Future Professional Development
Step 5
T
Timing
Knowledge
Sources of PD
Implications
2022 - Graduation
3.7 Engage parents/carers in the educative process
5.1 Assess student learning
5.3 Make consistent and comparable judgements
5.5 Report on student achievement
To achieve focus areas 3.7 and 5.5 I need to become familiar with utilising communication strategies I have identified in step 4. I recognised my opportunities to engage with parents and report student achievements would be limited during my practicums and decided to apply for ACU's Spiritual and Pedagogical (SPA) Program. This will provide me with the opportunity to (under the guidance of my mentors and supervisors) engage with parents over a standard school year and be privy to the interactions between my mentors and their class families. I will also benefit from an extended final placement during my GTPA and develop some autonomy while still in a transition phase.
​
This program has also allowed me to attend the professional development days and planning meetings for this year. Already I feel I am tracking to achieving focus areas 5.1 and 5.3 having been part of the planning process for assessment. It has been an extremely valuable process to observe and as the year progresses, I hope to actively participate in the collaborative process of assessment moderation. I intend to use this knowledge to draw comparisons with the ACARA website exemplar standards/sample portfolios as a point of reference.
​
I have already engaged with extensive reflective practice during my time with the SPA program to help solidify my learning and as an extensive resource for my first year of practice.
​
Parents can be the greatest source of information about their child/my student’s needs. Establishing strong parent teacher partnerships provides consistent expectations and support for student learning (Ashman, 2019 p.15). As a teacher, effectively engaging with parents and reporting on student achievement can positively shape a student’s experience in school and academic/social outcomes. The achievement of focus area 3.7 will specifically assist my achievement of the first AITSL standard, know you student and how they learn. By engaging with my students on a deeper level I will be fostering a sense of belonging and be capable of tailoring learning to their specific needs. Clear and consistent tools and communication of assessment (focus areas 5.1 and 5.3) will help students and their families track their educational progress. This will also help foster development of student goals and enable planning for future student successes.
​
2023 - 1st year
6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
​
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
Focus Area 6.3 asks that I seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices. Having already undertaken the additional placement through the SPA Program, I hope to continue my teaching journey through the Graduate Teacher Program with Brisbane Catholic Education (BCE). Through the graduate program I will again have a mentor to help assist me in my transition into the teaching profession. By working under a mentor, I will be able to receive constructive feedback on my teaching and under their guidance, gain confidence and establish a collaborative partnership with my colleagues.
​
Focus Area 4.5 requires constant consideration due to the continual developments in ICT. I have been overwhelmed by the number of applications teachers are using to develop their lessons, communicate with students/parents, engage with PD and create online learning platforms. BCE provides several PD opportunities through the SPIRE intranet. Undertaking their technology-based PD (including basic coding) is a necessity given the evolving nature of the 21st century classroom and adjustments to delivery (covid 19). ICTE Solutions Australia provide professional development including pedagogical approaches to technology integration, ICT in the classroom and teacher proficiency in ICT use. Their professional development workshops are aligned to the APST’s and informed by extensive research and practicing teachers.
By engaging a mentor in my first year of teaching practice and working collaboratively with staff, I will be able to provide students with a more consistent learning experience. Learning from senior teachers will ensure I continue to develop better methods of content delivery and student engagement improving student academic outcomes.
As digital natives, being better versed in ICT and its many applications, I can improve my students’ engagement with lesson content. Through the use of ICT, I can streamline the delivery of class content and scaffold learning activities for use in a safe and ethical manner.
2024 - 2nd year
&
2025 - 3rd year
2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians
As a second and third year teacher I aim to be working towards the AISTL Proficient standard. I have already evidenced my achievement of focus area 2.4 at graduate level (descriptor in the left column). Working towards the proficient level requires me to provide opportunities for students to develop understanding of and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and languages. This requires a working knowledge of Indigenous culture to facilitate learning, something I am not actively engaged with in my everyday life. In order to achieve this focus area, I will engage with my school’s support programs and Indigenous liaison/s as my first point of contact. They should be able to direct me to the school’s local Indigenous community and other sources of professional development.
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies offers professional development courses, curriculum resources, school programs, books, cd, dvds, and maps. They are an excellent place for undertaking self directed professional development as they actively develop and conduct research producing a range of publications. Their current projects address: languages and cultural expression, native title and traditional ownership, education and cultural transmission, governance development and public policy, health and wellbeing and land and water. Because of the diversity of their work, it is possible to bring recent and topical information to the classroom.
​
I have also been fortunate to develop contacts within the dance community including Bangarra Dance Theatre’s director Stephen Page. His company provides wonderful resources for school dance programs. Finally, using the AITSL demonstrations of teaching practice I will work to embed Indigenous language into my class content.
By practicing socially critical and culturally responsive teaching, I play an important role in the breakdown of social stigmas and development of reconciliation through the next generation of students. By modelling respect and embracing Indigenous cultures, I hope to inform the attitudes of my students in a positive way. For my future Indigenous students, I hope to bridge the knowledge of classroom content with the assets from their family and community experiences of culture - to affirm their identity and values. In developing my own knowledge and embedding Indigenous culture in my teaching practice, students will learn to appreciate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and language.