Implementing Action
4A - Providing Feedback on the action plan.
Date of Observation: 11/05/2021
Observing Teacher: Allicia Holdsworth
Teaching being Observed: Kirsten Moran
Pre-Observation Conversation:
The focus for the lesson if Maths – number (which aligns with the schools AIP)
Students are focusing on attending to the table top tasks and completing the whole activity.
Students will be split into 2 groups (movement-based activity and table top activity).
Movement based activity will either be the Just Right Room or an activity in the playground area.
Observation:
Students sat together for the introduction activity. All students were engaged, Kirsten was using the interactive computer screen for the students to practice their counting.
The student enjoyed counting along with the aliens on the screen, Kirsten paused the video throughout the session to ask the students to count how many aliens were there and what number was being shown on the screen.
Before students moved into the explicit instruction activity Kirsten gave the students the option of which group they would like to be in (Group 1 or 2).
Students were able to choose which activity they wanted to start with and the peers they would be working with. This seemed to motivate the students as they were with their friends.
Students split of into 2 groups; one group went outside and were finding padlocks and unlocking them whilst the other group stayed in the classroom to complete the table top tasks.
Tasks were differentiated for the students learning abilities (task 1 students rolled the dice and place the correct number of aliens onto their spaceship, task 2 students were given a number on a spaceship and they had to move that many aliens onto the spaceship).
Students were engaged throughout the whole task and seemed to enjoy going between an activity in the classroom and an activity outside.
Reflection:
Splitting the students into sperate groups for explicit instruction is really working for the group.
All the boys are quite active so giving them the opportunity to get their bodies moving during an outside activity is helping their engine run ‘just right’ for table top tasks.
Student voice is prompted within the classroom as students have the opportunity to choose which group they would like to work in and what activity they can complete first.
Date of Observation: 12/10/2021
Observing Teacher: Allicia Holdsworth
Teaching being Observed: Kirsten Moran
Pre-Observation Conversation: Discussion around the student’s capabilities and different tasks for the students to complete that work towards their individual goals and learning needs.
Some students concentrating on putting numbers on a number line and other students working on using the number line to work out subtraction equations.
Learning Intention: For students to understand the steps to use a number line and put numbers in order.
Observation:
Number Line subtraction
Students split into different groups during explicit instruction. Half the students were in the classroom with teacher and ES completing their Seesaw activity and the other half of the student were in the hallway/on the playground completing gross motor activities.
Students worked individually or in a small group to complete the tasks. Kirsten gave verbal prompts to the students to support them to complete the tasks (e.g. 1 jump and then the student continued the activity saying 2 jumps, 3 jumps etc when working out the answer).
Whilst using verbal prompts Kirsten also used the terminology the students would need to understand and complete the task. She encouraged the student to look at the first number in the number sentence and student was then able to identify the error that they had made in their work.
When the student disengaged from the activity and started to draw on it, Kirsten used the student’s interest and went with it, she allowed the student to draw for 5 seconds and counted down then the student redirected back onto the set task. After completing some of the task, the student started colouring in the answer boxes instead of writing the answer so she went with it and encouraged the student to colour the box in yellow and write the number in black (making the Richmond colours). Throughout the lesson Kirsten modelled her expectation for the task (e.g. identify number, start here – whilst showing the students).
Reflection:
Discussed how Kirsten used a range of strategies throughout her lesson so as to meet the needs of all the students and keep them engaged in the activity.
Kirsten modelled the task to the student, re modelled when the student needed it, used various verbal praise to keep students on task
· Using the students interested reengaged them back into the activity
· Discussed importance of differentiating tasks. Clear in the room what the students are doing. Focus on number line subtraction and making a number line (number identification).
4B - Maintaining Appropriate Professional Relationships
The importance of building a rapport with your students cannot be understated. This basic relationship enables the development of mutual respect, an understanding of the child’s limitations and ability and builds trust between the teacher and student. This relationship builds the capacity of the student to take risks, become more autonomous and feel supported.
In order to maintain professional boundaries with learners, it is important not to discuss too much of your personal life with them and thus creating a distinction between work and life, maintain disciplinary boundaries and a relationship built on teacher-student, not teacher-friend. Furthermore, observe the department’s policy on social media.
When communicating with my learners i:
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Always speak calmly, clearly and using appropriate language.
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Endeavor to show respect at all times and model good behaviors.
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We have previously has lessons on the school values, good choices and not good choices and what we can do if we have made a choice that is not a good choice. We also regularly discuss why it is important to make good choices.
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Give my students the chance to confer with me privately when needed and work hard to acknowledge their feelings, whilst providing options to help (Engine program and regulation strategies.
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Calmly remind students of the expectations when I can see they may be forgetting.
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Establish high but achievable behavioral standards and expectations from the start of the year during our yearly start-up program and maintaining consistency throughout the year.
When communicating with families or the community I:
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Always speak calmly, clearly and using appropriate language.
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Endeavor to show respect at all times and model polite conversation.
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Speak within reasonable work hours, though attempt to make times that work for both parties involved.
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When calling families I maintain privacy by ensuring that my phone number is on private and or where possible calling from the school number. I introduce myself, where I am from and ask for confirmation of who I am talking to.
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I communicate through e-mail where I can and keep a record of all communication/ communication attempts made.
In addition to this I;
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Do not post about school or work on any social media.
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Do not befriend/follow/interact with school families on social media.
The key thing I have learned whilst observing my colleagues and working within the classroom setting is that students look to you as a role model of good behavior and you must incorporate this idea into your professional behaviour, being sure to carry yourself at all times as a professional and model expected behaviour to students.
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers addressed in this section:
Standard 2.1
Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Standard 1.2
Understand how students learn.
Standard 1.5
Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities.
Standard 1.6
Strategies to support full participation of students with disability.
Standard 2.6
Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Standard 2.2
Content selection and organisation
Standard 2.5
Literacy and numeracy strategies.
Standard 3.2
Plan, structure and sequence learning programs.
Standard 3.3
Use teaching strategies.
Standard 3.4
Select and use resources
Standard 3.5
Use effective classroom communication.
Standard 4.2
Manage classroom activities
Standard 5.2
Provide feedback to students on their learning
Standard 6.2
Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Standard 6.3
Engage with colleagues and improve practice.
Standard 6.4
Apply professional learning and improve student learning.
Standard 7.1
Meet professional ethics and responsibilities.
Standard 7.2
Comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements.