Shelly newsletter

Deputy Principal's update

Karen Whelan, Deputy Principal, Staff and Operations

Recently graduated teachers – adding to the richness of our staffing profile 

Recently graduated teachers

At Shelford we are very proud to be working with and alongside recently graduated teachers. These teachers bring to our community great energy, enthusiasm, passion and a thorough understanding of contemporary educational research and pedagogical practices. 

 

In the first few years of their career, recently graduated teachers are well supported by their colleagues, Head of Faculty, mentors and the Executive Team. During this time, they often put great focus on building their pedagogical practices and content knowledge. They are encouraged to ask questions, seek advice, observe more experienced colleagues in a variety of teaching areas and engage as often as they can in professional conversations. An external body that provides complementary support to recently graduated teachers is The Victorian Institute of Teaching.

 

Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT)

VIT is ‘an independent statutory authority for the teaching profession, whose primary function is to regulate members of the teaching profession.’ Their vision is to ‘ensure that Victorian learners have the best teachers’ and they enact this by:

Graduate teachers initially apply for provisional registration, which is granted for a period of two years. In this time, provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) are expected to demonstrate they:

  • can apply their knowledge in teaching situations where they have full professional responsibility for the learning of students
  • have met the Australian Professional Standards of Teachers (APST) at the proficient teacher level
  • have undertaken at least 80 days teaching experience in an Australian or New Zealand school (teachers) or early childhood service (early childhood teachers). (Victorian Institute of Teaching, 2021)

VIT’s Inquiry process

All PRTs are required to participate in VIT’s Inquiry process. At Shelford we provide our PRTs with an experienced mentor to help them develop their proficiency of practice and guide them through this process.

 

The VIT’s Inquiry process is used by PRTs to demonstrate the development of their knowledge and practice, and gather evidence to demonstrate they have met the APST at the Proficient teacher level.

This process is adapted from Helen Timperley’s cycle of teacher inquiry and knowledge building. It requires PRTs to:

  • select a class or group of learners, and assess the level of learning and factors affecting learning
  • develop a question for inquiry based on identified learning needs
  • undertake professional learning to deepen professional knowledge and refine skills in relation to VIT’s Inquiry question
  • use this knowledge to develop and implement an action plan to improve learning outcomes
  • assess the impact of the inquiry on learning outcomes and teacher practice
  • reflect on the effectiveness of practice and identify future areas of work
  • ensure that all compulsory requirements of VIT’s Inquiry process have been met. (Victorian Institute of Teaching, 2021)

The inquiry process not only provides growth for our PRTs, but also the students they teach, their colleagues and the School as a whole. Once PRTs have completed their inquiry, presented to the School’s panel and successfully submitted to VIT, they are able to apply for full registration. This is big milestone in a recently graduated teacher’s career and is a milestone that is greatly celebrated by the whole of the Shelford community!

 

Find out more about VIT and the work they do.

 

Karen Whelan

Deputy Principal, Staff and Operations

References

Victorian Institute of Teaching (2021). About VIT. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/about

 

Victorian Institute of Teaching (2021). Moving to (full) registration. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/register/categories/provisional/moving-to-full

 

Victorian Institute of Teaching (2021). Support my teachers’ registration. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/employers/registration#prov-to-full