Becoming a Level 3 Classroom Teacher

By Natalie Blewitt, Growth Team coordinator

Early in the 1990s, the SSTUWA and Department of Education (DoE) began discussions around how to create a meaningful pathway for teachers who wished to remain in the classroom and not move into school leadership positions. At the time, no other state or territory had a process or position established to recognise exemplary classroom teachers in this way.

From those discussions, the Level 3 Classroom Teacher (L3CT) status was established and continues to be a sustained career path option for public school teachers, one which is enshrined in the Schools General Agreement. It is strategic in giving status and recognition to the commitment of teachers in the development of their colleagues and school communities, as well as their own ongoing professional learning.

The primary role of the L3CT is of an instructional nature, modelling high standards of teaching in the classroom and continually improving professional teaching practice. This status allows for formal recognition of your work by your peers, school and the DoE.

Application for L3CT status is open to permanent or fixed-term teachers and applicants must be employees of the DoE at the time of lodging an application. You need to meet each of the following requirements to be eligible to apply. You must:

• Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or have a permanent residency visa.

• Have full registration with the

Teacher Registration Board of

Western Australia. • Be employed for a minimum of 0.4 full-time equivalent (FTE), which is four days a fortnight.

You do not have to be a senior teacher to apply and there is no limit on the number of people who can become a L3CT.

Applying for L3CT status: Stage One

Stage One is a written portfolio of statements and evidence to show that you meet the L3CT competencies. There are five competencies, and each competency is divided into four or five indicators. Applicants need to achieve ratings of three or four for each indicator and at least one indicator must have a score of four. Each competency must have a mean average score of at least 3.2.

You can find the competencies and indicators in the L3CT assessment rubric section on Ikon.

Applying for L3CT status: Stage Two

In Stage Two, you will prepare and lead a 45-minute reflective practice session in a school context. You will also take part in the sessions of three or four other applicants. A reflective practice session includes an oral presentation and facilitated discussion.

During the reflective practice session, you need to address competencies three and four, as well as either competency one, two or five. You will need to demonstrate how you:

• Facilitate a discussion on pedagogy with your colleagues which enhances their professional knowledge and practice.

• Engage colleagues in collaborative conversations and reflection. • Critically reflect on your own practice.

• Facilitate effective professional development strategies used with peers during the reflective practice.

Once again, you need to achieve ratings of three or four for each indicator presented and at least one indicator must have a score of four. Each presented competency must have a mean score of at least 3.2.

Timeline

It is important to remember that there is only one opportunity each year to submit a written portfolio for Stage One. The cut-off date is around mid-May, with late applications not accepted. Check the submission date each year on Ikon to ensure you have time to get your application in.

For those who successfully pass Stage One, the reflective practice sessions take place during the Term 3 school vacation. To complete Stage Two, you need to be available to attend one day of sessions during this period.

The SSTUWA Education and Training Centre (ETC) facilitate excellent professional learning for anyone who is interested in applying for L3CT status. Stage One training is offered in January of each year while Stage Two training occurs after the release of the State One results. Please contact our ETC team to find out more at training@sstuwa.org.au

The Level 3 Classroom Teacher Association also supports L3CTs and aspirants and can be contacted via email: contact@l3cta.org.au

If you are an existing L3CT, you can, and are encouraged to, become an association member.

Level 3 Classroom Teachers 2021. Photo courtesy of Fotoworks.

If you have ever toyed with the idea of becoming a L3CT, now is a great time to commence your journey. Utilise the remainder of this year by collecting evidence to support your written competencies; start working on your written statements and commence discussions with others who are familiar with the L3CT process and rubrics to act as critical friends.

The L3CT application process has been designed to be robust and rigorous. Undertaking this journey is thoroughly rewarding, reflective and acknowledges the work done by the exemplary teachers in our public schools.

Teacher education expert panel welcomed

The Australian Education Union has welcomed the formation of a new Teacher Education Expert Panel, announced by Education Minister Jason Clare.

The panel will review how teaching is taught at universities.

It will make recommendations on:

• Strengthening the link between performance and funding of initial teacher education.

• Strengthening initial teacher education programs to deliver effective classroom ready graduates.

• Improving the quality of practical experience in teaching.

• Improving postgraduate initial teacher education for mid-career entrants.

“There aren’t many jobs more important than being a teacher and we don’t have enough of them,” Minister Clare said. “One of the key issues raised at the Teacher Workforce Shortage Roundtable I convened (in August) was the need to improve initial teacher education to boost graduation rates and ensure graduating teachers are better prepared for the classroom.”

Professor Mark Scott, from the University of Sydney, will chair the panel, and will be joined by University of WA Emeritus Professor Bill Loudon; 2021 Australian Global Teacher Prize finalist Rebecca West; Australia Council of the Deans of Education president Michele Simons; 2021 School Principal of the Year Andrew Peach and Australian Education Research Organisation chief executive Dr Jenny Donovan.

AEU Deputy Federal President Meredith Peace said ensuring a secure and consistent supply of well-prepared, classroom ready teaching graduates would not only help alleviate the education workforce shortage over the medium to long term, but it would also ensure students continued to benefit from high quality teaching programs delivered by high quality teachers. “We welcome the federal government’s focus on strengthening and funding initial teacher education, improving practicum experiences for education students and improving postgraduate initial teacher education for mid-career entrants,” she said.

“The teaching profession has fought long and hard to create comprehensive and rigorous teacher education and defended it against short-term fixes and short cuts that undermine quality in teaching qualifications. “We look forward to working with the Expert Panel to continue to strengthen teacher education in Australia.”

A report, including recommendations, will be provided to Minister Clare before 30 June 2023.