Professional experience is a key component of initial teacher education programs. As a supervisor of pre-service teachers, you have an important role to play in their development. This supervisory role is also an opportunity for your professional growth.

Supervisors need to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide the best possible supervision.

To support the development of excellence, staff members supervising professional experience in all schools will have undertaken relevant professional learning to underpin their knowledge and skills.

The Supervising pre-service teachers has been developed and made available by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) to guide your professional development.

The AITSL Supervising Pre-service Teachers Module 2, Practice Analysis, is focused on building productive relationships, observation and feedback. This no-cost module is available online and takes a maximum of 3 ½ registered hours with NESA. Undertaking it with other staff (or with pre-service teachers) is a better collegial exercise that produces more discussion and exchange of concepts, methods and approaches.

How do you become a supervising teacher?

1. Discuss the opportunity of becoming a supervising teacher with your principal. Your principal can then respond to requests from initial teacher education providers with knowledge of your request.
2. If you have not already done so, plan to undertake professional learning about working with pre-service teachers and include this in your Personal Development Plan (PDP).
3. Complete professional learning related to supervising pre-service teachers, either:

• the AITSL Supervising Preservice Teachers Program – the minimum requirement is Practice Analysis Module 2 which can contribute towards your maintenance of accreditation hours or:
• an alternative NESA approved professional learning on being a supervising teacher which may be offered at your school or through a teacher education provider.