Work Type: Ongoing - Full-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Learning Specialist - Range 3
Occupation: Learning specialist
Location: Melbourne - Western suburbs
Reference: 1493936
Purpose
Western Autistic School's vision is to provide a dedicated school for students with autism.
At Western Autistic School, we envision a nurturing environment for autistic students in grades Prep to Year 3. Through personalized support and collaborative teaching, we empower each child to thrive socially and academically. Our community celebrates diversity and fosters a commitment to building a strong educational foundation for our students that encourages lifelong learning and achievement.
Our school demonstrates commitment to the following values:
· Diversity
· Respect
· Learning as an ongoing process
· Sharing and growth of knowledge
· Collaboration
School Profile
The Western Autistic School is a large, vibrant and unique school in the western suburbs of Melbourne. We offer an early years program for 300+ young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Prep to Grades 3.
Our school caters to autistic students, and synthesises an evidence base drawn from student-centred, strengths-based approaches and contemporary research from the fields of autism and inclusive education to develop Individual Learning Programs for each student.
Key features of our program include:
-The individual student is the focus of our teaching
-Each student is provided with an Individual Learning Plan, in collaboration between the student, their family and the teaching team
-An emphasis on building foundational skills in social communication and functional areas, alongside academic skills particularly in the areas of literacy and numeracy
-Small classes of approximately eight students with a teaching team of consisting of teachers, education support staff and allied health professionals
-Individualised transition program for children to move on to their local neighbourhood school
-Ongoing outreach supports.
As part of our school's mission, WAS is actively involved in research and training. It has a registered training provider The Autism Teaching Institute (ATI) which provides post graduate qualifications to educators working with autistic students.
Further information about WAS and its branches is available at:
www.westernautisticschool.vic.edu.au
www.autismteachinginstitute.org.au
SC1 Demonstrated expert knowledge of the relevant curriculum. Demonstrated ability to model exemplary teaching practice, including the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum, and implement school priorities.
SC2 Demonstrated expertise in the implementation and modelling of high impact teaching strategies that respond to student learning needs. Demonstrated ability to support teachers to evaluate the impact of learning and teaching programs on student learning growth
SC3 Demonstrated exemplary ability to model the monitoring and assessment of student learning. Demonstrated ability to support others in using data to inform teaching practice and to provide feedback on student learning growth and achievement to students and parents.
SC4 Demonstrated exemplary interpersonal and communication skills. Demonstrated ability to engage in collaborative relationships with students, colleagues, parents and the broader school community to support student learning, agency, wellbeing and engagement.
SC5 Demonstrated ability to model behaviours and attitudes consistent with Department values. Demonstrated ability to support others to reflect on their practice and facilitate school-based professional learning.
SC6 Demonstrate exemplary ability to implement a child-centred approach to teaching autistic students in their early years of primary education. Demonstrated ability to support others to understand the influences of autism on individual learners.
Learning Specialists will be highly skilled classroom practitioners who continue to spend the majority of their time in the classroom delivering high-quality teaching and learning and have a range of responsibilities related to their expertise, including teaching demonstration lessons, observing and providing feedback to other teachers and facilitating school-based professional learning. Learning Specialists are expected to have deep knowledge and expertise in high quality teaching and learning in delivering improved achievement, engagement and wellbeing for students. The role of the Learning Specialist will be to model excellence in teaching and learning through demonstration lessons and, mentoring and coaching teachers in improving the skill, knowledge and effectiveness of the teaching workforce.
The Learning Specialist role is aimed at building excellence in teaching and learning within the Teaching Service.
In recognition of the importance of exemplary practice for improved student learning outcomes, the key roles of the Learning Specialists may include but are not limited to:
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.
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.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [email protected]
Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy
The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees, including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview
A written response to each of the Selection Criteria is mandatory.
Up to three referees who are able to comment on your application in relation to the Selection Criteria.
Referees other than those nominated may be contacted by the Panel.
This position is based at Western Autistic School - 1 Burnley Street, Laverton.
To be eligible for employment, transfer or promotion in the principal or teacher class a person must have provisional or full registration from the Victorian Institute of Teaching. In addition, from 3 August 2020, to be eligible for employment in the principal class or teacher class, a person who graduated from a Victorian Initial Teacher Education program after 1 July 2016, must demonstrate that they have passed the literacy and numeracy test for initial teacher education (LANTITE) requirements. This condition is satisfied where the LANTITE requirement is part of the Victorian Initial Teacher Education program completed by the person.