Critical reflection

As perspective graduate teachers, we will be entering a competitive race

for jobs because of the limited job places we can end up in many different
locations often unfamiliar to us. The school contexts we will face will range
significantly. Having done a practicum in a low socio economic public
primary school to working as a special education support teacher aid in a
catholic high school I have already seen the impact the different school
contexts can make.
During my time at the catholic school the higher socioeconomic status
was clearly represented. Resources were easily obtained and teacher
support alongside teacher aides were readily available. This allowed for
teachers to become more involved in professional learning (APST 6.2)
(AITSL, 2014).
My Practicum in the government funded school showed shared limited
resources. Lessons had to become more creative in order to still access
the curriculum in a professional way (APST 3.3). Due to behaviour
management problems, the turnover rate of teachers is high. Through
constant changes in the environment this enables behaviour management
to become more difficult to manage for prospective graduate teachers
(APST 4.3) (AITSL, 2014).
Having compared and gone through the readings it is evident there are
also comparisons between city and rural schools. City and suburban
schools have higher retention rates. less teacher turnover and higher
value placed on the curriculum (Howell,2010).
My beliefs lie alongside Foremans being teachers we play an integral role
in establishing a positive learning environment that is supportive and
accommodating to the range of students needs (Foreman ,2011). I
believe with the right teacher attitude this can be achieved at any school
in any context.
The two variances in schools suggest that the differences in student
performance form from the differences in socioeconomic background,
availability of resources, differences in values and beliefs on education
and alternate learning environments. However, it is important to mention
every individual student brings to the classroom their own curiosities,
individual needs and capabilities that influence the schools ecology
(Groundwater-Smith et.al, 2010).

References
Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership. (2014). Australian
Professional Standards for Teachers. Retrieved from Australian
Institute for Teaching and School Leadership:
 http://www.aitsl.edu.au/australian-professional-standards-for-
teachers/standards/list.

Foreman, P. (2011). Inclusion in action. South Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage

Learning
Australia Pty Limited.
Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2010). Teaching
challenges and dilemmas. South Melbourne, Vic.: Cengage Learning.

Howell, J. (2014). Identify, schools and school culture. In teaching and learning:
building effective pedagogies. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.