2. Know the Content and How to Teach It
learning to read can be an invaluable source of
pride and self-efficacy
Reflection: August, 2012
On 'Teaching' and 'Learning'...
The discovery of what it is to learn, to acquire new information, skills, ideas, abilities, is astonishingly rewarding. It has been the case for me each time, from early childhood through my schooling, university and post-graduate experiences, and through the informal learnings of life's own experiences, I have developed a sense of understanding in something new to me. It has been a pleasure to offer my new-found knowledge to others, to seek to evoke the same excitement of discovery in them as I have had the joy of feeling. It isn't always the case, of course, that my coffee-mate wants to hear about my latest discovery of how such-and-such came to be! But the sharing of learning has always been such a thrill for me.
Soon, I will be embarking on my formal teaching experience.My previous experience in the early years has seen me as a "teacher" in imaginative play and by my mentor/idol role in little ones' lives. It has also been in my cross-cultural experience of teaching English to Cambodian children living in the slums of Phnom Penh earlier this year, and further through my influence on kindergarten learning as an assistant in past roles and in my shared raising of children I have nannied and cared for over the past decade (seems so long!). I will keep you up to date with how I am going, and on my discoveries and realisations as I come to be a part of this exciting world for 'real'!
Tash consistently explored each topic before planning and referred to past work and assessments to assist her. (Sarah Morris, ETP426 Placement, WPS, 2013)
As my philosophy lays out, in my teaching I aim to:
•Establish learning environments that demonstrate and inspire respect for and understanding of the value systems within multiple and diverse cultures, especially the cultures of Indigenous Australians;
•Engage my students in positive and worthwhile learning;
2.1.Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area – Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
My theory, especially units of Essential Learnings ETP411 and ETP421, introduced me to the curriculum and teaching methods, but my true skill and knowledge really became prominent with my placements, where theory turned into practice and I was able to see the outcomes of my teaching for my students.
I have chosen a difficult time to come into teaching, with the changing over of the Curriculum to a national level. I began my placement in the NT, where I drew upon curriculum documents at both the territory and the federal level as my lessons in Health were not yet covered by the latter. Once coming into the Victorian school system, I have had to adapt to the AUSVELS, along with my fellow teachers at Westgarth Primary, and have seen the stress and amendments necessary for assessment and reporting change-overs! I am certain that, once states and territories are all working from the same assessment standards and curriculum objectives, my teaching role between states will be simpler. However it is hard to imagine that any consistence will ever be possible where learning differences will always remain for our student populations given their diversity.
Reflection and constant collaboration is necessary at any time in teaching, but this experience has made it all the more valuable to me!
Natasha would often reflect and discuss her teaching experiences with the mentor – she would make appropriate educational changes. (Kathy Dinoris, Mentor ETP420 Practicum)
2.2. Content selection and organisation – Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence
Students were aware of the purpose of learning context. (Kathy Dinoris, Mentor ETP420 Practicum)
Each one of my learners have been, and will always be as I go into my career in teaching, at different stages along their development as addressed in the Teachers Standard 1. Unsurprisingly, they will also be at different stages along their learning journeys, in any discipline and at any given time. It is, thus, essential that teaching caters to the individual differences in the classroom, reflects upon what students already know, and identify what they need to learn to meet outcomes of the curriculum.
At Westgarth, we developed learning sequence overviews week-by-week, for the various units. Literacy allows for a flexible approach to teaching three units over three-weekly blocks, with students within each classroom determining the amount of time within these weeks spent on each unit of learning. Attached is an example of one of my literacy (reading) weekly planners. Each week of my placement, following my first week of observation and settling in, I planned these sequences of lessons week by week. From these, I could deliver an introductory session to students, and then use my observations of students’ work, their engagement and expressions of understanding to format each consecutive session. It was the aim of my teaching strategy, as discussed with my mentor, that students would work as independently as possible through the reading activities for the week’s units, and so my introduction to the lessons needed to be as explicit as it could be. From the beginning of my teaching in the 3/4 class to the final week of preparing lessons for them, I feel that I achieved a constantly more developed lesson plan which enabled me to feel confident in setting the students to work independently whilst I took small group sessions for guided reading and comprehension. Below you can find examples of my lesson plans for the sequence of classes carried out for two units of literacy work in the 3/4 level. I took notes on printed copies of these planners, following, and sometimes during classes, and adapted planners each week according to these annotations as well as adapting lessons for the following days in the sequence as well.
**See bottom of page for Week 2 Placement - Literacy Reading Group Planner**
**and Week 8 Placement - Literacy Reading Group Planner **
When designing lessons, and the teaching of units of work to students, it is important to make such lessons relevant and meaningful, drawing upon the familiar to make sense of the unfamiliar.
In my grade 3/4 placement, mathematics for the 6 grades of this level is planned for by a separate teacher for each unit. This unit is paced over the week, with examples for teaching tools and strategies provided in a “kit” but taught according to a class’ individual learners and group dynamics. For example, some tasks may be better suited to higher-level groups and smaller group dynamics, whilst others may work better for the opposite. Each class will determine the best approaches to the teaching of the tasks and the beginning point of a sequence of lessons.
The week planned for numeracy by Sarah and I was that on Problem Solving. I carried out the series of lessons in this week through a combination of explicitly taught problem-solving strategies and classroom discussions, along with smaller group or paired activities worked through at the pace determined by the unique smaller groups and their own readiness. I challenged my more adept students with a larger, project-like problem, and I was pleased to see their excitement (enough to want to take the projects home over the weekend) with the challenge!
As mentioned, it is important that learning is meaningful. In the unit of Measurement in Mass, I had students predict assorted weights of items and the unit they considered would be appropriate to measure each item in. Following this, we weighed items as a class and reflected upon our predictions with the actual weights. Practical learning is a great way to deliver lessons, especially in maths where only some students operate with a logical/mathematical learning style, and many others are often visual or kinaesthetic, or even intrapersonal in preference.
** photo: predictions in Mass chart - an example from my lesson in Mass to grade 3/4 **
2.3. Curriculum, assessment and reporting – Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequence and lesson plans
While it is all very well to plan for lessons and their delivery, there is little point to lesson planning without knowing what it is that I will want to see produced from my learners! It is essential that lessons plan for assessment as well, and the unit of the Dip T&L ETP425 concreted the theory behind this necessity.
While this particular Standard sub-point will be addressed more in Standard 5, some evidence of my assessment planning can be seen in my lesson plans previously, whilst feedback I provided, both for my own teaching delivery (feed-forward) and for student performance, is provided below.
** Assessment Annotations, showing changes in a students' work in 3/4 literacy tasks, as well as annotations on younger units of work I carried out in an ESL reading group at Manunda Tce **
Reflection - week beginning 24th July, 2013
Ricky, my mentor has been away for the first two days of this week, so I have well-and-truly felt like a CRT (relief teacher)! Although I have had a CRT with me, Ricky asked that I manage the classes to get them all through his plans to teach them long and triple-jump this week (each week being dedicated to an activity for the week 5 school Athletics. So, it has been a learning experience, that's for sure! I have had to teach myself long and triple jump (well, in theory and minimal demonstration) and plan how to demonstrate this to students from prep through to year 6, as well as catering to their specific levels of development, including concentration spans, and the individuals within each group with special needs. I have loved the challenge, but am exhausted! I set the classes up with warm up games (both for physical preparation but also energising the children's enthusiasm and excitement) before the teaching component (all physical, of course), and ending with the same "fun" at the end where time allowed for it. Students responded well, even a specific little prep student with special needs who doesn't like a change in routine. He was even a little put out when he discovered that the classes next week would be back, as usual, with his usual teacher (not any criticism on Ricky's part, but a compliment to my teaching, I feel!). I am learning new games and drills for P.E. warm up and intervals, both from students and from text books in my allocated planning sessions (APTs).
2.4. Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – Demonstrate broad knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources were something I tried to bring into my lessons, especially literacy. Incorporating these materials gave leeway for investigative and reflective approaches to learning, to unpack Indigenous culture both past and present
- Reconciliation lesson plan - I planned to have students use symbols, designed in Aboriginal artwork, to tell stories concerning recognition, where that recognition may be of someone they know or a culture they are not so familiar with. While the week of Reconciliation did not end up seeing time for this lesson with my grade 3/4s, I have held on to the plan for later use.
- Song as text for analysis in small group guided reading - In the two more advanced of my guided reading groups in year 3/4, I gave them the lyrics to Paul Kelly's "From Little Things" song to read before we listened and analysed its meaning. This brought up very thoughtful and insightful discussion from these students, showing an awareness of the need to accept and value Aboriginal people and their cultures.
- Texts in literacy independent reading group activities - I incorporated Indigenous stories and non-fiction accounts to expose students to Aboriginal culture and history. These included Dreaming stories for inferencing meaning from text, and articles on the longstanding uniqueness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in their diversity
* pictures of Reconciliation Week Activites, see previous page *
Reflection: October, 2012
Looking at Indigenous Education in Numeracy
One of our modules in our numeracy unit concentrated on Indigenous children's numeracy education. Below is a small part of my response to the module activity, with a link to the full response following:
WhatWorks describes the particular attention that the Australian Government needs to pay to the inclusion of Indigenous ways of thinking, doing and thus of learning, in policy design and implementation. Two-Way education has been put forth as a means of bridging the differences in learning styles and expectations between two cultures, allowing one to learn from the other, and the other to learn back, in a reciprocal nature (see Harris 1990). In this way, two separate domains of education exist in the one school (preferably) or classroom (at the least). That is a Western (formal) one and an Aboriginal one. In the latter, ‘local tradition, story-telling, music and art are taught as a means of establishing norms and values essential to the formation of Indigenous identity’ (Anderson & Walter 2010, p. 75). The former should be taught in the classrooms but by teachers with knowledge of Indigenous culture and teaching methods (either Indigenous or not), while the latter should be taught ‘in appropriate environments; for example, taught in an informal fashion by respected elders and in the bush’ (Anderson & Walter 2010, p. 75). MacFarlane Primary School in Katherine, NT, has been working towards this design, and presents a fine example of the way that such an initiative can help reduce the gaps seen in educational outcomes (see, for example, MacFarlane Primary School on www.teaching.nt.gov.au).
I strive to work in a school environment which has this sort of respect and acknowledgement of Indigenous culture and belief systems. I know that there is no single answer to fit all students, but this is a great step towards breaking down the barriers made by assumptious, competitive and mono-cultured curriculums that continue to act out the ‘impenetrable whiteness’ of a dominant culture (Santoro, Reid & Kamler 2001, p. 96, cited Ewing 2010, p. 96).
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies – Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has set out General Capabilities for the achievement of standard objectives in learning outcomes across the primary and secondary schooling years up until year 10. At this stage, seven General Capabilities are determined – for literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT), critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding (http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/general_capabilities.html).
** general capabilities mindmap – ACARA 2010, Accessed from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Overview/General-capabilities-in-the-Australian-Curriculum **
Under the Australian Curriculum, a student is literate when he or she develops ‘the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society. Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts’ (ACARA 2010).
Meanwhile, ‘students become numerate as they develop the knowledge and skills to use mathematics confidently across other learning areas at school and in their lives more broadly. Numeracy involves students in recognising and understanding the role of mathematics in the world and having the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully’ (ACARA 2010)
2.6.Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students
‘The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that in a digital age, and with rapid and continuing changes in the ways that people share, use, develop and communicate with ICT, young people need to be highly skilled in its use’ (ACARA 2010).
In classrooms across Australia, and I believe that this is even the case, to some extent, in classrooms as remote as Arnhem Land (though let me clarify this when I get there for my next and final placement!) ICT is becoming the way of the future and of teaching and learning. It would be impractical not to include the benefits of the information technologies in the classroom, when so many of our students are adept to using them at home and in every day life. It is essential we draw upon and exacerbate the skills that many our students already have and use them to the advantage of their learning outcomes.
Both at Manunda Tce and at Westgarth Primary, computer literacy, or ICT studies, is a regular part of the weekly timetable, and is additionally incorporated across the curriculum through lesson delivery. Personally, I used the interactive whiteboard as a feature in both my schools’ lessons, I drew upon Internet sources for text and activities, and I helped students develop proficiency in researching text from the Internet and computer based texts. Video presentations are a strong point of engagement for many students, and this was the case in both schools, as is music, advertisement, and other multimedia.
I am aware of the need for students to learn to ‘to use ICT with confidence, care and consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities’ (ACARA 2010).
As a part of our Inquiry Unit on Endangered Animals and our impact on their extinction in grade 3/4, we developed a classroom blog, which was eagerly used as a model for other grades following the success of student enthusiasm, parent-involvement and overall engagement in learning. It was important, for the successful implementation of this blog, that students were aware of the safety of using the worldwide web and of posting any private information for anyone to view. Much classroom discussion took place in the forefront of our site’s establishment, to ensure student understanding of the importance of Internet safety in everyday interactive technology usage.
Our blog sets a fine example of the modern uses of technology for learning enhancement. Students were able to “blog” their work online, to have their parents and peers comment and give appropriate feedback (all teacher-authorised), and engage in discussion around the Inquiry and our discoveries. Skills of word processing, research, presentation, communication, and problem-solving were all integrated into this ongoing, team-built project. The success has meant that it will continue into later units of Inquiry, where all KL areas can be seen to merge, as well. It has been a hugely worthwhile unit for me to be a part of and team deliver with my mentor.
On 'Teaching' and 'Learning'...
The discovery of what it is to learn, to acquire new information, skills, ideas, abilities, is astonishingly rewarding. It has been the case for me each time, from early childhood through my schooling, university and post-graduate experiences, and through the informal learnings of life's own experiences, I have developed a sense of understanding in something new to me. It has been a pleasure to offer my new-found knowledge to others, to seek to evoke the same excitement of discovery in them as I have had the joy of feeling. It isn't always the case, of course, that my coffee-mate wants to hear about my latest discovery of how such-and-such came to be! But the sharing of learning has always been such a thrill for me.
Soon, I will be embarking on my formal teaching experience.My previous experience in the early years has seen me as a "teacher" in imaginative play and by my mentor/idol role in little ones' lives. It has also been in my cross-cultural experience of teaching English to Cambodian children living in the slums of Phnom Penh earlier this year, and further through my influence on kindergarten learning as an assistant in past roles and in my shared raising of children I have nannied and cared for over the past decade (seems so long!). I will keep you up to date with how I am going, and on my discoveries and realisations as I come to be a part of this exciting world for 'real'!
Tash consistently explored each topic before planning and referred to past work and assessments to assist her. (Sarah Morris, ETP426 Placement, WPS, 2013)
As my philosophy lays out, in my teaching I aim to:
•Establish learning environments that demonstrate and inspire respect for and understanding of the value systems within multiple and diverse cultures, especially the cultures of Indigenous Australians;
•Engage my students in positive and worthwhile learning;
2.1.Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area – Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
My theory, especially units of Essential Learnings ETP411 and ETP421, introduced me to the curriculum and teaching methods, but my true skill and knowledge really became prominent with my placements, where theory turned into practice and I was able to see the outcomes of my teaching for my students.
I have chosen a difficult time to come into teaching, with the changing over of the Curriculum to a national level. I began my placement in the NT, where I drew upon curriculum documents at both the territory and the federal level as my lessons in Health were not yet covered by the latter. Once coming into the Victorian school system, I have had to adapt to the AUSVELS, along with my fellow teachers at Westgarth Primary, and have seen the stress and amendments necessary for assessment and reporting change-overs! I am certain that, once states and territories are all working from the same assessment standards and curriculum objectives, my teaching role between states will be simpler. However it is hard to imagine that any consistence will ever be possible where learning differences will always remain for our student populations given their diversity.
Reflection and constant collaboration is necessary at any time in teaching, but this experience has made it all the more valuable to me!
Natasha would often reflect and discuss her teaching experiences with the mentor – she would make appropriate educational changes. (Kathy Dinoris, Mentor ETP420 Practicum)
2.2. Content selection and organisation – Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence
Students were aware of the purpose of learning context. (Kathy Dinoris, Mentor ETP420 Practicum)
Each one of my learners have been, and will always be as I go into my career in teaching, at different stages along their development as addressed in the Teachers Standard 1. Unsurprisingly, they will also be at different stages along their learning journeys, in any discipline and at any given time. It is, thus, essential that teaching caters to the individual differences in the classroom, reflects upon what students already know, and identify what they need to learn to meet outcomes of the curriculum.
At Westgarth, we developed learning sequence overviews week-by-week, for the various units. Literacy allows for a flexible approach to teaching three units over three-weekly blocks, with students within each classroom determining the amount of time within these weeks spent on each unit of learning. Attached is an example of one of my literacy (reading) weekly planners. Each week of my placement, following my first week of observation and settling in, I planned these sequences of lessons week by week. From these, I could deliver an introductory session to students, and then use my observations of students’ work, their engagement and expressions of understanding to format each consecutive session. It was the aim of my teaching strategy, as discussed with my mentor, that students would work as independently as possible through the reading activities for the week’s units, and so my introduction to the lessons needed to be as explicit as it could be. From the beginning of my teaching in the 3/4 class to the final week of preparing lessons for them, I feel that I achieved a constantly more developed lesson plan which enabled me to feel confident in setting the students to work independently whilst I took small group sessions for guided reading and comprehension. Below you can find examples of my lesson plans for the sequence of classes carried out for two units of literacy work in the 3/4 level. I took notes on printed copies of these planners, following, and sometimes during classes, and adapted planners each week according to these annotations as well as adapting lessons for the following days in the sequence as well.
**See bottom of page for Week 2 Placement - Literacy Reading Group Planner**
**and Week 8 Placement - Literacy Reading Group Planner **
When designing lessons, and the teaching of units of work to students, it is important to make such lessons relevant and meaningful, drawing upon the familiar to make sense of the unfamiliar.
In my grade 3/4 placement, mathematics for the 6 grades of this level is planned for by a separate teacher for each unit. This unit is paced over the week, with examples for teaching tools and strategies provided in a “kit” but taught according to a class’ individual learners and group dynamics. For example, some tasks may be better suited to higher-level groups and smaller group dynamics, whilst others may work better for the opposite. Each class will determine the best approaches to the teaching of the tasks and the beginning point of a sequence of lessons.
The week planned for numeracy by Sarah and I was that on Problem Solving. I carried out the series of lessons in this week through a combination of explicitly taught problem-solving strategies and classroom discussions, along with smaller group or paired activities worked through at the pace determined by the unique smaller groups and their own readiness. I challenged my more adept students with a larger, project-like problem, and I was pleased to see their excitement (enough to want to take the projects home over the weekend) with the challenge!
As mentioned, it is important that learning is meaningful. In the unit of Measurement in Mass, I had students predict assorted weights of items and the unit they considered would be appropriate to measure each item in. Following this, we weighed items as a class and reflected upon our predictions with the actual weights. Practical learning is a great way to deliver lessons, especially in maths where only some students operate with a logical/mathematical learning style, and many others are often visual or kinaesthetic, or even intrapersonal in preference.
** photo: predictions in Mass chart - an example from my lesson in Mass to grade 3/4 **
2.3. Curriculum, assessment and reporting – Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequence and lesson plans
While it is all very well to plan for lessons and their delivery, there is little point to lesson planning without knowing what it is that I will want to see produced from my learners! It is essential that lessons plan for assessment as well, and the unit of the Dip T&L ETP425 concreted the theory behind this necessity.
While this particular Standard sub-point will be addressed more in Standard 5, some evidence of my assessment planning can be seen in my lesson plans previously, whilst feedback I provided, both for my own teaching delivery (feed-forward) and for student performance, is provided below.
** Assessment Annotations, showing changes in a students' work in 3/4 literacy tasks, as well as annotations on younger units of work I carried out in an ESL reading group at Manunda Tce **
Reflection - week beginning 24th July, 2013
Ricky, my mentor has been away for the first two days of this week, so I have well-and-truly felt like a CRT (relief teacher)! Although I have had a CRT with me, Ricky asked that I manage the classes to get them all through his plans to teach them long and triple-jump this week (each week being dedicated to an activity for the week 5 school Athletics. So, it has been a learning experience, that's for sure! I have had to teach myself long and triple jump (well, in theory and minimal demonstration) and plan how to demonstrate this to students from prep through to year 6, as well as catering to their specific levels of development, including concentration spans, and the individuals within each group with special needs. I have loved the challenge, but am exhausted! I set the classes up with warm up games (both for physical preparation but also energising the children's enthusiasm and excitement) before the teaching component (all physical, of course), and ending with the same "fun" at the end where time allowed for it. Students responded well, even a specific little prep student with special needs who doesn't like a change in routine. He was even a little put out when he discovered that the classes next week would be back, as usual, with his usual teacher (not any criticism on Ricky's part, but a compliment to my teaching, I feel!). I am learning new games and drills for P.E. warm up and intervals, both from students and from text books in my allocated planning sessions (APTs).
2.4. Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians – Demonstrate broad knowledge of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander resources were something I tried to bring into my lessons, especially literacy. Incorporating these materials gave leeway for investigative and reflective approaches to learning, to unpack Indigenous culture both past and present
- Reconciliation lesson plan - I planned to have students use symbols, designed in Aboriginal artwork, to tell stories concerning recognition, where that recognition may be of someone they know or a culture they are not so familiar with. While the week of Reconciliation did not end up seeing time for this lesson with my grade 3/4s, I have held on to the plan for later use.
- Song as text for analysis in small group guided reading - In the two more advanced of my guided reading groups in year 3/4, I gave them the lyrics to Paul Kelly's "From Little Things" song to read before we listened and analysed its meaning. This brought up very thoughtful and insightful discussion from these students, showing an awareness of the need to accept and value Aboriginal people and their cultures.
- Texts in literacy independent reading group activities - I incorporated Indigenous stories and non-fiction accounts to expose students to Aboriginal culture and history. These included Dreaming stories for inferencing meaning from text, and articles on the longstanding uniqueness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in their diversity
* pictures of Reconciliation Week Activites, see previous page *
Reflection: October, 2012
Looking at Indigenous Education in Numeracy
One of our modules in our numeracy unit concentrated on Indigenous children's numeracy education. Below is a small part of my response to the module activity, with a link to the full response following:
WhatWorks describes the particular attention that the Australian Government needs to pay to the inclusion of Indigenous ways of thinking, doing and thus of learning, in policy design and implementation. Two-Way education has been put forth as a means of bridging the differences in learning styles and expectations between two cultures, allowing one to learn from the other, and the other to learn back, in a reciprocal nature (see Harris 1990). In this way, two separate domains of education exist in the one school (preferably) or classroom (at the least). That is a Western (formal) one and an Aboriginal one. In the latter, ‘local tradition, story-telling, music and art are taught as a means of establishing norms and values essential to the formation of Indigenous identity’ (Anderson & Walter 2010, p. 75). The former should be taught in the classrooms but by teachers with knowledge of Indigenous culture and teaching methods (either Indigenous or not), while the latter should be taught ‘in appropriate environments; for example, taught in an informal fashion by respected elders and in the bush’ (Anderson & Walter 2010, p. 75). MacFarlane Primary School in Katherine, NT, has been working towards this design, and presents a fine example of the way that such an initiative can help reduce the gaps seen in educational outcomes (see, for example, MacFarlane Primary School on www.teaching.nt.gov.au).
I strive to work in a school environment which has this sort of respect and acknowledgement of Indigenous culture and belief systems. I know that there is no single answer to fit all students, but this is a great step towards breaking down the barriers made by assumptious, competitive and mono-cultured curriculums that continue to act out the ‘impenetrable whiteness’ of a dominant culture (Santoro, Reid & Kamler 2001, p. 96, cited Ewing 2010, p. 96).
2.5 Literacy and numeracy strategies – Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas
The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) has set out General Capabilities for the achievement of standard objectives in learning outcomes across the primary and secondary schooling years up until year 10. At this stage, seven General Capabilities are determined – for literacy, numeracy, information and communication technology (ICT), critical and creative thinking, personal and social capability, ethical understanding and intercultural understanding (http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/general_capabilities.html).
** general capabilities mindmap – ACARA 2010, Accessed from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/GeneralCapabilities/Overview/General-capabilities-in-the-Australian-Curriculum **
Under the Australian Curriculum, a student is literate when he or she develops ‘the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society. Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts’ (ACARA 2010).
Meanwhile, ‘students become numerate as they develop the knowledge and skills to use mathematics confidently across other learning areas at school and in their lives more broadly. Numeracy involves students in recognising and understanding the role of mathematics in the world and having the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully’ (ACARA 2010)
2.6.Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students
‘The Melbourne Declaration on the Educational Goals for Young Australians (MCEETYA 2008) recognises that in a digital age, and with rapid and continuing changes in the ways that people share, use, develop and communicate with ICT, young people need to be highly skilled in its use’ (ACARA 2010).
In classrooms across Australia, and I believe that this is even the case, to some extent, in classrooms as remote as Arnhem Land (though let me clarify this when I get there for my next and final placement!) ICT is becoming the way of the future and of teaching and learning. It would be impractical not to include the benefits of the information technologies in the classroom, when so many of our students are adept to using them at home and in every day life. It is essential we draw upon and exacerbate the skills that many our students already have and use them to the advantage of their learning outcomes.
Both at Manunda Tce and at Westgarth Primary, computer literacy, or ICT studies, is a regular part of the weekly timetable, and is additionally incorporated across the curriculum through lesson delivery. Personally, I used the interactive whiteboard as a feature in both my schools’ lessons, I drew upon Internet sources for text and activities, and I helped students develop proficiency in researching text from the Internet and computer based texts. Video presentations are a strong point of engagement for many students, and this was the case in both schools, as is music, advertisement, and other multimedia.
I am aware of the need for students to learn to ‘to use ICT with confidence, care and consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and communities’ (ACARA 2010).
As a part of our Inquiry Unit on Endangered Animals and our impact on their extinction in grade 3/4, we developed a classroom blog, which was eagerly used as a model for other grades following the success of student enthusiasm, parent-involvement and overall engagement in learning. It was important, for the successful implementation of this blog, that students were aware of the safety of using the worldwide web and of posting any private information for anyone to view. Much classroom discussion took place in the forefront of our site’s establishment, to ensure student understanding of the importance of Internet safety in everyday interactive technology usage.
Our blog sets a fine example of the modern uses of technology for learning enhancement. Students were able to “blog” their work online, to have their parents and peers comment and give appropriate feedback (all teacher-authorised), and engage in discussion around the Inquiry and our discoveries. Skills of word processing, research, presentation, communication, and problem-solving were all integrated into this ongoing, team-built project. The success has meant that it will continue into later units of Inquiry, where all KL areas can be seen to merge, as well. It has been a hugely worthwhile unit for me to be a part of and team deliver with my mentor.
From left: 1. and 2. my annotations on students' work for feedback (grade 1/2 ESL group at Manunda Tce;
3. and 4. my annotation for the inclusion of date, also coinciding the same as well as title from our classroom discussion on their omission from student work; and then the student's modification in following week's literacy work
From my Unit of Maths on Mass as Measurement. My initial introduction session to making predictions and understanding what measurement units and sources would be used in particular areas was followed by students paired off to consider a list of different items to be weighed. These charts were the follow up to my open discussion to determine the areas in which my grade 3/4 students needed most concentration for this unit of work (one area being conversions, the other being making predictions - where the most mathematically minded students had trouble here as there was no "actual" for them to answer with in the immediacy of the task!
A first-attempt at a Lesson Plan
lesson_plan_1._foundation_year_english.doc | |
File Size: | 65 kb |
File Type: | doc |
Learning Management Plan
my_learning_management_plan_-_foundation_literacy.doc | |
File Size: | 52 kb |
File Type: | doc |
My Grade 3/4 Literacy Lessons - Weekly Sequences, examples of change over time of placement
reading_groups_weekly_organisation_t2._w3.docx | |
File Size: | 15 kb |
File Type: | docx |
reading_groups_weekly_organisation_t2.w4.doc | |
File Size: | 261 kb |
File Type: | doc |