APST 6: Engage in Professional Learning.

Summary:

• What does this standard mean?
• What does meeting this standard look like?
• What evidence can I collect to show that I’m meeting this standard?

The sixth of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is to engage in professional learning. This standard is about continuously improving practice by seeking out professional learning opportunities and applying what you have learnt in the classroom.

See more: Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Terminology Explained

What does this standard mean?

This standard has four descriptors:

• Identify and plan professional learning needs.
• Engage in professional learning and improve practice.
• Engage with colleagues and improve practice.
• Apply professional learning and improve student learning.

These descriptors cover identifying what areas you might want to learn more about, engaging with that learning, sharing your learning with your colleagues and then implementing it to improve your teaching practice.

What does meeting this standard look like?

At the Graduate level, teachers are expected to identify areas of their practice that they would like to improve and undertake professional learning to improve them. At this level, teachers only need to worry about improving their own practice and identifying their own personal learning needs.

At higher levels, teachers are expected to identify opportunities for them as well as their colleagues to grow. At these higher levels, it is expected that teachers will have a broader impact on their school as opposed to just developing their own practice. Teachers at this level should begin focusing on whole-school initiatives and change.

What evidence can I collect to show that I’m meeting this standard?

There are a number of different types of evidence that you can collect for this standard:

• Professional learning certificates.
• Notes that you have taken during professional learning events/opportunities.
• Minutes of meetings where you have shared your professional learning with colleagues, including any PowerPoint slides etc. that you have used.
• Unit and lesson plans where you have annotated the changes that you have made in response to your professional learning.

See more: How to Present a Great Professional Learning Workshop

Learn about the other Australian Professional Standards for Teachers:

1. Know students and how they learn.
2. Know the content and how to teach it.
3. Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning.
4. Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments.
5. Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning.
6. Engage in professional learning.
7. Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community.