https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=444b0efe-1d33-43f6-9d37-b3b50031b673&start=0

The above video by Caitlyn Lavelle on the Code of Conduct and Standard of Practice provides some practical advice to beginning teachers as they enter the workforce and endeavour to find the balance between building a rapport with students and maintaining professional boundaries.

The video reiterated the importance of remembering that teachers’ reputation is under constant and increasing public scrutiny. In an evolving digital legal landscape, which increasingly interrogates teachers’ activity beyond the school gates (Barrett et al., 2012), it is crucial that teachers be extremely wary of and avoid socially interacting with past and present students, and always interact with colleagues and others in ways that uphold professional reputation consistent with the Code of Ethics (Queensland College of Teachers, n.d.) and the Australian Professional Teaching Standards (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011). To this end, the adage “check yourself before you wreck yourself” was aptly used by Ms Lavelle in the video.

The video also discussed examples of problematic behaviour including inappropriate jokes, non-transparency, not maintaining impartiality, for example by accepting gifts and benefits, inappropriate use of public property and failing to maintain professional attire and behaviour.

References

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teaching (APST’s). https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf

Barrett, D. E., Casey, J. E., Visser, R. D., & Headley, K. N. (2012). How do teachers make judgments about ethical and unethical behaviors? Toward the development of a code of conduct for teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(6), 890–898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2012.04.003

Lavelle, C. . (2021, August 5). Working Ethically: A zero tolerance approach to fraud and corruption in the Department of Education. Integrity & Employee Relations – Integrity and Capability. [Video]. Ponopto. https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=444b0efe-1d33-43f6-9d37-b3b50031b673&start=0

Queensland College of Teachers. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Teachers in Queensland. https://cdn.qct.edu.au/pdf/CodeOfEthicsPoster20081215.pdf

The presentations below by Dr Mark Butlin were very informative.

https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f8f33ad2-502d-4897-9b69-b39200369f1c&start=0

https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=2c84cd9e-ab98-4c3f-aacc-b3b5003d4c6c&start=0

As aspiring educators with our minds overloaded with the prospect of effectively deploying content and pedagogy, we often forget that we’re about to embark on a career in which knowing our legal obligations and risks is very much a part of the role. As Dr. Butlin (n.d.b.) discusses in the second video, it is only a matter of time before an incident arises.

Although vicarious liability provides protection to teachers from negligence cases in the course of their employment, and under certain unions, teachers are covered by professional indemnity insurance with access to legal advice (Ruttiman, 2021), understanding and avoiding any risk of knowingly or unknowingly being the subject of a civil dispute is undoubtedly the best form of protection (Berry, 2009). It is therefore important for aspiring teachers to be aware of what constitutes a negligence claim, namely where schools and teachers fail to reasonably mitigate risk, or act in ways inconsistent with the values of the Code of Ethics (Queensland College of Teachers, n.d.) and as a result the student suffers physical and / or emotional loss or damage to person or property.

References

Berry, J. (2009). Teachers’ Legal Rights and Responsibilities: A Guide for Trainee Teachers and Those New to the Profession (2nd ed.). University of Hertfordshire Press.

Butin, M. (n.d.a.) Teachers and the law. [Video]. Ponopto https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f8f33ad2-502d-4897-9b69-b39200369f1c&start=0

Butin, M. (n.d.b.) Education law. [Video]. Ponopto https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=2c84cd9e-ab98-4c3f-aacc-b3b5003d4c6c&start=0

Ruttiman, K. (2021). What legal assistance is available to QTU members? Retrieved April 5, 2026, from https://www.qtu.asn.au/leaders/qtu-legal-assistance-and-indemnity

I found the presentation by Melissa Kinnear in the link below on the underutilisation and lack of consistency in the ways teaching aide human resources are used in schools to be very insightful.

https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=c2829feb-b4ba-4350-ba18-b39200369d8e&start=0

It was particularly alarming to realise the negative impact teacher aides can have when mismanaged, impacting on student inclusion, learning and self-efficacy. This reminded me of working in business where a fellow manager once said, “you need to make sure everyone on the boat with an oar is rowing the boat in the same direction”. I gained an appreciation of the importance of clarity in defining the role and scope of work teacher aides will perform (Blatchford et al., 2009), including in behaviour management, aligning to the value of integrity in the Queensland College of Teachers (n.d.) Code of Ethics.

The video highlighted some useful strategies to keep in mind for future practice including providing question stems for the teacher aide to use to support student efficacy as contrasted to racing to “get through the content” and using the teacher aide to support with data gathering (such as circling the room noting number of students who understood the task).

References

Blatchford, P., Bassett, P., Brown, P., Koutsoubou, M., Martin, C., Russell, A., Webster, R., and Rubie-Davies, C. 2009. “Deployment and Impact of Support Staff in Schools: The Impact of support Staff in Schools (Results from Strand 2, Wave 2). Institute of Education, University of London: Department for Children, Schools and Families.

Kinnear, M. (n.d.). Considerations for Effective Use of Teacher Aides and Support Staff: Supporting student Outcomes and Improvement. [Video]. Ponopto. https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=c2829feb-b4ba-4350-ba18-b39200369d8e&start=0

Queensland College of Teachers. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Teachers in Queensland. https://cdn.qct.edu.au/pdf/CodeOfEthicsPoster20081215.pdf

Queensland Department of Education. (2021, July 8). Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) A systems approach to school improvement. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4C1S7ooFvtU?si=I8rcn2Q0od0xXb1S  

You need to make sure everyone on the boat with an oar is rowing the boat in the same direction.

PBL

https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f3d39eff-3986-428f-8471-b3b5003d4d10&start=0

Beyond the overview of the PBL framework, in the video above, I appreciated Ms. Baker’s comments on the tendency of pre-service teachers to disempower themselves by attempting to delegate responsibility for enforcing PBL. Low self-efficacy in early teachers often results in our not squaring up at the plate when it comes to addressing behaviour (Reupert & Woodcock, 2010).

I also appreciated the importance of explicitly teaching behaviour by describing what behaviour means and looks like – such as sitting up straight, facing forwards, not fidgeting and so on rather than simply expecting students to pay attention. Ms. Baker also reiterated the crucial importance of being consistent and ending each week with a positive email to several parents, aligning to the Queensland College of Teachers Code of Ethics (n.d.) values of Dignity and Care, enabling teachers to foster and maintain a balanced foundation of ongoing positive rapport with students and parents.

References

Baker, T. (2024, March 12). PB4L in Secondary Schools. [Video]. Ponopto. https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f3d39eff-3986-428f-8471-b3b5003d4d10&start=0

Queensland College of Teachers. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Teachers in Queensland. https://cdn.qct.edu.au/pdf/CodeOfEthicsPoster20081215.pdf

Queensland Department of Education. (2021, July 8). Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) A systems approach to school improvement. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/4C1S7ooFvtU?si=I8rcn2Q0od0xXb1S  

Reupert, A., & Woodcock, S. (2010).Success and near misses: Pre-service teachers’ use, confidence and success in various classroom management strategies.Teaching and Teacher Education, 26(6), 1261–1268.

https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=e59fa35e-9abd-4138-9884-b3b5002f7655&start=3.225155

Rod Fogarty’s second video, accessible through the link above, was particularly helpful with some very timely and pragmatic advice including expect to and forgive yourself for making mistakes, make peace with imperfection (good enough will do for now), set psychological boundaries, establish collegial connections and know it gets better with effort and professional development. His sentiments align to the Queensland College of Teachers Code of Ethics (n.d.) which highlight pre-requisite virtues, such as responsibility and respect, rather than necessary skills and expertise.

This ensures as pre-service teachers, we may enter the profession with the confidence to acknowledge our imperfection and to improve our practice over time through applying positive attitude and values.

References

Farber, K., & Hovsepian, K. (2010). Why great teachers quit : and how we might stop the exodus. Corwin Press.

Fogarty, R. (n.d.). Surviving and Thriving in your First Year of Teaching. [Video]. Ponopto. https://usq.au.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=e59fa35e-9abd-4138-9884-b3b5002f7655&start=3.225155  

Queensland College of Teachers. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Teachers in Queensland. https://cdn.qct.edu.au/pdf/CodeOfEthicsPoster20081215.pdf