7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities

Engaging with professional teaching networks and broader communities broadens my knowledge of my subject areas and teaching practices, allowing me to improve student outcomes in class. I also share my own knowledge and experience with peers in person or through online professional communities. Other professionals have different backgrounds and insights which can transform my own teaching practice and I make an effort to connect with others and be open to their ideas.

In the “Relationships” branch of my personal learning network, I have listed some of the people and teaching networks that I learn from and contribute to. With some of my peers in the Master of Teaching course at the University of Western Australia, we founded the UWA Teaching Society. This is a student society with the aims of connecting preservice teachers at UWA. We have created a Facebook group where UWA pre-service teachers can share resources, share experiences and start discussion about teaching (Figure 1). We have also organised workshops, information sessions and social activities to help students collaborate and develop relationships with their peers (Figure 2). This student society is supported by staff at UWA an in futures it can expanded to establish and alumni network where UWA pre-service teachers can learn from graduates.

Another professional teaching network is a strong social media community is Teach Meet WA. I follow their Facebook page to learn from other teachers who from different disciplines and schools across Western Australia, I also post about teaching ideas on this page. I find it valuable to learn from teachers of different subjects and age levels as students are diverse and there are common themes and general capabilities that are taught across all subjects (ACARA, 2019). Teacher networks are also valuable for helping teachers discuss and manage the daily pressures of the profession while working towards educational goals (Lieberman, 2000). Having a strong in-person and online network of peers has helped me develop both my practice and resilience as a teacher.

Engaging with the broader community allows me to learn an even greater network of people to learn from as well as positively contribute to society. This affects my classroom practice by expanding my resources for planning lessons and providing inspiration for how students can participate in their local community. I am a member of the Japan Exchange Teaching Programme Alumni Association of Western Australia (JETAAWA), a network of professionals that have worked as language assistants in Japan. Being a part of this association has broadened my knowledge of Japanese language and culture as well as different career pathways students may be interested. As a speaker at the 2018 JETAAWA Careers Seminar, I shared my professional experience with university students and learned about different global career pathways (Figure 4). During my professional practice, students have often asked me where curriculum content is practically applied and what career pathways it leads to. Broadening my knowledge of the local and global workforce is one of the many benefits of engaging with the community.

References

Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2018). General Capabilities. Retrieved from https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/general-capabilities/

Lieberman, A. (2000). Networks as learning communities: Shaping the future of teacher development. Journal of teacher education, 51(3), 221-227.