University of Tasmania, Australia

The colleague teacher is a qualified, registered teacher with a degree in education. The colleague teacher is a critical member of the supervision team and thus the quality of the supervision and support provided is significant in the professional growth of the pre-service teacher.

The responsibilities of the colleague teacher are outlined below.  They must:

• Model best practice in planning, teaching and assessment

• Act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights and privileges of the pre-service teacher with special reference to excellence in performance and freedom of expression

• Do not engage in a physical relationships with pre-service teachers

• Meet with pre-service teachers prior to the Professional Experience

• Become familiar with the expectations for pre-service teachers on Professional Experience

• Introduce the pre-service teacher to all teaching and support staff

• Provide advice and leadership regarding school procedures and protocols (including areas such as dress protocols; behaviour support procedures; responsibilities related to the overall operation of the school)

• Supervise all pre-service teacher's lessons

• Expect to see and review written lesson plans daily

• Expect pre-service teachers to write and discuss constructive self evaluations concerning their professional learning and development

• Provide constructive oral and written feedback regularly to pre-service teachers on their teaching performance with specific guidelines for improvement

• Provide constructive and collegial support to pre-service teachers

• Retain legal responsibility for the class at all times when a pre-service teacher is in attendance

• Consult with the pre-service teacher's Professional Experience Leader and /or Professional Experience Mentor as required

• Sign the leave of absence form for the pre-service teacher on the day he/she returns to the educational site following any absences and assist the pre-service teacher to fax this form to the Professional Experience Office

• At the end of the Professional Experience placement, if days have been missed, negotiate suitable times for completion of the allocated days with the pre-service teacher within a reasonable time-frame. After the pre-service teacher has completed the details on the negotiated days following absence form sign the form so the pre-service teacher can forward it to the Professional Experience Office before he/she commences these days

• Grade/evaluate the pre-service teacher on factors related to performance, effort, and level of achievement. Respond promptly to emerging problems with a pre-service teacher's teaching performance

• Provide a written interim and/or a final report for the pre-service teacher against the Professional Experience Assessment criteria

• In conjunction with the School Principal, exercise the right to terminate a placement if it is judged to be damaging to the welfare of pupils or the school

• Claim supervisory allowance using the required UTAS forms and procedures. Claim forms must be accompanied by a completed assessment report.