Applicable to Perth and Regional students only.
1. Do we have to do a professional experience placement?
Yes; it is a requirement for professional registration for students to undertake some days and full-time continuous block weeks of professional observation or experience. None of the professional experience placements can be broken or split into shorter periods. The dates of these are stipulated in the School of Education’s professional experience calendars:
2. Can I do a practicum placement in the school where I work?
No. Students are not permitted to:
- undertake professional experience in schools where family members are on staff or attending as pupils
- undertake professional experience in their place of work
- be paid for professional experience.
Students must:
- undertake professional experience at different locations.
- undertake professional experience in different year levels.
Special considerations for professional experience must be directed to the Course Coordinator.
3. Can I do a prac overseas?
A maximum of 50% of total School professional experience placement days may be undertaken overseas. All Professional Experience placements, whether undertaken in Australia or overseas, must meet all relevant assessment, unit, course and Fieldwork participation requirements.
4. Do we have a choice in where we might go to undertake our professional experience?
Yes. For WA based placements, the School of Education will be in touch approximately 6-weeks prior to the commencement of your placement with information regarding submitting your expressions of interest form via Sonia, ranking your school preferences. From there, the team will allocate your school based off these preferences and locations as best we can.
It is important however to consider:
a. some schools are allocated to other universities
b. the University hopes to expose you to a range of schools, year groups and systems to ensure you are well-prepared to teach in any school after you graduate.
c. The School of Education is keen to have City-based students consider the possibility of a rural or remote practicum during their courses.
d. Students cannot be placed at a school where they have close family or friends employed as staff.
e. Students cannot be placed at a school where their siblings or children attend.
5. Can I work as a teacher in Term 3 having finished my Internship and my studies?
Yes; if you have successfully completed all requirements of the degree in semester 1.
For accurate information on the registration and employment process please contact the Teachers Registration Board of WA (TRBWA)
6. Can I work as a teacher in Term 4 having finished my Internship and my studies?
Yes; if you have successfully completed all requirements of the degree in Quarter 3.
For accurate information on the registration and employment process please contact the Teachers Registration Board of WA (TRBWA)
7. Am I able to change the dates for when I go out on prac?
No, the School of Education arranges specific dates for professional experience and students must adhere to these dates. Please read the Fieldwork manual [.pdf 2MB] and Assessment and student progression manual [.pdf 762kB].
8. How do I obtain my Student Name Badge?
Students on the Perth campus can order name badges from the Student Guild Copy and Design office situated in building 106B.
Regional students can lodge an order form with the Student Guild Copy and Design office by fax or email.
9. Can I approach a school myself?
No, not for official professional experience placements. Students can, however, approach a school as a volunteer but will not be presenting as a Curtin student, nor be covered by Curtin insurance.
10. How do I know if my paperwork has been received and filed?
You can always email Professional.Experience@curtin.edu.au and ask them check this for you.
11. How do I request a particular type of school (e.g. Catholic) or location (e.g. country town)
Early in your course you are asked to complete a Personal Data Sheet/Professional Experience Enrolment Form giving this information. If anything changes in your circumstances you are asked to up-date this at the Office of Professional Experience.
12. If I’m from the country can I go home to do a prac?
It may be possible to accommodate this for one professional experience placement. However, this would require special arrangements to be put in place.
13. What support or options are available to students who fail pracs or need to repeat them or have deferred them on medical grounds?
Depending upon the situation, the university offers a range of support structures for students, including opportunities to repeat the practicum or the unit associated with the practicum. However, failure twice will result in termination in the course.
14. What clearances do I require before I go on prac?
- Working with Children Check
- Department of Education “National Criminal History Record Check”
- Curtin Insurance Form
- Curtin Code of Conduct
15. If I am a Fully Online Midland or Armadale student (or reside in the metro area), who organises my prac placement?
The Perth Professional Experience Office will place all students living in the metropolitan area requiring a practical placement in the metropolitan or regional area.
Schools
1. Do I get paid to take a pre-service teacher?
Yes. The University does pay Mentor Teachers to take pre-service teachers. However, given the costs associated with this aspect of their studies, the University pays only for the days the students are in the classroom for the block placement.
2. What is the process if a teacher or supervisor (or student) is concerned about a student’s progress during a prac?
There are a variety of processes. In the first instance all concerns should be directed to the Office of Professional Experience and each case will be addressed according to the degree of concern.
