Professional Practice
Mrs Ali's Reading Continuum - Fountas and Pinnell in the classroom
3.1 - Establish challenging learning goals
3.2 - Plan, structure and sequence learning programs
This artifact reflects how establishing goals and learning intentions can lead to the planning and sequencing of lessons and ILP which co-inside with AusVels English progression points for the 3/4 level.
“When implementing guided reading in classrooms, children are matched with books that provide a level of challenge and familiarity that appropriately support the development of each child's self-extending reading strategies [...] children receive instruction during guided reading that focuses on their use of specific reading strategies so that they are able to choose from and apply a variety of reading strategies" (Fawnson & Reutzel, 2000, p. 84).
My mentor teacher and I assess students' reading and comprehension abilities by utilising a streamlined, child-friendly goal system based on Fountas and Pinnell's Text Level Gradient benchmark. My mentor teacher has taken the key criteria for each level found in the Fountas and Pinnell Gradient benchmark and transposed them onto a colourful anchor chart, utilising pegs with the names of each student.
Every week, Mrs Ali and I assess students and the goals set by themselves. Once a certain amount of goals are met, a student move up the benchmark levels, simultaneously increasing the difficulty of reading the student has access to. This artifact is reflective of how reading is guided and sequenced in my classroom. For every goal set, there are accompanying books and activities that can be utilised to assess scaffold their reading and comprehension.
“When implementing guided reading in classrooms, children are matched with books that provide a level of challenge and familiarity that appropriately support the development of each child's self-extending reading strategies [...] children receive instruction during guided reading that focuses on their use of specific reading strategies so that they are able to choose from and apply a variety of reading strategies" (Fawnson & Reutzel, 2000, p. 84).
My mentor teacher and I assess students' reading and comprehension abilities by utilising a streamlined, child-friendly goal system based on Fountas and Pinnell's Text Level Gradient benchmark. My mentor teacher has taken the key criteria for each level found in the Fountas and Pinnell Gradient benchmark and transposed them onto a colourful anchor chart, utilising pegs with the names of each student.
Every week, Mrs Ali and I assess students and the goals set by themselves. Once a certain amount of goals are met, a student move up the benchmark levels, simultaneously increasing the difficulty of reading the student has access to. This artifact is reflective of how reading is guided and sequenced in my classroom. For every goal set, there are accompanying books and activities that can be utilised to assess scaffold their reading and comprehension.
Visible Learning - Maximizing the learning experience
3.3 - Use teaching strategies
3.6 - Evaluate and improve teaching programs
St Albans Heights Primary School adopts a Visible Learning practice which underpins each lesson - reflecting a targeted AusVels progression for each unit or topic of study.
This artifact contains 2 essential elements which represent visual learning;
1) Today's Learning Intention
2) Success Criteria
During every class, the teacher will acknowledge the learning intention for the day. In this case, the learning intention for this particular lesson was on Aboriginal culture. The success criteria, which is below the learning intention, details what students need to accomplish in order to meet learning intention. Every activity corresponds to the success criteria, ensuring that students are actively working towards a goal for the class.
According to Hattie, "teachers need to know, and to communicate to students, the goals of the lesson - hence the importance of learning intentions and success criteria" (Hattie, 2012, pg. 131). Providing students with an articulated goal ensures that students are aware of their academic outcomes, guiding their learning towards a goal rather than an unpacked idea.
This artifact contains 2 essential elements which represent visual learning;
1) Today's Learning Intention
2) Success Criteria
During every class, the teacher will acknowledge the learning intention for the day. In this case, the learning intention for this particular lesson was on Aboriginal culture. The success criteria, which is below the learning intention, details what students need to accomplish in order to meet learning intention. Every activity corresponds to the success criteria, ensuring that students are actively working towards a goal for the class.
According to Hattie, "teachers need to know, and to communicate to students, the goals of the lesson - hence the importance of learning intentions and success criteria" (Hattie, 2012, pg. 131). Providing students with an articulated goal ensures that students are aware of their academic outcomes, guiding their learning towards a goal rather than an unpacked idea.
Mrs Ali's 'minion' - feedback and scaffolding of my teaching practice
3.6 - Evaluate and improve teaching programs
Throughout the year, I've received comprehensive feedback from my mentor, Mrs Ali, after all of my lessons taught. She would write down comprehensive notes under all of my lesson plans, and direct my teaching through modeling and through oral discussion with her and other teachers observing my practice.
St Albans Library Visit - Community Excursion.
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House Points and Credits - Student Incentives
4.1 Support Student Participation
4,2 Manage challenging behaviour
St Albans Height Primary School students participate in 2 universal credit systems that reward students who reflect the 4 elements of the school;
RESPECT, HONESTY, TEAM-WORK and BELONGING
The second scheme is the Credits system, an individual reward scheme that rewards individuals for the exceptional representation of the 4 elements of the school. Once a student has accumulated a large number of credit points, they are given a framed certificate for representing the SAHPS values which create the best learning experience.
Students have School Houses in which all students from foundation - 6 are given a house colour to represent. Throughout the year, students will participate in activities, challenges and house activities which obtain points. The house with the most points are rewarded with movies, 1st preference for certain events and other prizes.
By utilising a reward system that reflects the 4 key elements of the school, students are rewarded for good behaviour and social cohesion, in turn uplifting the student morale and learning atmosphere for students and teachers which is a vital principle for an optimal classroom setting (DEECD, 2014).
RESPECT, HONESTY, TEAM-WORK and BELONGING
The second scheme is the Credits system, an individual reward scheme that rewards individuals for the exceptional representation of the 4 elements of the school. Once a student has accumulated a large number of credit points, they are given a framed certificate for representing the SAHPS values which create the best learning experience.
Students have School Houses in which all students from foundation - 6 are given a house colour to represent. Throughout the year, students will participate in activities, challenges and house activities which obtain points. The house with the most points are rewarded with movies, 1st preference for certain events and other prizes.
By utilising a reward system that reflects the 4 key elements of the school, students are rewarded for good behaviour and social cohesion, in turn uplifting the student morale and learning atmosphere for students and teachers which is a vital principle for an optimal classroom setting (DEECD, 2014).
Student Behaviour Protocols
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour
4.4 Maintain student safety
The 3/4 teachers and the Assistant principal have created a Behaviour Management Plan for a grade 4 student. Hitherto the Behaviour Management Plan, the student, Sam, (who is named anonymously for this artifact) would have consequences for his actions for breaching school conduct, however a universal methods of discipline and intervention had not be determined. Teachers from different faculties would intervene, but different consequences would be administered. To rectify this issue, the school has articulated expectations and consequences in the form of a behaviour management policy. DEECD argues that "policy will articulate each school community’s shared expectations in the areas of student engagement, attendance and behaviour [...] and support the rights of all members of the school community to engage in and promote a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment" (2009). The creation of this document will not only be enforcing disciplinary protocols when Sam is misbehaving, but it also ensures that teachers are consistent with intervention strategies.
Responsible ICT protocols - Internet management
4.5 - Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
Every week, my 3/4 grade have an ICT class dedicated to learning skills and utilizing programs in order to extend their knowledge and ability to produce work.
ICT technologies are very common in our society, as well as in the school setting. It is paramount that teachers guide students through the use and the exploration of the digital world in a challenging, safe way. "Today’s students think, learn and live in an increasingly online world. New technologies and virtual environments allow important parts of their personal and social life to be digitised, shared and linked to global communities" (DEECD, 2009).
There is a large number of students who have access to ICT and the internet in Victoria, However, St Albans Heights Primary School is a low-socioeconomic school, many students of which don't have computers or access to internet due to money and employability issues.
I taught 2 ICT lessons about researching, or googling, and using the internet responsibly when actively surfing the internet. The key learning intention was;
To learn how to research about an interesting topic.
I discussed safe internet behaviour, and discussed the reasons why certain websites are blocked from access within the school.
Students were then able to research topics such as Dr Seuss, Aboriginal culture, Settlement, the Gold Rush and many other interesting topics that warranted the use of the internet.
ICT technologies are very common in our society, as well as in the school setting. It is paramount that teachers guide students through the use and the exploration of the digital world in a challenging, safe way. "Today’s students think, learn and live in an increasingly online world. New technologies and virtual environments allow important parts of their personal and social life to be digitised, shared and linked to global communities" (DEECD, 2009).
There is a large number of students who have access to ICT and the internet in Victoria, However, St Albans Heights Primary School is a low-socioeconomic school, many students of which don't have computers or access to internet due to money and employability issues.
I taught 2 ICT lessons about researching, or googling, and using the internet responsibly when actively surfing the internet. The key learning intention was;
To learn how to research about an interesting topic.
I discussed safe internet behaviour, and discussed the reasons why certain websites are blocked from access within the school.
Students were then able to research topics such as Dr Seuss, Aboriginal culture, Settlement, the Gold Rush and many other interesting topics that warranted the use of the internet.
Evernote - Assessment in the Palms of our Hands
5.1 - Assess student learning
5.5 Report on student achievement
Maths Moderation - supporting students
5.1 - Assess student learning
5.3 - Make consistent and comparable judgement
In this collection of artifacts, I've moderated students Pre and Post-tests on Division and Multiplication. There are 2 elements on the sheet; the pre-test marks in purple and post test marks in orange, On the top is a key used to mark the child's work;
NU = No Understanding
ACC = Acceptable
ATT = Attempted
CU = Clearly Understands
GB = Goes Beyond
When students are approaching a new topic of study, or following up a topic, an assessment is sat by each student in order to compare results. Each assessment is marked according to the key/rubric using a highlighter. After sitting the pre-test, I am able to plan, guide and scaffold student learning based on the student benchmark. Once the unit is over, the post-test is sat by all the students to reflect on where their abilities are once taught. By comparing the result, we are given data that helps address student difficulties, guide future lessons and to help differentiate students and their abilities, which is reflective of DEECD's 5th principal, Assessment (2013).
NU = No Understanding
ACC = Acceptable
ATT = Attempted
CU = Clearly Understands
GB = Goes Beyond
When students are approaching a new topic of study, or following up a topic, an assessment is sat by each student in order to compare results. Each assessment is marked according to the key/rubric using a highlighter. After sitting the pre-test, I am able to plan, guide and scaffold student learning based on the student benchmark. Once the unit is over, the post-test is sat by all the students to reflect on where their abilities are once taught. By comparing the result, we are given data that helps address student difficulties, guide future lessons and to help differentiate students and their abilities, which is reflective of DEECD's 5th principal, Assessment (2013).
Statistical Analysis - A PD on results
5.4 - Interpret student Data
This is an example of utilizing assessment data collected from this year which will help plan and deliver streamlined classrooms. In this artefact the statistical analysis of the grade 4s in years 2012-2014 suggests that Statistics and Probability is not only a weakness for all classrooms for this year, but that most children are 12 months or below the expected level suggested by AusVels.
This example of Assessment For and Assessment Of learning provides evidence for teachers to plan and sequences lessons that can be used to not only measure the capabilities of the students, but how teaching practice can be quantified between time frames. This allows for teachers to reflect on previous methods, techniques and the content taught, successfully differentiating the curriculum to provide a "variety of entry points for students who differ in abilities, knowledge and skills [...] offering different approaches to what students learn (content), how students learn (process) and how students demonstrate what they have learned (product)" (Department of Education and Communities 2011)
This example of Assessment For and Assessment Of learning provides evidence for teachers to plan and sequences lessons that can be used to not only measure the capabilities of the students, but how teaching practice can be quantified between time frames. This allows for teachers to reflect on previous methods, techniques and the content taught, successfully differentiating the curriculum to provide a "variety of entry points for students who differ in abilities, knowledge and skills [...] offering different approaches to what students learn (content), how students learn (process) and how students demonstrate what they have learned (product)" (Department of Education and Communities 2011)