Job Title: Teacher
Demonstrated understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Standards, the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and Assessment and Reporting Advice and the capacity to implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent
My formal training in the Bachelor of Education (Primary) program and over seven years of teaching experience has ensured that I am well versed in the professional standards and guidelines applying to current teaching practice. In my teaching roles to date, I have demonstrated my understanding of these materials and my capacity to deliver curriculum outcomes by:
• Providing each student with individual learning goals appropriate to their current ability, alongside ongoing feedback about their progress. In my teaching practice I hold mini conferences with each student on a fortnightly basis. In these conferences I discuss the work that each student has been producing and work with the student to create a learning goal for each subject. The pursuit of these goals encourages independence and self-motivation by the student in their learning. Progress towards goals is then reviewed at the next mini-conference and new goals set.
• Encouraging and challenging my students to develop deep levels of thinking about the material with which they engage. In my current role as a Year 5 classroom teacher at Bialik College, I hold weekly reading conferences with each student. In these conferences I ask questions about the book they are reading, with the aim of developing and deepening the student’s understanding of the material.
• Catering for diverse needs and multiple intelligences in teaching and learning activities. One of the assessment tasks I have previously assigned to students has been to present their learning on the topic of “My Brain and how it Works”. This project encouraged students to gain an understanding of the different intelligences and ways in which people learn, allowing them to then identify the learning style which most suited them. Students were then able to present their work in a way that best reflected their learning style, such as through a rhyme, a song, a visual poster or a drama performance.
• Challenging and supporting students to formulate ideas and develop deep levels of thinking about learning topics. Bialik College adopts a ‘cultures of thinking’ approach to learning and teaching in the primary school years, and in my practice there I frequently commence teaching on a topic with a ‘chalk walk’ exercise. This exercise encourages students to generate initial ideas on an area of study, before they are required to select five of these ideas to explore and express the connections between them. This exercise assists students to gather and formulate their thinking on the subject, as well as promoting independence in their learning.
• Ensuring that the curriculum intent of each lesson is clearly formulated and expressed. In conducting my lesson planning, I start by referring to the required curriculum outcomes for the subject and work to develop activities and teaching materials which will allow students to progress towards this outcome. In my classroom teaching, I commence each lesson by stating, in writing on the board, the learning outcome that is being sought by the lesson. Having this clear expected outcome allows me to develop a range of assessment activities which accurately measure student understanding and knowledge.
My teaching practice to date demonstrates my capacity to understand and apply initiatives in student learning and provide an appropriate focus on curriculum outcomes in my classroom teaching. In my ongoing professional practice I will continue to be guided by the Standards, the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and Assessment and Reporting Advice in planning and delivering teaching and learning activities that reflect and achieve the intended curriculum outcomes.
Demonstrated high-level classroom teaching skills, the capacity to team teach and ability to work in collaborative teams with colleagues to continually improve teaching practice and learning outcomes
My teaching activities to date have provided me with the opportunity to demonstrate my high-level classroom skills in a variety of contexts. Working effectively with colleagues, I have demonstrated my ability to collaborate with and share knowledge amongst colleagues through:
• Development and implementation of processes which facilitate communication between teaching staff. At Yesodei HaTorah College, the school operated one class per year level. In order to facilitate collaboration in this environment, I established a practice of team meetings involving all teaching staff. In these meetings staff worked to identify gaps in student learning outcomes, as demonstrated through assessment results and National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) scores. We were then able to develop strategies to respond to these evident needs. The key response was the development of a progression of expectations for literacy and numeracy across the school year levels, allowing each teacher to understand and build on the foundation laid by their colleagues in the year below. The team meeting structure also facilitated the sharing of resources across year levels, allowing teachers to implement streams of activities for students of different abilities by borrowing resources from colleagues teaching the classes above and below their year level. As a result of my introduction of the team meeting structure and implementation of the strategies delivered there, during my tenure at the College internal assessment outcomes and the school NAPLAN results demonstrated that the identified gaps in knowledge were being bridged.
• Participation in trials of new teaching methods and sharing of experiences with colleagues. My class at Yesodei HaTorah College acted as a pilot class for a direct instruction program in literacy and numeracy. Following participation in this trial, I shared with my teaching colleagues my experiences of the program tan the classroom outcomes that I observed.
• Establishing and maintaining high standards of classroom behaviour that produce an environment conducive to high-level learning and teaching. In my classrooms I develop a contract with students which specifies the expected standards of behaviour for the classroom. Securing student participation in developing these expectations establishes a sense of ownership which encourages adherence to the agreed standards of conduct. I demonstrate the importance of maintaining high standards of behaviour by taking appropriate action when poor conduct occurs.
• Providing for differentiation of learning activities for students of varying needs and abilities. Through observation and application of appropriate assessment methods, especially pre-testing upon introduction of a new learning topic, I am able to identify current levels of understanding and ability amongst my students. Streaming of ability groups and adaption of expected learning outcomes is then possible, allowing each student to be challenged and supported at an appropriate level. This was particularly facilitated by my implementation of the team meeting and resource sharing process at Yesodei HaTorah College. As a Year 5 teacher for example, I was able to access resources from Years 4 and 6 which were consistent with the teaching activities I was conducting. This allowed for students’ needs to be met in a way that bridged gaps in knowledge and was consistent with the expected progression across year levels.
Capable of collaborating with colleagues and of facilitating collaboration between others, my experience has demonstrated my ability to share knowledge and ideas for the benefit of student learning outcomes. This collaboration is one of the tools that I use to achieve continuous improvement of the high level teaching skills that I have demonstrated in my practice to date.
Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student-learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning
In my teaching practice, I have implemented and incorporated a range of assessment methods which allow me to measure student knowledge and ability and incorporate the outcomes in to my planning of teaching activities. Recognising that providing students with valid assessment that provides constructive feedback is fundamental in the teaching and learning cycle, my capacity to monitor, assess and utilise student- learning data has been demonstrated through:
• Utilisation of pre- and post-testing assessment practices. In my classroom I conduct pre testing not only to give me a picture of student’s current knowledge before delivering my teaching but also to guide me on the potential directions in which I can take my teaching in order to build on or explore students’ ideas. If particular gaps in knowledge are identified through pre-testing, I can address these in my teaching. For example when I have identified that students do not fully understand a foundational concept in mathematics, I have used physical resources that can be manipulated and held to Post-testing allows me to gain an accurate measure of student progress and development of knowledge and ability over the course of my teaching of a topic. This enables me to check that I have properly covered all of the elements of the learning goals for the topic. Utilising short-answer methods of assessment in post-testing allows me to gauge whether students have been engaged with the material in a way that has allowed them to gain a deep understanding of what has been taught.
• Incorporating information gained from testing to guide group structures. The information gained from pre-testing allows me to break students in to ability streams for the teaching and learning of certain topics where appropriate. The use of streamed ability groups allows me to present material and activities at different levels of difficulty, which provides the suitable degree of challenge to keep students engaged in their learning. Another way that I incorporate pre-testing knowledge is to pair students of different levels of ability to work together on activities. This can benefit both students. The benefit for the student of lower ability is that they can be guided and supported in their learning of the material and explore ideas with someone which a strong pre-existing understanding of the concepts. For the student of higher ability, benefits come from developing confidence in taking on a teaching role, being challenged to formulate and express their ideas in a clear manner, and from being exposed to new perspectives and ways if exploring ideas learning material.
• Providing clear learning intentions and measurable success criteria for each lesson. Through making students aware at the commencement of each lesson of the intended outcomes of my teaching, I enabled them to self-assess their own progress towards the curriculum outcomes.
• Utilising a range of different assessment methods to gain a thorough and well-rounded picture of students’ understanding and to build their skills. Incorporation of peer assessment allows my students to experience the process of providing constructive feedback to others. Incorporating self-reflection and self-assessment by students in to the class routine, particularly in the form of daily reflection journals, has enabled me to gain insight in to students’ own views of their progress. Providing a range of options for students to present their learning to me caters for the multiple intelligences and learning preferences of individual class members.
My ability to incorporate appropriate assessment activities in to my teaching practice ensures that it is able to evolve and develop in response to the particular needs and abilities of my students. This leads to increased student engagement and positive educational outcomes.
Demonstrated high-level written and verbal communication skills and high-level interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students, parents and other staff
The classroom environment that I construct through application of my interpersonal skills promotes learning in an active and engaged manner. Utilising well-developed communication and interpersonal skills, I have developed successful and constructive relationships in my teaching practice, as demonstrated through:
• Developing relationships with parents in order to support student needs. In the first two weeks of each school year, I make it a habit to contact the parents of each of my students to introduce myself. I make parents aware of how I can be contacted, and welcome them to approach me at any time to discuss their child’s progress or wellbeing. This relationship with parents is maintained through informal interactions during before or after school conversations or at events such as presentation evenings. In a more formal context, I communicate with parents verbally during parent teacher interviews and in writing through school reports. Utilising clear communication with parent and demonstrating my genuine concern for the wellbeing of their child has allowed me to develop strong relationships in which parents are comfortable in sharing information with me.
• Demonstrating an interest in students’ lives and backgrounds. Through conversations with students and their parents, I gain an understanding of their home lives and factors which may affect or impact on their school experience. This understanding allows me to provide an enriched learning experience for each student, whether through incorporation of their interests in to my teaching program or through providing a supportive environment in which they are receptive to teaching. In addition, I encourage students to explore their interests and talents, including through following an area of interest as part of an assessment task or through sharing skills and knowledge with the class. In this way, open and clear communication and strong interpersonal skills allow me to build and maintain productive working relationships with my students.
• Engaging in professional interactions and collaboration with colleagues. It is a practice of mine to share knowledge gained from professional development with colleagues, through both formal and informal means. I have undertaken team teaching in the past, requiring clear communication and strong cooperation with colleagues in order to establish and deliver learning objectives. On an informal level, I foster professional relationships with colleagues by becoming involved in and contributing to the collegial interactions of the staff room and staff events. These are some of the ways of the ways in which I build relationships with, learn from, collaborate with and support colleagues.
• Facilitation of communication between others. My establishment of the teacher team meeting structure at Yesodei HaTorah College provided the means for teachers to share ideas and knowledge with their colleagues. The professional relationships that were built in this environment had a direct outcome of improving student learning experiences, as demonstrated through the improved assessment and NAPLAN results that resulted.
Through maintaining effective communication with students, their parents and my peers, I have developed constructive relationships which have supported my teaching activities. The strong interpersonal skills that I display in my professional activities foster open, trusting and productive interactions.
Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school priority areas, community activities and a commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of skills, expertise and teaching capacity
With a passion for learning and a strong desire to further my own knowledge and capabilities and those of others, I am committed to and value my own ongoing professional development. In my teaching career to date, I have enthusiastically initiated, contributed to and participated in a wide range of school activities. These qualities have been demonstrated through:
• Implementation of new activities and programs in my schools. At Yesodei HaTorah College I build and grew a public speaking program for the upper primary levels, to provide students with an opportunity to develop their skills in this area. This successful initiative became an annual event at the school.
• Acted as coach of school sports teams. During my time at Priestmead School in London, I coached the ‘outside of school hours’ school cricket team.
• Contributing to preparations for and providing supervision at school events such as discos, presentations, plays and various other functions
• Introducing new philosophies, practices and methods in to my classroom. Having been exposed to information about the benefits of mindfulness practice, I have incorporated such practice in to my classroom. After guiding students through a mindfulness ‘session’, I have found my students to be much more alert, engaged and willing to learn.
• Undertaking professional development in a range of areas, sharing the knowledge gained with my colleagues and incorporating that knowledge in to my classroom practice where appropriate. The professional development that I undertake aids me in developing teaching and learning activities that are relevant, interesting and engaging for my students. Some of the recent professional development I have undertaken includes:
o Step into the classroom: a look at use of space in and out of the classroom ‘space’
o First Class Extras training (timetabling in school environments)
o Differentiating the curriculum to meet student needs
o Addressing students with challenging behaviours
o Independent reading strategies in the classroom
o Assessing and reporting students’ progress
o Cultures of thinking for new teachers
o Australian Curriculum: Mathematics
o Connecting students through Drama
o Writing for different purposes
o Compacting the curriculum
o Elementary Maths Mastery
o Students with low vision
o Spelling Mastery
With a belief in life-long learning, I am always willing to undertake professional development or gain new experience to assist in the further development of my teaching practice. My participation in school activities to date is indicative of my willingness to become involved in, and contribute my time and abilities to, a range of school priorities.
