Teachers supporting teachers: Episode 5 with Triste Anderson
Teachers supporting teachers
Episode 5 with Triste Anderson
Say hello to Triste Anderson a leading teacher who works at Leopold Primary School, a large school on the gateway to the Bellarine in Victoria, Australia. She currently holds the position of Assistant Principal with a portfolio that focuses on learning and teaching. Triste has 23 years of experience in education that is fuelled by opportunities across a variety of settings – early years to community schools, multi age classrooms, low socio-economic schools, affluent settings, and mid to large sized governments schools. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge, passion and energy that has her leading in her care for students but also her colleagues. Her joy bursts through this interview.
In this podcast Triste shares with us her why of being a teacher. She shares with us how she became a teacher because a teacher made a difference in her life. And she firmly believes that if she can change one student’s trajectory, so can you. When you have a purpose, you can make a difference; you too can help enable a young person to walk a different pathway.
Triste highlights the place of connection. It's about the relationships we build with everyone. And that there is a story for every person, so get to know that story, engage with their story and seek to understand why and look at the situation from multiple perspectives.
COVID-19 has revealed a sense of importance for education in the community – the place of support, keeping it simple, communication, and honour the heart and dedication that teachers have during this time as they navigate support for students, parents and each other. Teaching as a heart job is revealed, and Triste talks about this with a passion and love as she unpacks what this is looking like at Leopold Primary School.
What is highlighted is the place of relationships right now. And Triste and I talk through what is being revealed during COVID-19 and illuminate that education and schools are a central hub, and this will become even more important as sporting clubs remain closed, community festivals are paused and there are changes in how we engage with others. We talk in this episode about how society sees the importance that school plays in our communities; that it is actually a central hub. Triste shares how Leopold Primary School will be a central hub for her specific community and a place where relationships and judgement of families shift to the positive. There is a chance to SLOW down – families, expectations – the instant gratification pulse shifts, and meaning and purpose, the role we have in each other’s life will shift and be reframed. We celebrate how education can offer this.
As we move through this podcast episode, Triste and I discuss wellbeing and self-care. She shares how Leopold Primary School has placed a focus on working with all staff on self-care and its importance across the areas of mental, physical, emotional, and relational wellbeing. All staff have a self-care plan at Leopold Primary School with key work being completed on self-compassion, and a focus on relationships, resilience, gratitude and hope.
Triste outlines a tremendous amount of tips for applying for jobs and undertaking interviews. She shares these with a perspective of working within government schools. With permission from Triste, summary points are shared here:
JOB APPLICATIONS – focus is within the Government sector lens
• Make sure you know the school you are applying for and ask yourself
o Do the school’s values align to yours?
o What is the school’s focus on wellbeing – student, teacher, community?
o Know the school make up – is it a large school with PLCs? Smaller school with multi-age teaching
o Talk to other teachers / family / friend about the school you are thinking of applying for -, don’t just apply for a job at any school because you want a job – make sure you will be supported and the school fits with your values and supports you as a graduate.
o Know the cliental of the school – what type of students will you be teaching in the schools you are applying for?
If you do apply for the school know……
• the schools pedagogical / instructional models – Does it focus on inquiry-based learning, developmental play-based learning
• If applying in a DET school know FISO (Framework for Improved Student Outcomes) and the FISO improvement cycle (evaluate and diagnose, prioritise and set goals, develop and plan, implement and monitor, the 9 Practice Principles, HITS (High Impact Teaching Strategies) and the states Pedagogical mode – engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate
• how the school operates in relation to teaching and learning / strategic plan and AIP focus for the school year
WRITING APPLICATIONS
Make sure your CV is complete – include:
• Any prior career skills e.g. Speech Pathologist / Nurse prior to teaching.
• Hobbies or involvement in community – volunteering etc.
• Skill set you have
• Volunteer work in schools
• Put into your opening / cover letter addressed to the panel – why you want to become part of the school you are applying for. Make sure it is specifically linked to the school – if it’s not, it is event. DO NOT MAKE THIS MORE THAN 1 PAGE and DON’T shrink the font.
• Keep the same consistent font throughout your application and keep it neat and clean – no fancy headings – keep it professional.
• Photos are unnecessary
When addressing the Criteria:
• ADDRESS EVERY CRITERIA – no more than a page and ½ AT THE MOST – 1 page is best.
• DO NOT make it generic dot points and jargon words – anyone can regurgitate the theory.
• Don’t over highlight the buzz words
• Don’t shrink the font keep it no smaller than 11pt. preferably 12pt.
Most importantly
• Schools will use some form of criteria for shortlisting application
• We use the STAR model but other school will have how they want their panel to focus on the applications
1. Set the Scene/Situation – Using the criteria set the scene for what it is you used/implement and why it needed to be done
2. Explain the Task – explain why – why it was done (what the data was telling) and why a change was needed.
3. Describe the Action – What pedagogical/ strategy change did you make to improve student learning/wellbeing etc.
4. Discuss -what was the result from the implemented change?
S=Scene/Situation T= Task A = Action R= Result
When writing an application, you are putting it together for an audience - The panel wants to know who you are as an educator/teacher/person – tell the narrative, use the data, describe the reasoning and actioning and discuss the results of the action. Always relate back to the criteria.
Even if it’s not the STAR model – always keep in mind
• What needed changing (pedagogical practice/ strategy)
• Use data to tell why it needed changing
• Explain what you imbedded into your practice EG: Learning goals/ Feedback etc.
• What were the results of this practice shift?
This links to DETs FISO improvement cycle (evaluate and diagnose, prioritise and set goals, develop and plan, implement and monitor)
• You can do this even as a graduate teacher – you are in full control in your last rounds – this is where you will be sequencing learning from possibly a ZPD - talk about what the pre and post results were:
o Pre-testing – essential, PAT etc
o Running Records
o Anecdotal notes
o Post testing
o Triangulation data etc.
• Throughout the application, make sure you cover key curriculum areas – mistake I often see is someone only ever talks about their strength E.g. – whole application is focused around reading. Make sure you talk about Reading, Writing, Math, Spelling – Inquiry learning if it is a focus of the school.
• In criteria relating to interpersonal and communication skills you need to think of communication across the school community and broader services
• Link to STUDENT / PARENTS / COLLEAGUES and broader community and Allied Services
• I always use this diagram to support how I look at an individual’s response to criteria. How to they relate to each of these areas?
• Putting each as a sub-heading works well so it’s clear how you communicate and collaborate with each section of the school community.
YEAH you’ve got an interview
• Be prepared!!!!!!
• I recommend having an A4 piece of paper divided into sixths that has the key things from the application that you want to be reminded of quickly. Put this in dot point form.
• Make sure anything you want to share with the panel – e.g.: Portfolio etc is clearly labelled – don’t be flicking around through the portfolio – pick the KEY things that would relate to a narrative you may tell.
• Questions – these will relate to the criteria again – use a model such as STAR to answer a question.
• If the questions are long a winded – highlight key words, use your cheat sheet, take a deep breath = the panel knows you’re a graduate if they are making it difficult – Do you really think it is the right school for you?
• My rule of thumb is I want to see someone at the best they can be during the interview – the questions are not there to trick them.
• A good panel will prompt where it is needed and support
KEY WORDS OF ADVICE
• Even if you get to interview stage and get a job – if you don’t feel the school is right for you, don’t take the job. I have done this before myself.
• Be the best you can be, it’s NORMAL to be nervous!
• Be yourself – add humour!
• Play to your strengths – lever these during your interview. If kindness is one of your signature strengths lead with that in a question asked.
• Be as prepared as you can before you go in
• Keep calm – what’s the worst that could happen – you don’t get the job
• Treat the interview as a learning experience to grow from.
• CRT work is valuable and a good way of getting to see how different schools operate the way a school treats their CRT’s tells you A LOT about that school!!
Be mindful of your social media – this is the first thing I do with prospective employees – if your social media doesn’t reflect the values of the school / overarching society values / VIT etc. then you won’t get to interview stage. What can be seen by the general public? You want a social media presence but what is the presence you are showing the world?
You need to be mindful of our educational code of conduct.
We hope you enjoyed this podcast, and listen to this in partnership with this podcast episode notes. I am sure you will agree that Triste is full of joy and she has had an amazing career, where she really does love what she does, as you can hear her share at the conclusion of this podcast with the reflection that children bring you joy, but every day it is a magnificent career.
Find out more about: