Professional Learning

I have attended a variety of PLD sessions, outlined in my Induction Overviews and PGC Growth Cycle documents.  I try to take one or two ideas from every PLD session and apply it to my teaching. For example, I was invited to a Maths development day at Flanshaw Primary. I was introduced to 'Move n Proves' and was able to watch this in action in a classroom space. I knew immediately that it was something I wanted to trial with my students. I put my own spin on it to fit the parameters of our classroom and it has been a staple part of my maths program since. I like the way it relies on whole class engagement rather than just one or two students putting their hands up, it facilitates rich discussion and is also incredibly fun!  Similarly, after attending a Murray Gadd writing workshop, I was intrigued to try his way of modelling writing. It uses the concept of discussing ideas, locking them in and then using 'looking words' and 'hearing words' to construct the sentences to represent the idea. I had a lot of success with this technique and still use it for my writers who need acceleration or one-on-one teacher support.

I enjoy having other people in my classroom and welcome visitors coming to observe with open arms. I have been observed by my mentor, fellow colleagues for their PGC, visiting student teachers and external members of our community (such as staff from CodeAvengers). I enjoy receiving constructive feedback about my practice and it is wonderful to read positive praise when I have put a lot of effort and time into my lessons and planning. One of my favourite ways to spend time during my release is to observe others. I have never left an observation without a new idea or some sort of creative inspiration. It is wonderful to see other forms of behaviour management, reward systems, teaching styles etc. Even if I observe something that I wouldn't typically do, I am still able to use this to reflect and improve my own practice. I know that observing others is something that I will continue to find time for even with reduced release hours.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of taking on the BSLA microcredential this year. I appreciated the ease and organisation of the testing process which enabled me to quickly begin teaching at the right level. I enjoyed the structure of the Taumata plans as they were easy and clear to follow. By the last few weeks, I felt more comfortable creating my own word chains and choosing activities to suit my class. My learners looked forward to this Taumata time every day, thoroughly enjoying the work on whiteboards and the hands on activities. It was great to see solid engagement across my class. Some of my learners found the word chains far too easy so it was great to add in extra challenges for them (on advice from my mentor) to extend them while others were still working on the main task at hand. As a teacher it was a wonderful way to monitor progress across the weeks rather than just through the assessments. Another great skill that I have gained from this course is being able to use quality childrens literature to expand my learners vocabulary and reading/writing skills. Unlike just taking a picture book, reading it in 10 minutes and never revisiting it again. It is great to build on the knowledge gained, have in depth discussions about the text and also to apply these new words to our oral and written language. My confidence in implementing this structured literacy approach has increased and I think the inclusion of Ready to Read phonics books has been very effective. At first, it was hard to readjust my groups and make time in the timetable but as I became more capable and confident, my small group lessons ran much smoother and I was able to work with every group at least twice a week. I have seen incredible progress in my class this year and feel grateful to have been able to take this course.