30 mins

TOPICS
teaching strategies, classroom management, student welfare and curriculum
issues.
COMPETENCE
You will be asked questions to determine your competence in relation to
professional teaching standards visit the Board of Studies, Teaching and
Educational Standards site for more information.
A CHANCE TO ASK
At the end of the interview, you can ask any questions that you have about
teaching in NSW public schools. The interviewing officer will be able to tell you
about organisations that provide courses or relevant information and explain
employment opportunities within the Department.

PREPARE

To prepare for your interview, you should think about your teaching experiences and write
down your views on teaching to clarify your thoughts. Learn more about our public schools,
the professional conduct and responsibilities of teachers, and our child protection and code of
conduct policies.
If you are a secondary teacher, you should read and/or download the syllabus relevant to your
area of teaching from the Board of Studies website.
You could also look at the HSC Online site if you anticipate teaching senior students in Years
11 or 12.

SOME TIPS (from a person whos attended)

If I have to give some tips to help you I think you should:

Make sure you understand the professional teaching standards and what they mean.
Practicum reports can act as a guide. I know ACU list examples of evidence for each
element to guide mentor teachers in assessing practicum students.

List suitable experiences that you have been through for each element. If you are a
graduate teacher or lack experience in an aspect of teaching, think about how YOU
would go about it for example - How would you plan a unit of work?

View relevant documents as listed on the DET website link that I have provided.

Don't be afraid to share your own research and understandings of professional

knowledge and teaching practice, particularly if a question is asked about possible
challenges relating to teaching such as the use of ICT in the classroom.

Obviously dress in professional attire for the interview. Give the interviewer the
impression that you are serious about wanting to work as a teacher and that you take
your professional role seriously. Remember first impressions count.

Be familiar with what the syllabus requires you to do in your subject areas.

Avoid memorising answers from websites like those listed above and don't worry
about preparing answers for them. Just read them to see and feel what you could
experience. Just looking at them is time consuming in itself. At the end of the day you
don't know what could be asked. It's like an exam. Anything could be tested.

IN QLD:
They will ask questions like:
How do you manage difficult behaviour in the classroom?
How do you cater for different student abilities and learning styles?
How have you used technology in the classroom?
What are your teaching strengths and how do you use them in the classroom?
In the school, where do you go if you need .......(insert anything here from
borrowing a data projector to curriculum documents)?
What curriculum and/or school documents do you use to inform your planning?
List the types of assessment you use and how does your teaching link to
assessment? Is the assessment authentic?
What strategies do you use to manage the classroom?
How do you record and report assessment?
What extra curricula activities have you been involved with?
How do you plan units and lessons?

ANOTHER ATTENDEE
if they ask you anything to do with child protection - the answer is report it to
your head teacher and principle. don't deal with it by yourself, always take it
higher. My friend accidentally went through the spiel of taking the students
interests into account and they kinda had to prompt her into the right answer.
Also know your Quality Teaching Pedagogy. I got asked a lot about the different
elements and how i would utilise in class and in assessments and how would i be
balancing out work in regards to low-high order thinking tasks and why its
necessary to use the QTP elements
I got asked about basic classroom management skills and management skills
when im outside doing practical lessons for PDHPE.

Expect to get questions about:

Why you are interested in that particular school
What is your philosophy on teaching, behaviour
management and student learning
What you know about the school and its teaching
philosophy
What additional skills you can offer the school
eg. computing, literacy, sporting, arts and music

Structuring a S.T.A.R. Answer

a brief description of the Situation

a brief outline of the Task
the Action you took
the Result or Outcome

Tell me about a time when you.had to manage a difficult student

what was the situation?
how did you handle it?
On my recent teaching prac at St Columbus Primary School, I had a class of 30
year 6 students with varying learning needs. I had one particularly disruptive
student who was refusing to cooperate. I quickly dealt with situation by speaking
directly and clearly with the student while also ensuring that the rest of the class
were on task. I clearly explained the consequences of the students behaviour
and through my calm and firm voice, communicated my intention to carry out the
consequence. The student did cooperate, I quickly moved on to the next activity
and order was restore.

Sample Job Criteria

Strong communications skills
Excellent interpersonal skills with students, staff and
www.careers.usyd.edu.au
parents
Teaching expertise
Strong leadership skills
A sound understanding of the NSW teaching curriculum

FROM A PAGE
Hi everyone! I'm doing my Learning Tech portfolio and thought it'd be a good idea to create a
wiki for us to all use in preparation for the upcoming NSW DET interviews. The sample
questions are below, feel free to add your answers! cheers, Dan
1.Why do you wish to become a teacher?
- life long learner
- make a difference
- combine creativity and intellect
- watching students grow and their success
- can help reach high potential
- shape the future
- possibility of making the difference to one student
- good (male) role model
- help students explore and come to terms with the world and its diversity
- give back to society

- inspire and motivate students

all of these leade to personal and professional satisfaction
2.What qualities do you believe would make you a successful teacher? - Daniel Thwaite patience,
honesty,
respect,
awareness of the variety of learners and learning available to students today
responsible
3.Discuss your personal philosophy of teaching and its relationship to what you believe is
important to be a teacher.
4.Have you any special qualifications, experience or abilities that would assist you in your
role as a teacher? How would these assist your teaching?
5.Describe a positive experience you have had as a teacher, which reinforced your desire to
be a teacher.
6.Describe your best lesson in practicum and discuss why it was the best- Erin Clutton
7.Describe your worst lesson in practicum and discuss the implications and learnings from
this lesson. - this is my question!! Teneille De Luca
8.What do you know about the ways in which children learn?
9.Many classes today are mixed ability, they all contain children with a wide range of
abilities. What strategies would you use to effectively cater for the wide range of abilities you
are likely to encounter?
10.How would you know at the end of the teaching year whether you have been successful as
a teacher?
11.What role do you see parents as having in the educational process? Discuss some of your
reasoning.
12.What teaching strategies do you believe are most successful in developing language in the
writing process?
13.What role or importance do you see the integration of curriculum areas. Can you give
some examples?
Integration of curriculum areas

encourages students to make meaningful connections in concepts and learning for

deep knowledge and deep understanding

supports student learning by relating other subjects to new information

students learn to demonstrate their skills and understanding in a variety of ways

frames learning for relevant, interesting and connected results which increases
significance and synthesis

reflects real life spectrum and provides skills for wider practical applications

supports student centered problem solving skills and innovation and engages higher
order thinking processes

Examples:
Rich Assessment

14.How would you prepare for your first week in your new school? What would you teach
them? Discuss some of the strategies you would employ in this first week of teaching.
15.If I came into your classroom, what would it look like?-Corey Grinnell
-My classroom would cater to the specific type of learning that my classes were geared
towards. As as History/Geography teacher I would be sure my classroom walls were
organized with pictures of historic figures to be studied over the semester. It is also
important as a geography teacher to have specific maps as well as a contour globe so the
students can understand the world around them. I also believe in displaying students
work around the classroom to promote pride in their work. My classroom would be setup as a positive learning environment where all students could grow.
16.Describe some of the best programming practices of an effective teacher and elaborate on
a practice that you would use. - john o'leary
17.What strategies would you implement to develop effective communication skills in your
students?
18.How would you ensure that you maximise learning experiences and outcomes for all your
students?
There are a multiple of ways that as a teacher to ensure that I have maximised my
students learning experiences and outcomes. Each lesson plan should be scaffolded to
the students needs and interests. This will enable them to become interested in the
outcomes that are being taught. As well by having background knowledge of what
students know prior to the course will aid in scaffolding appropriate and innovative
activities that will enhance their learning. Having teaching methods that cater to
different learning needs is also a must when maximising their learning. When planning
lessons the students abilities whether that be at either end of the spectrum should also
be taken into consideration. This will ensure that all students are being catered too. A
classrooms learning environment should be comfortable and welcoming with the proper
aids that will help in a childs learning. This is true to high achievers so that they are
challenged and to those with disabilities. With careful observations of my students and
lessons that address curriculum outcomes to the real world children will be able to gain
the most knowledge that will help guide them in years to come.
In the classroom to address different learning needs teaching should be varied such as
using computers one day and then have a group activity the next. When looking at
Geography: Australias coastal management students will be more inclined to see how it
has effected surfing such as the issues with the swell at Kirra.
19.Discuss some management strategies you would use to effectively manage 30 students
successfully. or What strategies would you use to manage disruptive students?
20.Would you tell me about any significant changes that have taken place in the area of
curriculum and teaching practice in primary education? How might these changes affect your
teaching practice? Katie John

the curriculum is more outcomes based, whereas previosuly it was process and
content based--> relates to backward mapping for assessment

Assessment now falls under a concept called assessment for learning which involves
using formative assessment strategies as a regular part of teaching and learning

Assessment is also standards based, relying on A to E reporting. This gives students

explicit quality criteria so they know what is expacted of them.

continued emphasis on ICT to engage students and help them maintain interest

adaption of the way that you teach to social pressures including the promotion of
fairness and equality

provides opportunities for students to develop understandings of aspects of indigenous

cultures

linking learning in science with literacy and numeracy skills

less focus on teacher explanation and more focus on student-directed learning

21.How would you go about planning a unit of work, and how would you know if your
teaching of the unit was effective
a- Determine the context to fit faculty, school, district
b- decide how to provide authentic assessment
c- learn where students are
d- figure out where I want students to be
e- identify content, skills (values and attitudes) and practices to focus on
f- plan how to teach/learn material
g- implement effective reporting
To see if effective, check where I wanted students to be and the desired content, skills
(values and attitudes) and practices and compare with assessment, student feedback,
and reporting methods.
22.Describe the main types of assessment practices and give an example of each type. Daniel Thwaite

23.How would you know that the students in your class have achieved the outcomes in the
curriculum that you planned?
24.For reflective practice, explain how assessment is an important component of this cycle.
25.Using an example from one K.L.A., discuss how you would implement as assessment
strategy in your program.
26.Using a literacy-based program [or numeracy], describe some forms of assessment you
would incorporate into your teaching. Give some specific examples.- Erin Clutton
27.What is your understanding of evaluation and assessment?
28.Explain the process of program building from the specific K.L.A. Syllabus.
29.Explain your understanding of outcomes-based education and how this influences your
planning.
30.For effective teaching, discuss favoured strategies in managing your children
31.Discuss the purpose of an integrated curriculum and its relation / importance to your
planning.
32.Explain how you have been able to improve your teaching as a result of feedback?
33.How would you incorporate literacy as priority in your teaching across the curriculum?
Literacy is the ability to communicate purposefully and appropriately with others, in and
through a wide variety of contexts, modes and mediums. While English has a particular role

in developing literacy, all curriculum areas, including mathematics, have a responsibility for
the general literacy requirements of students, as well as for the literacy demands of their
particular discipline. The growth of technology and information, including visual
information, demands that students be critically, visually and technologically literate and can
compose, acquire, process, and evaluate text in a wide variety of contexts. They need to
understand the full scope of a texts meaning, including the wide contextual factors that take
meaning beyond a decoding process.
Literacy skills are taught by:

interpreting and responding to text in a range of forms and for various purposes

composing text in a range of forms and for various purposes

Example Maths:
Mathematics language is concise and precise. Students are taught mathematical vocabulary
and the conventions for writing mathematics. Studies have shown that the causes of student
errors on word problems may relate to the literacy components rather than the application of
mathematical computations. Mathematics at times uses words from everyday language that
have different meanings within a mathematical context. This can add to some students
confusion. Clear explanations of these differences will assist students in the acquisition and
use of mathematical terminology.
34.Describe some ways that you can implement technology into your program and your
teaching.
35.What do you see as some of the teachers professional responsibilities in relation to
student welfare?-Corey Grinnell
-As a teacher it is impossible to sit back and watch the welfare of a student in your
classroom erode. Professionally it is a teachers responsibility to report anything to a
counsellor or principle that apears to be a form of abuse or problems stemming from a
home or school environment. It is important however to ensure that a positive
environment in the classroom is set up so the students feel they can be open to their
teacher and it is easier to assess student welfare. The classroom is a place where students
should feel comfortable being themselves and it is your responsibility to protect their
welfare while they are there.
37.How will you apply the principles of lifelong learning to your professional development as
a teacher? John o'leary
38.Explain your understandings of the NSW DET Child protection policy.
The NSW DET Child protection policy is a document that has been put in place to
protect children through a multiple of programs and services. As teachers and apart of
the department we are required report concerns, harm or suspicions of foul play of a
child to the Department of Community Services and or the Child Protection
Investigation Unit if child abuse or harm is suspected. These policies also provide
support to teachers with giving them the knowledge that they will need to complete and
handle difficult situations. This document ensures the safety of all children and when
policies are followed properly it protects teachers/employees.

39.What does mandatory reporting mean, and how does this relate to your understanding of
the DET Child Protection policy?
40.Describe the main components of abuse under the NSW DET Child protection Policy?
Katie John

Physical abuse-facial, head and neck bruising, burns and welts,

lacerations, the explanation offered by the young person is not
consistent with the injury

Sexual abuse- when a child describes a sexual act, age innapropriate behaviour,
persistent sexual behaviour, self-destructive behaviour

Psychological indicators- feelings of worthlessness about life and themeselves,

inability to value others, lack of trust, experiences domestic violence at home

Previous harm- if a child has been previously abused or neglected they may be at risk,
or if there is a family history of violence

Tell us about your discipline philosophy.**

It is important to develop ground rules the first week of class, this allows the students to
understand what is and isn't acceptable behaviour. These rules are discussed and agreed upon
with the students, this makes the students accountable and responsible for their behaviours.
Make sure you are familiar with the discipline policy of the school and all the behaviour rules
and consequences of bad behaviour are according to the schools discipline policy. S Akhter
WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR?
In the project Teaching and Leading for Quality Australian Schools: A Review and
Synthesis of Research-based Knowledge, Zammit et al (2007) found that quality
teaching could be considered as being influenced by three domains: contextual
factors, professional practice, and attributes and qualities of teachers. In the
domain of attributes and qualities of teachers, we categorised these as personal,
relational and professional. In the personal area, the qualities were: enthusiasm,
passion and commitment; high levels of communication; and, motivation to enter
teaching. However, these were identified as not the only attributes that
contributed to student outcomes and quality teaching. But these seem to be the
ones implied in the Ministers speech.
Tb MANY of the best teachers did not start careers as teachers. Is this because
they have much more to offer as professionals with the added life experience?
From official site
Tips for the Interview

The interview is your opportunity to show your skills and talents.

Wear something comfortable and appropriate to project a professional

image.

Be sure of the location for your interview and plan to arrive at least 10
minutes before the scheduled time.

When you arrive at the venue, register at reception.

Remember to bring all the necessary documentation.

Relax. The people doing the interviews will be keen to meet you and
discuss your application.

You will be asked a range of questions related to the selection criteria. It

may be useful for you to consider possible responses to questions that
could be asked from this list of criteria.

You may find it useful in preparing for your interview to view current
syllabus and curriculum documents on the Board of Studies website. Visit
the Board of Studies NSW website for information about the secondary
syllabus and for primary requirements.

For a general overview of child protection policies and procedures, go to

www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies.

Websites in general have valuable information that could help you prepare
for your interview. Go to www.schools.nsw.edu.au, www.det.nsw.edu.au
and www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au.

DET Interview Questions

I had my DET Interview today and i thought i would post exactly what they ask to help
perparing for it yourself.
Note: BY NO MEANS TAKE THIS IS AS THE BE ALL AND END ALL, YOU NEED TO
COVER A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIAL
They have a few pages which cover each of the elements, and from each element there are
about 4 or 5 questions, AND from that they pick 1 of those questions to ask. It is not so much
as an interview than a meeting. They just want to know about you and your expereinces.
These are the questions i had, worked from and which are both what i found on the Internet,
and what a mate who did primary teaching was asked. I have answered some for my own
study.

Interview Questions
Why do you want to be a teacher?

How would you maintain effective communication with fellow staff?

Staff Meetings, discussions and updates on units, students and results. A good atmosphere in
the staff room.
Positive: SFX, Quirindi

Negative: Newcastle

How important is the wider school community?

How do you motivate your students?

What do you consider the role of a teacher to be?

What do understand by the term parents as partners in education?

Describe a positive experience you have had as a teacher which made you feel good
about being a teacher?

Describe the best lesson you gave during a prac. Why was it the best?

Describe the worst lesson you gave during prac. Why was it worst? What did you learn
from this experience?

Tell me what you know in general terms about the ways in which students learn.

What are some strategies you have used in the classroom to effectively manage
disruptive students?


What teaching strategies do you believe are most successful in developing language in
the writing process?

Can you give me an example of working as part of a team? What was your contribution
to the team and what was the outcome of this exercise?

Can you tell me about any significant changes to the curriculum which have been
introduced recently? How would you inform yourself about curriculum changes?

Describe a time where you set yourself a challenging goal? What happened? What
would you do differently?

What is your teaching philosophy?

My personal perspective on ethical philosophies that shape my future teaching practice are
built upon the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989). I first and
foremost believe that each and every child has an inalienable right to a safe existence within
the schooling environment which develops a childs personality, talents and mental and
physical abilities (UNCRC. Articles 28 & 29). As my pedagogical specialty is entrenched in
both Early Childhood and Secondary History I have a fundamental persuasion for both firstly,
teaching with socially engaged practice according to Bronfenbrenners Ecological Model of
Development (in Slee, P. 2002) and secondly, teaching to inspire overall, a critical
consciousness against oppression (whether that is social, political, economic, etc) as
illustrated by Freire (2006). I consider morality and ethics to be aspirational, driven by
ambition or punitive motivated by fear of punishment and correction. I am aspirational in my
pedagogical practice; however I very much feel that I do not stand for any one ethical
viewpoint, but rather a combination of many depending on the situation. I dont know if this
flexibility is a strength or weakness, as I understand the greater good of consequentialist
thought, but dont agree in its collectivist mentality which can isolate minorities. I do agree
with a non-consequentialist duty and moral obligation to ethical concepts, but not when it is
to the determent of the student or situation. Overall I contend that in most situations I am
morally inflexible yet ethically flexible.

Have you had to deal with a difficult student and if so how did you resolve the problem?
Newcastle High: Year 10 Boys
Newcastle High: Year 8 Class
Quirindi High: Year 7
SFX: Students engaged, learning explicit?

What is your behaviour management style?

Realist, kids will be kids, but boundaries need to be set. Consistent and Fair

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

Strengths: Ability to Engage, Ability to Relate, Quick Learner, classroom management,
curriculum development, or technology integration. (INTERGRATE STRENGTHS WITH
EXAMPLES)
Weaknesses: The key to answering the question is to turn a negative into a positive. Too
Creative, There are so many creative activities I plan for my students and class time is
limited. Finding balance between Explicit and implicit teaching. Finding that harmony
between student and teacher centered learning. Self-Critical.

What do you believe the term Student Welfare to encompass?

Student welfare in government schools:
encompasses everything the school community does to meet the personal, social and
learning
needs of students
creates a safe, caring school environment in which students are nurtured as they learn
is achieved through the total school curriculum and the way it is delivered
incorporates effective discipline

 incorporates preventive health and social skills programs

stresses the value of collaborative early intervention when problems are identified
provides ongoing educational services to support students
recognises the diversity within the school community and provides programs and support
which acknowledge difference and promote harmony
recognises the role that the school plays as a resource to link families with community
support services
provides opportunities for students to:
- enjoy success and recognition
- make a useful contribution to the life of the school
- derive enjoyment from their learning.
Schools provide effective learning and teaching within secure, well-managed environments,
in
partnership with parents* and the wider school community. The objectives and outcomes that
follow therefore relate to:
Effective learning and teaching
Positive climate and good discipline
Community participation.

What would you do in the initial set up of your classroom to structure it for
effective/explicit teaching?
Explicit teaching is essentially about the talk of classroom lessons. Careful examination of
literacy interactive practices in the context of classroom teaching provides detailed
information about teaching practice and leads to important conclusions about instructional
efficacy for all students.

By looking at the patterns of classroom interaction (through transcript or video technology),

what the talk enables and what the talk disables becomes evident. Observations of
classroom talk capture what is set up to be of primary importance in literacy lessons by
displaying:

what teachers and students talk about (what topics are the focus of the
interaction)

how lessons begin (what students hear as the focal point and the purpose
of the lesson)

how lessons progress (whether the literacy topic is maintained)

how lessons conclude (whether students are reconnected to learning

goals)

Explicit instructional talk enables students to have the opportunity to invest in their own
learning in a meaningful way and not have to be engaged in psycholinguistic guessing
games where the student is having to get inside the teachers head to establish the purposes
for learning. When the learning objectives are blurred or implicit, many students may find the
integration of implicit references to aspects of literacy confusing or even impossible.
Piecing together snippets of information that are heard embedded within a whole range of
organisational and management school-type talk is a demanding and potentially difficult
cognitive task (Edwards-Groves, 1998). Explicit teaching therefore is a powerful way of
letting the students in on the big secret of what is going on (as suggested by a Year 4 teacher
in my doctoral study) resulting in a more genuinely student-centred pedagogy that moves
toward catering, more equitably, for the diversity of learners present in the everyday
classroom.
Explicit teaching is critically about clarity in:
1. knowing the learner
2. responding to the learner
3. implementing focused lessons
4. reflection and review

How would you involve a learning support team?

The Learning Assistance Program

The Learning Assistance Program supports students experiencing difficulties in learning in

regular classes, regardless of the cause. It includes support for students with significant
learning difficulties, mild intellectual disabilities and language disorders.
The STLAs role as a member of the school learning support team is to:

identify and assess students experiencing difficulties in learning

plan, implement, monitor and evaluate programs for students with

learning difficulties

build the capacity of teachers to support students with a diverse range of

learning needs

In working collaboratively with school executive, classroom teachers and parents, the STLA
may provide support through:

team teaching

consultancy and training and development with other teachers

withdrawal for assessment

withdrawal of students for short term intensive instruction and monitoring

of progress

support for peer tutoring and other programs

Are you aware of the Departments Child Protection Policy? and What does it require
of teachers? to which the most important thing to answer is that you have a duty of
care to your students and will report any suspected cases of child neglect of abuse to
your Principal.

promote and safeguard the wellbeing of children, young people and

families

assess and respond to concerns about them

develop ways strengthen families and help communities to care for

children and young people.

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/student_serv/child_protection/prot_children/PD2002006
7.shtml
Note: Training, Reporting and Supporting

Interview Questions (continued)

Tell us about yourself..
What implications flow from the assessment of students work?
What prompted you to study education?
Why do you want to become a teacher?
What would you do if you got a full time position next year and you had to start in one week?
How would you organise yourself?
Why do want to work for DET?
Your first appointment is to a school which has a tradition of musical performances. You
have well developed musical skills and would like to take control of organising this years
performance.
Your direct supervisor has always managed this event. How would you handle this situation?
What do you consider important when programming for a class?
Tell me about a time when you had to communicate information to a group of people. How
would you get to know your fellow teachers?
During a year 9 class there is a sudden, major disturbance between two boys. When you
intervene, one boy rudely abuses you, using very inappropriate language. What would you
do?
How do you go about meeting new people? How would you go about forming a relationship
with your new class?
Tell us about a time where youve demonstrated leadership qualities. How do these relate to
your effectiveness as a teacher?
Is there anything else you wanted to add about yourself?
Have you planned and implemented a unit of work before?
Why do you wish to become a teacher with DET?
Many classes today are mixed ability- that is they contain students with a range of abilities.
What teaching strategies would you use to effectively cater for the wide range of abilities you
are likely to encounter?

What are some of the classroom assessment practices or evaluation strategies that you would
use to assess the educational outcomes of your students?
What role do you see parents as having in the educational process?
How would you incorporate literacy as a priority in your teaching (of your subject) (across
the curriculum) Can you give me an example of innovative teaching practices you have
observed during your prac experiences?
Can you give me five words that best describe you?
Lets say that you are appointed to Goodooga Central School, a school in a small, isolated,
largely Aboriginal community. What difficulties do you think you would face both at school
and in your own lifestyle?
These are the standards in which you are measured against. It is good
to know these in REFERENCE TO AN EXPEREINCE YOU HAD.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Element 1: Teachers know their subject content and how to teach that content to their
students
You may be asked questions about your:
Understanding of current Board of Studies syllabuses and the Departments guidelines on
curriculum content and teaching methods
Ability to plan lessons in accordance with the educational needs and individual learning
styles of students
Competence in integrating information technology in learning and teaching

Element 2: Teachers know their students and how they learn

You may be asked questions about:
The welfare of students and their learning
Your ability to cater for the individual needs of all students in a just and equitable manner
Your ability to improve learning outcomes by motivating all students through the application
of a wide range of teaching

Element 3: Teachers plan, assess and report for effective learning

You may be asked questions about your:
Understanding of the role of monitoring, assessment and reporting to enhance learning
outcomes, including outcomes in literacy and numeracy

Element 4: Teachers communicate effectively with their students

You may be asked questions about your:
Ability to use the English language effectively in oral and written communication

Element 5: Teachers create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments through
the use of classroom management skills
You may be asked questions about your:
Capacity to establish and maintain a purposeful, interesting and challenging learning
environment for all students
Capacity to create an environment of respect and rapport
Skills in conflict resolution

Element 6: Teachers continually improve their professional knowledge and practice

You may be asked questions about your:
Understanding of the role of critical reflection and feedback in relation to teacher
performance
Awareness of the need for ongoing professional development
Ability to embrace educational innovation and change

Element 7: Teachers are actively engaged members of their profession and the wider
community

You may be asked questions about your:

Ability to recognise and appreciate the values held by students, families and the community
in relation to the role of a teacher
Understanding of the importance of leadership skills in the teaching profession
Contribution to groups such as students representative councils, social organisations,
sporting associations or community

EXPECT QUESTIONS SUCH AS:

Open questions- Tell us a little about..
Keep in mind the selection criteria and your strengths.

Hypothetical questions-What would you do if

These will assess your ability to think on your feet.

Leading questions- The answer seems logical

As a teacher you will require good communication skills do you have good skills in this
area? Do not give a yes/no answer. Give examples to support your response.

Multi-barrelled- two or more questions linked to the same topic

Dont be afraid to ask to have the question repeated if you cant recall the full question.

Behavioural questions-uses your past experiences to predict future behaviours

Prepare examples of how your experiences have allowed you to develop specific skills and
how these could benefit the employer.

Personal Qualities

A positive attitude towards the welfare of students and their learning

Sound commitment to teaching as a profession

Ability to recognise and appreciate the values held by students, families

and the community in relation to the role of a teacher

Ability to cater for the individual needs of all students in a just and
equitable manner

Understanding of the need to apply equity principles and practices to

ensure that all students reach their potential

Understanding of the role of critical reflection and feedback in relation to

teacher performance

Awareness of the need for ongoing professional development

Ability to embrace educational innovation and change

Capacity to contribute as an effective and cooperative team member to

enhance student learning

Ability to use the English language effectively in both oral and written
communication

Effective conflict resolution skills.

Teaching Expertise

plan lessons in accordance with the educational needs and individual

learning styles of students

improve learning outcomes by motivating all students through the

application of a wide range of teaching approaches and strategies

establish and maintain a purposeful, interesting and challenging learning

environment for all students

Competence in integrating information technology in learning and

teaching.

Teaching Methods and Curriculum

Understanding of current Board of Studies syllabuses and the

Departments guidelines on curriculum content and teaching methods

Awareness of the need to incorporate literacy and numeracy skills across

the curriculum

Ability to recognise the integrated nature of curriculum areas

Ability to make connections between content areas, classroom activities

and community expectations of learning experiences

Understanding of the role of monitoring, assessment and reporting to

enhance learning outcomes, including outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

Leadership Qualities

Contribution to groups such as students representative councils, social

organisations, sporting associations or community

Demonstrated leadership in, for example, paid or voluntary work

Understanding of the importance of leadership skills in the teaching

profession.

Other Skills

Skills and special aptitudes which may contribute to effectiveness as a

teacher (eg skills in music, art, craft, sport, languages other than English,
information technology).

HAVE A LOOK ALSO AT:

Another DET interviewie

DET Application and INterview powerpoint from UNE

The Supporting statement!

I hd some trouble outlining this, and its by no means RIGHT, remember if you copy mine and
LIE you will get caught.


PART 1: EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE
1. Within your teaching subject/area how would you ensure that you maximise learning
experiences and outcomes for all your students, having regard for their different
abilities and backgrounds?
To maximise the learning experience and outcomes for all my students, my pedagogy
embodies and replicates Elements 1 and 2 of the Professional Teaching Standards. I take
great pride in researching new and interesting techniques to approach both syllabus and
historical content. Moreover as a teacher I know that it is critical that I understand how my
students learn. I achieve both Elements 1 and 2 through classroom activities and programs
that are carefully planned in conjunction with the NSW DET Quality Teaching Framework.
My teaching practice and classroom reflects a Quality Learning Environment, the Intellectual
Quality and Significance needed to maximise learning experiences and outcomes. As a
teacher I understand that students have different abilities and backgrounds which affect the
method in which they learn most effectively. I believe that all students are socially
constructed which is why I apply Bronfenbrenners Ecological Model and Gardners theory
of Multiple Intelligences into every lesson. Bronfenbrenners Model illustrates the
importance of social influence in knowledge construction whereas Gardners Multiple
Intelligences highlights the different mediums in which students learn and are successful.
Finally different abilities, (such as literacy) and backgrounds (such as Indigenous students)
are incorporated into each lesson through my use of the James Cook Universitys School of
Indigenous Studies 8 Ways Model and Literacy Learning Cycle. The 8 ways model is
basically the Quality Teaching Framework revised for indigenous students, and has a high
focus on socially explored and culturally significant learning. The Literacy Learning Cycle is
a prime strategy that I implement to develop effective communication skills. The Literacy
Learning Cycle can apply to any historical content or source based analysis which breaks
down and develops literacy skills for students and can be used at any stage of literacy
development. Conclusively, the behavioural management strategies I implement in my
classroom are always consistent, fair and always on top of misbehaviour.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
2. How would you go about planning a unit of work, and how would you know if your
teaching of the unit was effective?
In planning a unit of work I essentially work on Outcomes Based Education principles and
Design Backwards. I first and foremost work with the NSW history syllabus to determine
what are the essential outcomes for all students and what I want them to be able to do

successfully at the end of the learning experience (whether a lesson or unit). My units target
the Professional Teaching Standards Element 3 and 4 by making sure formal and informal
assessments are planned and linked to learning experiences. Informal assessment strategies
involve discussion, group and paired work and problem solving which incorporate effective
communication and discussion between the students and I. Formal Assessment strategies
utilise a broad range of student skills that link to the learning outcomes expressed in syllabus
documents. From both formal and informal assessments feedback is given to students both in
detail and promptly. To assess whether my pedagogy and the unit were effective I apply the
Reflective Teaching Cycle and Framework. Firstly I can assess the units success by the
results of the assessment. If the students performed poorly I need to investigate the reasons
why. Secondly, the feedback to students will highlight how I need to target and change the
unit so that student difficulty and issues are amended. Finally I as a teacher I need to engage
in Practical and Critical reflection. Practical reflection means that I proactively reassess the
underlying goals, concerns, principles and practices which govern my pedagogy.
Furthermore, Critical reflection means that I assess and then incorporate the moral and social
issues beyond the school into my classroom, content and pedagogy. Analysis and application
of these four aspects of reflection illustrates the weaknesses and strengths of the unit and my
pedagogy.

PROFESSIONAL COMMITMENT
3. How do you see your role as a member of a professional team?
First and foremost I see myself as an integrated, assertive and proactive teacher and member
of a professional team. Furthermore I see my role and responsibility as a teacher to extend
beyond that of the History faculty, but into the school and wider community. I foresee that as
a new teacher my role in planning and programming may be requested or expected because
of the enthusiasm or value it may provide to the faculty, school and or community. I believe
that the purpose of school is to educate and equip students with the knowledge and skills they
need to become successful and happy members of society. This principle of lifelong learning
also applies to my pedagogy, as I understand that my role as a teacher and my cohort of
students and the historical content itself will develop and change on a yearly basis. Key
features which will help in the academic growth of students are the incorporation of both
parents and the wider community into the schooling process. This is specifically critical to
Indigenous students as the community has a responsibility to the welfare and education of
children. A prime example where parents and the community can be integrated into the
educative process is in the development of an historical unit which looks at Indigenous
peoples and their perspective. This involvement can extend to social days or school
excursions where persons from the community are given opportunities to converse and
explore content to help improve students learning network.

PART 2: PERSONAL INFORMATION

4. Please outline your reasons for wanting to become a teacher in NSW public schools.
The reason why I want to become a teacher in NSW public schools is purely selfish. I am
passionate about exploring and analysing historical content and working with others to create
new knowledge and understanding about History. Moreover, I find working with staff that
are likeminded and motivated an enjoyable experience and workplace. I have found in my
limited experience, that although some students do not always understand the importance or
significance of history to their studies, if I create an enthusiastic, safe and good-humoured
classroom environment, that behavioural issues are minimised. On the other hand, I have
found that working with students from years 7 to 12 extremely gratifying which has been
uncommon in my other experiences in Hospitality, Fitness and Retail. My decision to
become a teacher was influenced by the fortunate experience I had coaching a team of 16
year olds when I was in my first year of University. The impact that both the players had on
me, and I had on them, where challenging yet memorable. This continued into my first and
second practicums where I realised that with a lot of work, patience, and humility the
struggles and challenges that both the students and I faced were overwhelmingly outweighed
by the positive, successful and unexpected satisfaction of the experience. This is the reason
why I changed degrees early on from early childhood, to secondary education specialising in
History. The active and engaging nature of High School students and the content I work with
make teaching much more enjoyable and appealing.2. Please indicate any co curricular areas
in which you have qualifications, experience or abilities that would assist you in your role as
a teacher. Examples could include sport coaching, performance skills (in drama, music or
dance), outdoor education, first aid, information technology skills, youth leadership skills or
other interests and hobbies

5. Please indicate any co curricular areas in which you have qualifications, experience
or abilities that would assist you in your role as a teacher. Examples could include sport
coaching, performance skills (in drama, music or dance), outdoor education, first aid,
information technology skills, youth leadership skills or other interests and hobbies.
Experiences that I have had which would assist in my role as a teacher would be firstly,
Coaching both adolescents and peers since 2005. The nature in which this experience has
changed my perception of teaching, the skills to resolve conflict and expanded my degree of
patience. My role at Kotara South Soccer Club has expanded beyond coaching and into club
administration, where it was my responsibility to organise not only financial issues such as
sponsorship and the kiosk, but to administration in conversing with referees and Newcastle
District Soccer Association. This experience assists in my role as a teacher as I understand
the difficulties yet responsibilities which go hand in hand with trying to bring the community
into the school and the classroom. Furthermore, I understand the importance, yet difficulty of
rasing money and finding sponsorship from local businesses. Alternativley I believe that my

experience as a State Soccer representative and Northern NSW Futsal representative is also
beneficial to my role as a teacher. I have had some incredible teachers and coaches during
my representative experiences which I proactively try to emulate inside and out of the
classroom. The nature of sport has taught me valuable lessons regarding people, relationships
and success, most of which has been extremely positive. My further experiences with sport
extend to my fortunate contact with the Newcastle Knights and Gracie Barra Mixed Martial
Arts Gym. The experience that I had with both where specifically structured for their sports,
but also spoke and addressed issues such as nutrition, exercise, communication and
leadership. I believe that this training has further developed my constitution as a person and
as a teacher. I feel that being exposed to an elite and professional level of sports such as
Football (Soccer), Rugby League and MMA have improved my confidence, communication
skills, the ability to construct and maintain strong relationships and overall become more
valuable to a school beyond the history faculty. My previous employment at Howzat
Newcastle has resulted in the development of many skills which translate into the classroom
and school. I have worked in both the Gym and the Sport Centre which has required that I
look after and monitor umpires and administrative staff. The experience was not always easy,
and dealing with frustrated or injured consumers is not always simple. Being one of the
youngest on staff managing the Indoor Soccer required that I use initiative, leadership and
organisational skills to stay on top of umpires, keeping them proficient, anticipating areas or
situations which may spark conflict, and addressing concerns of customers. Whilst at Howzat
Newcastle, I was able to begin my own business and run it out of Howzat on a weekend.
Kjd.com.au was an online Indoor Soccer competition which ran for one season. The skills
and time needed to build and update the website, market and advertise the competition, and
finally run, umpire and maintain the business was intense but enjoyable. The skill and
qualifications I learned during that period were how to create, plan, pitch and market a
business, acquire information technology skills such as Web Design and to effectively
communicate with consumers and staff. This experience is by far the most beneficial to my
teaching specifically because I now develop most of my lessons for year 11 and 12 students
to have an online counterpart. These online lessons are really for revision and offer more
background knowledge via text, audio and visual sources which further develop and extend
student learning beyond classroom hours. Finally my St. Johns First Aid certificate which
has since expired and the completion of my Bronze Medallion at Cooks Hill Surf Club have
been influential in providing me with the experience, qualifications and confidence to aid and
assist students who are injured or in life threatening situations. The culture of the Cooks Hill
Surf Club and my time spent as a Surf Life Saver was extremely positive. I developed my
skills as a communicator, took on huge responsibilities and sacrificed my own spare time at
such a young age. This experience illustrates that as a teacher I understand the roles and
responsibilities extend beyond the classroom and even the school. I am proactive and
dedicated to everything I apply myself too and realise that my future as a teacher is not just a
job but a lifestyle choice.
Tb notes from Minister of Edu
-

Great teachers inspire students to learn

Teacher quality influences student performance

How to make students lifetime learners
Teach students to solve problems, work in a group, work with
technology
Critically analyse information

The most effective

teachers are the ones who can adapt their practice in an
ongoing manner because they evaluate the impact of their
teaching on student learning.
Great teachers know the content of the subjects they teach and
have a deep understanding of how learning happens. Great
teachers are role models of learning. Great teachers are also
those with the personal attributes, dispositions and values that
engage students and inspire them to learn and achieve.
Every student deserves teachers who:
are committed to excellence and have high expectations for
every student
make learning relevant to students, make cultural
connections and engage with the community in which the
students live
generate a love and passion for learning, and can excite and
motivate students to share that passion
are excellent communicators with students and parents
have the patience to work with struggling students,
compassion and humour to help students deal with lifes
challenges and disappointments, and resilience to persevere
when things are difficult
have a passion for and deep understanding of their teaching
content this makes for better teaching and models a
passion for learning and discovery that we want young
people to experience and value
engage with and work within the local school and broader
communities
value ethical behaviour in themselves and others
take responsibility for their own professional learning and
value and model opportunities to improve their teaching
practice and learn from others.
Great teachers believe their work with young people helps
to build a better and stronger society and this drives them to
discover and nurture each childs unique talents.

Examples of Conflicts of Interests situations include:

an employee taking part in the evaluation and selection of textbooks, reference
books or learning materials which were written or edited by a relative or close
friend, or published by a company in which they have a financial interest
an employee taking part in the selection and appointment of a supplier or
contractor who is a relative or a close friend, or owns a company in which they
have a financial/business interest
an employee supervising a relative or a close friend and determining their
promotions or pay increases

a teacher tutoring or coaching students from their school or workplace in return

for payment
a teacher referring their students to attend private tutorial sessions in which
they have, or a relative or a close friend has, a financial/business interest.

Professional Conduct
Protecting confidential Information

The Department collects and stores a lot of confidential information.

Unauthorised disclosures may cause people harm, or give an individual or
agency an improper advantage. The Department's integrity and credibility
may be damaged if it cannot keep information secure.
As a departmental employee, you must only use official information for
the work-related purpose it was intended.
Unless authorised to do so by legislation, you must not disclose or use
any confidential information without appropriate approval.

Examples of inappropriate release of confidential information might

include: an employee providing information to another department or
agency involved in an investigation or complaint without permission from
their manager or where legally compelled to do so an employee
supplying confidential information to a company tendering for
Government work employees accessing their colleagues' or students'
contact details or workplace records inappropriately.

Professional Conduct
Respect for people
The Department is committed to a workplace that provides dignity and
respect (pdf).
Our daily interaction with others reflects on the Department's reputation.
Therefore, all employees are expected to be approachable, courteous and
prompt in dealing with other people, including students, other employees
(irrespective of their position or seniority) and members of the community.
In dealing with other people, you should be able to accommodate and
tolerate different opinions and perspectives, and sort out your
disagreements by rational discussion.
Rational discussion presupposes that there is open communication and the
freedom to voice another point of view. Such a discussion should not involve

verbal abuse or physical intimidation. For example, you may criticise a

person's ideas but you should not criticise the person; and you should not
verbally abuse, vilify or belittle students or colleagues (including your
supervisors) personally or to others.

You must not discriminate against or harass your colleagues, students or

members of the public on a number of grounds including; sex, marital
status, pregnancy, age, race, ethnic or national origin, physical or
intellectual impairment or sexual preference. Such harassment or
discrimination may constitute an offence under the Anti-Discrimination
Act 1977. In addition, you must not harass or discriminate on the
grounds of political or religious conviction.
Employees who work with students have a special responsibility in
presenting themselves as appropriate role models for those students.
Modelling effective leadership and respect in your interactions with
students can have a profoundly positive influence on a student's
personal and social development.

Professional relationships between employees

and students
All students have a right to a safe physical and emotional environment.
As a departmental employee, you are expected to always behave in ways
that promote the safety, welfare and well-being of children and young
people. You must actively seek to prevent harm to children and young
people, and to support those who have been harmed.
While not all employees are required to manage and supervise students, it
is important for all departmental employees to understand and observe the
Department's child protection policies.
You must not impose physical punishment on a student in the course of
your professional duties.
You must not develop a relationship with any student that is, or that can
be misinterpreted as having a personal rather than a professional interest
in a student.
Wherever practical, you should avoid teaching or being involved in
educational decisions involving family members or close friends. Where it
is not practical to avoid such situations completely, another member of All
students have a right to a safe physical and emotional environment. As a
departmental employee, you are expected to always behave in ways that
promote the safety, welfare and well-being of children and young people.
You must actively seek to prevent harm to children and young people, and

to support those who have been harmed. While not all employees are
required to manage and supervise students, it is important for all
departmental employees to understand and observe the Department's
child protection policies.
Wherever practical, you should avoid teaching or being involved in
educational decisions involving family members or close friends. Where it
is not practical to avoid such situations completely, another member of
staff should make any significant decisions relating to the student's
assessments and have those endorsed by a supervisor.

Your professional relationship may be compromised if you:

invite students to join your personal electronic social networking site or
accept students' invitations to join theirs
attend parties or socialise with students
invite a student or students back to your home or attend theirs without
an appropriate professional reason and without the consent of their
parent or carer
transport a school student in your car without prior approval from a
supervisor and a parent or carer.
The boundaries of the professional relationship will be breached if you:
have a sexual relationship or develop an intimate relationship with a
student
use sexual innuendo or inappropriate language and/or material with
students
hold conversations of an intimately personal nature, where you disclose
private information about yourself
have contact with a student via written or electronic means including
email, letters, telephone, text messages or chat lines, without a valid
context
give students gifts of a personal nature that encourages them to think
they have an individual and special relationship with you.
You are reminded of:
the law prohibiting sexual relations with a person under the age of
consent (16 years)
the law prohibiting sexual relations between a teacher and their student
under the age of 18 years
the law prohibiting child pornography.
You must, therefore, comply with the Department's Employer
Communication Devices Acceptable Use Guidelines and:
exercise good judgment when using electronic mail, following the
principles of ethical behaviour
use appropriate language in electronic mail messages
be aware that if an issue addressed in an email becomes the subject of a
legal dispute, then those emails would be discoverable: that is, the court
and all parties to the dispute would be entitled to see them

not

send messages that are harassing, defamatory, threatening, abusive

or obscene
not invite students into your personal social network site, if it contains
personal information or inappropriate comments or images
remember transmission, storage, promotion or display of offensive,
defamatory, or harassing material is strictly forbidden
report any situations where you become aware of the inappropriate use
of electronic communication and social networking sites.
You must never use the Department's networks to view, upload, download
or circulate any of the following materials:
sexually related or pornographic messages or material
violent or hate-related messages or material
racist or other offensive messages aimed at a particular group or
individual
malicious, libelous or slanderous messages or material
subversive or other messages or material related to illegal activities.
Post-employment
Example of inappropriate conduct would include - A former employee
now works for a private registered training organisation, which competes
with TAFE NSW. Before leaving the Department, the employee downloaded
teaching resources and used them to benefit her new employer.
Example of appropriate conduct would include - A Department manager of
a section that employs contractors to supply a service decides to resign and
set up his own business to supply the same service to the Department.
Clearly, the manager has an unfair advantage over other competitors as he
has detailed knowledge of the Department's requirements and tendering
processes and established relationships with the Department's current
employees who might be involved in awarding the contract. The employee
declares the conflict of interests and ensures that any decisions made in
relation to the contracting are made together with an independent person.
FROM AUS PROFESSIONAL STANDARS FOR TEACHERS BY NSW INSTITUE OF TEACHERS
-

Teachers have the responsibility to prepare young people for a successful and
productive life. (tb = argument against rote learning)
TEACHER QUALITY is the single MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR influencing student
achievement
The students should become confident creative and informed citizens.

Staff in High Schools

Principal
The Principal is responsible for all areas of educational leadership. This includes the
education and welfare of all students, all educational programs, learning outcomes, the
management of staff and staff welfare development, financial management of the school, the
management of the school property and developing partnerships between the school and the
school community.
Deputy Principal
The deputy principal assists the principal in leading and managing the school. The principal

and deputy principal(s) form the senior executive in the school. The deputy principal is
responsible for the day-to-day organisation of the school and for the welfare of all students
and staff. The deputy principal along with the principal is responsible for overseeing the
teaching and learning programs in the school. In some schools there may be two deputy
principals.
Head Teachers
Head teachers are an integral part of the school leadership team and their role is to support
the principal and deputy principal(s) in leading and managing the school. They are
accountable to the principal for the provision of leadership in their specific curriculum area
including educational programs, learning outcomes, student welfare, staff welfare,
development and management, school and community partnerships and other areas as
delegated by the principal. Some head teachers have other specific responsibilities related to
school administration and student welfare.
Student Advisers
Student advisers are like the surrogate parent for a particular year (for example Year 8)
accepting responsibility for your child's learning and welfare while at school. The student
adviser, who works closely with the school's welfare team and your child's classroom
teachers, is often the first person a parent should approach to discuss any problems or issues
about your child.
Classroom Teachers
Teachers are very important people for students. In high schools, as subjects are more
specialised and require more in-depth knowledge, students have several specialist subject
teachers.
Careers Adviser
The careers adviser is a member of the teaching staff placed in schools to assist students in
areas such as subject selection, preparation for the world of work, career planning, selecting
appropriate post school options and courses such as those offered by universities and TAFE,
application and interview skills and other work related areas. Parents are also welcome to
contact the careers adviser to discuss future options for their children.
Librarian
The teacher-librarian is a member of the school's total teaching staff and as such is actively
involved in teaching/learning processes. Teaching is an integral part of the work of the
teacher-librarian. An awareness of teaching activities in the classrooms enables the teacherlibrarian to be a more effective teacher. The teacher-librarian provides relevant resources
(books, videos, tapes, computer programs, internet access and other resources) for use by
students and teachers to ensure that the most effective learning takes place.
ESL Teachers (English as a Second Language)
ESL teachers provide specialist assistance to students from non-English speaking
backgrounds. They teach ESL students the English language and literacy skills needed for
learning in all subjects. Often they work on a one-to-one basis with students while
supplementing this by also working in the classroom alongside the main classroom teacher.
School Counsellor
School counsellors are experienced teachers who are also psychologists. They assist teachers

by strengthening the school's student welfare provisions and provide counselling and
psychological assessment of students with specific needs. Their work with teachers in the
classroom is designed to improve student learning outcomes. Matters discussed with the
counsellor are confidential between the student and the counsellor. Parents may make an
appointment to discuss matters of concern with the school counsellor.
Support Teacher/Learning Difficulties
These teachers help students who are having difficulty in learning. They work with regular
classroom teachers to help them make the classroom work more manageable. They also help
students to be more confident and independent in their learning.
Support Teacher Behaviour Difficulties
Every school in the state has access to a support teacher behaviour (STB). The STB may
provide direct support to the student or may assist the class teacher in behaviour
management, social skills development or small group work.
Aboriginal Student Liaison Officer (ASLO)There are 11 ASLOs working with Aboriginal
students, their families and schools. These officers operate across districts and assist district
student welfare and home school liaison officers to restore and maintain the regular school
attendance of Aboriginal students.
Home School Liaison Officers (HSLO)
Home school liaison officers may be called upon to assist students and their
parents/caregivers when students are not coming to school every day. Initially where there is
a problem in maintaining regular attendance, the school's student welfare and counselling
services should be used. When school personnel have difficulty restoring the regular
attendance of students, the principal may request the assistance of home school liaison
officers to support the school's attendance program.
Anti-racism Contact Officer
Racism in all its forms is rejected by the Department. Each school has appointed an antiracism contact officer to help parents, students or staff experiencing problems with racism
and to provide interested parents with copies of the relevant Department policies on this
issue. The anti-racism contact officer will listen to the problem and, with the principal, find
ways to resolve it as quickly as possible. Contact your principal or the school's anti-racism
contact officer for help.
Anti-discrimination Contact Officer
Schools have developed procedures for dealing with complaints about discrimination against
students based on race, sex, marital status, disability (including HIV), age and transgender or
homosexuality. These procedures complement the existing Anti-racism Policy and related
grievance procedures. Each school has an anti-racism contact officer and an antidiscrimination officer.
Aboriginal Education Assistant (AEA)
AEAs are placed in schools where significant numbers of Aboriginal students are enrolled.
They work closely with teaching staff to develop culturally appropriate resources and
programs. They promote Aboriginal education, encourage students and support parents. They
provide role models for Aboriginal students. AEAs work with teachers to assist Aboriginal
students achieve to their best potential. AEAs keep the Aboriginal community informed of

students' progress and achievements, school activities, new programs, changes and parent
meetings.
School Administrative and Support staff
Senior School Assistant
Senior school assistants are employed in all schools. They assist the principal in planning and
maintaining school routines and are responsible for the efficient management of the school or
centre's financial and administration functions. Their role also requires them to supervise
other school assistants and promote training opportunities.
School Assistant
The first person to greet you when you arrive at the school will probably be the school
assistant or senior school assistant. The school assistant supports the Principal or the
supervisor maintain school routines. They also assist in classroom activities and financial
administration matters. Their range of duties includes: assisting in the school library, science
or home science areas; and assisting in the school office or reception area.
After appropriate training, the school assistant can also volunteer to administer first aid or
prescribed medications to students.
Teachers Aide (Special)
Under the supervision and direction of a teacher, a teachers aide (special) assists in classroom
activities, school routines, and the care and management of students with disabilities and
behaviour disorders.
Their role includes assisting teachers in school and community centres in:

the implementation of individual education programs;

providing opportunities for students to develop personal, social independent living

and pre-vocational skills;

and attending to the personal care needs of students.

General Assistant
General assistants are employed in all schools. They support student learning through:

the preparation and maintenance of equipment

the preparation of materials and construction of teaching aids

minor maintenance of building, plant and equipment

school reception and distribution of stores goods delivered to the school

child protection policy

-

there must be an induction initially and then yearly updates

there are tools and forms for mandatory reports

qualities of effective teacher

-

commitment, empathy, motivation, passion, understanding

SKILLS: administration, coordination, communication, cross-cultural and
community development-focused, initiative and creativity, IT knowledge,
leadership, negotiation, problem solving, teamwork
EXPERIENCES: leading young people in education, sporting or community
or workplace, participation in performing arts, training people at work or
sports.

QUESTIONS FROM THE SUPPORTING STATEMENT

1
2
3

Within your teaching subject/area how would you ensure that you maximise learning
experiences and outcomes for all your students, having regard for their different abilities
and backgrounds?
How would you go about planning a unit of work, and how would you know if your
teaching of the unit was effective?
How do you see your role as a member of a professional team?
4 Please outline your reasons for wanting to become a teacher in NSW public
schools.
5 Please indicate any co curricular areas in which you have qualifications,
experience or abilities that would assist you in your role as a teacher. Examples
could include sport coaching, performance skills (in drama, music or dance),
outdoor education, first aid, information technology skills, youth leadership skills
or other interests and hobbies.

Some teaching issues

-

Centralised curriculum
Caters less for diversity and leaves less space for creativity, teacher
autonomy and teacher professional engagement
But decentralised curriculum would stress teachers through work
intensification
No single teaching method is most effective best teachers have widest
repertoire of methods
Feedback in terms of comments facilitates learning more than mark feedback

ATTRIBUTES OF QUALITY TEACHERS NSW DOCUMENT

-

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Enthusiastic, creative , commited, passionate, good communicators.
Team worker learning from others, collaborating to avoid
duplication, sharing workload

PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES AND CAPABILITIES

Expertise in the subject joined with the teaching expertise
pedagogical expertise.
Ongoing professional development is needed the knowledge keeps
on changing
Self-critical evaluation

CODE OF CONDUCT
-

THIS DOCUMENT APPLIES TO ALL EMPLOYEES OF DEPT OF EDU

CORE VALUES ARE

FAIRNESS, RESPECT, INTEGRITY AND RESPONSIBILITY