3rd Year Undergraduate or 1st Year Master of Teaching

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REPORT 2018

Student ID
Pre-service Teacher Charlotte Nixon 2168038

School Ouyen P-12 College

Name: Year Level
Mentor Teacher(s) Dawn Geary Foundation/One

School Co-ordinator Ms Shelley Kay

Liaison Coordinator
University Jennifer Frances

Teaching Days 5 introductory days + 20 day block 25 days

CONTEXT Please add brief context statements about the school and class:
School sector; size and composition of campus (R-12, Area, Primary); particular
features or unique characteristics; index of disadvantage.
Ouyen P-12 College is situated in a rural township of approximately 1,400
people in North -Western Victoria. There is a large farming community
surrounding the township. Situated in a dryland farming area the school has
approximately 228 students ranging from Foundation to Year 12. The school is
classified as remote and disadvantaged at 0.5154. About one quarter of the
students live on farms and travel by bus each day.

Class (including children with special needs)

The class is made up of eight Foundation students and sixteen Year One
students. The class has one severely disabled student who attends part time
and is fully aided. There are two students who are from disadvantaged
backgrounds and require extra support, we have applied for funding but at this
stage they are not funded. Two of the students have severe speech difficulties
and attend regular speech therapy. Five students are deemed above expected
level in Literacy and are on Individual Learning Plans. There are two teachers
for the two hour literacy block five days per week and the one hour maths block
four days a week. For other KLA’s the two groups are together. There is one
aide who assists with Guided Reading Groups, a language program for six of
the students and a Pre-Lit Program for four students, three times per week. We
are supported by a specialist for Art, Science, Music and P.E.
ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
Please place an ‘X’ at the point along each continuum that best represents the development of the pre-service teacher
towards each of the standards at this time.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Standard 1 Know students and how they learn

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 2 Know the content and how to teach it

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Standard 3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 4 Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 5 Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Standard 6 Engage in professional learning

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 7 Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

I I x I
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate
SUMMARY STATEMENTS (You may choose to comment on both personal and professional characteristics)
School Coordinator/Principal
It has been a pleasure to have Charlotte complete her placement at our College. She
has demonstrated enthusiasm, professionalism and respect in her interactions with
students, staff and the wider school community. Charlotte has a lovely manner with
the children and has developed positive relationships with a range of children. She
shows initiative and seeks feedback, which she then acts on. Her skills in the
classroom have developed during her placement and she is organised and
competent. Charlotte has been fully involved in every aspect of school life and during
her placement has been a valued member of our staff and school community.

Name: Shelley Kay Date: 8:08:18

University Liaison
NB: My comments are based on conversations and written documentation only.
Given that this placement was in Victoria, I was unable to observe Charlotte in the
classroom. However, I am confident that her placement was successful and
completed with professional finesse.
My interactions with Charlotte demonstrated that she brings an aware, committed
and enthusiastic professionalism to her teaching role and is intentional about
applying and meeting the APST.
Her lesson planning is thorough, reflecting a developing knowledge of the
Australian Curriculum and related pedagogies. Charlotte was also aware of local
curriculum and planning priorities and addressing these, given that her placement
was interstate.
Charlotte is a reflective practitioner, identifying her strengths and pathways forward
in meeting the challenges typically faced by pre-service and early career teachers.
This was evident through her interim report and conversations about her progress.
Her mentor teacher and school colleagues clearly developed respectful
professional relationships with her. Charlotte is committed to being involved in all
aspects of school life and is enthusiastic about the role of the school in the local
community and their particular connectedness in country settings.
I believe that Charlotte is well placed to move into her final placement next year.

Name: Kerry Hugo Date: 10/9/2018

SUMMARY STATEMENT(S) (May be used as a referee statement)
Mentor

RE: Charlotte Nixon

Professional Knowledge
Charlotte has a sound understanding of how students learn. She quickly became
familiar with the various students and their learning needs. She was willing to listen
to and observe students. She sought advice on various students and was then able
to adapt and cater for their needs. E.g. Noah who is working at ABLES Level B and
C. Charlotte adapted her expectations so that he could achieve by drawing and
tracing letters instead of writing sentences. She understood that young students
need visual support, modelled strategies and constant feedback and reassurance.
Charlotte willingly stepped into any situation that arose within the school, including
staff meetings, yard duties, planning meetings, an excursion, special days,
assemblies, cultural performances and Professional Development sessions.
She showed interest in the various programs and resources the school offers such
as The Walker Learning-Play Based Curriculum which we are currently trialling. She
sought advice and adapted her lessons successfully to improve as her unit of work
on Information Reports progressed. She also gained insight into the English KLA as
we are currently updating our topic schedule in line with the Victorian Curriculum.
She taught several maths topics over her four week teaching period and was
comfortable and successful in developing the sequence of learning, adapting it for
higher and lower students and incorporating assessment tasks. She employed “brain
breaks’, partner and group activities, games, support for independent tasks and
reflection opportunities in her daily lessons. She readily and confidently stepped in to
assist during interruptions to the daily routine.
Professional Practice
Charlotte’s practical and sensible approach to situations that arose while she was
teaching and helping in the classroom was noted. She had a lovely manner with the
students who quickly adapted to her and willingly sought her assistance. She was
comfortable and confident with parents who regularly pop in to the class when
bringing their children to and from school. When teaching she was able to maintain
control of learning and quickly recognised and dealt with distractions.
Professional Engagement
Charlotte attended two full days of Professional Development due to her placement
falling in the timeframe where a Cluster Day and an In-School PD day were held.
Due to our remote situation, Ouyen and five schools within a 200km radius hold
several cluster days per year. Charlotte was involved in one such day at the start of
the term. She attended a full morning session on the V.C.O.P Writing Program and
an afternoon on The Beginning Teacher. Run by Kate Roach from the Country
Education Project. Charlotte was also present for a full day whole school PD. She
attended sessions on planning English Curriculum Assessment Task. The Walker
Play Based Approach to Learning. The Fountas and Pinnell Reading Program and
The S.T.E.M Program. Charlotte observed and then taught Guided Reading Groups.
She set up displays and lists of academic vocabulary for the Unit on Farms

Written by: Dawn Geary Date: 10/8/2018

 SUMMARY ASSESSMENT (To be agreed by the School Coordinator and the University Liaison)

In our opinion Charlotte Nixon

(Please click on appropriate box below)

☒ has, on balance, attained the level of ‘emerging’ against the Flinders standards for pre-service
teachers and is ready to progress to the final professional experience.

☐ has not attained the overall level of ‘emerging’ against the Flinders standards for pre-service
teachers and is not ready to undertake the final professional experience.

NOTES FOR COMPLETING THIS REPORT

The pre-service teacher may wish to submit this report with an application for employment. Please avoid the use of
acronyms as student reports are often viewed by interstate and international employers who are not always familiar with
South Australian nomenclature.

Please keep an electronic copy of this report and submit the report to the University Liaison.
Please DO NOT give a copy of this to the student as the report needs to be certified by the University.

Please submit the completed report within 2 weeks of completion of Professional Experience placement.

If this is not possible then please email it directly to: primaryprofexp@flinders.edu.au