MTSA ePortfolio EDUC9401 - EVIDENCE SET 2

INTRODUCTION

My Evidence Set 2 refers to the TPA 4 task and focuses on The Visual Arts and developing learners’ visual arts practice in manipulating materials and techniques to communicate their ideas through ongoing feedback and lesson planning. The TPA 4 task is not linked to the TPA 3 class, due to complicated circumstances explained in TPA 4, but is still related as a Visual Arts class and for the development of students’ visual arts understanding. The CARES (Context, Action, Results, Evaluation, Standards) model frames and supports this work and draws reference to the APST focus areas: 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 6.3.

CONTEXT

The lesson that I planned and recorded part of for the TPA 4 evidence was the second of two clay technique lessons I planned, and this second lesson was created and built based around the successful parts of the first lesson. I used what went well and what needed improvement in my teaching to get better results from the students, so they gained solid understanding of the techniques explored. Success was measured with a rubric that assessed techniques and finish rather than aesthetic. I had also had the opportunity to get to know my students better by this time which meant I had differentiated appropriately, according to Tomlinson (2014), for all the students in the class.

The evidence shows that good planning and working with cross curriculum priorities such as sustainability, along with my teaching styles using elements of project-based learning, as discussed on the website, (NSW Government, 2022) and well scaffolded instruction all helped in executing a successful lesson. The evidence it was successful is that the clay pots were completed and finished in the time frame allocated for the activity. This shows that the challenge was appropriate for the learners as discussed by (Hattie, 2009), and will transfer their knowledge beyond this lesson as it will be linked with a positive outcome.

ACTION

To make this lesson successful I ensured that I explicitly explained the steps (AITSL, 2017) for successfully creating with clay. I outlined the rules for safety in the classroom and for working with clay (see figure 2). By creating a quiz in the introduction to the lesson, asking questions about the rules just stated, it enabled me to know in a real time situation what the classes understanding was of the rules and steps needed for success. Students were engaged with this fun activity, and group participation was high. This led to an enthusiastic and positive start to the lesson. (APST 3.5)

This lesson, like most art classes, has a natural element of differentiation involved, as the students are using their own agency to design and create their artworks and can work at their own pace. The structure of this lesson was supported by the use of HITS (High Impact Teaching Strategies) and is something that I find useful to refer back to regularly (Department of Education and Training, 2023). One student in my class had some sensory issues working with touching the clay, but was happy to wear some gloves, on my suggestion, to reduce the feeling and continued on to create their clay pinch pot (APST 4.1). I would call this a successful, supported and inclusive solution for this individual.

While talking to the class in the introductory stage of this lesson, a few students continued talking at the back of the room. It was excited chatter about the task, but still distracting for the other students, and not beneficial for me to have them talking at the same time. I walked over to where they were and continued my introduction. This reduced the conversation in the area, as I was standing next to them, but there was still talking, so I stopped talking for a short time, and this led to the talking students realising that I was no longer talking, and they fell silent. Then I addressed that I was explaining the task to them all and asked them what we were doing in the lesson. They realised they had been put on the spot and did not know the answer.

My mentor commended me on the management of this behaviour as swift and effective and that moving myself to the talking students was not disruptive to the rest of the class. This addresses APST 4.3, demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour. (figure 5)

RESULTS

I consider the results for this lesson activity successful, as the students achieved a well-planned and constructed pot that demonstrated a small coral area contained in a pinch pot. The learning objectives were clearly outlined, and students clearly developed skills in clay construction creating various textures and effects. I would also consider it a success as the final results produced were as I had anticipated and showed that the students listened well and followed the rules for the clay creating and constructing techniques.

Figure 7 shows some of the pots the students created. They all demonstrated clay building and constructing techniques and developed their skills in these techniques. This indicates that I created a detailed lesson plan with instructions and learning intentions that were achievable for the challenge level of the class in these techniques and the timeframe allocated.

EVALUATION

Some takeaways from my mentor’s feedback (figure 8), and engaging in professional learning (APST 6.3), from this lesson that I can easily implement into future lesson plans and classes include things like, having tech ready to go with a PowerPoint or slide on the screen when students come in to avoid restlessness surrounding uncertainty on what they are doing for the lesson. This shows the students what to expect and that they will find out more once they are ready to learn and settled.

Work on incorporating more metacognitive questioning. The students generally enjoy contributing to class discussion and developing more ways to incorporate this will be beneficial for engagement in any classroom.

Allow enough time at the end of the lesson for cleanup and questions. This is tricky! Especially when students are engaged and even engrossed in the activity, and it is hard to stop them when they are working so well. But the questioning via exit card techniques or just questions related to the lesson are important for their recall of their understanding of the lesson.

By breaking down the steps in the planning of just one lesson, I can see how many teaching strategies and decisions go into the creating of a lesson. It is exciting to see this knowledge grow and develop as my toolkit grows with my experience.

STANDARDS

REFERENCES

AITSL. (2017). Explicit instruction. AITSL. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/explicit-instruction-illustration-of-practice#tab-panel-1

Australian Government. (2024). The Arts | V9 Australian Curriculum. V9.Australiancurriculum.edu.au. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-learning-area/the-arts#visual-arts

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL). (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards

Department of Education and Training. (2023). High impact teaching strategies. Department of Education. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/practice/improve/Pages/hits.aspx

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203887332. Chapter 3, visible teaching and visible learning.

NSW Government. (2022, April 12). Design thinking and project-based learning. Education.nsw.gov.au. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/stem/early-stage-1-to-stage-3/project-based-learning-and-design-thinking

Peters, J., Le Cornu, R., Collins, J., Bentley, D., Shaw, N., Hodgman, P., Pontifex, D., Quantrill, C., Wood, G., & Scerri, C. (2003). TOWARDS CONSTRUCTIVIST TEACHING AND LEARNING Towards Constructivist Teaching and Learning. https://www.education.sa.gov.au/docs/curriculum/tfel/towards_constructivist_teaching_and_learning.pdf

Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs of all Learners (2nd ed., p. 20). Pearson Education. Figure 2.1 Differentiation of instruction diagram.