PCT - Year 1

PCT Workshops are fortnightly meetings during which essential aspects of school life and teaching are discussed. It is a vital part of the PCT programme at WGHS and regular attendance is expected. This is also an opportunity for you to bring up any experiences - good or bad - to share and discuss with your fellow PCTs.  Your SCT/PCT coordinator will also use this time to share useful resources with you.

Note: make sure you log all workshops in your meetings and PLD log.

Weekly reflections should quickly become a habit. This is a good way to stop and take account of what you have been doing well and what you have found to be challenging. You may want to set aside a regular time - such as end of the day on Friday.

Your reflections do not need to be long - just a brief recount of the week. You may want to focus on one medal (something you are proud of) and one mission (a quick little goal for the upcoming week(s). Overall, keeping regular reflections is a very good way of seeing your own growth as a teacher.

Each term, you should set up a goal to work towards. These can be the suggested goals below, or you may wish to discuss with your mentor some ideas on what may be useful for you. They may have some advice on areas that need focus or improvement. Please note: goal 1 (student folders) is part of the programme.

Goal 1: Learn the names of your learners and set up class folders.

Aim to get to know your students and learn their names by the end of the term. Create folders (electronic or hard copy) detailing specific information about your classes.  This could cover:

• Ethnicity

• Learning Needs (e.g. notes from LE Dept)

• Pastoral Details

• Relevant academic experiences

• Strengths

• Weaknesses

• Goals/Aspirations

Ideally this would also contain some student voice. Letters? Survey? + Your own comments and observations.

Goal 2: Strategies

Having used Term 1 to get to know your students and their needs, identify 2 individuals/groups/classes that you will target for a different strategy to get better success.

• Individual/Group

• Learning need(s) targeted

• Strategies - what might you try?

• Reflection on effectiveness of strategy

Goal 3: Assessment and Moderation

As we lead into the school exams for NCEA, this is the time where you want to focus on your assessment skills. Consider areas such as marking and moderation. Which aspect(s) of these areas need focus? Marking speed? Amount of feedback given? Moderation processes?

Identify at least one area that you would like to improve on. With your mentor as your guide, find ways to practise and improve so that you are able to use your time discerningly.

Goal 4: PCT 2

Based on your goals this year and overall teaching experience, you may wish to start thinking about your goals for next year.

As PCT 2, you will not be setting separate goals but instead using your departmental growth cycle to set them.

At the beginning of the year you are to set up folders for your classes (electronic or hard copy) that monitor and track your students progress, both academic and pastoral. This could include:

• Ethnic and cultural background

• Learning needs and SACs

• Academic progress - class work and assessment grades

• Goals

• Student voice

Your SCT/PCT Coordinator will show you some examples and share ideas on how you could set up your own folders and documents.

You must keep a record of your attendance and involvement in meetings and PLD, and reflections on any meetings/PLD that had an impact on your practice. These should include:

• Department meetings

• PCT meetings: Every second Tuesday, 3:30 pm-4.30pm, B1

• Whole staff PLD

• Other PLD opportunities (e.g. external PLD)

Below is a Meeting and PLD Log template you could use. Please make your own copy.

Observations, both observing other teachers and being observed, are recognised as a valuable part of developing a strong pedagogical practice and can be used as evidence of meeting the Standards of the Teaching Profession. 

It is expected that you will be observed regularly throughout the year and provide evidence of at least 7 observations throughout the year. Please refer to your handbook for further details on who you should be observed by in each term.

You should also be observing other teachers and making notes for yourself. Who/what you observe differs each term - again, refer to your handbook for more information.

Below is an observation template you may want to use. Please make your own copy.

PCT 1 e-PCT Modules:

Currently being updated by Otago University