

that is to be completed or too broad to be meaningful. Promotes analysis and evaluation of impact.

• Measurable – can be used to identify concrete evidence of either trainee’s learning and/or the impact that trainee’s learning has had on pupil progress.

• Attainable – can it realistically be achieved within an allotted time span (usually a week but may be longer term). Usually taken from mentor/tutor feedback and discussed at mentor meeting.

• Relevant- personal to trainee rather than a repeat of the standard and relevant to the school context. The right amount of challenge rather than something that is simple to achieve. Can be directly applied to teaching practice and evaluated on lesson plans. Can be experimental, trying out something unfamiliar.

• Time- related – has a review date planned on action plan (usually the following mentor meeting).

Making targets SMARTOriginal target

Improved example Rationale Possible Actions to support learning

“Record questions on planning” (TS4)

“To develop the use of questioning strategies that deepen understanding and enhance pupil progress” (TS4)

The original target is an action rather than a target that trainee needs to learn how to do effectively. The reworded example provides a purpose related to pupil’s understanding that could be measured by outcomes.

Create a bank of strategies with guidance from an appropriate colleague.Increase use of open questions and the ‘no hands up’ rule.

“Improve written feedback” (TS6)

“Provide accurate and timely written feedback that contributes to pupil progress and learning” (TS6)

The improved example is more specific and personal to the trainee’s needs. It is an example of a target that could be measured by pupils’ learning outcomes. It also mirrors the language used for a Grade 1 in the grading descriptors to move a trainee from 2 to 1.

Revisit reading on formative assessment from taught sessions.Meet with assessment co-ordinator to discuss school approach to marking and tracking progress.Provide time for pupils to respond to feedback.

Action Plan Target Actions Review

dateAchieved? Or new review date?

Apply school’s behaviour management policy consistently and fairly (with groups taught) so that pupils respond positively to teacher/pupil interactions. (TS7)

Talk with: Class teacher to discuss school‘s behaviour management policy.SENCO to discuss specific pupils and approaches.Read: School‘s policy on behaviour management. Observe and note:Range of behaviour management strategies (task). How these can be categorised (proactive/ reactive/ rewards/ sanctions).Do and evaluate:Work with groups, evaluate impact of applied strategies.Be observed informally and formally (PA) and gain specific feedback on target.

15th March

Achieved (see weekly evaluation, TS7 task and PA 8.03.16)

Forms and where to find them…

• Forms are available as a hardcopy in the PPiE handbook and also online on the University of Brighton Partnership Website at http://about.brighton.ac.uk/education/study/placements/mentors-professional-tutors/primary-all-forms-guidance.php?PageId=279

• Once completed, forms should be shared with the UoB Partnership Office, placement tutor and students

• Please alert us to any issues as soon as possible

Points of contact-

• The Placement tutor• The Partnership office• Jessica Baines-Holmes• Keith Triggs

Contact details on p2 in the Y1 Placement Handbook

How do we use the forms that record my progress?

• PA Form:• Records evidence of

progress and you are awarded a grade.

• This grade should reflect your overall progress, not just based on an observation.

• Recommended dates for completion are Weeks 3, 5 or 6 and 9 (see suggested schedule pp 26-27) but there is flexibility.

• PB Form:• An interim report of progress in teaching and professional competence• Again, this is graded based on overall performance• Only one is completed over the placement , during Week 7

PC Form:• A final assessment

report on professional competence

• Again, this is graded based on overall performance

• Only one is completed at the end of placement, during Week 10

• During week 10 PC should be discussed with the mentor and targets set for final placement.

Mentor / Student time

• Please use the rest of this time to discuss the placement your trainee, share targets.

• Raise any questions with Jess, Pippa and Kathryn