Module 6: The Teacher as a Professional
Introduction to Module 6:
This module consists of 6 weeks of learning:
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Week 1: Being Professional and Being a Professional
Week 2: Establishing and Building Effective Working Relationships with Colleagues
Week 3: How to Effectively Work with your TA
Week 4: Working with Other Professionals
Week 5: Working Effectively with Pupils' Parents and Caregivers
Week 6: Looking After Yourself
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The Learn that... and Learn how to statements covered within this module are captured on the ECF Induction Programme mapping document.
Week 1: Being Professional and Being a Professional
This week will focus on exploring the notion of professionalism and explore being professional and being a professional. We will firstly, reflect upon individual perceptions of professionals and what defines a profession before exploring the literature around this and models that may support your understanding and application. Finally you will consider elements of your own professionalism.
Teachers' Standards:
Reflection and Discussion
This week, we will reflect before we explore the evidence and research around being a professional and professionalism.
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Consider the following questions:
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What traits/values/virtues do you hold that you feel makes you align with the professional values of teaching?
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What do characteristics (virtues) do/should teachers typically have?
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What is there that explicitly identifies you as a professional?
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Are teachers professional in the way that practitioners of law and medicine are? (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012, p80)
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How are teachers different to TAs?
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Are there things that teachers do that are different to other professions?
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Are you professional all of the time? What does that look like?
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What challenges your professionalism?
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Now, take a moment to define what you understand it is to be a professional and also what defines a profession?.
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Is being a professional/a profession related to qualifications, job type, pay, an association to a professional body...? Is a professional teacher the same as a professional cleaner? What might be the differences? Is their an agreed-upon knowledge base? (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012, p81)
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How is being a professional/a profession different to professionalism?
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The University of Birmingham's Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues explore the notion of character and how our virtues (character traits) can be developed. They categorise character traits under 4 categories, which are shown below. This table does not include every possible virtue (character trait) and you may think of others.
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Take a moment to look at the virtues. Which do you feel are important for teachers to possess?
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You may want to reflect on your own character traits - what are your strengths and where do you need to focus?
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We will explore character education more in year 2 of this induction programme applying this to your pupils. But for now consider character and its links to being a professional.
(Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues, 2022)
Evidence and Research:
Being Professional, Being a Professional and Profession
Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) suggest that when we consider the word 'professional' we tend to think of two different things: Being professional and being a professional. It may be that we use these interchangeably without consider what they mean, not seeing the addition of 'a' as altering the meaning at all.
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They present these definitions to provide clarity:
"Being Professional:
Is about what you do, how you behave. It's about being impartial and upholding high standards of conduct and performance. Being professional is about quality and character - not getting too personally involved with children, refraining from gossiping about parents, and learning to challenge colleagues' actions without criticising them as people.
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Being a Professional:
Has more to do with how others regard you, and how this affects the regard you have for oyurself. This is what people are usually referring to when they ask whether teaching is truly a profession or not. Does it have the same status and levels of reward that other professions do? Is the training long and rigorous? Do members of the profession have collective autonomy over their own actions, and freedom from excessive outside scrutiny?" (Hargreaves and Fullan, 2012, p80)
A standard and typical checklist of what constitutes a profession often includes the following features:
Checklist for a Profession:
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"Specialised knowledge, expertise and professional language.
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Shared standards of practice.
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Long and rigorous processes of training and qualification.
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A monopoly over the service that is provided.
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An ethic of service, even a sense of calling, in relation to clients.
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Self-regulation of conduct, discipline and dismissals.
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Autonomy to make informed discretionary judgements.
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Working together with other professionals to solve complex cases.
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Commitment to continuous learning and professional upgrading".
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(Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012, p80)​
As you read through the checklist, how many statements did you tick? Are you becoming clearer on whether you feel teaching is a profession?
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It must be remembered that there are specific expectations set by the Government in relation to teaching standards. Within the Teachers' Standard document. Within this document section 2, focuses on personal and professional conduct:
(Dfe, 2021)
Take a moment to remind yourself of these.
Character and Being Professional:
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Hargreaves and Fullan (2012) mention how being professional "is about quality and character" (p80).
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During your reflection, you explored the character virtues highlighted by the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (2022).
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You may find exploring it useful to take some time to read through elements of the following publication that explores character and initial teacher education. Whilst the messages within this document are specifically focused at initial teacher education and student teachers, a lot is relevant for ECTs, experienced teachers and school leaders. (A hard copy of this document can be found in your school CPD library).
The Importance of Professionalism and Defining Teacher Professionalism:
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The Chartered College of Teaching, has very recently published working paper exploring the importance of professional in teaching, defining what this might look like.
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They present a summary diagrammatic representation of a working definition of professionalism, adapted from the work of Mezza (2022).
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Take a look at this below, and consider how these factors represent you as a professional.
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Take a moment to read through the working paper:
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Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
Having reflected upon yourself as a professional and having explored the notion of being professional and being a professional, identify three areas of your professionalism that you wish to focus on and develop within your own practice.
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Download and complete the action plan below and bring this to discuss at your weekly mentor meeting.
References
Carden, C. et al (2023) Character and Initial Teacher Education: A Practical Guide. Bimingham. University of Birmingham.
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DfE (2021) Teachers' Standards: Guidance for school leaders, school staff and governing bodies. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/61b73d6c8fa8f50384489c9a/Teachers__Standards_Dec_2021.pdf
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Hargreaves, A. and Fullan, M. (2012) Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School. Abingdon. Routledge.
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Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues (2022) The Jubilee Centre Framework for Character Education in Schools 3rd Ed. Birmingham. University of Birmingham.
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Muller, L.M. & Cook, V. (2024) Revisiting the Notion of Teacher Professionalism. Chartered College of Teaching. Available at: https://chartered.college/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Professionalism-report_2-May.pdf
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Week 2: Establishing and Building Effective Working Relationships with Colleagues
This week will focus on establishing and building positive and effective working relationships. We will clarify what workplace relationships are in contrast to personal relationships and explore how you can effectively build positive and effective workplace relationships looking at key elements and behaviours and attitudes associated with such. You will reflect upon the working relationships within the school as well as your own behaviours and attitudes based upon your learning.
Teachers' Standards:
Evidence and Research:
The relationships you build with colleagues and managers are crucial.
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Working relationships are a formal association with those you work with and for that serves to ensure effective teamwork and outcomes whereas personal relationships involve much more emotion and sharing of personal truths (Indeed, 2023).
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Where there exist positive working relationships, people feel confident in voicing opinion, sharing ideas and supporting new initiatives. Where there are effective and positive working relationships teams are much more able to embrace change, be creative and innovative, have high morale and are more productive (MindTools, n.d).
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Developing positive and effective working relationships also bring professional benefits to you! Having a strong 'professional circle' will support your career development and offer greater career opportunities (MindTools, n.d).
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Take a look at the video about how to build effective relationships at work:
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There are 5 key elements that define effective working relationships:
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Trust - trusting your colleagues enables you to be honest and open.
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Respect - having mutual respect ensure contributions are valued and solutions built on a collective insight.
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Self-awareness - is a key element of emotional intelligence and means taking responsibility for your own words and actions and the impact that these have on those working alongside you.
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Inclusion - welcoming diverse perspectives and opinions as well as differing ideas and solutions enables effective and creative working relationships to blossom.
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Open Communication - positive and effective relationships are built on good communication. It is vital that you communicate effectively whether this is face to face, via email or in any other form. (MindTools, n.d).
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What can you do to enhance your working relationships?
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Be an effective communicator - communicate clearly, carefully and regularly and ensure you are aware of the non-verbal cues you communicate.
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Be consistent and trustworthy - ensure you do what you say you will do and when you say you will do it. Do this consistently. This builds trust in a working relationship and people realise that they can rely on you.
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Avoid gossip - avoid breaking trust by talking behind someone's back. Develop the skills to have a professional conversation with colleagues when you feel you need to say something. Never join in with gossip. Gossiping leads to a toxic culture. If you feel confident in work, go as far as to challenge anyone gossiping by professionally highlighting that this is not appropriate.
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Support fellow team members - offer support to colleagues where you are able. This builds a team centred around collegiality.
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Remain positive in your interactions - remaining positive helps to motivate people, constantly being negative is draining.
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Know and adhere to the school's guidelines and expectations - ensuring you are meeting these consistently, acting as a role model for others.
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Deliver high-quality work in a timely manner - ensure that you work is of at least the expected standard and undertake actions in the agreed timeframe. Where there are needs for development, positively engage in suitable learning opportunities.
(Adapted from Indeed, 2023)
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You may also like to take 5 minutes to read this short article by Education Support that offers advice for improving your workplace relationships.
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Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
Spend some time over the course of the week observing how colleagues interact with one another.
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Consider the key elements that contribute to positive and effective workplace relationships - trust, respect, self-awareness, inclusion and open communication.
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Where can you see evidence of these?
Have you experienced interactions whereby these elements were not present?
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Speak to your mentor/Headteacher about the expectations the school has around effective workplace relationships.
Reflection and Discussion
Now take some time to consider how your develop positive and effective workplace relationships.
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What are your strengths?
Where are there areas that you feel you need further development?
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What might you develop or change with regards to your behaviours and attitudes as a result of your learning this week?
References
Education Support (no date) Advice for Improving Your Workplace relationships. Available at: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/resources/for-individuals/articles/advice-for-improving-your-workplace-relationships/
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Hickman, M. (2019) How to Build Good Relationships at Work. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsWGdDIK6XA
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Indeed (2023) How to Build Good Working Relationships at Work. Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/starting-new-job/how-to-build-good-working-relationships
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MindTools (no date) Building Good Work Relationships. Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/aorqe4z/building-good-work-relationships
Week 3: How to Work Effectively with your TA
This week will focus on considering how to work effectively with your TA. We will explore recent EEF research and guidance 'Making the Best Use of Teaching Assistants' and consider how you can apply this guidance to enhance your practice and ensure your TA has maximum impact on learning and student progress in your classroom.
Teachers' Standards:
Evidence and Research:
Teaching Assistants (TAs) are a key resource a teacher has as part of their pedagogical toolkit. All too often TAs are significantly under, or ineffectively utilised and become an expensive resource that does not provide enough impact.
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The EEF (2021) produced guidance on 'Making the Best Use of TAs'. Take a look at the summary of recommendations they have made, below. You can access the document by click on the image.
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This week, focus on recommendations 2-4. This will support you in effectively using your TA and will have, in turn a greater impact of the learning in your classroom.
The full report can be accessed below. You may find it useful to explore sections 2-4.
A key element to working with your TA is your role in supporting preparation, managing their time within the lesson and providing feedback.
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It is vital that you plan time within your working week to undertake the following:
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Explaining the learning for the day by subject and lesson
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Clearly setting expectations of what you would like your TA to undertake in each lesson and how you wish them to do this. E.g. Would you like them to work with a specific student? What in particular would you like them to do by way of support and challenge for this student?
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How will you gather any relevant information about the student's progress and attainment from your TA?
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It may be that you decide to put time aside on one day a week to look forward to the week ahead or to meet daily to explore the forthcoming day. This is up to you and should be based on what works for you and the TA and the availability you both have.
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Often teachers assume that TAs instinctively know what to do during the lesson. As a result, it is common to see TAs sitting or standing around. Do not assume! Take time whilst sharing your plans to set clear expectations as to what you want to the TA to be doing. You may need to remind them of this during the lesson if you see that your expectations are not being met.
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If TAs are working with individual students, or groups, as a teacher you need to know the progress that the student/s have made in the lesson. You therefore need to gather this information from your TA. This might be through a conversation or alternatively you could devise a simple pro forma for the TA to complete and share with you.
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You may find you can adapt this into a live document that includes the expectations you set for the TA too?
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An example of a pro forma can be found (and adapted) below:
Over a longer period of time, it is important to schedule regular opportunities to feedback with your TA. As a class teacher you are best placed to offer this, whether you are the line manager or not, you have the responsibility to ensure your TA is supported and developed to be able to offer the best possible support that offers impact.
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You might decide to have a feedback session every short term where you discuss the impact they are having on learning, their strengths, areas for development and signposting to professional development and learning opportunities.
Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
From your learning, actively embed this into practice.
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Establish a time whereby you will discuss planning and expectations with your TA and begin to introduce these.
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Share and explain the TA log and try this out.
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Establish a time to meet for a feedback session and establish these in the diary moving forward, explaining to your TA the purpose of these meetings.
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You may find this document useful to share with your TA to support them in developing student independence.
Reflection and Discussion
Take some time to think about how you currently work with your TA.
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Do you meet with them to inform them of the planning for the week/day?
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Do you set clear expectations of what you need the TA to do within each lesson?
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Does your TA feedback to you with regards to student progress and next steps?
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Does your TA have maximum impact on learning?
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Do you regularly feedback to your TA offering areas of strength and areas for development?
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How can you embed the features of the EEF?
References
EEF (2021) Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/teaching-assistants#:~:text=TAs%20should%20aim%20to%20give,they%20are%20unable%20to%20proceed.
Week 4: Working with Other Professionals
This week will focus on working with other professionals. We will consider the range of different professionals teachers and schools work with in order to best support their pupils. We will explore three key tips to effective collaboration with other professionals and introduce the expectations of multi-agency working. We will also consider the 'other professionals' that work within Newingate School and the role they play in supporting the best possible educational and pastoral experience for pupils.
Teachers' Standards:
Evidence and Research:
Take a few moments to watch this short video 'Why do I have to work with other professionals? Here, this features early career teachers/teacher in training.
Consider, as you watch this the different professionals you have or may have to work with.
Read this excerpt from A LinkedIn article by Andrea Solomon-Hutchings (2023) on working with other professionals. The excerpt offers three key pieces of advice when working with other professionals.
"To support student success, collaborating with other professionals is crucial. By working together, all student needs can be met and the best care can be provided. To improve collaboration, here are some helpful tips:
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When working with other professionals, it's important to identify shared goals. For example, if you are a teacher working with a speech therapist, you may both have the shared goal of helping a student improve their communication skills. By identifying and agreeing on these shared goals, everyone involved can work towards the same outcome. This can also help avoid misunderstandings and conflicts that may arise due to differing expectations or priorities.
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Effective communication is also crucial when collaborating with other professionals. For instance, if you are a school counsellor working with a teacher, it's important to clearly communicate your respective roles and responsibilities. This can help prevent misunderstandings and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal. Clear communication can also facilitate a smoother collaboration process and ultimately lead to better outcomes for the student.
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Finally, it's important to respect each other's expertise when working with other professionals. For example, if you are a special education teacher working with a physical therapist, it's essential to acknowledge and appreciate each other's areas of expertise. By working together and supporting each other, you can ensure that the best possible outcomes are achieved for the student. Remember, everyone has something valuable to contribute, and a collaborative effort can achieve great results.
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In summary, it is crucial for professionals to collaborate with one another in order to ensure student success. Through identifying common objectives, communicating effectively, and valuing one another's knowledge and skills, professionals can collaborate to offer the highest quality care and support to students. Keep in mind that effective communication with other professionals is essential for supporting student success." (Solomon-Hutchings, 2023)
The Government offer advice and guidance in their document 'Working Together to Safeguard Children'.
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This is a useful document to bookmark and you may not want to read it all now. However, it is important that you know that this guidance exists.
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Do take a moment to read pages 16-18 - Expectations of Multi-Agency Working.
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Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
Consider the range of other professionals the school works with in order to provide the best possible support for its pupils.
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What role do these agencies have?
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Within your setting you work with a range of professional in order to deliver the best educational experience for your pupils. We have already explored working with your TA. Listen to the podcast below that explores the work of the School Therapist.
Arrange to have a discussion with the school's Speech and Language Therapist to explore their role and how they see their contribution to the learning and development of the pupils within the school.
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Next have a conversation with the School Business Manager. Again consider how this role supports the effective running of the school from the perspective of ensuring the best possible educational and pastoral experience for the pupils.
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Arrange a conversation with the SENCo to explore their role and how they can support you with regards to the specific pupils in your class.
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Finally, explore the role of the DSL, who are the DSLs/Deputy DSLs. What is their role and remit? How do you, and should you engage with them?
Reflection and Discussion
Take some time to reflect upon the various professionals working together to support the pupils at Newingate School.
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What role do they play?
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How do you currently work with them in order to best support the pupils in your class?
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Are there ways that you could enhance this working relationship?
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Who else does the school work with? Do you know about the role these people/organisations play? How might you find out more?
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Note down your thinking and any further questions you have to take to your mentor meeting this week.
References
HM Government (2023) Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65cb4349a7ded0000c79e4e1/Working_together_to_safeguard_children_2023_-_statutory_guidance.pdf
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Solomon-Hutchings, A. (2023) Working with Families and Other Professionals. LinkedIn. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/working-families-other-professionals-andrea-solomon-hutchings-/
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TeacherPrfoessional (2012) Why do I need to Work with other Professional? Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZoNqb3SWQM
Week 5: Working Effectively with Pupils' Parents and Caregivers
This week will focus on developing effective relationships with parents and caregivers. We will explore the importance of developing such relationships and look at EEF guidance and recommendations relating to this along with exploring ideas for you to develop within your practice. We will also identify the barriers to effective parent engagement. You will also develop a plan to increase and develop your engagement with parents and caregivers.
Teachers' Standards:
Evidence and Research:
The Importance of Working with Parents and Carers
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Developing a positive relationship between pupils, parents and school staff is essential for pupils to be able to thrive, flourish and meet their full potential at school (Yates, 2022).
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EEF research (2021) claims that "parents play a crucial role in supporting their children’s learning, and levels of parental engagement are consistently associated with better academic outcomes". The EEF toolkit concludes that where parental engagement is effective, learning gains of +3 months can be evidenced over the course of a year (EEF, 2021).
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However, it is not just academic attainment that is positively affected by effective pupil, parent, school relationships, improvements in attendance and satisfactory problem resolution are also evidenced (Yates, 2022) along with improved behaviour and wellbeing and the increased sense of belonging can be seen (Anna Freud Mentally Healthy School, n.d).
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The EEF (2021) has summarised is research, making four key recommendations. Take a look at these. You can access the full document by clicking on the image below.
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As you read the recommendations begin to consider how these apply to your setting and practice.
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The full guidance report can be accessed below.
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Select one of the four recommendations, perhaps one that chimes with you or that you feel you can influence over, and read this specific section of the guidance.
This short TEDx talk explores the important relationship between parents and teachers.
How you can develop positive working relationships with parents and caregivers
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Having explored the impact of effective parent-school relationships, let's look at how we can begin to develop these.
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The Anna Freud Mentally Health Schools (no date) suggest the following:
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(Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools, no date)
There are things you can do as of today to begin to build effective relationships with the parents and caregivers of the pupils you teach.
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A key to an effective relationship is the development of respect and trust, and this should not be forgotten and be a key focus for you.
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Some ideas you may consider embedded as part of your own practice might include:
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Phoning home to share positive news about a pupil and their achievements
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Sending a monthly/termly short email home highlighting the pupils' achievements and successes as well as their next steps, perhaps including some pictures of their work.
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Ensure you talk to parents as concerns come up to avoid a small concern developing into a big issue!
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Use inclusive and collaborative language in all interactions with parents - for example focus on 'we' rather than 'you' and 'us'. Using 'you' and 'us' suggests there is a divide whereas 'we' suggests that you are all in it together as a collective.
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Making the effort to chat to parents if they are collecting or dropping off at school by being visible at these times.
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At the beginning of each academic year, write to parents to say how like to approach working with them to support the pupils' learning and development, outlining the things that can expect of you and how effective relationships are key to the pupils' success, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
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Where a parent has a concern or is unhappy - ensure you listen before jumping in with a response. Ensure the response is positive and looks to solving the issue rather than defensive.
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Building effective relationships with parents and caregivers is even more important when working with children pupils with SEN.
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An open and fluid dialogue ensures key information can be shared between the school and the parents and parent and the school that ensures the best possible support can be put in place and interventions offered.
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It may be worth discussing with your mentor the key information that you would need to share with parents and that is important parents share with you.
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The challenges and barriers to involving parents and caregivers.
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Despite the evidence highlighting the importance of developing effective relationships with parents, "parental engagement strategies have the risk of increasing attainment gaps" (EEF, 2021).
Often it is the parents from more affluent backgrounds that take the opportunities to engage with their child's school (EEF, 2021) this can therefore lead to inequity, with the pupils of more affluent parents seeing the benefits and the pupils from less affluent backgrounds not accessing these. It is therefore "crucial to consider how parental engagement strategies will engage with all parents" (EEF, 2021). This is something to consider in any planned parental engagement.
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There are some key reasons why parents do not engage, and these may include:
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The work demands of parents leaving them a lack of time to engage with school.
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Physical access to the school, for example if a parent does not drop or collect a pupil they may have less engagement than parents who do this.
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Access to technology can prevent parents from engaging with school information and may lead to a lack of knowledge of what is happening at school for their child.
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Language or literacy barriers may prevent a parent from engaging.
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Negative past experiences of relationships with schools.
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A negative personal educational experience may see parents reluctant to engage with anything related to school.
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Special educational needs or disabilities can also be barriers to parental involvement.
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When considering developing relationships with parents, consider how the above may be barriers to how successful this may be and consider how you may reduce or remove such barriers.
Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
Drawing on your learning, create a plan for your own engagement with parents and caregivers.
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As a class teacher, what will be your approach and strategy?
How will you communicate this to parents and caregivers?
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Once you have a plan, begin to put this plan into place, in preparation for September and your new class.
Reflection and Discussion
Using the EEF (2021) Summary of Recommendations that you explored in the evidence and research section, reflect upon how you are applying these recommendations within your own practice. Consider the following questions in relation to this:
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Have you developed effective working relationships with parents and caregivers?
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What elements of good practice have you embedded? What has the impact of this been?
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What do you need to develop and embed further?
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Consider how your school is aligning with the EEF (2021) recommendations. This is something you can discuss with your mentor at your weekly mentor meeting.
References
Anna Freud Mentally Health Schools (no date) Parent/Carer Engagement. Available at: https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/whole-school-approach/parentcarer-engagement/
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EEF (2021) Parental Engagement. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/teaching-learning-toolkit/parental-engagement
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EEF (2021) Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning. Available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/supporting-parents
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EEF (2021) Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning - Summary of Recommendations. Available at: https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/production/eef-guidance-reports/supporting-parents/EEF_Parental_Engagement_Summary_of_recommendations.pdf?v=1717147954
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EEF (2021) Working with Parents to Support Children's Learning - Guidance Report. Available at: https://d2tic4wvo1iusb.cloudfront.net/production/eef-guidance-reports/supporting-parents/EEF_Parental_Engagement_Guidance_Report.pdf?v=1717147954
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Hall, M. (2014) Building Relationship Between Parents and Teachers. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kin2OdchKMQ
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Yates, D. (2022) 16 Tips for Effective Collaboration with Parents and Carers - including those with DME children. NACE 2022. Available at:https://www.nace.co.uk/blogpost/1764177/467040/16-tips-for-effective-collaboration-with-parents-and-carers--including-those-with-DME-children
Week 6: Looking After Yourself
This week will focus on managing teacher workload and developing positive wellbeing. We will highlight the challenges faced by the teaching profession with regards to attrition linked to wellbeing and workload before considering how we can begin to more effectively manage our workload. We will then acknowledge the responsibility teachers have in managing their own wellbeing before exploring useful approaches to help achieve this. You will have time to consider current approaches in your setting before reflecting on your own wellbeing and self-care and consider how you may plan for positive workload and wellbeing for the next academic year.
Teachers' Standards:
Evidence and Research:
The Challenge
It is well documented how the teaching profession suffer from poor wellbeing and high workload, which is linked to high level of attrition from the profession. The recent Teacher Workforce Report (Gov.UK, 2024) states how teacher vacancies have risen and continue to rise and the number of temporary filled post have also risen, despite more teachers being recruited to the profession. To add to the workforce issue, the Government has failed to reach its ITT targets for the past 10 years (Clarke, 2024).
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It is not uncommon to read headlines such as:
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(Carden & Bethune, 2022)
Many report excessive workloads and poor wellbeing as leading to the challenges with teacher retention.
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Each year Education Support produce a Teacher Wellbeing Index Report. Take a few moment to read the key headlines:
Ways to Manage Workload
With such challenges facing the profession, it is important to consider ways to manage your workload as a teacher to ensure that teaching is a sustainable and rewarding career.
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The snippet from a blog published by Deb Bond the University of Cumbria (n.d) suggests some ways that workload can be managed:
There are two clear messages here:
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1. Be strategic in how you approach feedback. Do not feel that you have to constantly be offering written feedback on work completed in class. In fact, offering oral feedback in real time does not only support your workload but benefits pupil learning too!
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2. Be collaborative. Share resources and seek support with planning. It is important you are aware of the support you can access from your colleagues, as well as the ideas and resources that may already exist. All too often teachers spend hours reinventing the wheel when there are already resources that exist. If this is not the case within your own setting, consider exploring your wider networks as well as online sources such as TES.
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The DfE published a short video 'Reasons to Reduce Teacher Workload'. Take a minute to watch this.
You might find this video, where a teacher offers their ideas for managing workload useful:
Maintaining Positive Wellbeing
"Although the culture and ethos of a school will have a significant impact on teacher wellbeing, there is no doubt that teachers also need to take responsibility for their own wellbeing and self-care" (Carden & Bethune, 2022).
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Take a moment to read this short blog by Nic Owen who captures this message:
"To prioritise your wellbeing simply means that you do small regular things each day that support your wellbeing, that you give priority to. This starts from the moment you wake up, carries on throughout each moment of your day, until you go to bed. And the small things really do matter, from ensuring you have time to eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning, to taking a short stroll at lunchtime to get some fresh air and to clear your head from the morning. Psychologist, Tal Ben Shahar, argues that ‘small changes, consistently applied’ can add up to have a large and positive effect on our wellbeing (Shahar, 2021)" (in Carden & Bethune, 2022)
The following provides some ideas for supporting self-care and wellbeing.
(adapted from Carden & Bethune, 2022)
Application and Exploration of Practice and Setting:
Consider ways in which your setting support staff workload and wellbeing.
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You might want to have a chat with a senior leader as well as a colleague to gain their perspectives and insights.
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Take a moment to note down the greatest challenges you face currently with your workload and then the same for your wellbeing. Take these to your mentor this week to discuss and to gain advice on.
Reflection and Discussion
This is a perfect point in the year to stop and reflect upon your workload and wellbeing. Considering how you managed both this year and what you aspire to attaining next year will help you to develop strategies to manage both workload and wellbeing.
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Firstly, we will reflect upon your work-life harmony.
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Take a moment to read about a tool often used in coaching called 'The Wheel of Life'. This short article explains how to use the Wheel of Life.
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Now complete your Wheel of Life by accessing the template here.
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Ensure you identify some strategies that you will start to do or put in place and if needed some things you will stop doing.
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Take this to discuss with your mentor at your weekly mentor meeting.
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You may want to continue to reflect on this over the summer.
References
Bond, D. (no date) How to Manage a Teacher's Workload. University of Cumbria. Available at: https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/blog/articles/how-to-manage-a-teachers-workload.html
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Broken Chalk (2024) How I Manage my Teacher Workload. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vi_mh7GQIrc
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Carden, C. and Bethune, A. (2022) Teacher Wellbeing: are doughnuts in the staffroom enough? in Carden, C. (2022) Primary Teaching: learning and teaching in primary schools today. London. Learning Matters.
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Clarke, H. (2024) Would a 1.40pm Friday finish stop teachers quitting? BBC News 6 June 2024. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clddn31v26ro
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DfE (2023) Five Benefits of Reducing Teacher Workload. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfiA9V_kDDY
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Education Support (2023) Teacher Wellbeing Index 2023. Available at: https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/media/0h4jd5pt/twix_2023.pdf
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GOV.UK (2024) School Workforce Report - Reporting Year 2023. Available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england#dataBlock-a42dc3e0-b525-491c-854e-62395bac06e3-tables
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MindTools (no date) The Wheel of Life. Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/ak6jd6w/the-wheel-of-life
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Owen, N. (2021) I am in Charge of my Own Wellbeing: I need to Look After Me! Bowden Education. Available at:https://www.bowdeneducation.org/post/i-am-in-charge-of-my-own-wellbeing-i-need-to-look-after-me