Scenario: Tooba: Performance Management I

At Blue Bay Early Learning Centre it is 6 months into the traineeship program - with the exception of Tooba, the trainees are progressing well in the development of their skills and knowledge as beginning educators. Asima has found supervision of Certificate III trainee Tooba to be very challenging.

• She believes that Tooba doesn't listen to instructions or information.
• She has found that Tooba doesn't follow correct policy and procedures when carrying out her duties - she tends to take short-cuts 'to save time' (e.g., doesn't always follow correct lifting procedures when setting up outdoors)
• Tooba doesn't always use correct WHS procedures e.g., hand washing, use of PPE)
• Tooba is often seen standing around not engaged with the children
• Tooba struggles to complete workplace assessment tasks because of poor time management skills. She is also disorganised in the way she carries out simple daily tasks. For example, she will leave a task such as wiping the tables or sweeping the floor midway through to attend to something that has caught her eye and then forgets to go back to her original task.
• Tooba has been late for her shifts on 12 occasions; she has been sent home on 3 occasions to change because she did not meet the centre's dress code
• Tooba has also been reprimanded several times for speaking to the children in a harsh and threatening manner.

The RTO assessor has also expressed concerns in relation to Tooba's literacy skills - her literacy screening test on commencement showed that she needed to improve her spelling. The trainer reports that Tooba has been reluctant to take up any of the support offered to her to improve her spelling. Tooba has repeatedly dismissed these concerns saying that she rushes too much and can be forgetful.

Asmina believes that intensive intervention is required. She believes that unless Tooba can improve her performance dramatically her traineeship should be terminated.

Q27. Explain how educators are engaged in the staff performance process?

Q28. Referring to the Blue Bay Policy, describe how underperformance is defined.

Q29. Evaluate and take necessary corrective action regarding unresolved issues, concerns and problems raised by internal or external stakeholders.

In relation to Tooba, provide an example of each key area of underperformance.

• Unsatisfactory work performance
• Non-compliance with workplace policies, rules or procedures
• Unacceptable behaviour in the workplace

Q30. With reference to the Blue Bay Policy what information is provided to employees in relation to performance requirements?

Scenario: Tooba: Performance Management II

Asima undertakes a performance review with Tooba. In preparation for the review Tooba is given a copy of her job role/duties statement and a copy of the daily shift tasks. Asima asks Tooba to identify what she believes she does well and areas where improvement is needed. Asima explains that she will use the same documents to identify Tooba's strengths and areas for improvement and together they will discuss Tooba's performance.

Asima has also come prepared with documented examples of performance issues, relevant policies and procedures, the Educator Code of Conduct and the ECA Code of Ethics.

The review begins by Asima inviting Tooba to share her self-assessment of her performance.

Tooba gives herself a glowing report. She believes that she is performing all tasks to the required standard, following policies and procedures, and progressing in her studies.

Asima is a bit taken back by Tooba's self-assessment. She begins by asking a series of questions designed to encourage Tooba to critically reflect on her skills, knowledge, and performance. For example:

• Give me some examples of how you apply WHS policies and procedures in your daily tasks.
• Tell me about how you organise and prioritise your daily tasks to ensure they're completed in a timely manner.
• Talk me through what you do when supervising and supporting the lunch routine.
• Tell me what you think about when responding to a child who presents with challenging behaviour.

As the discussion progresses Tooba becomes increasingly defensive. 'I try to do my best, but I have so much to do and nobody helps me! There are so many rules to follow I just can't remember them all! Some of the children are naughty and that annoys me.'

Asima listens respectfully without confronting or challenging Tooba.

Next Asima provides Tooba with her assessment of Tooba's performance. As she gives this feedback, she provides examples of the behaviours of concern.

As Asima anticipates, Tooba becomes angry, defensive, and finally upset. She begins to cry and tells Asima that she is struggling with the demands of her workplace tasks and is finding it impossible to stay on top of her assessment tasks.

Asima decides to terminate the review. She gives Tooba a written copy of her performance review and asks Tooba to take a few days to reflect on the feedback. She tells Tooba they will meet again in two days to work on a Performance Management Plan. She asks Tooba to write down some things that she thinks they could work on to improve her performance. She also asks Tooba to identify two performance goals she would like to work on over the next few weeks.

Q31. Explain why the performance review strategy used by Asima was a collaborative process. (think also about how feedback was used).

Q32. In relation to accountability for her performance, why was it important for Asima to provide Tooba with a copy of her job role/duties statement and a copy of the daily shift tasks?

Scenario: Tooba: Performance Management III

Asima meets with Tooba as agreed and asks Tooba to share the things she was asked to do at the conclusion of the previous meeting.

Tooba states that to improve her performance she would like Asima to provide more on-the-job training and feedback. 'Can you watch me do things like nappy change, supervising lunch and setting up and give me feedback so I can do better?'

Tooba's performance goals: Managing children's behaviour and being better organised.

Asima: 'You would like me to provide you with on-the-job coaching and immediate feedback. That's a great idea and one that I think we can achieve. I think your goal to be better organised is also a good one and we can include time management and prioritising work tasks. Behaviour management is something that challenges all educators and it takes a long time to develop these skills. How about we start with small steps like how to follow through when asking children to do something.

Asima then went on to outline performance goals she had developed for Tooba, explaining why they had been selected and the strategies that would be put in place to support Tooba to achieve these goals in a reasonable timeframe.

Performance goals include:

• Communication: Listen to instructions and ask questions to clarify and confirm instructions
• Work standards: Follow policies and complete procedures in correct sequence.
• WHS: Be familiar with and perform WHS procedures to the standard required.
• Interactions: Interact with children in a respectful and caring manner.
• Organisational and time-management skills: Prioritise and complete tasks in a timely manner. Arrive and be ready to start shift on time.
• Learning: Complete assessment tasks by due dates. Improve spelling skills.
• Behaviour management: follow through when giving directions to children.

Q34.List three documents Asima could share with Tooba to assist her to understand her obligations as an employee, and suggest two strategies that Asima could use to support Tooba to develop her skills and knowledge in the workplace

Q35. Suggest two strategies that Asima could use to support Tooba to develop her skills and knowledge in the workplace

Q36. Provide an example of how Asima could use elements of the NQS and corresponding policy/procedures to encourage and foster Tooba's understanding of her roles and responsibilities

Q37. Show/explain how the policy links to the standard - e.g the policy will state that educator-child ratios must be maintained at all times; that no child is to be left unsupervised etc