Standard 6 - Engage in Professional Learning
Final Practical Experience
2018 Term 3
6.2 - Engage in Professional Learning and Improve Practice
Situation: The school that I was placed at offered a number of opportunities for professional learning throughout my placement. This came in the form of a conference on the first day of Term 3, as well as regular Tuesday afternoon staff meetings and professional learning workshops.
Action: I attended the conference and all of the Tuesday afternoon staff meetings, which covered and discussed a different focus each week. These focuses ranged from normal school upkeep and events to AISWA run professional learning sessions and whole school literacy planning.
Outcome: By attending these staff meetings and professional learning sessions I experienced a variety of different schooling situations that I had previously not been exposed to. This experience has given me an insight into the professional world of a teacher, while also giving me the opportunity to take part in professional learning and personal development.
Future Action Plan: In the future I intend to keep up my professional learning by conducting research and attending professional development sessions that I find interesting, relevant and helpful to myself as a teacher and the needs of my students/classrooms. I am enrolled to attend a professional development workshop next week which is conducted by St John of God and looks at Mental Health in children.
Evidence:
Action: I attended the conference and all of the Tuesday afternoon staff meetings, which covered and discussed a different focus each week. These focuses ranged from normal school upkeep and events to AISWA run professional learning sessions and whole school literacy planning.
Outcome: By attending these staff meetings and professional learning sessions I experienced a variety of different schooling situations that I had previously not been exposed to. This experience has given me an insight into the professional world of a teacher, while also giving me the opportunity to take part in professional learning and personal development.
Future Action Plan: In the future I intend to keep up my professional learning by conducting research and attending professional development sessions that I find interesting, relevant and helpful to myself as a teacher and the needs of my students/classrooms. I am enrolled to attend a professional development workshop next week which is conducted by St John of God and looks at Mental Health in children.
Evidence:
6.3 - Engage with Colleagues and Improve Practice
Situation: Throughout my final practical experience my mentor was required to provide feedback on everything I did from my programming and planning, to the delivery of lessons and behaviour management. I believe that receiving constructive feedback, taking it on board and applying it to your practice is very important and one of the only ways to truly grow and develop your abilities and skills. I also ensured that I asked for guidance and constructive feedback from the other teachers at the school, the educational assistant and the relief teachers that occasionally visited the classroom.
Action: Up until week 3 my mentor gave me daily written feedback on all of my lessons. We would then discuss both her feedback and my reflection in depth. From week 4 onwards the written feedback was reduced to verbal feedback and an occasional lesson critique form. I also made sure to often ask the educational assistant for feedback and guidance as she had years of experience and would sometimes pick up on things that neither my mentor nor myself had thought of. When my mentor teacher was not at school a relief teacher would come in, I saw this as an opportunity for some feedback from an outside perspective and took this at every chance possible.
Outcome: After constructive feedback and discussion with my mentors I was then able to adapt my following lessons and implement any guidance or strategies that she suggested. I feel that this definitely helped me to grow as a teacher and gave me the knowledge of and practice in a range of different teaching strategies.
Future Action Plan: In the future I plan to keep in contact with all of the mentors that I had throughout my final practical experience. These mentors range in years and variety of experience and have all offered to continue providing me with advice, guidance, feedback and support throughout my future teaching career. I am also going to ensure that I continue to seek out constructive feedback from my peers and colleagues as I get more experience and my own classroom.
Evidence: Below I have attached some of the lesson critique forms that my mentor and one of my relief mentors completed following some of my lessons.
Action: Up until week 3 my mentor gave me daily written feedback on all of my lessons. We would then discuss both her feedback and my reflection in depth. From week 4 onwards the written feedback was reduced to verbal feedback and an occasional lesson critique form. I also made sure to often ask the educational assistant for feedback and guidance as she had years of experience and would sometimes pick up on things that neither my mentor nor myself had thought of. When my mentor teacher was not at school a relief teacher would come in, I saw this as an opportunity for some feedback from an outside perspective and took this at every chance possible.
Outcome: After constructive feedback and discussion with my mentors I was then able to adapt my following lessons and implement any guidance or strategies that she suggested. I feel that this definitely helped me to grow as a teacher and gave me the knowledge of and practice in a range of different teaching strategies.
Future Action Plan: In the future I plan to keep in contact with all of the mentors that I had throughout my final practical experience. These mentors range in years and variety of experience and have all offered to continue providing me with advice, guidance, feedback and support throughout my future teaching career. I am also going to ensure that I continue to seek out constructive feedback from my peers and colleagues as I get more experience and my own classroom.
Evidence: Below I have attached some of the lesson critique forms that my mentor and one of my relief mentors completed following some of my lessons.
Practical Experience
2018 Term 1
Simlab@Murdoch
As a part of the requirements for EDN4100 we were given the opportunity to complete a simulated parent interview on the Murdoch University Campus. This allowed us to gain experience and practice in interviews while using a range of different strategies to gain and maintain control.
In the first interview Max, was very upset that his son, Ethan, had gone from an A grade in mathematics to a D grade. Throughout this interview Max used his anger to maintain control, which resulted in me getting flustered and uncomfortable. The strategy that I used to calm down Max and gain control in the second interview was (SAO) Situation, Action and Outcome. This strategy seemed to work very well, allowing me to understand his concerns and explain that we were currently assessing the situation, working out an action plan, and would keep him updated with any decisions or progress that we had made.
As a part of the requirements for EDN4100 we were given the opportunity to complete a simulated parent interview on the Murdoch University Campus. This allowed us to gain experience and practice in interviews while using a range of different strategies to gain and maintain control.
In the first interview Max, was very upset that his son, Ethan, had gone from an A grade in mathematics to a D grade. Throughout this interview Max used his anger to maintain control, which resulted in me getting flustered and uncomfortable. The strategy that I used to calm down Max and gain control in the second interview was (SAO) Situation, Action and Outcome. This strategy seemed to work very well, allowing me to understand his concerns and explain that we were currently assessing the situation, working out an action plan, and would keep him updated with any decisions or progress that we had made.
Topic Task 4 (BRITE)
The aim of the Building Resilience in Teacher Education (BRITE) program is to help pre-service teachers build their awareness of the skills and practices that will help facilitate resilience in their teaching career. Topic Task 4 for the EDN2104 Unit at Murdoch University required myself to complete the B component of the BRITE program.
Substandards:
6.1 - Identify and plan professional learning needs
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
6.2 - Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
6.3 - Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
6.4 - Apply professional learning and improve students learning
Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
6.2 - Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
6.3 - Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
6.4 - Apply professional learning and improve students learning
Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.