Art Teacher - Monash Special Development School

Monash Special Developmental School is a government school located in the North Eastern Victorian Region in the City of Monash. Monash SDS provides an educational program for children with a moderate to profound intellectual disability and multiple disabilities including autism spectrum disorder from the age of 2.8 to 18 years old.

Our 77 staff support approximately 155 students to achieve their potential. The school has been on the current site for 11 years in a well-resourced purpose built facility.

In addition to the general classrooms the school also features specialist areas, outdoor learning environments, a multi-purpose gym, a hydrotherapy complex, a bike path and specialised indoor and outdoor sensory areas.

Monash SDS is silver accredited in School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), AMAZE accredited and e-Smart accredited.

Monash SDS provides a first-rate education to all students. Students are taught using the Victorian Curriculum. Curriculum based individual learning plans are developed for each student and are taught using a variety of high impact teaching strategies and specialised curriculum supports including the STAR (Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research) and Links Program.

The STAR and Links Program is research and evidence based and uses the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis. It provides a framework and the necessary tools to teach the Victorian Curriculum through the implementation of Discrete Trial Training (DT), Pivotal Response Training (PRT) and Functional Routines instruction.

A school wide Structured Teaching Framework provides every student with a highly visually based structured environment that promotes an understanding of schedules, activities and expectations.

Selection Criteria

SC1 Demonstrated commitment to Special Education and an understanding of Intellectual Disability / Autism and the implications for teaching and learning.

SC2 Effective teaching skills that caters to the widely varying skills and abilities of the students through the planning and implementation of a program in line with the Victorian Curriculum and within the school wide model of Structured Teaching.

SC3 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills including the capacity to establish and maintain collaborative relationships with parents, colleagues and the broader school community.

SC4 Demonstrated experience in monitoring and assessing student learning. This includes using data to inform teaching practice and providing feedback on student learning.

SC5 Demonstrated ability to support the social and personal development of students and an understanding and commitment to Positive Behaviour Support

SC6 Ability to work collaboratively as a productive team member and to actively support wider school initiatives. Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school activities and a commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of skills and teaching capacity.

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.

Range 2 classroom teachers will be expected to:

• 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 organization of co-curricula activities.

Responsibilities
The role of classroom teacher may include but is not limited to:

• 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.