4.1 Support student participation (Proficient level)
Proficient level: Establish and implement inclusive and positive interactions to engage and support all students in classroom activities.
Martin Westwalll talks about 'low floor, high ceiling' in which all students should be given an entry point to a task. At the end of each term, we reflect on all that term's events in different ways. This term (Term two, 2015) I asked each student to think about their term and write what they could remember and then walk around and add their reflections to those of their peers. This meant that if some students could only remember one or two things they could repeat these thoughts on each piece of paper. Those that had a lot to say could add different reflections to each one or add to the comments left by their peers. By the end of the session each student had a full piece of paper which had enough ideas for them to write a short journal entry as we do at each week.
2014 (TRT)
I understand that some students find work more challenging when presented with a relief teacher. They may be more anxious and less able to cope with tasks that ordinarily they wouldn't find difficult. For this reason I aim to make all my lessons fun and engaging as well as encouraging partner or small group work to provide that extra support.
I was relieving in a year two class recently and they were learning about writing narratives. We read and discussed the familiar fairy tale 'The Three Little Pigs', focussing on the structure and the characters. I presented them with the task of changing the 'resolution' and the 'ending', working with a partner of their choice. They were highly engaged in the task throughout and were extremely creative with their responses. I feel that asking students to do this individually would have been less engaging and am certain that some of the students would have struggled to come up with new ideas, therefore making this a stressful experience for these students. Working with a partner also gave the students more confidence when they presented their alternative endings to the class. It made for an exciting sharing session and an enjoyable morning for both myself and the students! I am confident I will repeat this lesson with other students.
I understand that some students find work more challenging when presented with a relief teacher. They may be more anxious and less able to cope with tasks that ordinarily they wouldn't find difficult. For this reason I aim to make all my lessons fun and engaging as well as encouraging partner or small group work to provide that extra support.
I was relieving in a year two class recently and they were learning about writing narratives. We read and discussed the familiar fairy tale 'The Three Little Pigs', focussing on the structure and the characters. I presented them with the task of changing the 'resolution' and the 'ending', working with a partner of their choice. They were highly engaged in the task throughout and were extremely creative with their responses. I feel that asking students to do this individually would have been less engaging and am certain that some of the students would have struggled to come up with new ideas, therefore making this a stressful experience for these students. Working with a partner also gave the students more confidence when they presented their alternative endings to the class. It made for an exciting sharing session and an enjoyable morning for both myself and the students! I am confident I will repeat this lesson with other students.
Commitment to professional development:
I have registered for a two day Student Engagement workshop in July/October 2014.
This course is facilitated by experienced teachers who will develop teachers' skills in creating 'rigorous learning conditions' (TfEL) which support active participation and increase student engagement and accountability for their own learning using strategies including cooperative learning.
(Please see 6.2 for a reflection of workshop participation)