Faculty of Education Professional Experience

1. How many days of professional experience do I need to do?
2. When do I need to complete my placement?
3. Can I do my placement at less than 5 days per week?
4. Can I undertake my placement where I work?
5. How many hours per day do I need to do?
6. Does there need to be a university qualified teacher at my placement Centre?
7. Can I complete my professional experience at the same Centre my child attends or where I have a relationship/association with the Centre?
8. Who organises my placement?
9. Who sends in the professional experience reports, me or the centre?
10. There are no reports in my package. When will I receive them?
11. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc. do I need to make them up?
12. Can I do all my placements in the same centre?

1. How many days professional experience do I need to do?

Students who enrolled in the course in 2012 and enrolled students from 2012 onwards will need to undertake a 20 day placement with 0-2 year olds and a 25 day placement with 3-5 year olds.

2. When do I need to complete my placement?

You must complete your placement between week 3 and week 12 of the session in which you are enrolled in the placement subject. Dates outside this range must be approved by the Subject Coordinator.

3. Can I do my placement at less than 5 days per week?

Yes, however you must complete a minimum of two consecutive days per week and these days must be the same days for the entire length of your placement.

4. Can I undertake my placement where I work?

No, you cannot complete your placement in your current workplace or one from which you are on leave or where you have been employed in the past twelve months. You also can not complete placement in a sister centre (a centre which is part of the same chain, franchise, ownership or name).

You cannot be included in the staff/child ratios at any time during your placement and as you cannot be part of the ratios you cannot be paid by your nominated setting while on placement.

5. How many hours per day do I need to do?

You must work the same hours as your Associate Teacher (the person who supervises you in the Centre). This means not less than 6 hours per day.

6. Does there need to be a University Qualified Early Childhood Teacher at my placement Centre?

Yes, you require a university qualified early childhood teacher to supervise you while you are in the Centre.

7. Can I complete my professional experience at the same Centre my child attends or where I have a relationship/association with the Centre?

No, you are not to have any current relationship/association with the nominated EC setting in by way of family relationships i.e. children attending this centre; or personal relationships/friendships which include working relationships with any staff member currently employed by the Centre.

8. Who organises my placement?

You organise your own placement. You will need to access a centre who has University trained qualified EC staff who agree to accept you for placement at a mutually convenient time.

9. Who sends in the reports, me or the centre?

As the reports have to be signed by the Centre Director, the centre sends them to us. However, you should sight and sign the reports before you leave the centre. CSU staff will return the original report to you once it has been verified and copied for the files.

10. There are no reports in my package; when will I receive them?

Your reports will be sent to the Centre after the commencement of your placement.

11. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc. do I need to make them up?

You are only able to miss one day per placement. Any more than one day missed will result in you needing to make up all missed days.

12. Can I do all my placements in the same centre?

It is preferable to do your placements in different centres, if it all possible.

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1. Can I do my professional experience at 2 days a week, as I am working?
2. Can I do all my professional experience in the same school?
3. Can I do a professional experience at my old school?
4. Can I split my professional experience across school holidays?
5. How many days professional experience do I need to do?
6. What if I have an exam when I want to do professional experience?
7. Can I contact schools myself?
8. Do I have to do my professional experience this term?
9. How late in the year can I start my professional experience?
10. Who sends in the reports, me or the teacher?
11. There will be a teacher's strike when I am on professional experience. What do I do?
12. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc do I need to make them up?
13. What happens if I get sick or suffer a misadventure (eg. death in the family) on professional experience and am unable to complete the program?
14. Does a Staff Development Day count as "prac days" and should I attend?
15. My first professional experience was on Year 2. Can I do my next professional experience on Year 3?
16. Should I participate in a school organised excursion and who covers costs?
17. Can I complete my professional experience at the same school my child attends or where I have a family relationship such as parent, aunt, uncle etc?
18. How long is a school day?
19. Can I make use of the CSU Library while on placement?

1. Can I do my professional experience 2 days a week, as I am working?

The usual pattern would be 5 days per week for the total number of required days. If the school agrees to allow the placement to be 4 days per week then that will be permissible, as well.

2. Can I undertake all my professional experience placements in the same school?

No, you need to experience a range of different school settings, and be exposed to diverse models of teaching & learning and simultaneously demonstrate your capacity to establish and maintain relationships in different contexts. Where a teacher is already employed as a conditionally accredited teacher, she/he will required to undertake one teaching placement in a second context in order to meet these requirements. Supervision by a university-appointed supervisor will undertaken in the usual manner.

3. Can I do a professional experience at my old school?

Yes, but the experience of other students has shown that this is not a really good idea, as some have felt, or are treated, as though they are still students.

4. Can I split my professional experience across school holidays?

This is sometimes possible, but you will need to explain to me why you want to do this, as prac in the final week of one term and the first week of the next term can mean the loss of several teaching days.

5. How many days professional experience do I need to do?

Most courses require 60 days because of accreditation requirements, However the Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary) course requires 50 days from 201060 onwards.

6. What if I have an exam when I want to do professional experience?

You may have leave to do the exam, but must make up the time.

7. Can I contact schools myself?

You need to apply to us for permission to approach a school, specifying the dates when you wish to do your professional experience. After we have given permission, you may approach the school.

8. Do I have to do my professional experience this term?

It is most sensible to enroll in your professional experience subject when you intend to undertake it. However, it is permissible, if circumstances change and you need to defer the placement, to do so.

9. How late in the year can I start my professional experience?

You should plan to conclude the placement 3 weeks before the end of the school year, so the beginning of November is a sensible cutoff date. It is your responsibility to find out when the school closes for the year. Also bear in mind that your grades are finalised at the end of November, and if a teacher delays in returning your assessment to CSU, you might not receive your report or grade until after schools re-open.

10. Who sends in the reports, me or the teacher?

As the reports have to be signed by the Principal, the school sends them to us. However, you should sight and sign before you leave the school. CSU staff will return the original report to you once it has been verified and copied for the files.

11. There will be a teacher's strike when I am on professional experience. What do I do?

We suggest you do just as your professional associate does. We don't want anyone to be in the position of strike-breaking, and possibly being in charge of children unsupervised.

12. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc. do I need to make them up?

You must complete the full number of days for your program, so missed days, irrespective of the reason or the course in which you are enrolled, must be made up.

13. What happens if I get sick or suffer a misadventure (eg death in the family) on professional experience and am unable to complete the program?

Typically, you will be awarded a TA grade and be permitted to complete the program at another time. The duration of the deferred placement will be determined by the Professional Experience Co-ordinator.

14. Does a Staff Development Day count as "prac days" and should I attend?

If at all possible, you should attend all staff extra-curricular activities and such days would be counted as "prac days".

15. My first professional experience was on Year 2. Can I do my next prac on Year 3?

No. We expect one professional experience in infants/early years (i.e. K/Prep/Reception - 2), and one in primary years (3 - 6/7), but for breadth of experience they should not be done in adjacent years.

16. Should I participate in a school organised excursion and who covers costs?

If the excursion will enhance your professional learning, then it would usually be approved but you should always check with your Professional Experience Director or Subject Co-ordinator (as appropriate). It would be up to you or the school to cover the costs of the excursion.

17. Can I complete my professional experience at the same school my child attends or where I have a family relationship such as parent, aunt, uncle etc?

No, it is CSU's policy that professional experience can not be undertaken within the same school as your child or where you have a close family member on staff, for a range of issues. If you require further clarification on this point please refer to the Director of the Professional Experience Unit.

18. How long is a school day?

Teachers and preservice teachers should arrive at school at least 30 minutes before lessons commence and remain at school 30 minutes after all lessons conclude, even if their lessons start later or finish earlier than other teachers.

19. Can I make use of the CSU Library while on placement?

Yes, there are special arrangements for library access for students on practicum placement. These include longer loan periods, and distance education services for internal students. You can find out more about registering for this service on the Library web site.

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1. Can I do all my practicums in the same school?
2. Can I do a practicum at my old school?
3. Can I organise my own practicum placement?
4. Who pays my travel and accommodation expenses while I am on prac?
5. If I get hurt at, or on my way the school/service is there financial support to cover medical expenses?
6. What if I am doing my practicum out of phase and I miss classes on campus. Do I get special consideration?
7. If I do a practicum in a rural placement, how can I keep in contact with my lecturers and supervisors?
8. Will somebody from the university come to the school or setting to "inspect" me while I am on prac?
9. What if I have an exam when I want to do practicum?
10. Do I have to pay for campus accommodation when I am on prac?
11. What paperwork do I have to submit after prac?
12. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc. do I need to make them up?
13. What happens if I get sick or suffer a misadventure (eg. death in the family) on professional experience and am unable to complete the program?
14. Should I participate in a school organised excursion and who covers costs?
15. Does a Staff Development Day count as 'prac days' and should I attend?
16. There will be a teacher's strike when I am on practicum. What do I do?
17. How long is a school day?
18. Can I make use of the CSU Library while on placement?

1. Can I do all my practicums in the same school?

No, you need to experience a range of different school settings, and be exposed to diverse models of teaching and learning. Similarly, you may not do all pracs in a non-government school. At least one prac should be in the government system.

2. Can I do a practicum at my old school?

Yes, but the experience of other preservice teachers has shown that choosing your old school may not be as positive as you might expect. Other PST have recounted being treated as a 'student' rather than a colleague in a professional partnership.

3. Can I organise my own practicum placement?

Your subject or Practicum co-ordinator will inform you of the correct procedures, but usually each student is given the opportunity to nominate schools in which they would like to undertake their prac. This model ensures equity of opportunity for all students and the university can ensure that you choose a range of experiences. The university Practicum Office then negotiates a placement for you - schools and services do not want to be contacted by preservice teachers directly, particularly schools in favourable areas.

4. Who pays my travel and accommodation expenses while I am on prac?

Unfortunately, you have to cover these costs as CSU does not have any funds available at present to assist you.

5. If I get hurt at, or on my way to, the school/service is there financial support to cover medical expenses?

CSU has some level of insurance coverage as does your Student Union. Check your Practicum Handbook for details of policies etc. You should contact the campus Welfare Officer as soon as possible and he/she will assist you also.

6. What if I am doing my practicum Out of phase and I miss classes on campus. Do I get special consideration?

You are not permitted to undertake a practicum in these circumstance without the approval of all the lecturers with whom you are studying that semester.

7. If I do a practicum in a rural placement, how can I keep in contact with my lecturers and supervisors?

As a student at CSU, you have access to email and online Professional Experience forums, so you can converse through ICT.

8. Will somebody from the university come to the school or setting to "inspect" me while I am on Prac?

The level and type of supervisory or mentoring support you receive will depend predominantly on where you are placed physically and where you up to in the course. First and second year students have greater contact with CSU staff than say a final year intern. However, if you are experiencing difficulties, support is available.

9. What if I have an exam when I want to do practicum?

You may take leave from the practicum to do the exam, but must make up the time. Typically, internal students do not have exams scheduled when they are on prac. If you do have an exam, you should ensure that the Exam Centre is aware of the location of your practicum well before the Examination Period so that arrangements can be made to allow you to take the exam near the practicum location.

10. Do I have to pay for campus accommodation when I am on prac?

You can apply for a refund of money paid BUT the forms (which are in the accommodation material you are given) must be submitted before you go on prac - check the dates carefully.

11. What paperwork do I have to submit after prac?

This will depend on the Subject Co-ordinator. The requirements will be laid out in the practicum material. It is your responsibility to find out. Eg Both copies of the final prac assessment report, timesheets, leave forms should be sent back by the school/service with their pay claims.

12. If I miss a few days due to illness, misadventure etc. do I need to make them up?

You must complete the full number of days for your program, so missed days, irrespective of the reason or the course in which you are enrolled, must be made up.

13. What happens if I get sick or suffer a misadventure (eg. death in the family) on professional experience and am unable to complete the program?

Typically, you will be awarded a Grade Deferred and be permitted to complete the program at another time. The duration of the deferred professional experience will be determined by the Professional Experience Co-ordinator.

14. Should I participate in a school organised excursion and who covers costs?

If the excursion will enhance your professional learning, then it would usually be approved but you should always check with your Practicum Co-ordinator, or Subject Co-ordinator (as appropriate). However, it would be up to you or the school to cover the costs of the excursion.

15. Does a Staff Development Day count as 'prac days' and should I attend?

If at all possible, you should attend all staff extra-curricular activities and such days would be counted as 'prac days'.

16. There will be a teacher's strike when I am on practicum. What do I do?

We suggest you do just as your professional associate does. We do not want anyone to be in the position of strike-breaking, and possibly being left in charge of children without a supervisor present.

17. How long is a school day?

Teachers and preservice teachers should arrive at school at least 30 minutes before lessons commence and remain at school 30 minutes after all lessons conclude, even if their lessons start later or finish earlier than other teachers.

18. Can I make use of the CSU Library while on placement?

Yes, there are special arrangements for library access for students on practicum placement. These include longer loan periods, and distance education services for internal students. You can find out more about registering for this service on the Library web site.

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