Would you consider yourself a teacher or a trainer? You might think that teaching occurs in an educational establishment, whereas training occurs in the workplace or a workshop. However, that defines the role by the location, rather than the job. You might also think that teaching is a way of someone imparting knowledge, and training is a way of enabling someone to acquire skills. Whatever you consider the role to be, it’s all about the learning that’s taking place. This will occur by using different approaches and activities to help your learners gain the relevant skills, knowledge and understanding they need at a given point in time. The process should also help their progression in education, life and work. Throughout this book, the term teacher will be used more than trainer, but it implies both roles.
Activity
What do you consider the difference is between teaching and training? Think about it first, and then research a few definitions. Discuss your response with someone else and see if you agree or disagree. Do you think the two roles are interchangeable?
Table 1.1 Examples of roles and responsibilities
Record keeping
Record keeping is a crucial part of the teaching role. This is not only to support the teaching, learning and assessment process, but to provide an audit trail of each learner’s progress, and to supply information to others. Records are needed to satisfy auditors, inspectors, regulators, internal and external quality assurers, and to meet your own organisation’s requirements. For example, the information and data gathered can inform quality assurance, equality and diversity, and health and safety policies. The information contained in records helps to measure learning, and the effectiveness and appropriateness of the programme overall. Information such as attendance, progress and achievement could be shared with your colleagues if they are also involved with your learners, for example, to look for patterns of non-attendance or behaviour issues.
Records should be kept confidential and secure at your organisation, for example, in a locked filing cabinet or a password protected electronic file. The Data Protection Act (1998) in the UK is mandatory for all organisations that hold or process personal data. In May 2018 this will be replaced with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The current Act contains eight principles, to ensure that data are:
• processed fairly and lawfully
• obtained and used only for specified and lawful purposes
• adequate, relevant and not excessive
• accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date
• kept for no longer than necessary
• processed in accordance with the individual’s rights
• kept secure
• transferred only to countries that offer adequate protection.
Records must be kept for a certain amount of time, depending upon your organisation’s requirements, which could be several years. They must be up to date, accurate, factual and legible, whether they are stored electronically or as hard copies. If you happen to be absent for any reason, a colleague will be able to effectively take over if they have access to your records. Data is also useful to your organisation for purposes such as accidents, appeals, equal opportunities, and funding. If accurate records are not maintained, your learners’ progress and achievement might not be recognised.
Example
Nigel has set up two lever arch files. One contains all the documentation relevant to deliver and assess the Certificate in Sport and Recreation. This includes a printed copy of the qualification specification, a scheme of work, session plans, and teaching and learning materials. The other contains alphabetical records relating to each of his learners. In these are: application forms, interview notes, initial assessment results, action plans, tutorial review records and assessment results. These files ensure he has everything to hand, not only to carry out his role effectively, but also for auditors and inspectors. His organisation has recently installed computer software to enable all staff to store these records electronically; therefore, Nigel will be able to use the new system when it’s introduced. This will save him having to carry heavy files around.
Try and keep on top of your record keeping and administrative work. If you leave it for a while, you may forget to sign or date something. An important record you will need to maintain, and often a legal requirement, is the register or record of attendance. You need to know who is in your session, not only for fire regulations or evacuation procedures, but also to keep track of attendance patterns. If a learner is absent regularly you could find out why, in case they need any individual support due to certain circumstances. Some learners might receive funding based on their attendance and achievement. They will not be happy if they don’t receive their full allowance due to incorrect record keeping.
Table 1.2 (on page 42) lists some of the records you might need to keep (in alphabetical order), in relation to the teaching, learning and assessment cycle.
Extension activity
Make a list of the records you will need to maintain for your particular subject, and the reasons why you will need to keep them. If you are currently teaching, find out what the procedures are for keeping records, i.e. where they should be stored and for how long. Can you save them electronically? If so, how will you go about this and will you be required to make backup copies or give copies to anyone else for any reason?
Wider professional practice
Wider professional practice is all about working within the boundaries of your role, following relevant policies and procedures, and contributing to aspects such as quality improvement. It’s also about working with colleagues, collaborating with, and being accountable to others, such as stakeholders (covered in Chapter 3).
Teachers are often referred to as dual professionals: a professional teacher and a professional subject specialist. Your professional practice will, therefore, involve being a proficient teacher and an expert in the subject you will teach. Keeping up to date with both of these is all part of your professional development (covered in Chapter 12). Having some knowledge of local and/or national government policies, initiatives and reports is also useful in case they will have an impact upon your role.
Table 1.2 Example records
There will be other people with whom you will need to work or liaise with at some point during your teaching career. These could be people within your organisation (internal) or outside it (external) and could include (in alphabetical order):
• administration staff
• assessors
• budget holders
• career guidance staff
• caretakers
