Bradley
Disley
Standard 6 - Engage in professional learning.
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Focus Area: 6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs.
Graduate Descriptor: Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
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Elaboration: The Australian Professional standards for teachers was developed to assist teachers identify areas for their own professional development at every stage of their career. The standards progress from Graduate, Proficient, Highly Accomplished, and Lead to let you know what you should be aiming to achieve. Understanding all 37 focus areas, of the 7 standards, allows for developing a collection of evidence for each, to demonstrate that level of proficiency.
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Evidence Description: The evidence I have produced as evidence of understanding the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers is this website, and my mentor comments regarding personal development.
I discussed with my mentor areas I wished to develop, such as knowing students and how they learn, lesson hooks, unit planning, and assessment. All are areas, within the standards, which I was able to improve with scaffolding during this placement.
Evidence Supplied: Professional Experience and Reflection 1 and 2 combined final report. pg 3 Mentor teacher comments. (click to expand)
Focus Area: 6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice.
Graduate Descriptor: Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
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Elaboration: Teachers have many resources available for their professional development. Peers, students, parents can all provide valuable feedback to improve practice, so can undertaking courses such as Mind Matters.
The Mind Matters module framework is an appropriate source of professional development, which schools use in staff meeting development days. The many components of the framework extend from creating a positive school community, improving student resilience, to supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties.
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Evidence Description: The evidence I have supplied to support this standard is my certificate obtained for Module 2.4 - Empowering students, undertaken during a staff meeting whilst on Placement at Heathfield High School. The course discussed mental health issues and the need to improve student resilience, to look after their own mental health, and support others. The module consisted of 10 activities to assist in understanding the importance and techniques for empowering students over their own mental health.I have also included a link to the module for reflection of the activities included.
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Evidence Supplied: Mind Matters Module 2.4 - Empowering students course and certificate of attainment during Heathfield High School Placement, 2017.(click to expand)
Focus Area: 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice.
Graduate Descriptor: Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
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Elaboration: Feedback from peers is an effective way teachers can reflect on their techniques and improve teaching practice. Seeking and applying this includes having formal and informal discussions, staff meetings and attending courses. Attending a course by Mind Matters (Beyond Blue) demonstrates an eagerness to seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practice. Skills developed through discussions with other teachers include, identifying what student empowerment is, how it benefits individuals, the school and society, and techniques for engaging empowerment and developing it. Seeking feedback from others, about topics such as student empowerment, allows for teachers to improve their students resilience and develop their strengths.
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Evidence Description: During my professional experience placement I was given many opportunities to engage with my mentors and other teachers to receive feedback on my progress. Many times it was an informal chat after a lesson, on one occasion it was a course we were invited to attend about Empowering students. The opportunity to engage with teachers and supervisors in a reflective way about our practice, and then consider opportunities of incorporating student empowerment into our pedagogies, was very valuable. Seeing young people as assets, focussing on their resilience, strengths and actively involving them in school activities and decisions are now strategies I will employ. I have also included a link to the module for reflection of the activities included.
Evidence Supplied: Mind Matters Module 2.4 - Empowering students course and certificate of attainment during Heathfield High School Placement, 2017.(click to expand)
Focus Area: 6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning.
Graduate Descriptor: Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued professional learning and the implications for improved student learning.
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Elaboration: Teachers need to understand the benefits to their own professional learning, and the impact it has on improved student learning. Discussing lessons with colleagues is a good way to see a fresh perspective, or another approach which may not have been considered. Feedback and self reflection are valuable tools for continual improvement.
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Evidence Description: The evidence I have supplied for this standard is my mentor teachers comments. Often we had discussion prior to lessons about techniques and approaches I might try, and likewise afterward to assess how they went. One particular strategy I adopted from my mentors advice, was to make a list of points I wanted to make in the opening phase of the lesson, so I could mentally check them off and make sure everything was covered, to assist students with on-task work.
Evidence Supplied: Professional Experience and Reflection 1 and 2 combined final report. pg 3 Mentor teacher comments. (click to expand)