Eboni Muir E-Portfolio (5825075) by https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68 en-us 2018-10-10 02:32:40 UTC 2023-12-17 10:57:18 UTC hello@padlet.com Standard 1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058043 Context: Teaching a mathematics unit on fractions.

Reflection: During a lesson on mixed numbers the students where looking at pattern sequences involving mixed numbers. These patterns were not visual in nature and the majority of students were struggling with the questions. I sat down with a small group of children and made a visual representation of the patterns. This activity gave me a greater understanding that not all children learn the same way and that some children need a visual or physical representation of the concepts. This experience showed me that I will need to have a range of activities and ways of explaining concepts depending on my students' needs (Smutny & Fremd, 2004).  

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:36:00 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058043 Standard 1.2: Understand how students learn muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058239 Context: Scaffolding teaching strategy used during poetry lessons.

Reflection: Poetry was the focus for our writing lessons whilst I was on placement. It was clear that the students did not have a great deal of exposure to poetry and how to write their own poems. For each new type of poem discussed, I as the teacher would scaffold how to write a poem for that specific genre. The structure was as follows: discussion of the general rules and principles of that type of poetry; read through a couple of examples; create a class poem and finally having a go at poem writing individually. Scaffolding not only allowed the students a greater understanding of the topic but also allowed me to see which students were struggling and where they needed more assistance (Van Der Stuyf, 2002).
 
Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:37:49 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058239 Standard 1.3: Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058343 Context: Students were learning about key people/groups of people from the Gold Rush.

Reflection: Students were given the opportunity to pick any person or group of people who were influential during the Gold Rush to complete their project on. This allowed students to pick a topic that resonated with them, either religiously; ethnically or socioculturally. For example, students who have had family members migrate to Australia often chose the Chinese miners as they have a 'similar' story to their own family members. Giving the students the opportunity to pick their own topics made them more accountable for their work and more included in the teaching process (Hyde, 2014).          

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:38:56 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058343 Standard 1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058423 Context: Engage in professional reading to further develop my teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

Reflection: This resource will be valuable for me to use in both my upcoming placement and my future teaching career as it clearly lists ten effective teaching and learning strategies, as well as explaining each of these in detail. The resource also makes it clear how vital the collaboration between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and schools are when teaching young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. This resource also listed numerous other resources and websites to visit for further information and development on this subject area that I will definitely investigate when I need extra support (Queensland Studies Authority, 2013).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:39:47 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058423 Standard 1.5: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058513 Context: Debriefing with my mentor teacher after the completion of my lessons.

Reflection: After the completion of my lessons, my mentor teacher and I would have a discussion about how the children grasped the topic. If the children were struggling we would discuss what options were best for our students, for example, moving to concrete or visual aids for topics such as fractions, or going back to the basics of the topic and working our way up again. These discussions were quite beneficial for my learning as I got to discuss with my mentor where I thought the children were at and how to progress from here (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:40:29 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058513 Standard 1.6: Strategies to support full participation of students with disability muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058621 Context: Understanding when students need a time-out.

Reflection: The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) has a dedicated section to discrimination in education. It is vitally important that we as teachers do not discriminate against students who have disabilities and to the best of our abilities include them in all aspects of school life. Students with disabilities deserve a valuable education and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) ensures that this will occurAlthough there were no students within my class who had any diagnosis or funding, there were a couple of students who needed additional support. One boy in particular was able to ask for a 10min timeout when he was feeling overwhelmed. This timeout allowed him and one other child to kick the football on the oval before coming back into the classroom to resume their work. This strategy worked for this particular boy and although he was out of the class for 10mins he was a lot more productive when he returned. This strategy is something I will consider using in my own classrooms if a child needs this kind of support (Cook-Sather, 2002).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:41:20 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058621 Standard 2.1: Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058839 Context: Teaching a unit on fractions.
 
Reflection: To engage the children with fractions and to make the concepts of fractions more relevant to their outside world fractions were taught using pizza and chocolate. Students had to create pizzas according to the different fractions of toppings and share chocolates between them selves and their siblings depending on the fraction of chores they had completed. Students were more engaged with the topic as the lessons were incorporating real world scenarios that each of the children had experienced at home. These lessons have shown me the benefit of relating a topic to the students' outside environment (Cook-Sather, 2002).
   
Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:42:53 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058839 Standard 2.2: Content selection and organisation muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058867 Context: Feedback from mentor after a mathematics lesson did not go as planned.

Reflection: After a mathematics lesson on fractions did not go to plan in terms of timing I had a debrief with my mentor teacher. During this debrief she wrote up a quick guideline of how the lesson could have looked and the approximate timings that would ensure the lesson was running smoothly. After this discussion I found it useful to write my lesson timings on a small post-it note that I could carry around with me to make sure I was sticking to the times. I also found it useful for both myself and the students to use the electronic timer next to the white board to give us a visual representation of how much time was remaining and when the alarm sounded the students knew that it was time to move on (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:43:08 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058867 Standard 2.3: Curriculum, assessment and reporting muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058946 Context: Completing reading conferences with students during independent reading.

Reflection: During independent reading I would conduct a reading conference with one to two children and listen to them read for approximately 10 mins each. During this 10 mins I would be writing notes about the reading strategies they are using and what areas need improvement. After the student has finished reading we have a discussion about how they thought they went and create a reading goal for them to work on before the next reading conference. This method allowed the students instant feedback and the ability to create a reading goal with the teacher. I would also report back to my mentor teacher about how the reading conference was going and any concerns that she may have to follow up on (Godinho, 2011).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:43:41 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291058946 Standard 2.4: Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059019 Context: On the Reconciliation Australia website, I accessed the summary document that outlined the five dimensions that measure reconciliation.

Reflection: I was unaware of the 5 dimensions of reconciliation (race relations; equality and equity; unity; institutional integrity and historical acceptance) and how these could apply within the school setting before reading this document. This document provides suggestions for the next steps to be taken within each dimension that will lead to a reconciled Australia. I will regularly refer to this document in my final placement and teaching career to ensure that I am implementing these next steps into the school environment wherever possible/appropriate. This document is an important resource for all teachers to have to assist them in the reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students (Reconciliation Australia, 2016).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:44:07 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059019 Standard 2.5: Literacy and numeracy strategies muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059162 Context: Attending literacy meetings every fortnight.

Reflection: My mentor teacher was the leading literacy teacher for grade 5/6 and we attended literacy meetings with the other leading literacy teachers from 3/4; 1/2 and Foundation every fortnight. During these meetings we would discuss the whole school literacy assessment schedules; whole school moderation pieces and strategies for getting the students excited and interested in reading and writing. The same meetings were occurring for numeracy and well being, and once back in their cohorts the teachers would relay the important information onto their team members. These meetings were a great eye opener to what a leading teacher looks like and the expertise that these teachers possess. This meeting in particular showed me the reliance or favouritism that a school can have on using summative assessments for literacy and the need to incorporate both formative and summative assessments in the yearly assessment schedule. This was shown to be a hard task when we were asked to consciously think of formative assessments we could include for the literacy schedule. I will take this information into my teaching career and ensure to the best of my ability that both formative and summative assessments are being utilised (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007). I also tried to implement formative assessments in my placement when conducting share circles. This is where I could see how the students were going with that particular topic and we could have a discussion about whether the activities used were beneficial and whether the content was understood or need to be expanded upon in a future lesson.

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:45:22 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059162 Standard 2.6: Information and communication technology (ICT) muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059204 Context: Incorporating an internet based game during our inquiry unit. 

Reflection: The inquiry topic for this term was 'The Gold Rush in Ballarat' and they were completing a project on a person or type of people from the gold rush. To incorporate this project and the students love of technology I found a game that allowed students to play as either a lady, police man, Asian miner or a European miner during the gold rush. The students would play against each other and answer questions to scenarios and lose or gain gold depending on their answers. The person with the most gold at the end won. The students needed to use their previous knowledge about the gold rush to answer the questions in the appropriate way. The game allowed students to work in groups, view the gold rush from a range of perspectives and use their previous knowledge in a fun game. This game was also used to supplement the students projects, as many of the students had completed projects on the police men and Asian miners, and also allowed students to view the gold rush from different perspectives. This game was a great find and from the reactions of the students I would definitely incorporate ICT games into my classes (Cassidy, 2013). 

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:45:41 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059204 Standard 3.1: Establish challenging learning goals muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059268 Context: Starting each new lesson with a discussion about the learning intention and success criteria.

Reflection: At the start of each new lesson I would write on the board the learning intention and the success criteria for that lesson. The class would have a discussion about exactly what that would look like and how the students will know they have successfully completed the learning intention. I found this a great tool for students and especially those students who like to know what it happening and stick to routine. It also allows for self-assessment as the students are able to assess whether they can tick off the success criteria (Cook-Sather, 2002).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:46:15 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059268 Standard 3.2: Plan, structure and sequence learning programs muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059331 Context: Using the 4/5/6 planner to structure my lessons from.

Reflection: Every week during the 4/5/6 team planning time a weekly planner is created. Individual teachers can interpret the planner how they choose but the main concepts and curriculum areas must be addressed. I used this planner to organise my week and individual lessons, I did find my own resources and activities but the core of the lesson was consistent. I found this planner to be like a bible in some ways. It gave you an in depth view of the week and ensured that all four classes were working on the same topics at the same pace and could be adjusted or modified if necessary (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).    

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:46:41 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059331 Standard 3.3: Use teaching strategies muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059374 Context: Changing a lesson midway due to students interests.

Reflection: Twice a week the classroom teacher was responsible for taking the students to sport. The students in my class were very set on playing dodgeball any chance they got. For one of the classes I tried to change  it up and introduced a new game called 'Rock, Paper, Scissors, Chase'. However, the students were not adapting to the new game and were actively trying to get the game to an end. I decided to give the students what they wanted and started a game of dodgeball. Changing the game ensured that all students were participating in the game and that students weren't actively sabotaging the game. This sports lesson taught me that even though your intentions are good to give something new a try, sometimes the students just aren't as into it as you are (Cook-Sather, 2002).    

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:47:04 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059374 Standard 3.4: Select and use resources muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059405 Context: Teaching a mathematics unit on fractions.

Reflection: Whilst teaching the unit on fractions it was clear that some students worked better when the fractions/decimals/percentages where represented in pictorial form. To cater to these needs I did a lot of drawing on the whiteboard; using maths antic videos on YouTube and giving the students coloured shapes to draw on and play around with. These resources really helped those visual learners gain a better understanding of the fractions topics and not be disadvantaged due to their method of learning (Smutny & Fremd, 2004).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:47:25 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059405 Standard 3.5: Use effective classroom communication muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059441 Context: Giving the students instructions.

Reflection: Students would not often follow my instructions the first time I would ask them to do something. I received feedback from my mentor teacher stating that I was phrasing my instructions as a questions and due to this the students would disregard my instructions. My mentor explained that instead of saying 'can you please come to the floor?' I should instead say 'come to the floor now please'. After this advice was given to me I had to consciously think about the directions I would give to the students to make sure I wasn't phrasing them as a question (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:47:44 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059441 Standard 3.6: Evaluate and improve teaching programs muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059485 Context: Whole staff meeting after school focusing on the NAPLAN results and results from the 'student attitudes towards school' survey. 

Reflection: One of the whole staff meetings was dedicated solely to reviewing this years NAPLAN and 'attitutdes towards school' survey. In small groups we analysed the data and graphs we were given and asked to make notes on the points that stood out to us. We then shared our findings with the rest of the staff and discussed how we could improve the areas that were lacking. This meeting was useful for me to attend as I got to witness how schools respond to NAPLAN results and how this informs the teaching of all year levels, not just the teachers in year 3 and 5 (Cook-Sather, 2002; Godinho, 2011).

Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:48:07 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059485 Standard 3.7: Engage parents/carers in the educative process muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059525 Context: Parent drop-in meetings before school.

Reflection: A couple of parents would drop-in before school to have a chat with my mentor teacher about events that were happening at home that may effect the student in class. Some of the topics covered included: a student's father suddenly passed away; another student's father moved out of home and initiated a divorce and another student had a meeting at a well off high school and was told his grades and behaviour needed significant improvement. It was beneficial for me to be present at these meetings as I got to see how my mentor teacher interacts with parents and how the parents appreciate their child's teacher making time for them before school (Adams & Christenson, 2000).

Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:48:37 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059525 Standard 4.1: Support student participation muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059591 Context: Starting each day with a morning circle. 

Reflection: To begin each day the class would complete a morning circle. Each morning would be different, see evidence for one example. Other examples may include: giving each other a high five; giving each other a compliment or doing a dance move. This activity was introduced by Berry Street. The main objective of the activity is to get the students feeling like a class unit and giving the students a positive interaction at school to start their day, which will in turn lead to a productive day at school. The students are able to have an input into the activity and offer up suggestions for the next days morning circle. It is important that the teacher also participates in the morning circle to create a group atmosphere. I found the morning circles a fun and interactive way to get the students involved in the mornings and I will incorporate these into my classes in the future (Lyons, Ford & Slee, 2014).

Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:49:09 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059591 Standard 4.2: Manage classroom activities muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059642 Context: Lesson outlines are written on the whiteboard.

Reflection: Especially in the morning for reading and writing the lesson structure is written on the whiteboard for the children to see when they first walk in for the morning. There were quite a few students who didn't cope with change well and so it was vital for those students that the lesson structure was given to them in advance. Along with writing the lesson structure we used a visual timer. This allowed students to physically see how long they had left for an activity and when the buzzer went they knew to either pack up or move on to the next activity. This meant that students did not have to ask questions about the lesson or timings as they were up the front of the class for their convenience (Hyde, 2014).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:49:39 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059642 Standard 4.3: Manage challenging behaviour muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059692 Context: Using the school-wide behaviour management system.

Reflection: The school along with the students created a list of behaviours that are negative and would gain a warning if see within the classroom. After two warnings the students receives a pink slip which is the equivalent to a lunch time detention. This warning system is a great motivator for students to do the right thing in class. I often only had to mention a warning (without actually giving one) for the student to stop doing the inappropriate behaviour and to do the right thing. This system seems to work quite well in the class I was placed with as no student received a pink slip while I was on placement (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:50:08 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059692 Standard 4.4: Maintain student safety muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059716 Context: Given an induction pack on the first day of placement.

Reflection: To ensure that the schools expectations and the legislative requirements regarding student well being were fully understood by pre-service teachers the school gave us all an induction pack which included all the legislative practices to follow and a step-by-step process to ensure a child's safety and well being at school. Some of the legislation included: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 2004; Child Safety and Wellbeing Act 2005 and Children Youth and Families Act 2005. The pack clearly outlines the child safe standards and how the school and those working/volunteering at the school will be held accountable. Other well being information within the document included: how to report suspected abuse (mandatory reporting); class/yard supervision; and policies regarding excursions, incursions and camps. This induction pack was valuable as it clearly lays out the expectations and processes needed to ensure that student well being is maintained within all areas of the school. I was able to refer to this document during placement and would feel comfortable reporting to my mentor should the need arise (Churchill & Keddie, 2013).   

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:50:19 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059716 Standard 4.5: Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059762 Context: Ensuring that the internet resources used in class are age/content appropriate.

Reflection: Before I would use any internet based resources in the classroom I would check them the night before. I would ensure that the videos that we would watch were age appropriate and also relevant to the lesson and content area. I also tried to give the students web based games to further increase their interest in the topics. I would ensure that these games were of educational value and were related to our current topics. I also ensured that I was adhering to the school's technology policy (Cassidy, 2013).    

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:50:44 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059762 Standard 5.1: Assess student learning muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059878 Context: Marking rubric created for the 'heroes vs. villains' gold rush mini project.

Reflection: The students had three weeks to create a power point presentation on a hero or villain from the gold rush. The students were given a rubric that told them exactly what was expected of them. When the students were presenting their presentations my mentor teacher and I used these rubrics to mark the students and to provide them with feedback. I found the rubric to be a quick and easy method of assessment and also showed us who was referring to the rubric whilst creating their presentation (Godinho, 2011).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:51:40 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059878 Standard 5.2: Provide feedback to students on their learning muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059911 Context: Use of share/reflection circles at the end of a lesson.

Reflection: To end a lesson I would often bring the students to the floor for a share/reflection circle. This would be where the students would share the work they had produced (if they wanted to, it was always an option to pass). This would be where I would give the students feedback on their work and the students could also give each other feedback. Students also had the option to get feedback from myself or my mentor teacher one-on-one if they were a shy child and didn't feel comfortable sharing in front of the whole class. Having these two options meant that I was able to see all students work and provide feedback to all students (Lyons, Ford & Slee, 2014).  

Evidence:
Examples of work students have shared during share circle.]]> 2018-10-10 02:51:52 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059911 Standard 5.3: Make consistent and comparable judgements muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059969 Context: Literacy meeting regarding next terms moderation piece.

Reflection: The focus for one of our literacy meetings was the writing moderation piece for next term. It was discussed what of the six traits of writing would be the focus (idea development and organisation) and what type of writing style would be used (narrative). Rules were also discussed (time allowed to plan/write; additional assistance for funded children) to ensure consistency for marking. This meeting showed me how a moderation piece is implemented, however, I wasn't around when the piece was written and moderated which would have been a great experience to be a part of (Goddard, Goddard & Tschnannen-Moran, 2007; Godinho, 2011).

Evidence:
The rubric where the writing traits came from and were discussed. ]]> 2018-10-10 02:52:18 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291059969 Standard 5.4: Interpret student data muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060029 Context: Reviewing data from Essential Assessments.

Reflection: During my placement the school was trialing Essential Assessments. This was used for both literacy and numeracy. Students would complete a pre-test on their given topic and based on these results they were given tasks and activities to complete before completing a post-test to see how much they have learnt. My mentor teacher and I were able to see the results of these tests through her account and see what areas the students were still struggling with. These results could also inform us on what areas we didn't teach as well as we could have due to the majority of students still struggling with this area (Godinho, 2011).

Evidence:
An example of as Essential Assessments test. ]]> 2018-10-10 02:52:59 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060029 Standard 5.5: Report on student achievement muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060070 Context: Reporting on student achievement to my mentor teacher.

Reflection: The main person that I would report student achievement to was my mentor teacher. I would use the information I had gathered from reading conferences; share/reflection circles and informal one-on-one chats with the students to gain an understanding of where they are at with the topics. These chats would then inform our future lessons and determine which topics were revisited or extended upon. It was beneficial having an experienced teacher that you could bounce ideas off and gain their opinion on the students progress. During my placement there were three occasions were I witnessed student achievement being passed on to parents/guardians by my mentor teacher, two were face-to-face, while another was a phone call. The two face-to-face meetings were parent initiated where the parents would discuss issues from home and my mentor teacher would let them know how this was affecting their child at school and how we could support them during this time. The phone call home to a parent was initiated by my mentor teacher as a student was having a difficult day at school. The main thing I came away with after witnessing these three interactions was how positive my mentor teacher was when talking about the students. She would discuss with the parents how she would support the students and help then through this difficult time. Never did my mentor teacher say a bad word about her students to parents and was very welcoming to parents when talking about concerns they were experiencing. Attending these meetings showed me a great insight into how to approach a sensitive subject with parents and how to report to them how their child is going in a positive and supportive manner (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:53:20 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060070 Standard 6.1: Identify and plan professional learning needs muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060099 Context: My SMART goal is in relation to understanding the strategies needed to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children improve their reading and comprehension skills. 

Reflection: I chose this type of goal as I believe that it would be a real-life example that I may face when I have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students in my class, especially those who have English as a second language. I will be able to use the resources I have found and presented in the following standards to assist in my professional development in this area, as well as find and use classroom resources to assist in my teaching. I believe that utilising the resources and other teachers at the school will ensure my best chance of succeeding with my SMART goal (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, n.d.).

Evidence: ]]> 2018-10-10 02:53:35 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060099 Standard 6.2: Engage in professional learning and improve practice muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060147 Context: I was looking for a resource that provided a range of cross-curricula activities with explicit curriculum links to assist in my planning for my final placement and future teaching career.

Reflection: Not only does the Narragunnawali (n.d.) website have resources for professional learning it also provides curriculum resources that can be adapted for any year level and used cross-curricula. On my final placement and into my teaching career I will incorporate these resources into my classes as often as possible/appropriate to ensure Indigenous culture and history are present throughout the year. This resource also makes explicit links to Australian Curriculum content descriptors for each activity which will assist my planning greatly and ensure the learning activities are authentic. The professional development activities would also be beneficial at a whole school level for all teaching staff to be competently trained in Indigenous education and themes.     

Evidence: ]]> 2018-10-10 02:54:00 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060147 Standard 6.3: Engage with colleagues and improve practice muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060191 Context: Observing other teachers and gaining ideas and tips from them.

Reflection: On a couple of occasions my mentor teacher wasn't at school and while our class got split I had the opportunity to go into other classrooms and observe how these teachers run their classes. It was great for me to see a teacher who has recently graduated and runs her class in a very different manner to my mentor teacher who has been teaching for over 30 years. It gave me a different perspective on how I can manage behaviours and how a different class dynamic changes what works and what doesn't (there were many ideas I have taken from her class that wouldn't work in the class I was given due to the difference in dynamic)(Goddard, Godddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007).

Evidence:
Notes from when I was in the classroom with a newly graduated teacher. ]]> 2018-10-10 02:54:32 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060191 Standard 6.4: Apply professional learning and improve student learning muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060209 Context: Berry Street PD day.

Reflection: On my third day of placement there was a curriculum day and the teachers had a PD day with Berry Street. We began with Domain 1: Body, this session focused a lot about stress, trauma and mindfulness. As a 4/5/6 team we incorporated the stress activities shown to us on the day into our planner under 'Wellbeing'. The activities ran over 2 lessons and got the students to really think about what makes them stressed and how we as teachers and classmates can alleviate these stressors. I learnt a lot on this PD day that could help me greatly in the future if I have a student who is trauma effected (Mizell, 2010).

Evidence:
Berry Street activity is shown in the week 10 planner under 'Wellbing/Respectful Relationships'. ]]> 2018-10-10 02:54:44 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060209 Standard 7.1: Meet professional ethics and responsibilities muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060285 Context: Followed procedures when taking the students on an excursion.

Reflection: Before the 4/5/6 team went on our excursion to Sovereign Hill the excursion needed to be put into the Student Activity Locator (SAL) on the DET website. I assisted my mentor teacher in this process. We also had to follow strict supervision guidelines for this excursion and ensure that each class attending had two adults also attending the excursion. This excursion was a great eye opener for me to understand all the behind the scenes planning that goes on before the day arrives (Department of Education and Training, 2018).

Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:55:29 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060285 Standard 7.2: Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060318 Context: Taking medical bags to our excursion to Sovereign Hill.

Reflection: A condition of entry to Sovereign Hill as a school group was that each grade have their own first aid bags and a person who could administer this first aid. The administration office at the school had a number of first aid bags specifically designed for excursions. On top of general first aid, each teacher was to ensure that any child specific medication was also within the first aid bags. It was also important that all first aid and medication taken on the excursion was returned to the office on their return. I was given the responsibility of first aid for our class on the excursion, which was a valuable experience (Department of Education and Training, 2018).

Evidence:

]]> 2018-10-10 02:55:49 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060318 Standard 7.3: Engage with the parents/carers muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060379 Context: Sending notes home to parents.

Reflection: Whilst on placement I was given the responsibility of communicating with parents through the distribution of notes. These notes included: an upcoming swimming program; permission forms for the Sovereign Hill excursion and a bullying incursion; notification of a movie reward afternoon along with a permission note as the movie was rated PG; and notes about a 'bring your own device' program beginning next year. It was difficult to have face-to-face communication with my students' parents as they didn't often come into the school when picking up or dropping off their child. However, I did gain an understanding of the importance of sending communications home to parents and guardians to keep them informed about the activities at school (Adams & Christenson, 2000).

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:56:21 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060379 Standard 7.4: Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060447 Context: Attending the Berry Street PD.

Reflection: The Berry Street PD day was not only attended by my school but another school in the local area. This PD day gave me a great opportunity to work in small groups with other teachers within the school I was placed, as well as teachers from the other participating school. I also got the opportunity to sign up to communications from Berry Street and to have access to their online resources. This day showed me the importance of collaborating with other schools and connecting with important educational organisations (Goddard, Goddard & Tschannen-Moran, 2007; Mizell, 2010).    

Evidence:]]> 2018-10-10 02:57:01 UTC https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/291060447 muir_eboni https://padlet.com/muir_eboni/rz1h4p0h1a68/wish/297716528 Adams, K. S., & Christenson, S. L. (2000). Trust and the family-school relationship examination of parent-teacher differences in elementary and secondary grades. Journal of School Psychology, 38, 477-497.

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (n.d.). Goal setting guide. Retrieved from: https://www.aitsl.edu.au/tools-resources/resource/goal-setting-guide-illustration-of-practice

Cassidy, K. (2013). The use and abuse of technology in the classroom. Retrieved from: http://kathycassidy.com/2013/01/05/the-use-and-abuse-of-technology-in-the-classroom/ 

Churchill, R., & Keddie, A. (2013). Professional, ethical and legal issues for teachers. Teaching Making A Difference. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Cook-Sather, A. (2002). Authorizing students' perspectives: Toward trust, dialogue, and change in education. Educational Researcher, 31, 3-14.   

Department of Education and Training (2018). School policy: Excursions and activities. Retrieved from: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/safety/Pages/excursions.aspx

Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). Retrieved from: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2018C00125
Goddard, Y. L., Goddard, R. D., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (2007). A theorectical and empirical investigation of teacher collaboration for school improvement and student achievement in public elementary schools. Teachers College Record, 109, 877-896.

Godinho, S. (2011). Planning for practice: Connecting pedagogy, assessment and curriculum. Teaching: Making A Difference. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia.

Hyde, M. (2014). Diversity and inclusion in Australian schools. South Melbourne, VIC: Oxford University Press.

Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Slee, J. (2014). Classroom management: Creating positive learning environments (4th ed.). South Melbourne, VIC: Cengage Learning Australia.

Mizell, H. (2010). Why professional development matters. Ohio, USA: Learning Forward.  

Narragunnawali (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.narragunnawali.org.au/professional-learning 

Queensland Studies Authority (2013). Effective teaching and learning strategies: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages resource guide. Retrieved from: https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/snr_atsi_languages_11_strategies.pdf 

Reconciliation Australia (2016). The state of reconciliation in Australia summary: Our history, our story, our future. Retrieved from: https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/State-of-Reconciliation-Report_SUMMARY.pdf

Smutny, J., & Fremd, S. (2004). Differentiating for the young child: Teaching strategies across the content areas (K-3). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Van Der Stuyf, R. R. (2002). Scaffolding as a teaching strategy. Adolescent Learning and Development, 1-13.

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