During my placement at Wesley, I participated in the ANZAC Day assembly, which included a tribute to the Aboriginal traditional owners of the land. This experience deepened my understanding of the importance of acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and connections to Country in education.

The assembly highlighted how cultural identity and historical context shape students’ sense of belonging. It reinforced the need to embed Indigenous perspectives respectfully and authentically, rather than tokenistically, in school events and learning programs.

This links to the Marrung Aboriginal Education Plan (2016–2026), https://www.vaeai.org.au/marrung-10-year-education-plan-2016-2026/

This plan guides Victorian schools in supporting Koorie students to achieve their potential while ensuring that culture and identity are valued. Although not all Indigenous students at Wesley are Koorie, the strategy underscores the broader responsibility of teachers to build cultural competence and integrate Indigenous perspectives across curriculum areas. For example, in HPE, this could involve exploring traditional Indigenous games to promote movement skills while also teaching cultural knowledge.

This artefact demonstrates my growing understanding of how culture and identity influence learning and wellbeing, and my commitment to fostering culturally responsive practices that celebrate the heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In my practice, I draw on strategies such as scaffolding complex tasks into smaller steps, using visuals and word banks to support students who require additional guidance, and providing extension activities that encourage higher-order thinking for advanced learners. The resource also highlights the importance of flexibility, ongoing assessment, and collaboration, which I apply by monitoring student progress and adjusting tasks to ensure equitable participation.

Engaging with and applying these adaptive teaching examples, shows commitment to ensuring that all students, including those requiring additional support and those needing enrichment are provided with meaningful learning opportunities that promote inclusion, progress, and engagement.

This practice reflects the requirements of the Disability Standards for Education (2005), which mandate that students with disability are provided reasonable adjustments to access education on the same basis as their peers. https://www.education.gov.au/disability-standards-education-2005#:~:text=The%20Disability%20Standards%20for%20Education%202005%20(DSE)%20clarify%20the%20obligations,basis%20as%20students%20without%20disability

The school’s approach also reflects key principles from the Inclusive School Communities Policy Framework (Purple Orange), which emphasises student voice, collaboration with families, and shared responsibility for inclusion. https://purpleorange.org.au/inclusiveschoolcommunities/resources/toolkit/policy-framework-around-students-living-disability

In my own teaching, I draw on these principles by using scaffolding and modified tasks to support students with additional needs, while also providing extension opportunities for those requiring challenge. I recognise the importance of working collaboratively with families, support staff, and allied health professionals to ensure individual needs are met, and of building a classroom culture where students with disability can participate fully and thrive.

In addition to social engagement, I recognise the importance of formal strategies such as parent-teacher interviews, which the school has twice a year. These provide direct opportunities to discuss student progress, set shared learning goals, and collaborate on strategies to support students at home and at school. They are particularly valuable for tailoring approaches to individual needs and ensuring parents feel actively involved in the educative process.

Together, community events and structured academic conversations represent a broad range of strategies that schools and teachers can use to involve parents and carers. This reflects my understanding that effective parent engagement requires both social connection and educational partnership, ensuring families are empowered to play an active role in student learning and wellbeing.

In my Year 9 mixed netball lessons, the focus is on exploring what systems enable competitive advantage, including ability, communication, teamwork, experience, and strategy. I designed activities where students generate, sort, and connect ideas about these factors to develop a deeper understanding of effective team play.

Over the multiple lessons, I implemented strategies to maximise inclusive participation and engagement. Students worked in mixed-gender teams and contributed ideas through discussion, written sorting, or diagrams, catering to diverse learning styles and abilities. The lesson plan included scaffolded roles and differentiated tasks, enabling all students, regardless of experience, to participate meaningfully. Emphasising teamwork, communication, and mutual respect created a supportive environment that encouraged confidence and active engagement. The accompanying lesson plan and board snapshot illustrate these strategies in practice, providing clear evidence of how I foster inclusive learning in physical education.

https://www2.vrqa.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-10/Ministerial-Order-1359-Child-Safe-Standards-School-Boarding-Jan-2022.pdf

The training reinforced my understanding of mandatory reporting, grooming indicators, and responding to disclosures, as well as the administrative and organisational processes required at the school. For example, Wesley College’s internal reporting system ensures that any concerns are documented and escalated to the appropriate authorities, including Child Protection or the Commission for Children and Young People, in accordance with legal requirements.

In my role as netball coach at Melbourne Girls Grammar School, I implement several strategies to communicate effectively, sensitively, and confidentially with parents and carers:

Digital Communication via Team App: I use Team App to share weekly updates on game details such as time, location, and player capacity. This platform allows parents to ask questions privately, ensuring sensitive engagement and maintaining confidentiality. Responses can be thoughtful, professional, and documented for transparency.

Email Updates: For more detailed information, individual concerns, or sensitive matters, I use email. This ensures that communication is private, formal, and traceable, supporting parents who prefer written records.

Across all communication channels, I maintain professional language, clear expectations, and appropriate boundaries, ensuring that interactions are respectful, inclusive, and culturally sensitive.

Completing my Austswim provided a valuable example of how external professionals can enhance teachers’ professional knowledge and practice. Industry experts shared evidence-based strategies for teaching swimming, managing risk in aquatic environments, and supporting learners with diverse abilities. This experience strengthened my capacity to deliver safe, inclusive, and engaging lessons.