Professional experiences – Teacher education

Professional experience, that is school or early childhood centre-based professional learning, is at the heart of all the faculty’s pre-service teacher education pathways. Guided by both Cooperating Teachers and the faculty’s Tertiary Mentors, pre-service teachers working in a range of schools and early childhood centres are mentored to build capacity in the practice of teaching, and to develop deep understandings of educational contexts, the practices of teaching and students. Placements are commonly in blocks across a diverse range of sites, augmented by additional dispersed day observation programs and longer more independent teaching experiences within internships. For primary and secondary pre-service teacher education, the faculty’s professional experience programs are aligned with Professional Teaching Standards for the Graduate Teacher which in 2012 are those of the NSW Institute of Teachers.

From 2013 there will be a framework of national standards.

The faculty is continually building and sustaining partnerships with schools and centres that offer professional experience placements. Professional learning opportunities are offered to teachers to strengthen their capacity to effectively mentor our pre-service teachers.

Detailed information about the specific professional experience programs relevant to a particular degree can be found under the menu items listed on the left of this page. Additionally, handbooks for various programs are available on this web-site.