Organisation: Bacchus Marsh College
Job Title: Ecolinc Education Officer-Env Sci/Bio/Chem/Phy Classroom Teacher
Location: Bacchus Marsh College
In direct response to your requirements, I submit the following:
SC1: 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 intents
As an educator, I strive to promote learning excellence through a curriculum that meets the expectations of the
Victorian Essential Learning Standards and Principles of Learning and Teaching. Also, I seek to cater for a broad
range of individual students’ learning needs and encompass efficient and effective teaching strategies. My
understanding is that good teaching practice derives from reflection upon the means by which students learn
and the design of learning environments to facilitate this, incorporating the content prescribed in the
curriculum. The following examples demonstrate that I have a thorough knowledge of these initiatives and
have applied and extended this knowledge in my teaching:
During the teaching placement for Chemistry and Science in August 2015 at Parade College Bundoora, I
developed learning and teaching strategies and materials to engage the students and facilitate their
understanding by incorporating knowledge and skills that they already possess or need developing, which
were mentioned in multiple AusVELS domains and Key Science Skills. In a Year 8 lesson on the topic of
Microscope, I created and ran an activity, where each group of student had to come up with an ideal Microscope
design and make a presentation to describe the key features and advantages of their design over the ones
already existed. They also wrote promotional materials for potential customers. This activity facilitated the
development of Communication, as students attempted to use images, words, and symbols to create and
present the design of Microscope; Thinking Processes, as they drew on previous knowledge about how their
design can beat the existing designs; and Interpersonal Development, as the students worked collaboratively
and in support of one another in order to complete the group task. This activity allowed students to think
critically, and that improved their planning, communication, and interpersonal skills.
I also incorporated appropriate aspects of the PoLT into my teaching, such as Standard 3.2 “ uses a range of
strategies that support the different ways of thinking and learning”. For example, during the placement at
Parade College Bundoora, I created an activity to facilitate students’ learning about living and non-living things
where students in a group discussion had to come up with qualities a living thing had with example. It was
good to see that students were actively participating in the discussion and correcting each other. I heard some
students saying that as Sun and Earth ‘move’ that could be living, but then heard another student saying ‘ as
they cannot reproduce they cannot be living. I developed this type of activities with the open-ended discussion
that students enjoyed. This also helped to develop higher order thinking in students, and I could see improved
questioning skills in students.
During my both placements, I consistently used Assessment for, as and of learning and facilitate my students to
use effectively self and peer assessment as well as teacher feedback to improve their learning. I follow the
principles for assessment and ensure a variety of assessment tasks and tools are used, including graphic
organisers, rubrics, and checklists. I keep accurate and up-to-date assessment records in print and
electronically, and I place high-quality student work samples in assessment folders along with assessment
rubrics. I use various forms of assessment and feedback to monitor student learning, inform my planning and
evaluate my pedagogy.
To translate this understanding and experience into practice, I will work cooperatively with other staff to
ensure that the classroom environment I create reflects the values of the above initiatives. I have strong
research and academic background which has allowed me to develop a professional capacity to work in teams. I
am willing to work at a school level in curriculum development teams to cultivate programs that are
challenging and engaging for students and that are responsive to developments with these initiatives.
SC2: Demonstrated high level classroom teaching skills and the capacity to work with colleagues to
continually improve teaching and learning.
Student engagement is imperative to ensure effectively, and authentic teaching and learning is achieved.
Accomplishing this involves teachers knowing their students, the ways in which they learn, their needs and
knowing the content they teach. All of these skills are identified in the professional standards for graduating
teachers thus highlighting my understanding of the importance of developing these skills. In addition to that,
students learn in complex and different ways. I understand the significance of having a variety of strategies to
draw from. This includes being responsive students’ learning need and to implement strategies that can
maximize their learning. I have had the opportunity to work with three valuable mentors during my
placements who have shown me the power of collaboration in teaching. Working with other teachers during
my placements allowed me to broaden my teaching and learning assessment skills.
During my placement at Gladstone Park Secondary College, when I was teaching year 11 chemistry, I used the
flipped classroom technique. Students were given well structure tasks and the next day, I chose any student
randomly to come in front of the classroom to teach the rest of the class. This greatly enhanced their learning as
they had done most of the part from home, and I worked with them on higher order thinking and reasoning
questions. I also used dialogic teaching approach and students were constantly involved in discussion and
answering questions. This made me know more about my students learning levels, and also they build a better
rapport with me. As my lessons were always inclusive, and I always used term ‘we’ instead of ‘you’. For
example. ‘If we want to move this block …..’ this gave students the sense of teamwork, and they felt more
comfortable and safe in the classroom.
During my placement at Parade College Bundoora, one of the class I was teaching was year 7 Science with few
students with behavior issues. I applied the strategies to maximize to students’ engagement and this lead to
better learning and better class management. During one of the staff meetings, a teacher gave the idea of using
Icy pole sticks with students’ name to ask questions. I picked up that strategy and used in my same class, and
results were amazing. I found that few students who were never willing to answer were also answering, and
students paid more attention as they knew they could be the next. This also made every student of the class to
participate in learning process at least once during the lesson and made me know their learning progress.
I always appreciated the feedback from Mentors and other staff. I believe in lifelong learning. For example,
during one of the staff meeting, the problem of spelling mistakes came up for year seven science students that
to deduce marks for spelling or not in a Science test. Most of them agreed that there should not be a deduction
of marks but mention the mistakes. One senior teacher recommended having ‘Science Spelling Bee’ once a week
in the class. I took this on to the board and introduced during my lesson. Students enjoyed that and their
spelling improved. This how I learned from other teachers and I will keep improving myself while working with
my colleagues.
SC3: Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform
teaching for improved student learning.
The main purpose of assessment is to inform teaching. To assess we must monitor, thus re-visiting the idea of
teaching practice as a cyclical process. Effective formal and informal assessment ensures students learning
outcomes are continually improved. The ability to identify appropriate and effective assessment tools is a vital
skill a teacher must possess one that I believe needs constant development; this describes my current position.
I do possess the skills of identifying and implementing effective assessment practices however it is something I
am to refine throughout my teaching career ahead. I very much value the practice of seeing students as a
resource, looking at what can I learn from my students and what can they learn from me along with identifying
what it is my students need to learn and how I’m going to go about teaching it to them.
During my both placements, some of the ways in which I have used informal and formal assessment tools to
monitor students learning and to reflect on my teaching include:
– At the end of each lesson, I asked students to rate their learning that day between 0 and 5, where 0
means they learned nothing and 5 means they can come in front of the class and teach the topic. I asked
them to put up their hands with a closed fist (0) and fingers to show numbers. I found that students
were very honest and rating their learning and this helped me to understand which students are
struggling with the topic and helped me in using differentiate learning strategies. This everyday data
also helped me to change the strategy to explain certain topic when doing the recap or next lesson
– After every topic, I used ‘Kahoot’ to play Quiz of the topic. Students enjoyed playing ‘Kahoot’ and that
fun activity helped me in assessing students’ learning.
– I also used ‘Exit Ticket’ strategy during some of my lessons, where students have an online form to fill
in. This form asks them what they had learned that day, what they wanted to know more about the
topic and what they did not understand at all. Students submit this ‘Exit Ticket’ in the last 5 minutes of
the lesson. This helped me a lot to assess each and every student’s learning needs. I tried to explain
their questions during the recap of next lesson.
– After each chapter, I designed the formal assessment and recorded the data for students. This data
helped me to understand what the weak areas of students are.
– Over my time as a student teacher not only have I developed strategies for student assessment but I
have felt it important to develop strategies to assess my teaching. As a teacher in your school, I will
endeavor to apply my experiences with assessment and learning and ensure a variety of ongoing
assessment practices are implemented within my classroom. I will maintain comprehensive
documentation of formal and informal assessment items and will utilize this data to inform
implemented curriculum and my teaching practices, while keeping in mid the key learning areas and
values of the student learning outcomes in accordance to the VELS and AUSVELS. With the support from
my experienced colleagues, I believe I would be able to develop and refine comprehensive assessment
method to effectively assess for quality learning
SC4: 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.
Effective communication, skills are an integral part of teaching and are essential for best practice. All of the
teachers practice uses communication, whether it is communicating with colleagues, students or parents.
Having excellent communication skills allows teachers to collaborate with each other, effectively express their
intent to students and to report to parents. In classrooms, schools and communities of today not only are
important to have excellent written and verbal communication skills it is imperative to have excellent skills in
information communications technology. Being able to use networks to share information, emails to
communicate and programs to plan and produce documents of communication are fast becoming the
expectations of teachers. These are all skills that I possess, and I certainly dedicate myself to constantly
reviewing and improving my use of these skills.
My communication skills, both verbal and written are highly developed as a result of my teaching practice,
work experiences, and university studies. These skills may be demonstrated through:
– My ability to become an active member of staff while on professional placement. Being involved in staff
meetings, staff functions and meetings with parents have helped me to develop my interpersonal skills both on
a professional level and on a social level with different members of the school community.
-My current part-time job as a private Chemistry tutor requires me to interact with students from a wide range
cultural and educational backgrounds.
-A high level of written communications skills is essential for university students to meet the outcomes of
writing an essay. I certainly possess these skills which are evident in my studies. During my previous jobs, I
had to write articles in a scientific journal which also required a high level of written communication skills.
From evidence given I can confidently state that I have well refined, practiced and very professional
communication skills, both written and verbal. My aim in my future practice is to be involved in a community
where I can communicate openly and appropriately with my students, other colleagues and parents. If
employed by Bacchus Marsh College I would continue to use and refine these skills and would be interested in
any professional development offered. As is evident the effectiveness of a team teaching an approach to
learning is staff relationships that, of course, are formed through communication, this is a skill I possess and
look forward to putting into practice. I feel confident in my ability to communicate with all members of the
school community and look forward to the opportunity to exhibit this.
SC5: Demonstrated commitment and capacity to contribute actively to a broad range of school activities
and a commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of skills, expertise,
and teaching capacity.
If I had to choose one word to epitomise the school teacher, it would be commitment. Commitment to students
learning and development across all areas of school life is essential for positive school results and relationships.
This is an attribute I have used myself as an educator. Ongoing professional development is most certainly one
of the most important things for a teacher to participate in to ensure they are at the top of their game and to
ensure their students are being given every opportunity to learn and develop best to their potential. Active
contribution, commitment, involvement in school activities and community and professional learning and
development are all things I have and do possess in my teaching practice.
Over my time as a student teacher I have been involved in many wider school activities including:
– All the staff meeting, as mentioned above. These staff meeting broadened my academic skills and I
enjoyed sitting and chatting with senior teachers. I believe that these meeting and very important for
professional grooming. I learned many teaching and assessment techniques by attending staff meeting
and professional development seminars.
– All school-based sports activities – this helped me to see students from another perspective and see
how students work in a team
– During my Placement at Parade College, I also participated during the ‘Science week'. This was a
fascinating experience, and I had a chance to see students enjoying science and their curiosity for
science were worth- seeing
– I also got a chance to visit a primary school, and I helped primary students in learning about the
‘Microscopic World’. We introduced young children with the concept of Microscope, how and why that
was used.
I actively and frequently add value to my professional learning in order to improve my teaching pedagogy and
student learning in the following examples:
Reflecting on and evaluating my lessons and continually reviewing my lesson planning to make sure
that I sufficiently and promptly address areas of learning that need to be improved. For example, after
my teaching fellow has observed my class and we discussed one of the areas for me to improve in –
extending wait time-I have used that strategy to improve teacher questioning and student responses.
During both the placements, seeking feedback and support from mentors and leading teachers in areas
such as curriculum planning, assessment, transitions and pathways, wellbeing and student
management.
Taking onboard verbal and written feedback from mentors, clinical specialists, teaching fellows and
students in order to improve my own and my students' learning.
I continually update my repertoire of resources and educational knowledge, such as educational games
and technologies, pedagogical and student management strategies, which I integrate into my planning
and teaching.
Participation in a variety of professional development sessions in the placement schools. I adapt and
trial ideas and strategies from these PDs in my classes and evaluate the effectiveness of my lessons and
learning activities.
I actively shared any newly discovered and useful resources, including websites, worksheets,
multimedia sources and games with my colleagues.
I plan to continually maintain this conscious awareness that I have as teacher, always being actively mindful
and engaged in how best I can expand and develop my teaching practices. If employed by Bacchus Marsh
College, regardless of what years I’m involved with, part of maintaining this desire to reflect and grow as a
teacher is being proactive in the school community in all areas, with all students and with all teachers
SC6 Demonstrated ability to incorporate and evaluate the use of appropriate learning technologies
within curriculum program development.
I strongly believe that every student can learn, though their starting point to learn could be different. In a mixed
ability classroom, there are different groups of students who learn in different ways. Some learn by visualising,
some learn by doing, and the others learn by discussion. I tend to focus on each group and leverage the
technology to support the learning process. In today’s classrooms, a wide range of technologies are creating
new options for differentiated instruction and the inclusion of students with disabilities. According to
AusVELS, “ICT can be used to access, process, manage and present information; model and control events;
construct new understanding; and communicate with others”. I have demonstrated most of these during my
placement teaching rounds, with some examples below.
During my placement at Parade College Bundoora where I was teaching year 8 Science, and the topic was
Animal Cell. I made use of the technology to teach students this topic. I asked students to go to the computer to
work in pairs. Students opened the ‘Cell Explorer’ game and saw the window which says Mission-1, Mission2,
Mission-3, and Mission-4. They clicked the Mission-1, where they fire a missile on any of the organelles of the
cell when the missile hits the organelle, the computer tells them the name and function of that organelle
followed by a quiz questions. In this way, they hit all the organelles and get a chance to hear the name and
function of the organelles, and they are assessed by the quiz question. After completing Mission-1, they go to
Mission 2, 3 and 4, where they reconstruct they cell and its part by using the knowledge they gained from the
Mission-1. I evaluated this activity by walking around and observing students, and I found that this interactive
game kept students very engaged, and they learn from this about the structure and functions of the cell
organelles. They were very actively playing the game and learning at the same time with no class management
issues. Some students who were not good with technology needed scaffolding,
During my first placement at Gladstone Park Secondary College, I used PhET simulations to explain the
structure of organic molecules. Although I explained the molecules using images in the PowerPoint slides, but
when I used the PhET simulation, I was amazed to see that students picked the concept very quickly. In that
simulations, students had to design a molecule from the software, and observe the changes in the structure of
molecules when they added electron pairs on the molecules. Students were ‘seeing’ exactly what was
happening when the electron pairs were introduced in the molecule. I strongly believe that, with the availability
of these simulations and interactive games, it is very easy for students to understand the difficult concepts in
“their “way of learning.
During my last placement in Bundoora College when I was teaching year 11 chemistry, I asked students to
make presentation on the topic of Gas which was not taught yet. Students used the interactive white-board
from the website (www.explaineverything.com) and made presentations after reading and researching the
topics given. These presentations by students in the flipped classroom were run and other students learned
from these and asked students questions where they did not understood the topic. Students got confidence
with this activity and enhanced their communication and presentation skills.
I understand that Ecolinc is specialist Science and Technology Centre and uses digital technology as a teaching
tool, I am sure you will find me well equipped with the latest teaching technology tools and with spirit of
teamwork. I will continue to incorporate existing learning technologies in my teaching and willing to learn any
new technology available.
