Questions to Consider , Film Study Goals , Extension Activity, Peer-Assessment. and Mentor Comment
Establishing learning goals is essential for enhancing student performance. I believe students learn best when they know where they want to be and what steps are required to get them there. I model this by setting clear learning goals of what they are learning, for both the unit and individual lessons. In a Year 9 Advanced English Class, students thrived in opportunities to extend their skills, first with guidance and support then independently. I transparently set the learning goals at the beginning of each unit, week and lessons to reinforce where they were on the learning journey and give them a clear objective for each lesson. Students in this class also completed work reasonably fast and therefore required extension activities to stimulate their learning throughout the entire lesson. An example of this involved asking students to interpret a scene from the film study in the form of a comic book strip. Additionally, In Year 10 Geography, I set several questions to consider at the start of each lesson and revisited at the end. As such, students were focused on the lesson and driven to answer the questions laid out. Another great way to establish learning goals for all learning abilities and characteristics is through peer-assessment. Peer assessment enables students to give each other valuable feedback so they can foster a team-centred approach to support each other. In turn, students prompt to identify the type of feedback they are seeking. However, it is vital that students are introduced to the concept of peer assessment in a careful manner. I ensure to do this by explaining the expectations of feedback, provide a clear rubric and tools to carry it out sensitively.
Revised Lesson Plan With Reflection , Backwards Unit Plan, Mentor Comment and Student Survey Response
Preparation and well-considered planning are critical to effective teaching. In my role, I feel most confident in the classroom and deliver my best when I am adequately prepared. The impact of preparation and planning is tremendous on student learning and the reason I remain in a continuous state of organisation. Throughout my university courses and practicums, I have developed many distinct units and lesson plans. For example, the backwards unit plan was designed for Year 10 Geography class to extend on prior knowledge of the Food Security and Biomes studied earlier in the term. I am always thinking ahead and spend a considerable amount of time revising lesson plan and reflecting on areas that were effective, non-effective and structure ways I can improve into the next lesson. I understand that to be an effective teacher, there is a delicate balance of requirements. This includes in-depth content knowledge, teaching strategies, and classroom behaviour management tactics. Preparation and planning play a critical role in the development of these areas and maximise student impact in the classroom. In a survey, students rated my preparation as five stars. Students value and appreciate preparation and planning. Thereby, I view the process as an investment and one that pays off both in the short and long term impact of student achievements.
Planet Talks, Planet Talk Examples, Back-Up in Lesson Plan and Debating.
I have become increasingly aware that the nature and needs of students vary in terms of their attitudes, abilities, cultural backgrounds and preferred learning styles. Today, teachers must prepare their students to become active participants in a changing and competitive world. If we are to prepare students for this change and to be successful, I strive to present the curriculum in a way that is conducive to student learning. I have adopted an eclectic mix of teaching strategies, encouraging students to be reflective and open-minded. Some examples include integrated group work, fostering individual initiative and facilitating open questioning, discussion and debate. However, it is essential to note that even well-planned lessons can fall apart. Some of my best-conceived ideas have been as a result of failures when putting into practice. When this happens, I refer to a back-up plan I have prepared in the lesson plans. This allows me to evaluate my own practice and reorganise teaching strategies that support student impact. A particular highlight for me during my practicum experience was the development of ‘Planet Talks’. At the start of each Geography lesson, I presented a discussion relating to an environmental, social, political, economic and cultural issue present in the world today. Topics varied from climate change, mining, forest bathing, ecological leaders, thinkers, leaders to other key big ideas. Above all, students were exposed to geography matters and contributed to the growing dialogue on environment and sustainability issues. The segment was incredibly successful and tied in subtly to curriculum content. This led to all students creating an individual or paired planet talk and presented at the informal ‘Planet Conference’ in my final lesson with both classes. I employ diverse teaching strategies to facilitate inclusivity, interactive and interdisciplinary activities to empower students to be actively involved in their learning.
App Simulations, Cinematic E-Bible, Commodity Stations Collaboration.
Effective teachers know their job is nuanced. Providing high-quality lesson and instruction relies on several factors, including selecting appropriate resources. In my practice, I select, create and use various resources to enhance student learning. An important aspect that I have identified is using resources that challenge and support all students - specifically through ICT. During my practicum, the school had a paperless policy and required all learning to be conducted digitally. In Stage 1 Geography, I incorporate app simulations to teach about biological hazards and their associated spatial distribution, risk and vulnerability for disaster. I also developed a Cinematic E-bible for a Year 9 English film study unit. The digital resource provided students with basic cinematic and language techniques used in films. However, students were encouraged to edit the guide and add information as they learnt additional content. Ultimately, the resource supported their summative assessment when analysing their text study. Above all, I recognise that selecting resources is aligned with understanding students learning preference. In Year 10 Geography, many students work best through collaboration and hands-on activities. For this reason, I developed the activity ‘Commodity Stations’. Students worked in teams to analyse various food commodities brought into the lesson — for example, pasta, canned tins, coffee beans, chocolate, to name a few. The resources, coupled with collaborative learning, prevented exclusion and create opportunities for positive student engagement. Securing a wide variety of quality resources has allowed me to differentiate instruction or adjust what and how I deliver to all student needs and capabilities.
Geo Wall, Digital Instructions using OneNote Seating Plans, Email Correspondence
The consideration of different forms of verbal and non-verbal communication in the classroom is essential for successful student outcomes. It is the role of the educator to create a learning environment that is free of discrimination, encourages interaction and allows all students to feel comfortable in engaging in the classroom activity. I model this by establishing clear and accessible instructions at the start of each lesson. Rather than writing on the white-board, I prepare instructions before class and upload them to One Note for all students and parents to access. In addition to this, I frequently correspond with the class and parents through email. When I am reminding of the draft and final submission deadlines. Using ICT platforms demonstrates my ability to be available and accessible for on-going support and ensure that my students do not ‘fall through the cracks’ throughout the term. At times, I use seating plans in the middle-year levels to manage classroom communication. In my Year 9 Care Group class, I frequently change the layout every fortnight in the attempt to encourage group work and foster peer-to-peer learning. I also use non-verbal communication strategies to help students develop their literacy capabilities. In a Geography class, I noticed students struggled with the understanding of correct subject-related terminology. Before starting the content, students were each given a geographical concept, idea or feature. The idea of the task was to create a feature wall in the classroom support as a point of reference for students to turn too if they required additional support in discussion and communicating geographical information. However, I recognise that these strategies are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. I must ensure that I understand the needs and capabilities of my students and use a blend of appropriate verbal and non-verbal strategies to support their learning progress and classroom productivity
Revised Assessment v Original Assessment and Student Reflection Card
For both personal and professional matters, I am committed to lifelong learning. As a teacher, I understand that I am continually reflecting and evaluating my practice in line with the APST standards to improve student learning outcomes. As shown in my final report, I often sought feedback from my mentors to check for understanding and modify a program is necessary. By doing this, I improve my delivery of curriculum and student’s learning. I find it very beneficial to engage in professional conversations with mentors, pre-service teachers, other teachers and student support officers to discuss and exchange perspectives and practices. I also openly communicate and assess my teaching program through student feedback forms. The student reflection card was complete mid-term and delivered descriptive feedback clearly and effectively. Receiving input from student helped identify and meet the needs of the student and assisted in improving future teaching programs to develop my practice. During my practicum, I was fortunate to be allowed to evaluate and revise the Geography assessment tasks for both Year 10 and Stage 1 Geography. In Stage 1, I chose to change the critical criteria in the report that would better suit the assessment criteria. I also extended a level of flexibility in assessment and allowed students to choose their form of presentation. I found this evaluation and restructure to the program motivates students and engaged them in the learning process by giving them control over their learning.
Introductory Letter, Parent-Teacher Email Correspondence and Family / Carer Interview Formative Task
Parents and caregivers play a vital role in a student’s academic achievement and overall wellbeing. They play a crucial role in encompassing student’s learning at home, school and in the community. I recognise the need to establish positive relationships and foster active participation from parents and carers in the educative process. I demonstrated this by sending out an introductory letter to inform all parents and carers of my role in their child’s learning. It was lovely to see so many heartfelt and welcoming responses. I also involved their participation through a classroom formative activity. In Year 10 Geography, as part of their food security unit, students conduct a personal interview. Students wrote their own questions and interviewed their parents and carers on daily food choices and influences of their choice. The task aimed to engage students and parents in evaluating the cultural, linguistic, social and spatial elements that factor in family diets and personal food choices. I was also able to gain an insight into the cultural and social diversity of families and communities. Another way I communicate with parents/carers is through frequent emails to track and inform of students progress. It is important to note that this was conducted for both students at risk of failing to submit work or absences to celebrating student achievement and class application.