Organisation: Melbourne Girls Grammer
Job Title: Teacher – Physical Education
Word Limit: 3 pages
Location: Melbourne
As a qualified P-12 Teacher, I am enthusiastic in the opportunity to work within a school environment that boasts true education encapsulated through Melbourne Girls Grammar. Having completed my Bachelor of Applied Science (Health and Physical Education) in 2015 facilitated by RMIT University, I am qualified to teach in Victorian school-based curriculums and hold VIT registration. It is with great enthusiasm that I am applying for the advertised position of Teacher, Physical Education with Melbourne Girls Grammar. With a commitment to continued professional development and lifelong learning, I have obtained accreditations such as AUSWIM and coaching certificates in various sport activities. Passionate in the promotion of Physical Education at Melbourne Girls Grammar, I am committed to a flexible and effective repertoire of teaching strategies to suit the physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students.
Adhering within my practicum placements, I have embraced the Victorian Institute of Teaching’s Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct and the values, qualities and processes that are central to this. Demonstrating my professional responsibility to continuously enhance my content knowledge and pedagogical skills, I continually reflect on my teaching practices and seek feedback and collaboration from my colleagues, lectures. Additionally, I plan for professional learning by accessing and critiquing relevant research and engaging in high quality targeted opportunities. My proven understanding of students and their diverse learning styles in my responsibility as a Teacher has encouraged the individual unique learning styles of students, as well as offered differences to the classroom environment. Illustrating my commitment to plan, evaluate and modify teaching programs to improve student learning throughout my teaching journey. For this reason, I am committed to provide students with a safe, engaging and enjoyable learning environment in which they can learn and work towards achieving their goals. In order to deliver on this commitment, I will be well versed and prepared to cater for a vast array of individual needs. The learning environment that I promote fosters critical thinking, develops problem-solving strategies and facilitates the acquisition of lifelong learning skills.
Enthusiastic in the opportunity to work within a school environment that boasts curriculum differentiation. With a proven ability to embrace diversity within student populations, I initiate all delivery designs by first gathering critical student learning data in order to provide an inclusive learning atmosphere. As demonstrated in my role as Instructor at Melbourne Taekwondo Centre, I consistently monitor students’ development in learning required skills. On a particular occasion, I assessed that a number of students were struggling with specific techniques due to not being able to differentiate between their left and right. Drawing on my own understanding of diverse learning abilities, I assessed that a percentage of the students were auditory learners rather than visual or tactile. After identifying this, I developed a method to improve the student learning through various learning of key teaching points. By teaching alongside the students, I was able to educate and encourage the development of these students, which in turn resulted in the class performing at an even level, thus creating an atmosphere of achievement. Committed to providing students with my ability to monitor and assess, I include all critical aspects of PoLT and make informed decisions again the Australian Curriculum performance criteria.
During my teaching placements whilst studying at RMIT, I have used a variety of assessments tools to make sounds valuations on the capabilities of students’ ability to achieve and perform key teaching criteria and points. Methodology that I have utilised include, Student Socrative to assess and inspire students to improve in Health and Physical Education homework for years 9 and 10, Ubersense to record and film students FMS and to identify where they need to improve in years 7 to 10, Imuscle to increase students’ ability to perform different exercises for each muscle group and to record number of sets for each in year 10 Physical Education, as well as group assignments for health which were marked against a rubric.
Possessing demonstrable support of the Christian tradition, I embrace the value and uniqueness of every human being regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, creed or sexual orientation. Committed to promotion of Anglican Diocese, I believe that true education must encourage the mental, physical and spiritual development of each student. Understanding the Christian ethos is a core principle underpinning the values and mission of Melbourne Girls Grammar, I will engage within the school community sensitivity, respect and tolerance. Additionally, I will foster the education and Christian environment where Anglican Schools teach Christian education and conduct services of worship.
Performing in practicum placements and in my position at Melbourne Taekwondo, I demonstrate responsiveness in all communications with parents and carers about their children’s learning and well-being. Through my achievements within my recent qualification of Bachelor of Applied Science, Physical Education and Health, I have a high-level of knowledge in subject matter this is essential to deliver on connecting with the subject with the students’ previous knowledge. Committed to a career in education, I actively involve students to enhance their learning to deliver on implementation of important teaching tasks. The ways that I have in my practical experience do date has been to encourage active learning through, discussions, practice sessions, team projects, structured exercises and research projects. By understanding that interaction between teachers and students is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement, I have exemplified this during my role modelling of nutrition and health primarily in terms of my personal commitment to body sculpting enhanced through strength and conditioning measures. Acknowledging that students benefit most when taking responsibility for their own learning, I have incorporated this methodology in the classrooms by offering a variety of learning activities to a class enabling the individual to choose the most effective personal method at that time.
Gained through my recent qualification in Applied Science and personal dedication to health and fitness, I have a solid understanding of the Sports Curriculum within both a school environment and the wider community. The curriculum, identifies how, personal, social, cultural, and environmental factors influence the health, wellbeing, and physical activity patterns of students, I am committed to providing opportunities for young women to develop the skills, self-efficacy and dispositions to advocate for, and positively influence, their own and others’ wellbeing in creating a sustainable future. As a proactive and passionate educator, I am committed to providing positive contributions to school programs. During my placement at Hallam Secondary College, I designed and implemented a five‑week self-defence course. The unit focussed on keeping young women safe, the dangerous areas in Melbourne, how not to put yourself in danger, how to get out of trouble, bag work, defending off an attacker and ground defence. My philosophy is based on The Australian Curriculum of Propose, Practice and Evaluate Responses (ACPPS092) in situations where external influences may influence their ability to make healthy and safe choices. Committed to providing young women with a safe, engaging and enjoyable learning environment in which they can learn and work towards achieving their goals. In order to deliver on this commitment, I will be well versed and prepared to cater for a vast array of individual needs. The learning environment that I promote fosters critical thinking, develops problem-solving strategies and facilitates the acquisition of lifelong learning skills.
With a deep understanding of the importance of relationships between staff and students, I will promote the ideology of inter-student relationships including their own self-perception. During my placement at Mount Waverley Primary School, I confirmed my belief that teachers need to understand learning from a students’ prospective in order to best deliver on learning outcomes. Before commencing teaching, I question why a student would like to learn something that I am about to teach, how they would like to learn, and most importantly, can a student use that learning outside the classroom. This contemporary thinking has allowed me to create a learning environment that involves metacognitive strategies in my classroom. Passionate about providing numerous opportunities for active participation by students, I include discussions and debate in the classroom, whilst maintaining a safe and challenging learning environment. This has allowed students an atmosphere of acceptance and confidence of speech.
Within a diverse career background including working with young women of varying ages, I have gained strong knowledge of current issues and challenges facing young women. With increased safety and educational availabilities such as those awarded at Melbourne Girls Grammar, I will foster within in each student that young women have more opportunity than ever to be problem solvers and contribute to building a more safe and sustainable world for everybody. Acknowledging young women still face many challenges related to gender, I strive to break down the barrier of young women feeling they often have to reconcile their own dreams with expectations of what they “should be.” Providing an atmosphere that allows young women to find their own inner strength and balance it with external strength, I will encourage students to be advocates for themselves. Promoting the vision of Melbourne Girls Grammar, I will achieve this through a focus on learning, research and innovation. Ensuring that Melbourne Girls Grammar, will be recognised by own community, the national and international community as a leading school in girls’ education.
Providing students during my practicum placements, I have promoted a broad, rich, and liberal curriculum through the use of ICT such as iPads and computers. Through utilising ICT to improve teaching practice, I demonstrate my commitment to ensuring content is relevant and meaningful through solid understanding of its content how to teach it. Through my achievements within my recent qualification of Bachelor of Applied Science, Health and Physical Education, I possess high-level knowledge in delivering and connecting the subject with students’ previous knowledge. Committed to a career in education, I actively involve students to enhance their learning to achieve important teaching tasks and learning outcomes. In my teaching practice to date, I have been encouraging active learning through, discussions, practice sessions, team projects, structured exercises and research projects. By understanding that the interactions between teachers and students as the most important factor in student motivation and involvement, I exemplified this during my role modelling of nutrition and health, primarily in terms of my personal commitment to body sculpting enhanced through strength and conditioning measures. Acknowledging that students benefit most when taking responsibility for their own learning, I have incorporated this methodology in the classrooms by offering a variety of learning activities to a class, enabling the individual to choose the most effective personal method that suits them.
My demonstrated success within the classroom at all stages is highlighted by the enhancement of quality teaching through a range of curriculum strategies including differentiation and integration of technology. Through my professional development, both practical and theory based, I have had success in transforming teaching and learning to assist in the improvement of outcomes for all students. In the ever-changing and complex 21st century world, a comprehensive and holistic education provides the platform for a successful life, I am motivated to develop personal knowledge in the ever developing area of learning technologies and incorporate these tools into everyday learning for students. Through providing a range of educational opportunities for students through Socrative quiz based applications and iMuscle, I have fostered the growth and development of students in a supportive, yet challenging environment.
As a Health and Physical Education educator, I will empower students with the knowledge of how to optimise their health and wellbeing, and contribute to building healthy, active communities. Throughout my studies at RMIT University, I was able to gain a practical understanding of the Victorian Certificate of Education’s Physical Education study design, assessment handbook and current trends in Health and Physical Education. Embracing the core values of Melbourne Girls Grammar, I will exhibit at all times dignity and respect for students, forming a supportive environment for all students to thrive. Enthusiastic about working with Melbourne Girls Grammar and its shared vision of empowering ethical women of action at the forefront of innovation in education, I will ensure every student achieves their potential. Understanding the importance of working ethically, collaborating with colleagues, external professional and community representatives, and contributing to the life of the school, I will strive to excel at strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents and carers, and recognise their role in their children’s education at Melbourne Girls Grammar.
