“Did you experience any conflicting situations and what would be your advice to other students on how to handle this?”

Conflict – lots! – Keep your ears open and your mouth firmly closed. You will hear and see things that you may not agree with or have an opinion on, but remember, you are a professional and a guest at the school and should be VERY discreet as such. Obviously if it is something that affects you or your practicum, you are entitled to talk to someone, but preferably your supervising teacher or mentor, not all the teachers in the staffroom.

Remember, you represent Curtin and you want to be remembered as a good, hardworking representative – not a gossiper. If you experience conflict yourself, talk openly with the person talking to you and see if you can work on strategies. Be open to constructive criticism. If the conflict relates to parents, make sure you talk to your supervising teacher, who is there to help and work on strategies together.

Final bits of advice tomorrow!