Teaching in the 21st Century

Teaching in the 21st CenturyMy Journey as an Educational Professional

Passion and purposeI believe that there are two things fundamental to being a successful teacher. One of these things is to have a passion for education. Passionate teachers inspire and engage not only the students that they teach but the entire school community. Secondly is a sense of purpose. Going to school for the purpose of improving learning and social outcomes for all students is at the heart of teaching.

My Educational BackgroundGrowing up in a household of teachers with an undulating love for sport I always thought I would rebel against a life in education and study health sciences at university. I wasnt long into my physiotherapy degree when my love for education drew me away from anatomy and into the classroom. I attained my Bachelor of Education Degree at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle and never looked back. After finishing university and teaching in Broome for a term I knew where I wanted to teach and where I could make the biggest difference to students lives. I got appointed to a school in Katherine in the Northern Territory, packed up everything I owned and drove the thousands of kilometers to a town where I didnt know a single person. This proved to be one of the best decisions of my life.Since 2013 I have been teaching a Year 5/6 class at St Josephs Catholic College. I believe that the opportunities I have had at the school has taught me more about myself and education than could have been possible at any other urban school in Australia. My aspiration is to continually build my capacity as a teacher so that I can undertake a leadership position in a school.

St Josephs Catholic college

What Has had an impact on me as an educator The following slides describe the events, ideas, learning opportunities and partnerships that have developed my skills and knowledge since beginning my career in education.

Relationships All teachers know that the key to good teaching lies in the teachers ability to develop good relationships with students. Many studies have also emphasised the importance of students having positive attitudes of their teachers so that learning can take place (Godfrey, Partington, Richer & Harslett, 2001). I strongly believe that my successfulness as a teacher is largely due to my positive and genuine relationships I have with my students. One of the hardest tasks for many beginning teachers, including my past self is having a desire for wanting the students to like you. It is only through experience that you become to realise that children respond better to teachers who have high expectations and set firm and consistent rules. Being able to incorporate humour when appropriate and getting the balance right so that students not only enjoy school, but are in learning environments that enable them to flourish with their learning, is an exceptional talent to possess.

Working with indigenous studentsA large number of the students at St Josephs are Indigenous. These students need to be encouraged to be proud of their culture and be provided with opportunities to share aspects of it with other students. Whilst I still have so much to learn about the different Aboriginal groups in Katherine I have found that two things are essential when teaching any Aboriginal student.The first is that the development of positive and supportive relationships is essential. The second effective strategy I have found is that connecting teaching concepts to their lives increases their engagement in learning activities

The St Josephs Community The feeling of community at St Josephs creates an inclusive learning environment where all people feel supported and valued. As many school school students and teachers living in Katherine are away from family and extended family this sense of community is extremely important.

St josephs celebrates anzac day

Juggling the different needsI would like to improve my capacity to cater for the different abilities in my classrooms. Whilst most teachers focus on those students who need intensive support I would like to improve my ability to extend students who are at or above level. I often feel like the majority of my time is spent helping students who are unable to work independently. Finding ways to tackle this issue so that I spend a more balanced amount of time with each of my students is a key focus of the next stage of my teaching career.

A desire to keep learning and improvingAll teachers have a responsibility to continue learning and improving their skills as professional educators. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Beckett, 1984)

Professional developmentProfessional development opportunities are essential for teachers to:Develop their knowledge and skillsKeep updated with current trends in educationLearn from one anotherUnderstand new ways of teaching through the use of ICT

My Professional Development Experiences

Formative assessmentDylan Wiliams seminar on formative assessment resonated with many of my beliefs about quality teaching. Over this two day Professional Development seminar I learnt many different strategies that I have incorporated into my teaching. I gave a two hour presentation to all staff about the benefits of formative assessment and how it can improve student learning outcomes.

Dylan wiliam on formative assessment

Sport and learningI believe that sport in schools can be used very strategically to improve many educational outcomes. This is particularly pertinent to schools in remote areas which often have issues with truancy and behaviour. In 2014 I implemented the Future Leaders Football program at St Josephs.

The Future Leaders Football School program is an engagement program utilising AFL Football to achieve the following goals; Attendance To have regular attendance throughout each term of the school year. Regular attendance at school will help students achieve academic success and improve self esteem. Behaviour To improve the behaviour of students by engaging students in ongoing positive activities. Academic To use AFL in the classroom to help engage students in their learning . Retention To retain students for the entire school year and subsequent years through to the completion of year 12. Without retention academic achievement and positive behavioural change will be difficult.

What is it?

Education The FLFS program will provide teachers with an array of innovative resources to enhance education outcomes and help engage students in unique and meaningful ways within the theme of AFL.

Inclusive The FLFS program is non-discriminatory, inclusive of all cultural and religious backgrounds and genders. All students will be treated fairly and given equal opportunity to participate in the program.

Leadership The FLFS develops strong leaders by providing students with opportunities to mentor young students and pass on the knowledge they have learnt.

Enhance confidence and Self EsteemThe FLFS Program will develop its students holistically with an emphasis on improving students confidence and self esteem through creating a positive environment for all students .

Outcomes

Future Leaders Football at St Josephs

Mentors and collegiality I have been fortunate to work with so many people with a range of skills and knowledge over the last three years. Many of the these more experienced educational professionals have taught me much of what I now know about effective teaching practices. Working as a team and sharing ideas and resources with others in the teaching profession is imperative as an educator in the 21st century.

Full registrationOne of my biggest achievements over the last two years has been obtaining my full teaching registration. It required a huge amount of work and many hours of collaboration with my mentors. My final file contained observations, assessments, work samples, planned units of work and personal reflections on my teaching performance.

ReflectionMuch of the literature contained throughout this unit has highlighted that effective reflection is one of the best ways for teachers to improve their professional skills, practices, knowledge and abilities. A personal goal of mine is to now find time to reflect in more meaningful ways. By doing this, I hope to better utilise my existing skills and make further improvements to my knowledge and abilities as an educator.

Summary what I believe is necessary working as a 21st century professional Passion and a sense of purposeThe ability to develop positive relationships with students A desire to continually improve through effective reflection Engagement in professional development to be up to date with current trends in education Positive team work skills and a willingness to learn from other educatorsEffective formative assessment skills

Success in educationThe test of successful education is not the amount of knowledge that a pupil takes away from school, but his appetite to know and his capacity to learn. The Future in Education (Livingston, 1941 p.28)