Professional Development days

INDIGIENOUS PERSPECTIVES OF AUSTRALIAN EDUCATION

Why did you choose this particular event?
On April the 2nd 2015 I attended the Indigenous Perspectives of Australian Education lecture
at Victoria University hosted by Matt Jakobi. I believe it was important to attend as
acknowledging aboriginal culture in schools and in students is important in bridging the gap
between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. I also felt it necessary to attend to
discover ways and new strategies for incorporating the teaching of Indigenous content in an
appropriate and respectful manner.
How does it support your growth as a teacher?
This lecture highlighted my role as teacher as the central point for change. Matt explained,
teachers are in a dangerous spot for being ridiculed he further explained that we are damned
if we do and damned if we dont teach certain parts of the curriculum. If we dont explore
those stereotypes that our society has created and challenge them, then how are the views we
have towards Aboriginal people and their culture meant to change.
What elements of the AITSL standards did it address and how?
1.4 Strategies for teaching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. Using learning
theories such as the 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning may be effective in teaching all students,
not just Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students as it may engage students, possibly
through activities they are familiar with based on traditions, stories which would allow those
with Indigenous heritage to embrace and share their backgrounds.
2.4 Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote
reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Teachers are focal points
for change. In order to change the views students and society keeps, we need to be able to
teach, understand and respect the contributions, perspectives, traditions, beliefs and opinions
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in order to promote reconciliation between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

PD IN THE PUB: BEHAVIOUR MANANGEMENT

Why did you choose this particular event?
I attended PD in the Pub Behaviour Management at Taylors Lakes Hotel in Taylors Lakes
on May 13 2015. The reason I chose to attend this event is because as a new teacher I wished
to develop and strengthen my ability in dealing with and managing the diverse behaviour I
will experience from students throughout my career.

How does it support your growth as a teacher?

During the session, I discovered that a majority of the other teachers experience similar
behavioural difficulties to myself and each had their own ways of managing them. The
session also provided a great opportunity for experienced and new teachers to share their
ideas and techniques as to how theyve been able to handle difficult situations. This allowed
me to expand my behavioural management strategies as to how to handle different situations
if and when I am confronted with them in the future. Glen also provided some fantastic
advice and a variety of different behaviour management techniques that could be
implemented into the classroom straight away. Glen explained, a number of these strategies
take time to implement and it is just about setting your ground rules from the start and being
consistent, students will soon understand what you expect of them and how they should be
behaving.
What elements of the AITSL standards did it address and how?

3.5 Use of effective classroom communication. Glen highlighted the importance of how
teachers can use both verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to manage behavioural
difficulties in the classroom. For example, verbal communication can be used to encourage
and importantly thank students for behaving favourably. The expectation is then that other
students will want to receive praise and encouragement also and therefore behave
accordingly. The use of non-verbal communication strategies such as proximity to get
students back on track or the use of hand signals or simply a look to silence a disruptive
student while still talking to the class, is an effective way of telling the disruptive student they
will not be allowed to disrupt the class or other students from learning.
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour. Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to
manage challenging behaviour. This was demonstrated by explaining how best to manage a
class when dealing with disruptive behaviour through the use of techniques such as pivot
point phrases/sentences. These are well established phrases or sentences used to help you to
deflect students/comments designed to disrupt the class. For example, a student might bring
up another issue/argument or they might yell out in the middle of class to which a teacher can
respond thats not the issue right now, nevertheless or I welcome feedback but not
right now. If you like you can see me after class or at lunch to talk about it. Glen indicated
that teachers should have a signal to bring students back on task such as raising your hand, in
which students would reciprocate so you would know they are ready to listen. As mentioned
before this can take time to implement but can be very effective once students are on board
with it. Glen also highlighted the use of proximity as an effective and subtitle tool for getting
students back on task without highlighting a particular student. This is done by standing at the
back of the class which makes students turn around to focus on you, or by simply standing
next to the student who is of task and re-stating what students should be doing. It also allows
the teacher to view students laptops to make sure students are on task.

GILMORE GIRLS COLLEGE PD- DIABETES

Why did you choose this particular event?

On the 17th of March 2015, I attended Gilmore Girls College PD on diabetes. I chose to
attend this PD as it provided essential information and details in regards to diabetes and the
students at Gilmore College who suffer with diabetes. This session allowed me to view
students diabetes management plans in order to be prepared in emergency situations. I know
now where students medical action plan are displayed inside the staffroom and the
appropriate process to take when any of the students illness act up this is all essential during
my rounds at the school.
How does it support your growth as a teacher?
This session provided me with the information and guidance to react to cases where students
with diabetes whose blood sugar level are too high, in which case the student should drink
water in order to dilute the sugar in their blood stream. In the cases where the sugar blood
levels are too low any source of solid food containing sugar should be given immediately.
These students who have diabetes are given special privilege to leave the classroom and
either go to the school office to ingest sugary solid foods or for water in order to maintain a
safe level of sugar.
What elements of the AITSL standards did it address and how?

1.1 Knowing the students and how they learn through understanding who and how illness
such as diabetes affect students in class due to either low or high blood sugar levels; such as
fatigue, frustration, dizziness ect. Through the identification and understanding the action
plan for these students teachers are then enabled to develop and maximise learning by
providing a safe and understanding environment through eliminating the barrier to engaging
these students.

4.4 Maintaining student safety being able to carry out the medical action plan in the case
where students require assistance. Along with being equipped with the indicators of when to
carry out such medical action plans.

PD IN THE PUB TEACHERS TOOLBOX

Why did you choose this particular event?
I attended the PD- Teachers toolbox presented by Coby Beastson because this particular event
is important as a teacher to understand the different ways that people learn and also the
different ways that you can differentiate your teaching to teach those students.

How does it support your growth as a teacher?

This will support my growth as a teacher as it also me to think about the different ways that I
could teach to cater to all learning abilities and needs. This PD also provided me with a
number of different activities that I can bring into the classroom to appeal to all learning
needs. This PD also helps me to engage all students as student engagement is a key part of
learning.
What elements of the AITSL standards did it address and how?
1.2 Understand how students learn being able to understand what students find engaging
enables an understanding of how students learn and allows for differentiation within the
classroom.
2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area being able to identify teaching
strategies that tap into higher order thinking.