Classroom Teacher in Swan Hill

The theme for Robinvale College is "New Beginnings", where staff and students will collaborate with the rest of the College Community and its partners to make Robinvale College the school of choice. An exciting challenge and opportunity lies in providing a learning environment that simultaneously respects diversity, while building college and community identity and pride. This position is for the educator who wants to make a difference.

Robinvale College was established as a new entity in January 2016 through the closure of Robinvale P-12 College which was formed in 2010 through the merger of Robinvale Secondary College and Robinvale Consolidated School. The College serves a large horticultural and agricultural community. We seek to appoint an experienced and highly motivated school leader; a leader who recognises and embraces diversity, engages, and partners with the local community, and who builds a highly skilled and strongly student-centred staff team to improve student outcomes and pathways to future learning, training, and employment opportunities.

As a rural school, Robinvale College's student profile is unique. The college is proud of its many cultures including Anglo Celtic, Italian, Koorie, Polynesian, Greek and Asian. In 2020 approximately 56% of the students were either of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, or Polynesian descent. In recent years the local community has seen an influx of new arrivals; there are over 40 different nationalities, including refugees from the Middle East and Horn of Africa - all in a town of 8,000 people. The need to provide inclusive educational opportunities for the many diverse cultures of students is fundamental. Raising achievement in Literacy and Numeracy continues to be the focus of student learning.

The College aims for a combination of high-quality teaching practices focusing on using data to inform practice and high levels of student engagement, primarily through students having a sense of ownership of their data and setting challenging goals. We aim for students to develop resilience to persevere through any challenges and to navigate the everyday issues that affect them in a spirit of problem-solving, optimism, creativity, and fun.

In 2019 Robinvale College entered into a 10-year agreement with the Colman Foundation to become an 'Our Place' School. This exciting partnership will support the opportunity for Robinvale College to provide families with a greater level of access to a range of services.

Selection Criteria

• Demonstrated knowledge of the relevant curriculum, including the ability to incorporate the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills. Demonstrated experience in responding to student learning needs.
• Demonstrated experience in planning for and implementing high impact teaching strategies, guided by how students learn, and evaluating the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth.
• Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. Demonstrated experience in using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated experience in establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
• Demonstrated behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated experience in reflecting upon practice and engaging in professional learning to continually improve the quality of teaching.

Role

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.

• 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-curricular activities.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Who May Apply

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.

The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability. Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD).

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students.