Professional Practice
Professional Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
Focus Area 4.1 - Support student participation
I endeavour to create activities and tasks that all students can participate in and enjoy. Tasks have levels of differentiation, so students who struggle can work at their own pace, but students who 'get it' can push themselves ahead. I encourage peer teaching and often have pair and small group work scenarios. As the year progresses, I encourage students to seek assistance from their peers before asking the teacher. This gives other students the chance to showcase their knowledge and support their peers, while participating even more strongly in the learning process. I have also played a pivotal role in organising a school debating and public speaking club, and having students regularly attend lunchtime sessions as well as running a team in an interschool competition.
Evidence for this focus area is a photo of debating students in action.
Focus Area 4.2 - Manage classroom activities
As previously discussed, students learn in a variety of ways. Because of this, I endeavour to provide a range of activities each lesson that play to students' strengths and interests. Tasks are generally kept short and I move the students from one task to another to maintain their concentration, while allowing short breaks in between tasks. I support these tasks with visuals such as countdown clocks on the board, and use of the smartboard for audio and video. Changing the learning environment also assists with maintaining interest and concentration, as demonstrated in my Fairy Tale Court task. In this task, students turned the classroom into a courtroom in order to present a whole-class oral presentation. I periodically seek student feedback regarding the units and tasks that we complete through verbal and online/written surveys.
Evidence for this focus area is a photo of students participating in the Fairy Tale Court.
Focus Area 4.3 - Manage challenging behaviour
As in the title, this point can be an exhausting challenge. I am proud that I am generally able to handle these behaviours with minimal impact on the other students' learning, and with minimal class time lost. I endeavour not to send students to buddy classes as they are then at a disadvantage. I negotiate with students suitable behaviours and work with them to see that it happens. On occasion, I have needed assistance with dealing with issues and have strong support from the school leadership team when this happens. At times, this has resulted in parent and/or student meetings. During these meetings the problems for the student are discussed with them and/or their caregiver, and solutions and support are put in place. I also utilise our schools' learner management system to document issues and strategies, as well as find information about the student in other subject areas and attendance patterns.
Evidence for this focus area is a sanitised student reflection sheet after a behaviour incident.
Focus Area 4.4 - Maintain student safety
This point is obviously a crucial one for all school sites. I maintain student safety in a number of ways. Firstly, by being familiar with DECD policies and procedures around behaviour management and events such as excursions. Each excursion we organise has to include details as to how emergencies and contingencies will be managed should the need arise. This includes describing the plan of action as well as how and when school and parents will be informed and ensuring that student/teacher ratios are maintained. I also maintain safety by implementing preventative and supportive strategies that reduce the likelihood of serious or critical incidents occurring.
-yard duties
-risk assessment for excursions
Evidence for this focus area is a copy of my Responding to Abuse and Neglect Training certificate.
Focus Area 4.5 - Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
I take ICT use very seriously. Whenever aspects of technology use come up in a task, appropriate behaviours for the task are discussed and enforced. School ICT policy is referred to and enforced. Students practise safe internet and technology use, and learn to problem solve with their own technology. I use our school's learner management system to make notes about student successes and areas for improvement, as well as informing other staff about issues as necessary. I check all websites before introducing them into the classroom to ensure they are suitable, as well as YouTube videos etc. I am able to recommend sites to be blocked or unblocked to our ICT manager.
-ict mentor
-digital literacy unit/rules for use/digital footprints etc
Evidence for this focus area is a letter sent to parents prior to teaching a Digital Literacy unit of work.
I endeavour to create activities and tasks that all students can participate in and enjoy. Tasks have levels of differentiation, so students who struggle can work at their own pace, but students who 'get it' can push themselves ahead. I encourage peer teaching and often have pair and small group work scenarios. As the year progresses, I encourage students to seek assistance from their peers before asking the teacher. This gives other students the chance to showcase their knowledge and support their peers, while participating even more strongly in the learning process. I have also played a pivotal role in organising a school debating and public speaking club, and having students regularly attend lunchtime sessions as well as running a team in an interschool competition.
Evidence for this focus area is a photo of debating students in action.
Focus Area 4.2 - Manage classroom activities
As previously discussed, students learn in a variety of ways. Because of this, I endeavour to provide a range of activities each lesson that play to students' strengths and interests. Tasks are generally kept short and I move the students from one task to another to maintain their concentration, while allowing short breaks in between tasks. I support these tasks with visuals such as countdown clocks on the board, and use of the smartboard for audio and video. Changing the learning environment also assists with maintaining interest and concentration, as demonstrated in my Fairy Tale Court task. In this task, students turned the classroom into a courtroom in order to present a whole-class oral presentation. I periodically seek student feedback regarding the units and tasks that we complete through verbal and online/written surveys.
Evidence for this focus area is a photo of students participating in the Fairy Tale Court.
Focus Area 4.3 - Manage challenging behaviour
As in the title, this point can be an exhausting challenge. I am proud that I am generally able to handle these behaviours with minimal impact on the other students' learning, and with minimal class time lost. I endeavour not to send students to buddy classes as they are then at a disadvantage. I negotiate with students suitable behaviours and work with them to see that it happens. On occasion, I have needed assistance with dealing with issues and have strong support from the school leadership team when this happens. At times, this has resulted in parent and/or student meetings. During these meetings the problems for the student are discussed with them and/or their caregiver, and solutions and support are put in place. I also utilise our schools' learner management system to document issues and strategies, as well as find information about the student in other subject areas and attendance patterns.
Evidence for this focus area is a sanitised student reflection sheet after a behaviour incident.
Focus Area 4.4 - Maintain student safety
This point is obviously a crucial one for all school sites. I maintain student safety in a number of ways. Firstly, by being familiar with DECD policies and procedures around behaviour management and events such as excursions. Each excursion we organise has to include details as to how emergencies and contingencies will be managed should the need arise. This includes describing the plan of action as well as how and when school and parents will be informed and ensuring that student/teacher ratios are maintained. I also maintain safety by implementing preventative and supportive strategies that reduce the likelihood of serious or critical incidents occurring.
-yard duties
-risk assessment for excursions
Evidence for this focus area is a copy of my Responding to Abuse and Neglect Training certificate.
Focus Area 4.5 - Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
I take ICT use very seriously. Whenever aspects of technology use come up in a task, appropriate behaviours for the task are discussed and enforced. School ICT policy is referred to and enforced. Students practise safe internet and technology use, and learn to problem solve with their own technology. I use our school's learner management system to make notes about student successes and areas for improvement, as well as informing other staff about issues as necessary. I check all websites before introducing them into the classroom to ensure they are suitable, as well as YouTube videos etc. I am able to recommend sites to be blocked or unblocked to our ICT manager.
-ict mentor
-digital literacy unit/rules for use/digital footprints etc
Evidence for this focus area is a letter sent to parents prior to teaching a Digital Literacy unit of work.
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