7.1 Meet professional learning ethics and responsibilities
Graduate-level: Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
It is reasonable to assume that the development of a registered teacher deemed to be ‘fit to practice’ may be trained with specific values and the provision of particular types of knowledge and skill to protect the wellbeing of learners (Shortt et al. 2012, p. 125). In line with the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics (ECA) (2016), teachers are required to respect and maintain the rights and dignity of children, families, colleagues and other relevant communities. Trusted partnerships between families, teachers and colleagues are of significant impact on children’s learning, development and wellbeing. The school I had for my placement was a catholic school. Similar to the ECA Code of Ethics, the school believes that cooperation between educators makes a vital contribution to promote the development of the human person. It fosters social consciousness, nurtures prayer and encourages young learners to engage the living tradition of the faith community (CESA 2014). Therefore, communicating respectively and interacts professionally with colleagues are considered as a critical element for creating a loving workplace.
I have endeavoured to uphold my belief as an active and involved participant in the education context. The evidence demonstrates how I have met this standard at a graduate level is a part of a comment from the final report written by my mentor and site coordinator in terms of cooperation with colleagues and how does it promote a safe and secure learning environment.
Another evidence which demonstrates how I met this standard is the feedback from my supervising teacher regarding the ways I worked with families and teachers. During my last placement, I was asked to inform and invite parents to come to the excursion, I talked with parents about the information of the excursion when the parents settled down. The feedback below shows my ability to work ethically and professionally with colleagues and families, and take responsibility for the site's routine and children's wellbeing.
Reference
Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) 2014, Staff Employed in Catholic Education South Australia: Code of Conduct, South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools, viewed 02 October 2020,
Early Childhood Australia (ECA) 2016, Code of Ethics, Early Childhood Australia Inc, viewed 02 October 2020,
< http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/our-publications/eca-code-ethics/>.
Shortt, D, Hallett, F, Spendlove, D, Hardy, G & Barton, A 2012, ‘Teaching, morality, and responsibility: a structuralist analysis of a teachers' code of conduct’, Teaching and Teacher Education, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 124–131.
7.3 Engage with the parents/carers
Graduate-level: Understand strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.
I firmly believe that cooperation and effective communications with parent or carers is of a vital part in knowing children’s backgrounds and needs (Whyte & Scanlan 2017). By engaging with parents, teachers could understand parents expectations and learning strategies (both at home and school), thereby linking the school work with current events and into the future (Emerson et al. 2012).
- The evidence I have chosen to show how I engage with parent and carers is a door poster that I created for placements to introduce myself. This door poster provides a photo and some key information about me to parents and also the children so that parents and children would not feel surprised by seeing a new face in the class. When I saw parents came and pick up their children, I always like to verbally introduce myself (such as tell them who am I and what I am doing here in the class).
- During my second and third junior placement, I used the social media app called ‘Seesaw’ to communicate with parents. I posted some pictures that show children’s engagement in various activities and also got some positive feedback from parents. Still, due to confidentiality, I cannot provide ‘real’ evidence for this.
- During my last placement in preschool, I got more chance to engage and communicate with parents. 1. The evidence that shows how I met this standard is a learning story I wrote based on my observation of a child. This learning story has been put into the child’s folder for the child and his families to read. This learning story shows my ability to record the dialogue between me and the child, linking the child’s knowledge and understanding of measurement to relevant theories, and document the child’s learning journey from a teacher’s perspective. While the parent was reading with the child, I ensured to leave space for them to share their thoughts. 2. Another evidence that shows how I professional act and to communicate with parents is the experience of the excursion. I’ve attached a piece of feedback from my mentor teacher which demonstrates how I invited families to the excursion. During my block weeks, I also welcomed and communicated one parent volunteer who wanted to learn more about early education. We had lots of discussion during the days he came, I shared my teaching strategies to him and carefully listened to his ideas as a parent.
Reference
Emerson, L, Fear, J, Fox, S, & Sanders, E 2012, Parental engagement in learning and schooling: Lessons from research, Canberra.
Whyte, M & Scanlan, B 2017, ‘Parents and children in a leadership role in early childhood: Discussing and adding to learning assemblages’.
Evidence 7.3: Feedback from my mentors
7.2 Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements
Graduate-level: Understand the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required for teachers according to school stage.
Child protection legislation (Government of South Australia 1993) in South Australia requires specific organisations who provide a service that constitutes child-related work to meet related obligations to facilitate a child-safe environment. Therefore, as a qualified early childhood educator, we must acknowledge the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes required and comply with them at all times. According to the requirement of the Department of Education, all teachers must have a working with children check (WWCC) and complete appropriate training courses, such as Responding to Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care (RAN-EC) and first aid.
The evidence shows how I have met this standard at a graduate level, as I have ensured that I am complying with the relevant legislative requirement by making sure all documents provided were up to date. Since my third placement was in a Catholic school, I also ensured that I had met the requirement of Archdiocese by completing a Catholic check to perform a specific role of any kind with a catholic school. I have attached the four documents mentioned and all of which are up to date to meet the requirements.
Reference
Government of South Australia 1993, Children’s protection act, Government of South Australia, viewed 02 October 2020,
<https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/lz/c/a/childrens%20protection%20act%201993.aspx >.
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
Graduate-level: Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
More complex and diverse contexts for education mean that it is now necessary for the teacher to communicate and collaborate with a broader range of stakeholders, within and across schools and communities (Livingston 2018). There are numerous opportunities, including cross-sectoral learning (such as learning with health or social workers), community learning (such as learning with parents or employers) and online learning. This more expansive view of professional education contributes to increasing understanding of schools as learning organisations within learning systems (Livingston 2018). As an early childhood educator, we need to take responsibility for our professional learning and be willing to seek out and be open to new professional learning contexts.
The evidence demonstrates how I have met this standard at a graduate level as this external professional development session allowed me to engage with teachers from my placement school as well as teachers from another campus. This professional learning opportunity allowed me to hear different points of view from teachers in a wider community and gain more insights into how to analyse and improve students’ writing based on children’s needs. I have attached comments written by my coordinator and mentor from the final report.
Another evidence that demonstrates my understanding of meeting with external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers' professional knowledge and practice is the feedback from my mentor teachers. During my last placement, I was lucky to be invited to attend an Early Years Educator’s Hub, and I was taught to write a ‘One Plan’ for children with disability. This plan includes all the details about the child, including barriers to learning, functional needs, adjustments made, and goals achieved. I consulted with other teachers and parents and seek advice from them in order to support his learning.
Reference
Livingston, K 2018, ‘Teachers' professional learning within learning systems’, European Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 415–417.