Concerns during placement

Level 1 Concern can usually be resolved after the issues have been formally identified by the mentor with the pre-service teacher (PST). Level 1 examples include, but are not limited to:

• punctuality/absences
• standard of dress
• lack of initiative
• limited understanding of placement requirements

The following Notification of Concern Agreement should be discussed and completed by the mentor teacher, the education setting’s placement coordinator (if needed), and the PST.

Notification of concern form  (DOCX, 529.38 KB)

Where the mentor teacher has concerns that the PST may fail to achieve the requirements of the placement, the Targeted Support Plan, available below must be completed as soon as the concerns are identified, or by the interim report stage, whichever is sooner.

The targeted support plan should be completed following a discussion between the mentor teacher, setting-based professional experience coordinator, and the PST, and in consultation with the CDU unit coordinator. It must then be signed by all present and emailed to the CDU unit coordinator, with all parties copied into the email.

The Targeted Support Plan runs for a period of five days. Its purpose is to identify the key areas of concern in the form of developmental goals and to establish a program of strategies to support the PST in meeting these goals. PST performance against these goals is assessed daily over the five-day period.

1. If the targeted support plan results in the PST successfully getting back on track to meet the requirements by the end of the placement, the PST submits this form with the final report to the CDU unit coordinator.
2. If the PST is unable to meet the identified developmental goals within the five days, a second and final opportunity may be provided.
3. If the PST does not successfully complete the targeted support plan over two targeted support periods (10 days total) they will be deemed to be unsuccessful in the placement. 

• Targeted support notification form (DOCX, 509.66 KB)
• Targeted support plan (DOCX, 525.06 KB)

Termination of placement

Termination of a placement is a serious matter.

It may occur if a PST is experiencing extreme difficulty in meeting the placement requirements (Level 2), or in cases of misconduct (Level 3).

Termination of placement is a last-resort process and will usually only occur after consultation with the PST, mentor teacher, setting-based coordinator, unit coordinator, and Associate Dean – Work Integrated Learning (AD-WIL). Termination usually does not occur without warning or before remedial actions have been implemented.

Termination of placement can occur immediately if the situation is viewed as urgent or of significant seriousness. This includes if a PST presents to a placement under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or if the learning and safety of students in host classes and schools is seriously compromised by a PST’s professional experience. 

Voluntary withdrawal by the PST

A Pre-service teacher (PST) who voluntarily withdraws from a placement at any stage before its completion, without the knowledge and/or agreement of both the university and the educational setting, will be deemed to have failed the placement.

Early cessation of placement form (DOCX, 503.51 KB)