Korrine Miller
Teacher/Student
Standard 3
Plan for and implement effective teaching & learning
3.3
Use teaching strategies, Include a range of teaching strategies (AITSL, 2012).
An essay for Introduction to Teaching (EDP 120), essential characteristics of effective teaching was investigated and analysed. Researching for this essay provided an opportunity to examine the variety of teaching strategies that could be used during a learning experience. Essential teaching is the ability to engage, support and motivate students through relevant and interesting lessons that provide learners with ownership of the information that they develop. Not one method of strategy wil work for all students and there are a number of factors that can affect how students learn and their belief in the importance of education, including parental views and the community that they are surrounded by. Teachers must have a variety of teaching strategies in order to positively support students. The essay below analyses the strategies that were researched and how they could be used within a classroom.
Strengths - Working caually as a teacher has provided me with the opportunitiy to develop strategies that work and knowledge of less successful strategies. The ability to quickly assess a group of students and develop a strategy is a skill I am developing the more I am provide with casual teaching experiences.
Weaknesses - At the early stage of my career in primary teaching I acknowlege that weaknesses in teaching strategies will be evident. It takes time to develop confidence in teaching strategies
Way of improving practice - Acknowledge and assessing what is successful and what is not becomes an important part of improving the teaching strategies utilised. Seeking advice from colleagues is important in the development of strategies.
Standard 4
Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
4.4
Maintain student safety. Describe strategies that support students’ wellbeing and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements. (AITSL, 2012).
In undertaking the unit, Introduction to Teaching (EDP120), I was required to analyses the Western Australian Department of Education Excursions Policy and complete an example of a management plan for an excursion for the Western Australian Zoo. During the analysis of the policy document the areas examined was the significance, relevance and importance of the excursions policy. One main feature being the duty of care a teacher has towards students to ensure that all educational experiences within or out of school grounds are closely examined and student welfare is at the forefront of all planning. It is important that risk management strategies are undertaken and all planning considers a range of factors including the students who will be participating as well as other individuals, the environment that the learning will take place in, permissions required and legislation that must be complied with. In the excursion management planned I have demonstrated my ability to examine the factors that are required to ensure that student safety and well-being has been considered, supported and maintained.
Strengths - The knowlegdge of the importance of duty of care to students. Thorough planning can ensure that students are protected against harm. The excursion plan demonstrates the ability to assess a variety of factors to be considered in organising and excursion.
Weaknesses - Acknowledging that sometimes no matter how much you plan for an event circumstances may arise that were not considered.
Way of improving practice - Ensuring that every plan is review and examined once an experience has been completed for positive and negative aspects.
Professional practice includes Standards 3, 4 and 5 on this page, please scroll down to see Standard 5.
Standard 5
Assess, provide feedback & report on student learning
5.2
Provide feedback to students on their learning
Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning.
In the creation of a digital learning resource for Technologies for Teaching (EDP 130) it was important that students could complete activities that would provide them with feedback on the learning experience undertaken. The games selective for the website allowed the students to progress through the activity once they had selected the correct answer, if the answer was incorrect they were provided with another opportunity to try again. This feature is an important aspect in provided students with feedback in a positive manner and encouraging them to continue to try rather than receiving an incorrect response and not having an opportunity to explore a new answer. The recount quiz (seen below) provided students with an opportunity to view answers that other students had provided and to see the most popular response. This type of feedback allows a student to see that there is always a difference in responses and it provides an opportunity for a class discussion as to why certain answers were more popular than others. Activity 6 on the website, assesses the knowledge students have gained through participating in the activities. Individual responses are saved to google docs and feedback can be provided to students based on their responses.
Strengths - The knowledge that students require feedback in a manner that builds self-esteem, supports them in developing skills that help them to persist when answers are incorrect and the importance of feedback provided quickly.
Weaknesses - While the strategy of students being able to submit work online that can be saved and later provided with feedback allows for reviewing of students knowledge it could be time consuming and either work would be need to be printed out or a method developed for providing timely responses
Ways of Improving Practice - Developing online quizes or writing tasks that provide an immediate response would give students a timely answer yet still provide the teacher with an opportunity to assess student learning. Developing a balance between assessment and feedback is a skill that will need continued improvement.
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