Standard 1: Critical Reflection
Know students and how they learn:
It is essential for teachers to have a deep understanding of each individual student’s unique characteristics and an understanding that each individual will progress at different rates. Knowing individual student’s abilities and how they learn is essential in being able to adequately support them in the classroom. Teachers must also consider the diversity of backgrounds in which their students come from, encouraging them to bring their funds of knowledge to the learning environment. This links to Bronfenbrenner’s ecology model, recognises the significance of the individual being shaped by their environment in relation to their family, school and the broader community (Slee, Campbell & Spears, 2012; Waters, Cross & Shaw, 2010; Waters, Lester & Cross, 2014). Recognising the influences which shape students is a vital part in knowing them and how they learn.
Along with teachers knowing their students, Jimenez and Rose (2010) suggest that teachers must build productive and healthy relationships with their students, allowing them to learn more about their students in order to teach them more effectively. In learning more about their students, teachers can personalise their learning by creating an inclusive environment that involves and respects all learners. Teachers must also have a broad knowledge of Indigenous culture and strategies to teacher both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, while developing strategies such as individual learning plans to support the full participation of students with disabilities. It is essential for teachers to know what shapes each individual student, while building relationships to know them on a more personal level to customise learning to be more meaningful to them.
Word count: “257”
It is essential for teachers to have a deep understanding of each individual student’s unique characteristics and an understanding that each individual will progress at different rates. Knowing individual student’s abilities and how they learn is essential in being able to adequately support them in the classroom. Teachers must also consider the diversity of backgrounds in which their students come from, encouraging them to bring their funds of knowledge to the learning environment. This links to Bronfenbrenner’s ecology model, recognises the significance of the individual being shaped by their environment in relation to their family, school and the broader community (Slee, Campbell & Spears, 2012; Waters, Cross & Shaw, 2010; Waters, Lester & Cross, 2014). Recognising the influences which shape students is a vital part in knowing them and how they learn.
Along with teachers knowing their students, Jimenez and Rose (2010) suggest that teachers must build productive and healthy relationships with their students, allowing them to learn more about their students in order to teach them more effectively. In learning more about their students, teachers can personalise their learning by creating an inclusive environment that involves and respects all learners. Teachers must also have a broad knowledge of Indigenous culture and strategies to teacher both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, while developing strategies such as individual learning plans to support the full participation of students with disabilities. It is essential for teachers to know what shapes each individual student, while building relationships to know them on a more personal level to customise learning to be more meaningful to them.
Word count: “257”
Artefacts and Evidence for Standard 1 - Know Students And How They Learn.
Artefact 1: Essay
These is an essay I wrote in 2016.
The research essay discusses the importance of actively involving student's learning in the classroom and how it is important in creating the best learning outcome for them, this is expressed through the blue highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
The research essay discusses the importance of actively involving student's learning in the classroom and how it is important in creating the best learning outcome for them, this is expressed through the blue highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
- I demonstrated my understanding of the importance of student's social and intellectual development throughout the essay, by recognising teaching strategies to actively engage students in their learning and identifying the physical environment and importance of social interactions, while acknowledging the importance of knowing each individual student's characteristics and personalities.
- Throughout the essay research was conducted that demonstrates my knowledge on how student's learning can be successful through using their interests, while actively engaging them in their learning.
Artefact 2: Community Engagement
This is an artefact from my community engagement program which I undertook in 2015, where I visited a rural area within Cambodia and taught at two different schools for two weeks.
This meets the Standard 2 focus area of;
1.3: Students with diverse linguistic cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This meets the Standard 2 focus area of;
1.3: Students with diverse linguistic cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- The community engagement program to Cambodia, demonstrates my knowledge of teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, this has been highlighted in orange.
Artefact 3: Science Lesson
This is a science lesson plan I wrote in 2016.
The lesson rational describes the importance of catering for the diversity of students and how it can be incorporated into their learning, this is expressed through the yellow highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
The lesson rational describes the importance of catering for the diversity of students and how it can be incorporated into their learning, this is expressed through the yellow highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.1: Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
- I demonstrated my knowledge and understanding of student's physical, social and intellectual development by identifying a range of strategies that must be used throughout the lesson to respond to the age and characteristics of the students I will be teaching.
- I conducted research on how students learn by encouraging them to bring their knowledge from their diverse background to their learning environment (green highlighted section).
- I also conducted research on teaching strategies that can be used in the classroom which are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of the diversity of students and their socioeconomic backgrounds, also the resources cater for the diversity of students.
Artefact 4: Indigenous peoples workshop notes and certificate of participation
This is a certificate of my participation and notes from a workshop I undertook as professional development. This workshop helped me make connections between the Australian curriculum and Aboriginal students. It identifies my knowledge of Aboriginal culture and linguistic backgrounds for educating these students.
This meets the Standard 1 focus area of;
1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- The workshop extended my current knowledge on Aboriginal traditions, demonstrating my understanding of the impact of cultural, cultural identity and backgrounds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, while providing me with strategies to cater for them when teaching. The blue highlighted sections in my notes are evidence of this.
This meets the Standard 1 focus area of;
1.4: Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
- The workshop extended my current knowledge on Aboriginal traditions, demonstrating my understanding of the impact of cultural, cultural identity and backgrounds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, while providing me with strategies to cater for them when teaching. The blue highlighted sections in my notes are evidence of this.
Artefact 5: Excerpt from Open Ended Mathematics Lesson
Feedback on the lesson, from my associate teacher:
Work samples from the lesson:
This is evidence of a mathematics lesson on an open question, which I conducted on placement with 3/4 students. Along with an excerpt for the lesson plan, a comment from my associate teacher has been included to show my achievement in meeting the needs of all students. Student work samples have also been included to show the success of the student’s abilities.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.2: Understand how students learn.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.2: Understand how students learn.
- I demonstrated my knowledge of how students work best, while identifying the students that might need assistance.
- I demonstrated my knowledge and understanding of strategies to differentiate teaching through using enablers and extenders throughout the lesson. This met the specific learning needs of all students who found the task challenging or needed extending, allowing my teaching to cater for a full range of abilities.
Artefact 6: Excerpt from a case study on a child with a disability
This is an excerpt from a case study I wrote in 2014.
The evidence in the case study I wrote suggests ways to support students with ASD in the classroom environment, while it discusses ways to cater for their specific needs, this is expressed through the yellow highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.5: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
The evidence in the case study I wrote suggests ways to support students with ASD in the classroom environment, while it discusses ways to cater for their specific needs, this is expressed through the yellow highlighted sections.
This meets the Standard 1 focus areas of;
1.5: Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
- I conducted research to acknowledge differentiated teaching strategies that aim to cater for the specific needs of students.
- Utilising research, I have written an informed response in relation to the case study, this research enables me to implement contemporary strategies, while understanding legislative requirements to support the full participation of students with disability.
Artefact 7: Excerpt from my individual learning plan with learning visuals:
This is an excerpt from an individual learning plan I created in 2014.
These are examples of some learning visuals that could be incorporated into the classroom to support students with disabilities, they have been highlighted in orange above.
This meets the Standard 1 focus area of;
1.6: Strategies to support full participation of students with disability.
These are examples of some learning visuals that could be incorporated into the classroom to support students with disabilities, they have been highlighted in orange above.
This meets the Standard 1 focus area of;
1.6: Strategies to support full participation of students with disability.
- I understood teaching strategies that can support the participation and learning of students with disability by using visual cues.