What does this descriptor look like at different levels?
Identify and plan professional learning needs is the first descriptor of the sixth standard of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
See more: Australian Professional Standards for Teachers Terminology Explained
Graduate
What does it look like?
At the Graduate level, teachers are expected to develop foundational skills in identifying and planning their professional learning needs, recognising areas for growth in their teaching practice.
As a Graduate teacher, you understand the importance of continuous professional development to enhance your teaching skills. Your focus should be on self-reflection and seeking feedback from mentors or colleagues to identify areas where you can improve. While you may have limited teaching experience, you must demonstrate your willingness to engage in professional learning and develop a plan to address your learning needs.
What evidence can I collect?
To provide evidence for this descriptor, you can showcase:
- Professional development plan: Develop a plan outlining your identified learning needs and the steps you will take to address them.
- Reflections on practice: Write reflective notes on your teaching experiences and areas where you feel you can benefit from further professional development.
- Feedback from mentors or colleagues: Include feedback you have received from mentors or colleagues regarding areas where you can grow and improve.
See more: 7 Ways to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Mentor Teacher on your Teaching Placement.
Proficient
What does it look like?
At the Proficient level, teachers are expected to effectively identify and plan their professional learning needs, proactively seeking opportunities to enhance their teaching practice.
As a Proficient teacher, you have developed the ability to take a proactive approach to your professional development. You actively seek opportunities for growth and self-improvement, engaging in various forms of professional learning to enhance your teaching practice.
What evidence can I collect?
To demonstrate proficiency in identifying and planning professional learning needs, you can present evidence such as:
- Evidence of professional learning activities: Showcase your participation in workshops, courses, conferences, or other forms of professional development.
- Professional growth outcomes: Provide examples of how your professional learning experiences have positively influenced your teaching practice.
- Collaboration with colleagues: Demonstrate how you collaborate with colleagues to identify and address professional learning needs as a team.
See more: Engagement: How do we know if our students are learning?
Highly Accomplished
What does it look like?
At the Highly Accomplished level, teachers are expected to lead and drive a whole-school approach to identifying and planning professional learning needs, collaborating with colleagues to improve teaching practices collectively.
As a Highly Accomplished teacher, you go beyond individual professional development to lead efforts in creating a school-wide culture of continuous improvement. You collaborate with colleagues to identify and address professional learning needs at a whole-school level, fostering a supportive and growth-oriented environment.
What evidence can I collect?
To showcase your highly accomplished level of identifying and planning professional learning needs, consider the following evidence:
- Whole-school professional learning initiatives: Provide documentation of your involvement in developing and implementing whole-school professional development programs or initiatives.
- Collaboration projects: Showcase initiatives or projects where you worked with colleagues to improve teaching practices across the school.
- Professional learning outcomes for colleagues: Present examples of how your collaborative efforts have positively impacted the teaching practice of colleagues.
See more: Is it Worth Becoming a Highly Accomplished Teacher?
Lead
What does it look like?
At the Lead level, teachers are expected to drive systemic approaches to identifying and planning professional learning needs, collaborating with school leaders to ensure comprehensive and targeted professional development opportunities.
As a Lead Teacher, your focus is on systemic change and creating a cohesive approach to identifying and planning professional learning needs that involves all stakeholders. You collaborate with school leaders and colleagues to develop comprehensive professional development frameworks that align with educational goals and support teacher excellence.
What evidence can I collect?
To demonstrate your leadership in identifying and planning professional learning needs, gather the following evidence:
- School-wide professional development policy: Provide documentation of your contributions to the development and implementation of a school-wide professional development policy or framework.
- Collaborative partnerships: Showcase instances where you collaborated with school leaders and colleagues to ensure comprehensive and targeted professional development opportunities for all staff.
- Impact assessment: Present evidence of how your efforts have positively influenced teacher learning outcomes and contributed to a culture of continuous improvement through effective professional development.