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WEEK 8 ISSUES FROM THE COAL FACE - VIT AND PLANNING

Today’s lecture was about How to Survive Accountability in Your First Year of Teaching, which I believe is vital information we need to learn during our studies because our first year of teaching will most defiantly be one of the most challenging times, we will experience throughout our teaching careers. During my practicum which I found invaluable in my education in becoming a teacher, I came to find it very overwhelming as well, as we are not just learning to become teachers but we need to get to know our students, staff, the whole school community, school routines, standards, expectations, assessment etc I could go on forever but then again I didn’t want to become a teacher for it to be easy I like the idea of a challenge and that everyday we will be learning something new.

Following are some notes from today’s lecture we need to take into high consideration when we begin teaching:

Professional Standards I · Know how students learn and how to teach them effectively · Know the content they teach · Know their students · Plan and assess for effective learning · Create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments

Staff Code of Conduct and Duty of Care · Familiarize yourself with school’s expectations regarding professionalism · Importance of supervision · Yard Duty, Excursions, Camps, Sporting Events · Communication Skills - stakeholders · Students with Special Needs · Rapport with auxiliary staff

Assessment & Reporting · Mandated participation in the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) in Years 3, 5, 7 &9 · Prep Entry Assessment/AEDI (Australian Early Childhood Development Index) · Quick Vic (or school’s equivalent) Reporting System x 2 · Parent Teacher Interviews x 2 (3-Way Conference) · Individual Learning Improvement Plan (ILIP) · Optional Interim Reports · Testing For, As and Of Learning at the Local Level

Some Key Characteristics of Effective Teachers · Empathy = intellectual identification of oneself with another · Energy = vigour, force, activity (passion) · Efficacy = power to produce (desired) effects · Evidence-based = interpret, analyse and reflect upon data

Issues from the Coal Face (VIT and Planning) Diane Powell - Assistant Principal (Kismet Park PS) - Kryssia (22/06/09)

Yes Kryssia, I believe this session was also beneficial because of its content about how to survive accountability in our first year of teaching. There are a number of issues we will need to address and understand to be successful teachers from professional standards to assessment and reporting. One thing I feel I had trouble with on my teaching rounds and I know I will have difficulty with in my future is being able to juggle and prioritising the range of issues.

As teachers we are taking on huge expectation and responsibilities including the main aspect of our student’s learning and development and we will not be treated or expected any less because we are graduate teachers.

All aspects discussed in the lecture were equally important but how can we be sure to include as well as address issues to the best of our abilities on an everyday basis. Things like professional standards and knowing our students must be implemented from our first teaching day as first impressions are lasting. I would like to say that we will hopefully develop our skills and experience over time but expectations from students, parents and other teachers will be from day one. Therefore what we learn and achieve in our year of study is crucial to our first year of teaching.

Belinda 24/06/09

Great point Belinda- 'juggling and prioritising the range of issues'. It feels like everytime we look at a facet of teaching another underlying issue presents itself. Whilst it can be overwhelming, I keep reminding myself that these issues won't in fact bombard me all at once. From my placement I enjoyed seeing the strong support network amongst the staff and felt reassured that we arn't alone. I really enjoyed Dianne Powell's take on the key characterisitics of effective teachers; empathy, energy, efficacy and evidence-based. The concise points have somewhat open-ended interpretations. It was also great to reflect on my own teaching style and identify my own strengths and weaknesses according to this model and seeing where I fit in.

- SARAH 25/6/09

I think you have hit the nail on the head Sarah: there is much to discover, not all of what we are learning is method teaching. I feel like education is a bit like an onion, there are layers and layers of information, knowledge, tools etc which we need to be equipped with. At the commencement of this course, the business element of things did not present itself right away; issues concerning Code of Conduct, Ethics, VIT registration etc. I felt Dianne was a good point of contact, and shed some light on what we might expect in our first year of teaching.

Belinda, I often feel the same way – it feels as though we have so much to consider! It is good to know many schools have support in place to assist us in what is sure to be a challenging, terrifying, exciting and rewarding year, and career!

- MEGAN 25/6/09