Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning (GDTL), Charles Darwin University External Studies
Units undertaken as requirement, or elected extra, of my course:
The following units were undertaken as the theoretical component of the course, requiring much hypothetical teaching discussion, analysis and lesson planning:
ETL411 – Teaching the Curriculum, Integrating Literacy
This unit had the intended outcome of providing me with knowledge of curriculum frameworks, designs, application and evaluation, all in a world of evolving digital formats. It prompted teaching within and between learning areas through discipline connected strategies. Importantly, ETL411 presented Indigenous, non-Indigenous, national and global perspectives and encouraged a use of world experiences in my application of curriculum knowledge and skills to the primary years’ learning areas.
ETL421 – Teaching the Curriculum, Integrating Numeracy
Similarly and complementary to ETL411, this unit was designed to provide me with knowledge of the curriculum, focusing on numeracy and its links throughout the other key learning areas, and with literacy. It gave me the opportunity to practice the art of reflective learning and teaching in an intended setting, even where hypothetical, and established some of these reflective qualities for my coming placement units. Again, links with Indigenous and world views were made and emphasised and a consideration outside of the “mathematical” mindset encouraged. It highlighted the use of materials, technologies, and resources required to make learning explicit and to create meaningful learning environments especially where scientific and mathematical investigation were concerned.
ETL414 – Productive Learning in Diverse Classrooms
This unit was particularly favoured by me with my passion for building intercultural awareness and inclusive practice in my teaching. It examined the socio-cultural environments of Australian classrooms and developed my understanding of productive learning environments for diverse student populations. With a particular focus on Indigenous Australian students and on socio-emotional development, I was able to draw upon my thesis’ and research background and add further to my understanding and awareness of the contemporary classroom. In addition, I was given the opportunity to analyse classroom management theories and practices to prepare myself for the range of issues I will come to face (and did face from the beginnings of placement). I am passionate about developing learning environments in which all students can feel secure and confident within themselves, and find a place in which they can belong in the learning arena, and this unit developed and added theory to this passion. It examined behavioural disorders and bullying behaviour in youth and children and suggested strategies for dealing with these challenges. Strengthening children’s socio-emotional development, resilience and efficacy were also emphasised here.
In addition, I undertook a Summer-holiday unit to further my theoretical knowledge for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and for supporting and enhancing the inclusion of Aboriginal and Islander histories and cultures in whichever classroom I come to teach in;
EIP310 – Teaching Indigenous Learners
I selected to undertake this extra unit over the Summer break to develop further my understanding and future practices around effective pedagogies for Indigenous learnings. I engaged with historical and contemporary policies, practices and programs, and in doing so reflected and recounted much of my previous research for my 2009 thesis in Aboriginal children’s learning styles and development. Assessment tasks asked that I demonstrated an ability to apply these knowledges and skills for a negotiation of the diverse and complex partnerships that exist in the school community.
The following four units included professional experience components, which I undertook from September 2012, finishing in August of 2013:
ETP410 – Introduction to the Curriculum and Planning (T&L1), Essential Learnings
This unit introduced the fundamentals of teaching and learning, planning effective lessons within a curriculum framework. The unit had an associated ten days of professional experience, which I chose to carry out as a two week block alongside that of ETP420, in the Northern Territory. Experience here exposed me to my first processes of planning and implementing teaching and learning strategies.
- teaching practice involved me working as a co-professional with my mentor teacher. I was planning and teaching as well as evaluating lessons and student outcomes alongside my mentor with both small group and whole-class focus. I began developing lesson plans using sequences in a learning management plan.
ETP420 – (T&L2) Child and Adolescent Development
This unit focused on child and adolescent development. Special consideration was given to the links between theory and practice, with research being applicable in everyday contexts of teaching and education. I undertook this unit’s 10-day placement as a two week block, alongside the same for ETP410, at a small public school in Darwin, NT.
- Through this placement, I increased my teaching of lessons and planned sequencing of these. My teaching progressed from team-teaching and following my mentor teacher’s lesson plans to independent teaching and planning for these lessons. This included writing lesson plans, designing, teaching and assessing work suitable at the whole grade 1/2 class level. My mentor approved lesson plans prior to my teaching for me to generate a response to and reflection on feedback.
ETP425 – (T&L3) Assessment and Reporting
This unit focused on the theory and practice of assessment. It taught me that assessment goes beyond post-teaching, and is actually a whole-of-teaching and learning process. It emphasised the way assessment strategies and data inform teaching and learning in the classroom and in educational settings. Formative and summative assessment strategies were explicated.
- Given the timing of my Melbourne placement, I was able to experience, firsthand, the guidance of students and preparation for the NAPLAN national testing of numeracy and literacy skills, as well as the end-of-semester assessment for student’s reports.
- For my own assessment of students in the grade 3/4 class, I needed to have an awareness of their educational levels, across the spectrum of learning abilities. This needed to reflect the newly addressed AUSVELS standards as well as the individual students’ own levels of learning. I developed skills in managing my students’ range of learning styles and needs, basing activities and assessment on the assessments I made, both informal and more formal, of their educational level and differing capacities along a continuum of learning. I offered feedback to my students constantly.
- In addition to this, I have sought the permission of a few parents to join them in their parent-teacher interviews, a worthwhile and valuable source of assessment feedback and reporting for teaching and for further learning.
ETP426 – Teaching and Learning (T&L)4, Theory to Practice
This is the final Professional Teaching Experience unit for the GDTL. It has required the completion of a 10 week supervised placement that has involved programming, planning, teaching and evaluating students – combining all elements of the concurrent units into the block experience. This unit has the specific goal of providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate their preparedness to meet the requirements of the Professional Standards for Graduating Teaching.
- As part of this unit, it has been expected that I undertake a full unit of work from beginning to end with my students. For this unit I have focused on the Inquiry Unit of the Grade 3/4s at Westgarth, with Endangered Animals the theme, and cross-links into all key learning areas possible and achieved.
- Relationships with students, co-staff, parents and other relevant stakeholders has been a part of this ongoing placement, across term 2 of 2013.
- A powerpoint presentation has been chosen to present the final portfolio and presentation to my school panel on completion of the placement. This will be submitted to the Charles Darwin University for review alongside my online portfolio