Professional Learning

• Inquire into and reflect on the effectiveness of practice in an ongoing way, using evidence from a range of sources.

• Critically examine how my own assumptions and beliefs, including cultural beliefs, impact on practice and the achievement of learners with different abilities and needs, backgrounds, genders, identities, languages and cultures.

• Engage in professional learning and adaptively apply this learning in practice.

• Be informed by research and innovations related to: content disciplines; pedagogy; teaching for diverse learners, including learners with disabilities and learning support needs; and wider education matters.

• Seek and respond to feedback from learners, colleagues and other education professionals, and engage in collaborative problem solving and learning focused collegial discussions.

As a scientist, I am a naturally critical and reflective person. This is particularly evident when I am trialling a new tool or technique that I am passionate about or have created. This is demonstrated in my daily lesson reflections and the weekly meetings with my PCT mentor. It is also interesting to reflect with other teachers who have run the same (or similar) tasks about the strengths, work ons, and any tips. These discussions are key in such a practical space as science, as student safety and classroom management can be challenging. Reflection is also prompted by student feedback; comments, behaviours or assessment results. I am always seeking to make students' learning positive and engaging, so I commonly use feedback surveys to get data and their perspectives. In addition to formal surveys, I try to take any opportunity to have more informal chats with the students (particularly year 9 science students) to hear their perspectives on the current experience/task, and how this could be improved. 

There is such a wealth of accessible knowledge, and so many people willing to share their discoveries that learning has almost never been easier! The only challenge is knowing how and where to start. Thus, finding passion in student agency, gamification, and skills-first teaching have guided much of my professional learning over the past two years. This journey has been generously guided and supported by several of my colleagues, and some teachers internationally. 

Perhaps this is a product of age and self-reflection, but I feel that with the professional learning I have done thus far I am also learning a lot about myself. Views and opinions are being challenged or solidifying themselves, goals becoming clearer, and ambitions making themselves known. I am therefore very interested to keep deepening and broadening my knowledge.