Writing for HALT Teacher Accreditation – Top Tips!
When it comes to the HALT (highly accomplished and lead teacher) accreditation process It is always best to ask the assessors in your jurisdiction for advice. Each assessing body has slightly different ways in which they like you to present and submit your HALT application at Stage 1. However, it is a national process and so, when you begin the process of creating your ePortfolio for stage one of your HALT teacher accreditation process there are some tips that can make a real difference. Here are ten top tips to move you away from the overwhelm. Tips that will save you time and get your evidence sets for Highly Accomplished and Lead teacher accreditation done with less stress!
- Firstly, ALL of the evidence you use for accreditation is supposed to show “evidence of practice that improves teaching and learning” This means that there is a focus on the impact you’re practice is having on the learners in the room. Make sure you talk about the outcomes you have achieved not just your plans for them.
- Secondly, For teacher accreditation, it’s all about quality NOT quantity. Focus on the 37 focus areas in your career stage and talk only about THEM and create stories to share them.
- Thirdly (and this one is very important!!), use the language of the focus area’s descriptors in your writing. If you’re focusing on Standard 4.5 at HA (for example), then let’s hear about how you modeled and supported your colleagues. Discuss the impact your support has had. What strategies are they now using to promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching?
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- As you look at the verbs in the Focus Area descriptors, choose evidence and artefacts that show or describe you doing them! Don’t forget the standards guide is there to help you with that!
- Next, Choose artefacts that help tell your story and show your impact clearly. Make sure that you can show a progression in growth over time. For example, two artefacts from the beginning and end of a Lead project should tell a big story. Make sure the artefact you’ve chosen as part of your accreditation is the best one to tell the story of the WHOLE focus area.
- However, don’t write too much! 150-250 per artefact should be plenty. Make sure you select your words carefully, focus them on that FA (see dot point 2), and on the impact and change they can demonstrate. Use the Heatmap tool to help you see what you’ve written lots about and where you might need to balance things out a little.
- Don’t forget that the direct evidence you supply includes your teacher observations and your 3-5 referees. Don’t forget to reflect on these as part of your evidence base!
- Mix up your evidence types. There are generally three types of evidence you can use. Your supporting documents, referee reports and external observer reports. You might need one of these to make your point or all three. Don’t be afraid to mix it up a little!
- Avoid repeating yourself. The assessors don’t need you to prove the same point over and over. Be confident the first time you do it. Stay focused and organised. Avoid using three lesson or unit plans as evidence when one will do!
- You can use evidence from the last five years of your practice if you want to. If you start reflecting and find yourself tagging HA, it might be time to start getting some formal observations underway. Keep reflecting and you might find you have a smorgasbord to choose from when it comes to accreditation time.
