The boundaries between the teaching role and other roles in lifelong learning professionals are explained in the 2003 workload agreement. This agreement establishes the levels of work a teacher can expect and outlines the roles that provide support to the teaching role. Although this agreement is specific to secondary education, its principles can also be applied to the lifelong learning sector. These principles require teachers to be aware of and respect the roles that support their effectiveness. The Institute of Learning’s Code of Professional Conduct further emphasizes the need for individuals to respect the rights of learners and colleagues, as outlined in relevant legislation and organization requirements. The Education Act 2002, specifically Regulation and Guidance under S133, clearly defines the boundaries between the teacher’s role and that of the learner.
The importance of the interaction between teachers and pupils is highlighted in research, as a lack of this interaction can affect the learning of students (Webster, Russell and Blatchford, 2013). As an ICT tutor, I will work with other professionals who aim to support learners in their course development. This support can be direct or indirect, with the service manager guiding the tutor to meet the organization’s standards and objectives. Collaboration is crucial in supporting learners, and this involves working with the college support team, other teachers, tutor coaches, as well as agencies like social services, awarding bodies, and Ofsted inspectors. Maintaining professionalism while working with these professionals ensures the continuity of service provided to learners. In this section, I will discuss the professionals I may come into contact with and how they can support my role. The admin team, for example, is responsible for tasks such as scheduling rooms, bookkeeping, communication, data entry, and identifying learner support agencies like welfare support and health agencies.
My responsibilities include providing reports and data on learner participation and course development, as well as handling letter referrals and signposting. To achieve this, I will carry out screening, initial assessment, and diagnostic assessment. I will also identify sources of learner support and learning support. During my teaching, other teachers and tutor coaches will observe me, provide feedback, and offer support if needed. I will accept constructive criticism, respond to guidance, and seek support when necessary. Managers/supervisors lead the delivery and development of Adult education learning programs. They help shape the vision, strategic objectives, and direction of the programs and play an active role in management planning, development, and reporting. They ensure resources are properly maintained and administrative systems such as Groundwork Health & Safety, Equal Opportunities, and Child Protection policies are in place. My responsibilities include maintaining accurate records of learner information, organizational processes and procedures, quality assurance, professional conduct, ethics, confidentiality, respect, and teamwork. Awarding bodies act as internal/external verifiers and provide an approval process for independent training providers like Newham adult education. If these providers meet the criteria, the awarding body is able to grant qualifications for the completed courses.
In my role, I will be responsible for supplying assessment documents, tracking documents, and student profiles. Additionally, I will work with Ofsted Inspectors who regulate the quality of education in schools and institutions. This allows me to inspect schools in various circumstances and gain expertise in self-evaluation and school improvement. The knowledge acquired can benefit our own institution once the secondment is complete.
Furthermore, I will provide self-assessment reports, performance data (registers), tracking grids, and portfolios for students. Support services from external agencies such as social services or drug/alcohol abuse centers operate through referral systems. It is my responsibility to provide management with accurate information regarding any concerns related to referred students.
In addition, I must identify learners’ support needs through screening, initial assessment, diagnostic assessment, and finding sources of learner support and learning support. Observations and discussions help achieve this task.
Lastly, as a caretaker, my duties include maintaining a property or building by preparing rooms for meetings/events and monitoring air conditioning/heating levels.
In my role as a teacher, I am responsible for ensuring that rooms are left in an appropriate state, restoring the air conditioning to its normal temperature, and promptly reporting any changes in space usage. However, there may be limitations between my role and other professionals that can impede my ability to meet the learner’s needs. For example, if a learner has not completed an initial or diagnostic assessment correctly, it can be challenging to refer them to the appropriate support agency. Additionally, other agencies may lack essential resources such as a translator to accommodate the learner’s needs. One way to address this is by encouraging the learner to seek help from someone they know. As for building access restrictions for caretakers during specific times, it can pose an issue if a learner wants to discuss something after class but I have prior obligations. To overcome this obstacle, discussions can take place outside in a quiet area or earlier during lesson time. Other limitations include inadequate consideration for learner support and various professional agendas and organizations within their daily work.
Overall, I can address the boundaries mentioned above through my own responsibilities as a professional. These responsibilities include keeping accurate records of learner information, following organizational processes and procedures, ensuring quality assurance, behaving professionally and ethically, maintaining confidentiality, showing respect, and working well with others as a team player.
