Samantha Wagstaff: Professional Learning Portfolio

Element 6

Teachers continually improve their professional knowledge and practice

I believe that a teacher should be continually reflecting on their practices in order to improve how they teach and what they teach. Groundwater-Smith, Ewing and Le Cornu (2003, p.160) acknowledge that teachers on practicum should use reflection as a tool to maximise learning and professionally develop. This needs to be done personally, as well as professionally with colleagues and mentors. I believe that as a pre-service teacher I should be looking for any experience I can to help build my teaching skills, values and resources. I believe that during these practical experiences I should take every opportunity to be involved in all aspects of school life as if I were a full-time teacher.

I have always made an effort to reflect on my teaching through a number of means. Firstly, each lesson I teach on practicum is planned with evaluation questions, which I return to after the lesson. The questions cover a range of areas in relation to the lesson - student engagement, timing, behaviour management, resources, and student ability to complete the tasks. An example of such an evaluation is below, as it relates to a lesson taught during a COGS sequence on British Colonisation (Evidence A). After responding to the evaluation questions I am able to make revisions for future lessons. This was acknowledged by my co-operating teacher in my final report in 2008 (Evidence B). The report also acknowledged my ability to work in a team with my colleagues and peers.

Evidence A - Lesson Evaluation

Evidence B - 2008 Final Report Comment

Secondly, I take the time to talk with my co-operating teacher or tertiary mentor about the written feedback they give to me (Evidence C). I take their advice on how to improve my teaching, and try to incorporate this into new lessons. This was acknowledged by my co-operating teacher in my final report in 2007 (Evidence D).

Evidence C - Lesson Feedback

Evidence D - 2007 Final Report Comment

I have taken every opportunity from the university to extend my professional experiences and professionally develop my teaching. In July 2008 I was selected to travel to China to teach at an Intensive English Summer Camp (Evidence E). In November 2008 I also travelled to the Riverina Region of NSW to explore the opportunities, challenges and values of teaching in rural areas (Evidence F). I took up this opportunity again in June/July 2009 and travlled to the New England region. There I went to a small school with an 80% population of Aboriginal students. These experiences challenged my own teaching and allowed me to critically reflect on how different each context of teaching is. I have increased my confidence as a teacher through these experiences, and have a deeper understanding of the wide variety of experiences there are in the profession of teaching.

Evidence E - Teaching in China

My class at the Intensive English Summer Camp in Yangzhou, China, 2008

Evidence F - Beyond the Line with the DET

Two class school in Riverina Region, 2008 (whole school rehearsal for end of year performance)

Six class school in New England Region, 2009

I have taken opportunities to explore educational ideas and issues through research. In particular, I am currently completing my Honours thesis research. In the research, I am looking at breakfast consumption rates and nutritional quality in school age students, as it can have significant effects on cognition in the classroom and academic outcomes.

I have made sure that at the beginning of each practicum I obtain and make myself familiar with school policy documents, including those concerning discipline, gifted and talented, emergency procedures. I attend all staff and stage meetings during practicum, which have covered such professional development practices as child protection and the use of Interactive white boards.

I will increase my contributions to the teaching profession and subject content. The Quality Teaching Framework (NSWDET, 2003) requires teachers to provide a quality learning environment. To do this I need to develop my content knowledge in order to teach lessons with intellectual quality, and for significance. I need to have constructive discussions with colleagues about the subject content for the stage I am working with.

Element 6 Evidence.doc
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