Graduate Standard 3
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals. Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. 3.2 Plan, structure and sequence learning programs. Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. 3.3 Use teaching strategies Include a range of teaching strategies. 3.4 Select and use resources Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning. 3.5 Use effective classroom communication Demonstrate a range of verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to support student engagement. 3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. 3.7 Engage parents/ carers in the educative process Describe a broad range of strategies for involving parents/carers in the educative process. |
Focus Area 3.1- Establish challenging learning goals.
This annotated Year 11 Society and Culture Assessment Task demonstrates how I have established challenging yet achievable learning goals for students who are varied in abilities and characteristics. The assessment task is based on the NSW Syllabus for Preliminary Society and Culture. Throughout the task I challenged my students by using a variety of competencies taken from the syllabus. Students 'collected, analysed and organised information' through researching their form of popular culture. Students also presented their work to myself and their peers in a creative format, therefore they 'communicated ideas and information.' Students worked in groups to complete this assessment which required 'planning and organisation'. They also learnt how to effectively 'work with others in teams'. Students 'used technology' in this assessment as they researched their topic and presented their topic to the class.
This year 11 Society and Culture assessment task was challenging for all students because they had to use a variety of skills as demonstrated by the competencies achieved. Using the NSW Syllabus Outcomes meant that I set learning goals which were achievable to all students. Using group work as a format for student learning demonstrated that students with varying abilities could collaborate together and use their individual strengths to complete this assessment task. In this group setting students worked together and as a result were able to help each other which benefited students with varying abilities. Students were marked on their analytic research of their form of popular culture. This iterates how students were challenged in a variety of ways. For example, a student may be very good at researching and anaylsing information, however, they may lack skills in communicating information creatively, therefore, this task challenges a certain sphere of their learning. My 2013 mentor teacher's comments below further highlight how I have met this focus area. Note: to view the whole practicum report click the comment. Focus Area 3.2- Plan, structure and sequence learning programs.
This annotated year 11 Society and Culture unit of work demonstrated how I have created a learning cycle which includes different models of learning. In this unit of work I created a structured and sequenced learning program which proved successful with my students.
Focus Area 3.3- Use teaching strategies.
I am a firm believer in using a variety of teaching strategies to keep students motivated and engaged in their learning. The annotated year 11 Society and Culture unit of work demonstrates all of the teaching strategies I used during my lessons. A quote which reflects my thinking on teaching strategies is;
"Effective teaching is not a set of generic practices, but instead is a set of context-driven decisions about teaching. Effective teachers do not use the same set of practices for every lesson . . . Instead, what effective teachers do is constantly reflect about their work, observe whether students are learning or not, and, then adjust their practice accordingly (Glickman, 1991, p. 6). Below is a diagram I consistently refer to when planning my lessons. It demonstrates a wide range of teaching strategies that teachers can use in the classroom. It breaks them into groups of different instructional methods. When planning a lesson I try and use at least three different methods of teaching strategies from a variety of groups. Note: this picture is taken from this website. Focus Area 3.4-Select and use resources.
This annotated year 11 Society and Culture unit of work illustrates the wide variety of resources that I use when teaching. As a result of using a wide variety of resources, my students were engaged in their learning.
Focus Area 3.5-Use effective classroom communication.
Using effective verbal and non verbal communication strategies in the classroom helps students to understand content, participate in the classroom, be engaged in their learning and achieve. Below is a mind map that I created which demonstrates my knowledge of nonverbal and verbal strategies that teachers can use in their classrooms. It is also important to note that effective classroom communication does not just apply to communicating with students. Effective communication also involves communicating with support staff, teacher's aides, other teachers and parents.
Focus Area 3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs.
There are a variety of strategies that can be used to evaluate lessons and teaching to improve student learning. At the end of every day with my mentor teachers we would have a debrief about each lesson. These discussions revolved around what I needed to improve, what I could have done better and what I did well. These discussions were important and has an impact on my teaching. The following comment from my mentor teacher depicts this. (click the comment to view the whole practicum report)
Using other teachers to critique teaching strategies is only one way of improving teaching practices and improve student learning. Students evaluations is another strategy I used in order to improve student learning. On most of my teaching practicums I gave my students a simple feedback form called 'Stop, Start, Continue.' (see below) In the section 'stop' students had to write things about my teaching that they disliked. In the section 'start' students had to write things that I could start doing which would improve my teaching. In the 'continue' section students had to write things that they liked about my teaching that should continue. I got some excellent feedback from students in all of my classes ranging from 7 to 12 that is demonstrated below. As a result of these comments I changed some of my teaching strategies in order to improve student learning.
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3.7- Engage parents/carers in the educative process.
Throughout my teaching practicums I have been involved or have observed a range of strategies for reporting on student achievement to students, parents and carers. On my last teaching practicum I was involved in the parent teacher (and sometimes student) interviews. On this teaching practicum I observed my mentor teacher writing articles in the school newsletter. This newsletter was sent home with students and could also be assessed online via the school website. On another teaching practicum my mentor teacher was the Junior School Coordinator. Her position required her to have a lot of contact with students and their parents/carers regarding their school work. I observed my mentor teacher in many interviews with parents after school and during school hours. I also observed her talking to parents on the phone. I was encouraged to help write emails back to parents concerning students in classes that I taught.
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