Engage in professional learning
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6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
Use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and advice from colleagues to identify and plan professional learning needs.
While speaking to the Early Years Pedagogy and Curriculum Coach, she mentioned a leadership professional development that she had attended. She explained that she found the professional development so inspiring and practical. She told me that the same lady was running a professional development on projects and that I should go. She forwarded the information on, and with permission from the Early Years deputy, I enrolled myself.
In week 4 2017 I had a meeting with the Early Years Curriculum & Pedagogy coach. I explained to her that my plans for the term didn’t inspire me, or my students. I asked her opinion about if I could change the way that I approach inquiry based learning in my classroom. The Early Years Curriculum & Pedagogy coach encouraged me to try out a new way of inquiry based learning by doing 3 small projects with my class instead of a whole class inquiry. This meant that the way I documented children’s learning had to change, as it would not be effective to place three separate projects on one inquiry board. A colleague had previously purchased Claire Warden’s Book “Thinking and Talking Floorbooks”. I asked her if i could borrow it to decide weather this style of documentation would suit my new pedagogy. After reading the book, I was certain floorbooks would be the best way for the children to be involved in the documentation of their learning. To ensure a consistent approach across the Kindergarten team, I typed up notes from the book for the learning assistants to read. In the next team meeting, I shared my notes and we reflected on how this would be implemented in my Kindergarten class.
thinking and talking floorbooks notes-1y4uu0d
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6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Participate in learning to update knowledge and practice, targeted to professional needs and school and/or system priorities.
The ‘St Stephen’s School Primary Approach to Teaching and Learning’ document highlights the school priority of an inquiry based pedagogy. To ensure my teaching was aligned with the school approach, I attended professional learning based on projects and inquiry based learning.
Primary School Approach 2016 -2jag5hv
As a Kindy Team, we all attended a ‘Local Study Tour’ to improve the environments that we set up in Kindy.
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6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Contribute to collegial discussions and apply constructive feedback from colleagues to improve professional knowledge and practice
Each week, I set out to meet with a colleague to discuss professional learning and reflect on the week of teaching. We discussed the implementation of curriculum, working with other colleagues, professional learning, engagement with children, communication with families, and seek any advice. The document below is the term four report that I received from my colleague that includes constructive feedback, and how I have applied it.
TaraRobertsSem2MentorReport-zzms2m
In week 4 2017 I had a meeting with the Early Years Curriculum & Pedagogy coach. I explained to her that my plans for the term didn’t inspire me, or my students. I asked her if I could change the way that I approach inquiry based learning in my classroom. The Early Years Curriculum & Pedagogy coach encouraged me to try out a new way of inquiry based learning by doing 3 small projects with my class instead of a whole class inquiry. The samples below show my inquiry document before our conversation, and the three separate documents I created a week later.
Prior document
Kindy Inquiry Project Planning Term 1 2017 – FINAL-10y5ucz
New documents
Kindy RO Gradening INQUIRY -2nmhbn3
Kindy RO RIVERS INQUIRY-r0xc85
Kindy RO ROCKETS INQUIRY -2fqfj2y
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6.4 Apply professional learning and improve student learning
Undertake professional learning programs designed to address identified student learning needs.
After observing a child in my class swap hands in her drawing and painting, I realised that she was experiencing difficulty crossing the midline. To better inform my planning, I searched for some professional learning. I read an article about crossing the midline written by an Occupational Therpaist. The document below is the article that I read which informed my planning for a fitness activity.
In 2016 I had a child in my class who was diagnosed with Selective Mutism. To improve my teaching, I did some reading on selective mutism and applied my knowledge in class.
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