Classroom Teacher VCAL/Generalist (Seymour FLC)

Seymour Flexible Learning Centre is a campus of Wodonga Senior Secondary College, and is also one of four flexible learning centres that form the North East Victoria Flexible Learning Network. The North East Victoria Flexible Learning Network has centres in Wodonga, Benalla, Seymour and Shepparton with combined student enrolments over 400 in 2017. We believe that all young people should be able to thrive in mainstream school however we know that for a small percentage of students this is not always possible. Our Flexible Learning Centres provide educational opportunities for young people who have disengaged from school or where a mainstream school learning environment is seen to be inappropriate to meet the young person’s needs.

We believe that most young people would like to be attending an educational setting and learning. We have a further strong belief that “students will give the best that they have got”, in other words, if they could do better at school, they would.  The intention of our Flexible Learning Centres is to re-introduce students to learning to the extent that they are able to be successful, to build upon these successes, to develop their learning potential and plan for a successful adult pathway.

The background of students at our Flexible Learning Centres is diverse but they have in common the experience of trauma in their lives through for example, violence, family breakdown and associated mental health issues. Often young people may have not engaged in learning as a result of chronic anxiety, depression or specific learning or language difficulties.

Young people seeking enrolment at one of our Flexible Learning Centres will usually be connected with a range of mental health, child protection or youth workers and have been disconnected for some time from schools and teachers.  Our Flexible Learning Centres provide the opportunity for young people to reconnect with teachers and learning.

The programs are centred around a developmentally responsive personalised learning and pathway plan with a focus on the development of literacy, numeracy, social development, pursuing student’s interests and the development of a career pathway through planned skill development and carefully managed workplace experiences. 

Prior to enrolment at one of our Flexible Learning Centres the student attends a series of meetings that enable our staff to better understand the young person in a case managed approach alongside parents, carers and other professionals. This gradual process also allows the student time to become accustomed to the school and teachers and to become aligned with the school values and processes.

This intake process is designed to ensure that when the young person starts at one of our Flexible Learning Centres they are prepared and ready to focus on learning.

Our Flexible Learning Centre teams comprise the educational leadership team of principal, campus principals, student wellbeing and teachers.

SC1         Demonstrated understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Standards, the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and Assessment and Reporting Advice and the capacity to implement and evaluate learning and teaching programs in accordance with the Victorian curriculum.

SC2         Demonstrated high level classroom teaching skills and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning.

SC3         Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning.

SC4         Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level interpersonal skills including the capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with parents, other employees and the broader school community to focus on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.

SC5         Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values, including a commitment and capacity to actively contribute to and manage major curriculum or student activities and a commitment to continually improving teaching quality and capacity through the application of knowledge, skills and expertise derived from ongoing professional development and learning.

SC6         An understanding of and ability to work with tramatised and disengaged adolescents in a secondary school setting.

The classroom teacher classification comprises two salary ranges- range 1 and range 2.  The primary focus of the classroom teacher is on the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes.  The classroom teacher engages in critical reflection and inquiry in order to improve knowledge and skills to effectively engage students and improve their learning. 

As the classroom teacher gains experience his or her contribution to the school program beyond the classroom increases. All classroom teachers may be required to undertake other duties in addition to their rostered teaching duties provided the responsibility is appropriate to the salary range, qualifications, training and experience of the teacher.

Classroom teacher Range 2
Range 2 classroom teachers play a significant role in assisting the school to improve student performance and educational outcomes determined by the school strategic plan and state-wide priorities and contributing to the development and implementation of school policies and priorities.

A critical component of this work will focus on increasing the knowledge base of staff within their school about student learning and high quality instruction to assist their school to define quality teacher practice.

Range 2 classroom teachers will be expected to:
- Have the content knowledge and pedagogical practice to meet the diverse needs of all students
- Model exemplary classroom practice and mentor/coach other teachers in the school to engage in critical reflection of their practice and to support staff to expand their capacity
- Provide expert advice about the content, processes and strategies that will shape individual and school professional learning
- Supervise and train one or more student teachers
- Assist staff to use student data to inform teaching approaches that enable targets related to improving student learning outcomes to be achieved.

Classroom teacher Range 1
The primary focus of the range 1 classroom teacher is on further developing skills and competencies to become an effective classroom practitioner with structured support and guidance from teachers at higher levels and the planning, preparation and teaching of programs to achieve specific student outcomes. These teachers teach a range of students/classes and are accountable for the effective delivery of their programs.  Range 1 classroom teachers are skilled teachers who operate under general direction within clear guidelines following established work practices and documented priorities and may have responsibility for the supervision and training of one or more student teachers.

At range 1, teachers participate in the development of school policies and programs and assist in the implementation of school priorities. 
The focus of a range 1 classroom teacher is on classroom management, subject content and teaching practice.  New entrants to the teaching profession in their initial teaching years receive structured support, mentoring and guidance from teachers at higher levels.

Under guidance, new entrants to the teaching profession will plan and teach student groups in one or more subjects and are expected to participate in induction programs and other professional learning activities that are designed to ensure the integration of curriculum, assessment and pedagogy across the school.

Teachers at range 1 are responsible for teaching their own classes and may also assist and participate in policy development, project teams and the organisation of co-curricula activities.

The role of classroom teacher may include but is not limited to:

- Direct teaching of groups of students and individual students;

- Contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of a curriculum area or other curriculum program within the school;

- Undertaking other classroom teaching related and organisational duties as determined by the School Principal;

- Participating in activities such as parent/teacher meetings; staff meetings; camps and excursions;

- Undertaking other non-teaching supervisory duties.

Teachers currently registered or eligible for registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching and qualified to teach and/or have demonstrated experience in the curriculum area(s) specified for the position.

The Department values diversity and is committed to workforce diversity and equal opportunity in schools and all education workplaces. The Department recognises that the provision of family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces.

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the Department’s exemplar available at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/protect/Pages/childsafestandards.aspx

- This position is based at Seymour.

- Certificate IV Training and Assessment Certificate highly desirable.

- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.

- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.

-  A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.

- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx