Supervising Teachers – Requirements and Responsibilities
We are always looking for quality, passionate and highly skilled teachers to supervise our UQ preservice teachers.
The supervising teacher plays a key role in the professional preparation of future teaching colleagues by offering close tutorial assistance, support and evaluative advice over the professional experience period.
Click here to register your interest in supervising a UQ preservice teacher.
We are looking for supervising teachers who:
- Have at least 2 to 3 years of teaching experience and must have full teacher registration status through the Queensland College of Teachers
- Are recommended/identified as a suitable mentor by the Principal/Deputy Principal/Head of Department/Lead Teacher
- Have a genuine interest in helping to support, guide and mentor preservice teachers
- Understand and appreciate that working with preservice teachers is a mutually beneficial experience
- Are able to liaise with our UQ Professional Experience Facilitators in the interests of improving the performance of our preservice teachers
Roles and responsibilities of a supervising teacher:
We request that supervising teachers offer the following guidance to preservice teachers. This statement is based on the Agreement on Teaching Practice negotiated by the Teachers’ Unions and Universities.
- During the first day of the placement, discuss an appropriate pattern of observations and teaching with the preservice teacher.
- Provide guidance on school policies and procedures particularly OH&S and Child Protection policies
- Provide the preservice teacher with copies of, or access to the relevant portions of the school work program or planning documents, and with details of teaching topics, timetables and resources. This enables preparation in advance of lessons and or units or sequences of lessons.
- Advise the preservice teacher on planning a sequence of lessons and learning experiences appropriate to the age, ability and motivational levels of the class, and to the stage of development of the preservice teacher.
- Peruse any preservice teacher’s lesson or unit plans before the lesson or unit, and provide any help that seems appropriate. Preservice teachers should not teach any lesson unless the written plan has been submitted to the supervising teacher for review prior to the implementation of the lesson.
- Comment on lessons given, verbally and/or by means of written comments on the lesson plan. The performance indicators set out in the Evaluation report for the placement should be used to provide formative evaluation.
- Provide guidance on class management procedures and on the broader school policies and procedures.
- Provide a wide range of observation situations.
- Discuss class evaluation (feedback) and assessment procedures with the preservice teacher.
- Foster a ‘co-teacher’ or ‘teaching colleague’ or ‘mentoring’ relationship with the preservice teacher.
- Provide guidance on overall development as a teacher.
How we support supervising teachers:
Schools and teachers play an integral role in the professional experience and therefore the School of Education recognises and acknowledges the importance of providing ongoing support and professional development to the school site coordinators and supervising teachers that host and supervise our preservice teachers. The supervising teacher/preservice teacher relationship has the potential to be mutually beneficial and as such there are a number of resources, documents and programs that are available to best support and facilitate this effective partnership. Support materials are available through the School of Education, the Queensland College of Teachers and the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership. We also offer a number of academic programs for educators and educational support staff.
