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U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n Q u e e n s l a n d

www.usq.edu.au

Assessing the Assessing the assessorsassessors

How mentor teachers How mentor teachers assess practical assess practical

experienceexperienceAlison ManderAlison Mander

[email protected]@usq.edu.au

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n Q u e e n s l a n dU n i v e r s i t y o f S o u t h e r n Q u e e n s l a n d

background to issues in background to issues in professional experience – professional experience – the the structural issuesstructural issuesOld programOld program• Pass/Fail/Result withheld – discretion for additional Pass/Fail/Result withheld – discretion for additional

experienceexperience• Provided Course information booklets to detail Provided Course information booklets to detail

requirements and liaison personnel to assistrequirements and liaison personnel to assist

New programNew program• Graded 1-3, level 4 unsatisfactory/ RW Course Graded 1-3, level 4 unsatisfactory/ RW Course

information booklets detail requirements and liaison information booklets detail requirements and liaison personnel to assistpersonnel to assist

• Specific Specific scope and sequencescope and sequence grid provided – grid provided – graduated demonstration of knowledge, skills and graduated demonstration of knowledge, skills and dispositionsdispositions


Issues of assessmentIssues of assessment

• Mentor teacher judgement – what is this Mentor teacher judgement – what is this decision making based on?decision making based on?

• Implications of the variety of professional Implications of the variety of professional experience sites impacting on studentsexperience sites impacting on students

• Large range of mentor teachers’ experience Large range of mentor teachers’ experience in rolein role

• Various ways mentors are recruited in sitesVarious ways mentors are recruited in sites• Difficulty of course examiner maintaining Difficulty of course examiner maintaining

accountability, reliability and validity in accountability, reliability and validity in experiences for all studentsexperiences for all students

• Do we all agree about skills in teaching?Do we all agree about skills in teaching?


Some inherent tensionsSome inherent tensions

• ‘‘Mentoring’ versus the ‘assessment’ Mentoring’ versus the ‘assessment’ rolerole

• Apprenticeship model versus the Apprenticeship model versus the collective professional learning / collective professional learning / support modelsupport model

• ‘‘Payment’ versus the contribution to Payment’ versus the contribution to the profession positionthe profession position

• ‘‘Gate keepers’ of the profession or Gate keepers’ of the profession or professionals who can professionals who can dialoguedialogue about about their work and their thinkingtheir work and their thinking


Students say …Students say …

• ‘‘Prac was the best time in my whole Prac was the best time in my whole degree’degree’

• ‘‘I wish prac started earlier and we did I wish prac started earlier and we did less theory in lectures. I learned more less theory in lectures. I learned more on prac’on prac’

• ‘‘Prac confirmed for me I wanted to be Prac confirmed for me I wanted to be a teacher’a teacher’

• ‘‘I love interacting with the kids’I love interacting with the kids’• ‘‘Prac showed me I can make a Prac showed me I can make a

difference’difference’


The students The students also sayalso say … …• ‘‘My mentor is scary – she won’t listen to My mentor is scary – she won’t listen to

anything I say… She just walked out of the anything I say… She just walked out of the staff room without saying what I should do. staff room without saying what I should do. I had to run after her’I had to run after her’

• ‘‘She said she wants me to experience She said she wants me to experience teaching, as it is. I find her attitudes all so teaching, as it is. I find her attitudes all so negative. She yells’negative. She yells’

• ‘‘My teacher is so slack, he hasn’t opened My teacher is so slack, he hasn’t opened the booklet yet, he’s got no idea what I have the booklet yet, he’s got no idea what I have to do’to do’

• ““I hate it when she says things like, ‘why do I hate it when she says things like, ‘why do you want to get into teaching – get out you want to get into teaching – get out now’”now’”


On the wholeOn the whole• For MostFor Most students, professional students, professional

experience runs smoothlyexperience runs smoothly• MostMost mentor teachers do a great job mentor teachers do a great job

well beyond their remitwell beyond their remit• MostMost students experience a good students experience a good

range of school sites and different range of school sites and different age groups over their degree, and age groups over their degree, and gain professionally from this varietygain professionally from this variety

• MostMost students return from students return from professional experience, excited, professional experience, excited, keen and empowered, with great keen and empowered, with great stories to begin to engage their stories to begin to engage their thinking and hone their practicesthinking and hone their practices


The new paradigmThe new paradigm• Scope and sequence detailed in Scope and sequence detailed in

bookletsbooklets• Graded results from mentors to Graded results from mentors to

examinerexaminer• Difficulty of comparison / levelling of Difficulty of comparison / levelling of

resultsresults• Employing authority (EQ) ratings Employing authority (EQ) ratings

systemsystem• Pressure on universities to grade Pressure on universities to grade

practical experiencespractical experiences

? Trustworthiness of these results?? Trustworthiness of these results?


Pilot study - methodPilot study - method• Collated student graded results for Collated student graded results for

two semesters (4 courses)two semesters (4 courses)• Compared these to detailed written Compared these to detailed written

feedback from mentors and liaisonfeedback from mentors and liaison• Compared these gradings directly Compared these gradings directly

with other student profile data from with other student profile data from courses (expectations align?)courses (expectations align?)

• Interviewed groups of students about Interviewed groups of students about their experience to see what they their experience to see what they valuedvalued

• Interviewed their mentor teachers, Interviewed their mentor teachers, liaison and school coordinatorsliaison and school coordinators


Some initial findingsSome initial findings• Student resultsStudent results varied depending on varied depending on

the site and the mentor. Good the site and the mentor. Good students got good results, but often students got good results, but often at level two.at level two.

• Some mentors were loathe to give Some mentors were loathe to give level one especially in early level one especially in early experiences (they can’t be a one!)experiences (they can’t be a one!)

• Some mentors believed in positive Some mentors believed in positive support and gave inflated results and support and gave inflated results and commentscomments

• Inability to fail students- supportiveInability to fail students- supportive


The The interpersonal issuesinterpersonal issues

• Personal relationships between student and Personal relationships between student and mentor clearly influenced grades givenmentor clearly influenced grades given

• This advantaged some studentsThis advantaged some students• Initial early perceptions of students Initial early perceptions of students

impacted on mentors beliefs about abilitiesimpacted on mentors beliefs about abilities• This exaggerated with-in school, and This exaggerated with-in school, and

between school, variationsbetween school, variations• No clear direct correlation exists between No clear direct correlation exists between

gradings and written commentsgradings and written comments


The The Professional IssuesProfessional Issues

Professional Standards for Teachers – Professional Standards for Teachers – underpinningunderpinning

• Faculty of Education course Faculty of Education course objectivesobjectives

• Queensland College of TeachersQueensland College of Teachers• Education QueenslandEducation Queensland• USQ Graduate AttributesUSQ Graduate Attributes• And the personal; what mentors And the personal; what mentors

believe is important for teachers – believe is important for teachers – their own biography influencestheir own biography influences


Some VignettesSome VignettesWith-inWith-in school differencesschool differences (TEA 2204) (TEA 2204)• One student said," Kris gets to go to One student said," Kris gets to go to

lots of different classes to observe. lots of different classes to observe. His teacher is relaxed about that and His teacher is relaxed about that and he’s done swimming and other he’s done swimming and other excursions. My mentor won’t let me excursions. My mentor won’t let me go anywhere. I’ve to sit at the back of go anywhere. I’ve to sit at the back of the class and watch, and then says the class and watch, and then says she can’t assess me till I’ve taught she can’t assess me till I’ve taught something. She won’t help me as she something. She won’t help me as she says she doesn’t believe in planning”says she doesn’t believe in planning”


A Level One - TEA 4204A Level One - TEA 4204InconsistenciesInconsistencies - A Mentor teacher report - A Mentor teacher report

said:said:• ““Donna worked through a long term plan Donna worked through a long term plan

with the unit overviews supplied”with the unit overviews supplied”• ““With further practice Donna may be With further practice Donna may be

more confident to introduce different more confident to introduce different resources, media and technology” resources, media and technology” (Course Examiners are the enemy?)(Course Examiners are the enemy?)

• Compare this with a student in this same Compare this with a student in this same class also on level one …class also on level one …


Level One – TEA 4204Level One – TEA 4204• ““Sarah’s planning has been excellent! Great Sarah’s planning has been excellent! Great

effort and creativity can be witnessed in her effort and creativity can be witnessed in her medium and short term planning. Her major medium and short term planning. Her major strength has been her personal reflection of strength has been her personal reflection of lessons taught. At all times she has lessons taught. At all times she has implemented appropriate technologies to implemented appropriate technologies to enhance her engaging lessons. Sarah is a enhance her engaging lessons. Sarah is a wonderful communicator. This is supported wonderful communicator. This is supported by her excellent vocal and body language by her excellent vocal and body language techniques …”techniques …”


Same context - same student – Same context - same student – two resultstwo resultsLevel OneLevel One• Renee needs to be more punctual but Renee needs to be more punctual but

always finished on time. She plans well but always finished on time. She plans well but needs to remember that her planning is for needs to remember that her planning is for her and to follow ither and to follow it

Level ThreeLevel Three• Renee never hesitated to participate in Renee never hesitated to participate in

school activities beyond core hours. She school activities beyond core hours. She developed a great relationship with the developed a great relationship with the children and showed interest and value in children and showed interest and value in all aspects of her engagement with themall aspects of her engagement with them

Different teachers, one who believes a ‘three’ is quite Different teachers, one who believes a ‘three’ is quite satisfactory, the other that the student needs satisfactory, the other that the student needs encouragement by giving a ‘one’ despite issuesencouragement by giving a ‘one’ despite issues


A school decision TEA2204A school decision TEA2204• Three students at one school all Three students at one school all

received level 3 – satisfactory (all received level 3 – satisfactory (all other students got access to the full other students got access to the full range of grades)range of grades)

• “ “ In this experience, we don’t feel that In this experience, we don’t feel that we can give anyone more than a we can give anyone more than a satisfactory”satisfactory”

• Teachers didn’t take the time to Teachers didn’t take the time to discriminate, or to provide a variety of discriminate, or to provide a variety of activities from which they could activities from which they could reasonably observe the students reasonably observe the students demonstrate their capacities – demonstrate their capacities –

fairness? comparability? who is in control of fairness? comparability? who is in control of results?results?


The Fourth Year failure!The Fourth Year failure!• Bob managed to get successfully through three Bob managed to get successfully through three

professional experiences, two of which required professional experiences, two of which required additional weeks to achieve competency. On each additional weeks to achieve competency. On each occasion, the school was encouraged to fail him by USQ, occasion, the school was encouraged to fail him by USQ, but couldn’t do it. "We'll get him through!” (Teachers but couldn’t do it. "We'll get him through!” (Teachers don’t like having failures)don’t like having failures)

• Fourth and final prac the mentor wrote, “We had serious Fourth and final prac the mentor wrote, “We had serious concerns when Bob contacted/ bugged us nearly every concerns when Bob contacted/ bugged us nearly every day in the lead up to the prac … he appeared to be day in the lead up to the prac … he appeared to be grossly under prepared for employment in the near grossly under prepared for employment in the near future. I was prepared to work with him but he was in future. I was prepared to work with him but he was in tears before he taught his first lesson. He chose to tears before he taught his first lesson. He chose to terminate his prac .terminate his prac .

• Student said, I have been told that I ask too many Student said, I have been told that I ask too many questions … I could not prepare my lessons my way.questions … I could not prepare my lessons my way.

A terrible outcome for all – due to misguided support earlierA terrible outcome for all – due to misguided support earlier


The SI ratingThe SI rating

• ‘‘Did you get your rating interview Did you get your rating interview over coffee at the photocopier?over coffee at the photocopier?

• Do I go to State or Private school Do I go to State or Private school for my rating prac?for my rating prac?

• And which state school will I get And which state school will I get the best result?the best result?


Some Analyses of dataSome Analyses of data• Mentor teachers do have a good sense of what is Mentor teachers do have a good sense of what is

required – ‘gut feeling’ about their student teachers. required – ‘gut feeling’ about their student teachers. Rough grained search, looks OKRough grained search, looks OK

• At a finer grain – personal biographies of mentors At a finer grain – personal biographies of mentors becomes apparent, as influencers (Gently, gently, or becomes apparent, as influencers (Gently, gently, or the ‘real world’ approach)the ‘real world’ approach)

• Awareness of school context issues impactingAwareness of school context issues impacting• The ‘likeability’ of student – personal response to The ‘likeability’ of student – personal response to

character becomes apparent – this influences how character becomes apparent – this influences how deeply the mentor probes the studentdeeply the mentor probes the student

• The diligent, but quiet student doesn’t go so wellThe diligent, but quiet student doesn’t go so well• ‘‘All will be forgiven if you charm the mentor!’All will be forgiven if you charm the mentor!’• ““I feel so guilty…” the emotional dimension I feel so guilty…” the emotional dimension

experienced by mentorsexperienced by mentors


And to the future …And to the future …

Further extension of criteria and Further extension of criteria and standards descriptors that may standards descriptors that may enhance mentor teacher judgement enhance mentor teacher judgement about professional standards and so about professional standards and so enhance inter- teacher consistencyenhance inter- teacher consistency

andand

Attempt to conceptualise the two- way Attempt to conceptualise the two- way relationship or dynamic that develops relationship or dynamic that develops in the classroom. Assist mentors to in the classroom. Assist mentors to be clear about the task/rolebe clear about the task/role

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