Ptlls Unit 001

Unit Number 001

Role, responsibilities and relationships in the lifelong learning.
A summary of key aspects of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice relevant to the role and responsibilities of the teacher.

Teachers must maintain their knowledge of legislation, regulatory requirements and codes of practice and ensure that they are up to date with all current requirements, which are often subject to change. Some are generic and affect all who teach, whereas some are subject (or environment) specific. (Gravells 2012:19-22) Generic will differ depending on what it is you teach. We must be aware of the requirements external bodies and regulators like Ofsted (in England). Plus other awarding organisations who will quality assure their qualifications. An example of a procedure we must follow would be the Data Protection Act (2003).

The Equality Act (2010), which harmonises some 20 previous pieces of Equalities legislation is important within the lifelong learning sector and helps ensure accessibility to learning with a view to equality and diversity. This covers disability, sex, race, age, ability etc. Equal opportunity is a concept underpinned by legislation to provide the correct and appropriate access for the participation, development and advancement of all individuals and groups. In today’s world we can refer to this as everyone being different but having the same equal rights.
Valuing diversity is about respecting the differences in students, regardless of age, ability and/or circumstances, or any other individual characteristics they may have. If you have a class larger than one then you will experience diversity because they come with their own individual abilities.
My role as a teacher is to make sure I deliver the course contents in full, provide feedback, set targets using the smart method. SMART…(Specific, measureable, attainable, realistic, timed). We must also review students work, set assessments and re-assess. We must pre-screen students for learning difficulties, set classroom ground rules and have a learner profile for the student.
Responsibilities would be to take the register, run through H&S guidelines, fire evacuation procedure, identify problematic situations. The teacher must record the attendance of candidates, abide by no smoking policies, as mentioned previously…equality and diversity.
Boundaries of teaching. We have professional boundaries within which to work and its important not to overstep these by becoming too personal with the students. Boundaries as a teacher is knowing where your role as a teacher stops and working within the limits of that role.
This is broken into 5 different areas, the boundaries are:
Identifying Needs: Demands of managers, expectations of students, funding constraints, knowing what advice can and cannot be given to students, students not at the required starting level, requirements of codes of practice.
Planning Learning: Capability of students to achieve, equality and diversity policy, financial concerns, health and safety regulations and many more.
Facilitating learning: Ability of students, e.g. lack of English, behaviour issues, broken or faulty equipment and resources, deadlines and targets, lack of own subject knowledge…
Assessing learning: Data protection and confidentiality, demands of paperwork and administration, meeting deadlines and targets, not being biased or unfair with judgements, not passing students just to achieve your targets.
Quality assurance and evaluation: Awarding organisations demands, e.g. internal and external verification, lack of time to attend training events, standardisation activities, CPD or meetings.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974), negligence by an individual can lead to their personal prosecution, not just the organisation they work for. It is essential for my chosen field of teaching jewellery making techniques, as learners will access tools and equipment they are unfamiliar with, some of which are potentially dangerous. Risk assessment will be central to my lesson plans. As Gravells says:

“Learners are entitled to learn in a safe and healthy environment” (Gravells 2012:29)

Additionally, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (2002) will apply when teaching certain jewellery techniques, for example, when using “safety pickle” to clean annealed or soldered metals.

The Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988) is relevant in a teaching environment. The materials used to teach learners must either be produced by myself, or I must ensure that the organisation I am employed by has a CLA licence to allow copying of learning material in small quantities from books.

Another important piece of legislation to consider is the Data Protection Act (1998) as obviously I will have access to students' personal data, such as full names,..
Boundaries of teaching. This is broken into 5 different areas- knowing where your role as a teacher stops! The boundaries are: Identifying needs…(Demands of managers, expectations of students, funding constraints, knowing what advise can and cannot be given to students, students not at the required starting level, requirements of codes of practice)