University of West Alabama

On-the-job Training

• Employability
  • Adapt to new, different, and changing requirements with flexibility
  • Adhere to the Alabama Educator Code of Ethics
  • Build and maintain positive relationships with parents
  • Collaborate with guidance counselors regarding students' career paths
  • Communicate progress and concerns with tact and professionalism to parents and, as appropriate, other faculty, staff, and/or administrators
  • Confer with staff members outside of content area (media, guidance, etc.) to plan and schedule lessons following approved curricula
  • Demonstrate commitment, positive attitude, and responsiveness to feedback regarding self-development and improvement of knowledge and skills
  • Demonstrate active listening and effective communication in meetings and professional settings
  • Demonstrate proficient oral and written communication skills and comprehension of work-related documents
  • Discuss academic difficulties or behavioral problems with students as they arise
  • Display professionalism in all settings and interactions.
  • Display strong work ethic
  • Enforce all administration policies and rules governing student code of conduct
  • Enforce safety and security standards for students, staff, and visitors
  • Enter, transcribe, record, store, or maintain information in written or electronic/digital format
  • Maintain accurate, complete, and timely documentation of student records as required by relevant law, regulation, or district policy
  • Maintain professional boundaries with students
  • Perform administrative duties, such as assisting with monitoring students in common areas, bus loading and unloading, and schoolwide activities
  • Plan, prioritize, and accomplish work assignments efficiently and effectively.
  • Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies
  • Support school culture by participating in committees, school leadership teams, and student support initiatives as needed
  • Use multiple technology platforms (appropriate tools or technology for the task) to plan, maintain records, and communicate
  • Utilize interpersonal skills to work effectively with others from diverse backgrounds
• Culture and Climate
  • Shows connectedness to learners, interpersonal bonding
  • Expresses concern for learners' well-being
  • Demonstrates personal interest in learners
  • Demonstrates openness and approachability
  • Makes culturally responsive eye contact with learners
  • Uses words that resonate with or do not exclude learners
  • Accepts and supports learners to take risks voicing their opinions and asking questions
  • Promotes interactions that are highly supportive, friendly, and learner-centered
  • Asks questions that encourage learners to voice their opinions
  • Demonstrates a positive attitude toward the content/activity/task
  • Shows genuine interest in the content/activity/task
  • Exhibits energy that appeals to learners
• Learning Dimension
  • Captures learners' attention to set the stage for learning
  • Thoroughly explains why the content or activity is important to the learners
  • Uses simple and direct language to provide instructions about the activity/task
  • Encourages learners to question each other through discussions and debate
  • Provides opportunities for learners use application skills to complete activities/tasks
  • Provides opportunities for learners to express themselves individually and collectively in a variety of ways
  • Describes the purpose of the lesson—why this is important to every learner’s life
  • Makes it personal to the learners (e.g., through culture, gender, age, geography)
  • Incorporates a real-world aspect into the lesson
  • Keeps close proximity to learners
  • Formatively assesses learners throughout the lesson
  • Encourages learner self-assessment
  • Elicits learner questioning to determine level of understanding
  • Changes instructional arrangement (e.g., peer partner, groups, individual) for activities/tasks
  • Uses different ways to engage with use of materials (e.g., graphic organizers, visuals, text)
  • Changes instructional tasks (e.g., reduces number of items, modifies assignment, gives learner options)
  • Uses many forms of feedback
  • Provides learners with individualized feedback
  • Gives feedback that is specific to the current lesson/activity
  • Learners are involved in the feedback process
• Essentials
  • Has deep understanding of their subject matter
  • Speaks clearly and with appropriate tone, tempo, and volume
  • Demonstrates new skill/concept (acquisition), applies thinking skills (application), integrates individual thinking skills (assimilation)
  • Uses active listening skills to understand and respond to learners
  • Conveys confidence in learners
  • Provides high levels of support through varied teaching and modes of presentation
  • Provides feedback to learners on personal goals and time frames
  • Chooses resources and materials with intentionality that enhance learning activities aligned to learning objectives and instruction
  • Secures a variety of resources from within and outside of the classroom that increase learner learning and engagement
  • Makes resources easily accessible and available to engage learners
  • Employs active learning strategies
  • Uses a variety of assessment strategies
  • Applies group instructional strategies to be inclusive of all learners
  • Ensures smooth transitions between activities/tasks
  • Executes efficient procedures; maintains control of classroom environment; ensures learners stay on task
  • Ensures group projects are organized
  • Dedicates/protects blocks of time to instruction with minimal interruptions
• Agency
  • Ensures learners are working the problems, not the teacher
  • Facilitates inquiry-based activities/tasks
  • Guides learners to take charge of their learning and engagement
  • Allows learners to contribute to the design of lessons, projects, and/or activities
  • Gives learners the ability to attend to activities with the role of decision-making
  • Helps learners make sense of instructional concepts and create their own understandings
  • Provides opportunities for reflection or goal setting
  • Facilitates a progress-tracking process so learners know their areas of strengths or challenges
  • Identifies problems and generates solutions with the learner
  • Allows sufficient time for problem-solving
  • Provides encouragement when learners struggle
  • Gives learners guidance to be successful or to keep going
  • Applies strengths-based learning: active mentoring to learners, learner-led decision-making beyond academics
  • Acknowledges learners' personal potential
  • Uses and encourages positive self-talk
  • Promotes harmony and positivity toward learners
  • Shows empathy through dialogue with learners
  • Redirects learners if negative interactions occur
  • Proposes questions when engaged with groups
  • Upholds the role of facilitator rather than interferes with engaged groups
  • Suggests and promotes peer assistance
  • Uses discretion to address learners
  • Demonstrates maturity and consideration for others
  • Speaks respectfully to learners at all times, including when redirecting