Senior School Psychologist / Advanced Skills School Psychologist Aspirant Workshop. September 2016

Transcription

1 Senior School Psychologist / Advanced Skills School Psychologist Aspirant Workshop September 2016

2 Workshop Overview Background The application process Self reflection Exploring the Competency Framework The assessment process Tips from assessors and successful applicants Q and A

3 Senior School Psychologist Enhanced career opportunities Recognition of professional skills and competency Supports retention of experienced school psychologists

4 Advanced Skills School Psychologist Established as part of the previous General Agreement with the SSTUWA Status but not a pay grade Eligibility criterion to become a permanent Lead School Psychologist changed in the 2014 replacement General Agreement

5 Pay scales * Level Level Level Provisionally registered school psychologist ($ $80 012) School psychologist ($ $ ) Senior School Psychologist ($ $ ) Level (Advanced Skills School Psychologist) Lead School Psychologist ($ ) * at December 2015

6 Eligibility Senior School Psychologist Employed as a permanent or fixed-term school psychologist 0.4 FTE or greater Level 2.6 Demonstration of Phase 2 of the Competency Framework for School Psychologists Applications will be considered four times per year

7 Eligibility Advanced Skills School Psychologist Employed as a permanent or fixed-term school psychologist 0.4 FTE or greater

8 Role of the Senior School Psychologist 24.2 (c) Senior school psychologists are required to perform duties and responsibilities including: i. An effective contribution to the leadership of developing, implementing and evaluating relevant areas of school psychology practice; ii. An effective contribution to the leadership of the region s student services and/or schools including identification, development, planning and implementation of priorities and formal decision making processes;

9 iii. Overseeing the implementation and management of specialist programs and/or policies; iv. Mentoring, supervision, peer support, counselling and guidance for school psychologists (including supervision of provisionally registered psychologists) concerning effective practice, psychological support for schools and resource development; and v. Other duties as identified by the employer which arise out of the priorities of the Department. Allocation of duties will be negotiated with the line manager and take into consideration workload implications.

10 Role of the Advanced Skills School Psychologist

11 Application Senior School Psychologist Completed application form Completed Referee Verification Written application: Covering letter Curriculum Vitae (CV) Professional Statement

12 Application Form (Appendix B) Personal details Phone and details Line Manager or Professional Manager s signature General registration Criminal Screening WWC

13 Referee Verification (Appendix C) Your first referee MUST be your nominated line manager/professional manager Provide previous if either of you are new (12 months) Referees verify your written statements, claims and evidence Referees should be able to comment on your competency Referee statement or signature is not required

14 Referee Verification Your manager/professional manager may be the only person contacted Make sure they are available Referee statement or signature is not required Start preparing your referees NOW Who will I ask to be my referees? Is each competency covered?

15 Covering Letter One page, A4, 11pt Arial Overview of your professional context and responsibilities as a professional Major skills and strengths Cross reference with Professional Statement

16 Curriculum Vitae No more than 3 pages, A4, 11pt Arial Work history Key responsibilities Key achievements Key skills and abilities

17 Professional Statement Senior School Psychologist No more than 5 A4 pages, 11pt Arial. Detail information, examples and evidence that demonstrates Phase 2. Address all Competency Standards and all Critical elements.

18 Service Check Undertaken centrally by the School Psychology Service and Payroll and Personnel If you have not met the service requirement, your application will not be assessed

19 Assessment Two assessors will read application independently then moderate Consult referees Collaborate on final report

20 Application Advanced Skills School Psychologist Stage 1 Completed application form Completed Referee Verification Written application: Covering letter Curriculum Vitae (CV) Professional Statement

21 Referee Verification - Advanced Skills School Psychologist Up to 5 referees Your first referee MUST be your line manager/professional manager Provide previous if either of you are new (12 months) Referees verify your written statements, claims and evidence Each Competency Standard must be covered by a referee

22 Professional Statement Advanced Skills School Psychologist No more than 5 A4 pages, 11pt Arial. Detail information, examples and evidence that demonstrates Phase 3. Address all Competency Standards and all Critical elements.

23 Organisational Context School psychologists work in an organisational context: Strategies Programs Plans Agreements Initiatives Documents Focus areas Policies

24 Activity: Brainstorm Under each heading list the work you have engaged in. Consider and discuss.

25 Understanding the Competency Framework Competency Standard Phase Descriptor - what does Phase 2/3 look like? Critical Element - how does it relate to the above?

26 The Five Dimensions Outcome-focussed scientific practitioner decision making Intervention and evaluation Communicating, assessing, reporting and providing feedback Partnerships in education Ethics, professional learning and leadership

27 The Three Phases Phase 1 - independent application of competencies Phase 2 - emphasises higher-level competencies and leadership/capacity to instruct/mentor colleagues. Phase 3 demonstrates exemplary skills, with capacity to influence the system and the profession.

28 The Sixteen Critical Elements The basic building blocks of each dimension s competency standard. Do not look at these in isolation

29 Activity: Examine Current Work What do I already do? What could I be doing? What conversations have I had with my professional manager about my work? Have I reflected on my competency?

30 Exploring the dimensions and the critical elements in the Competency Framework

31 Describing Exemplary Practice Situation/context Complexity Relevance to system initiatives Actions Analyse, explain, influence Outcome Individuals, groups, whole school, region, community, system Also STAR Situation-Task-Action-Result CAR Context-Action-Result

32 Action Words Use active, positive words (normally verbs) for additional impact and to make a stronger impression on assessors. Use action words (buzz words) to demonstrate what you have achieved in areas of responsibility - not just the tasks you have carried out.

33 Example I had to carry out a survey of teachers' attitudes to the school s discipline policy. This involved interviewing teachers. A database was used to keep track of data collected. This survey was finished on time and was well received."

34 Example I devised and prepared a survey of teachers' attitudes to the school s behaviour policy. I interviewed all teaching and support staff and obtained a substantial amount of data. I developed a database to analyse and interpret this material. The survey was completed three weeks ahead of schedule. I facilitated the development of a new behaviour policy using the data.

35 Action Words Examined Consolidated Liaised Organised Assisted Mediated Delivered Budgeted Influenced Designed Researched Informed Demonstrated Arranged Participated Implemented Convinced Analysed Produced Prepared Motivated Compiled Coordinated Prioritised Others?

36 Action Words Ten words to make a poor impression Always Mistake Awful Never Bad Nothing Fault Panic Hate Problems

37 Action Words The top ten words to make a good impression Achievement Impact Active Individual Developed Involved Evidence Planning Experience Transferable skills

38 Writing the Professional Statement One page per competency/dimension Integration of critical elements Signposting

39 Sample Professional Statement Excerpts are provided with applicants permission Available online

40 Who Can Help You? Line manager Lead School Psychologist or professional manager Colleagues Collegiate network Referees Proof readers

41 Tips from applicants Start early Spend time talking to colleagues about your work and you ll find you can identify particular critical elements Identify about 4-7 significant pieces of work that you ve been involved in over the past few years and identify evidence that demonstrates achievement of the critical elements Use the A3 Competency Framework and self-reflect Talk to your LSP about whether you are ready to apply Spend time over a number of weeks looking at your application Educate your professional manager or line manager.

42 Tips from assessors Start early Highlight the critical elements with your highlighter - pay attention to all the little words. Use critical readers Get together with colleagues and discuss your work Use the A3 competency framework sheet to constantly check and make sure your examples are at Phase 2 and not Phase 1 - capacity to instruct/mentor colleagues is the key thing in Phase 2 Make some appointments to talk with your professional manager (or line manager) about your work and your application - don t leave this until the last minute Don t look at the critical elements in isolation from the Descriptor and the overall Dimension Focus on the psychology of what you have done Write in a clear and succinct way

43 Advanced Skills School Psychologist Interactive Presentation Interactive presentation 2 hours Competency 2 Competency 3 Choice of Competency 1, 4 or 5 Each critical element of the relevant competency must be assessed as Achieved

44 Interactive Presentation - tips Divide up the 120 minutes Outline what you will be presenting and discussing with the assessors Demonstrate, through your evidence, how you have achieved the competencies and critical elements at Phase 3 Signpost or flag for the assessors throughout the presentation

45 Interactive Presentation - tips Your most complex examples may cover a range of competencies and critical elements Any equipment you require is set up and operational Consider confidentiality and de-identification Use your time wisely and demonstrate everything Assessors will not take any material away with them

46 Examples of Evidence (Appendix D) Designed to prompt the types of evidence you could present The list is not exhaustive or prescriptive You will need to demonstrate your example of evidence at Phase 3 Many of the examples could be used for a variety of competency standards

47 Feedback Feedback to applicants Letter Feedback Certificate if successful Note you will not be informed who the assessors are

48 Critical Dates Advanced Skills School Psychologist applications End of Week 5, Terms I and III Stage Two assessments conducted in the working week of Term I and III school holidays Senior School Psychologist applications: End of Week 7 of each Term Successful applicant will be announced in the SPS Newsletter

49 Not Successful? Discuss your concerns with Statewide Services Your Lead School Psychologist may assist you to reflect on your feedback

50 Questions? Herman Bootsma T: E: Ann Lord T: E: