Professional Practice
Standard 4 – Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
4.1
Focus Area
Support student participation
ICT Elaboration
Identify strategies that address the diverse needs of learners through learner- centred approaches that are supported by selection and sequencing of available digital resources and tools.
Evidence
To identify strategies to support inclusive student participation and engagement in the classroom. It is essential for a teacher to develop lessons plans and tasks designs that are student-centred, and designed for inclusion, to provide opportunities for all to participate.
An example of this is ‘Kahoot.’ This online interactive quiz is easy for all students and teacher in the class to participate in. Participants have the option to be anonymous. Students to log on to 'Kahoot' on any online device, smart phone or computer. Each student can answer questions in an interactive quiz, as the program keeps score of the answers. It is a great way for teachers to: track the progress of students’ knowledge, provide opportunity for participation, help improve student knowledge, and spark motivation. https://kahoot.it/#/
4.2
Focus Area
Manage classroom activities
ICT Elaboration
Demonstrate the capacity to manage student access to digital resources and tools to support student engagement and learning.
Evidence
This standard refers to demonstrating the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions. It is important to be organised as a teacher, and to develop organisational routines early on when developing student teacher relations with a class. Students need to have a clear understanding of expectations with classroom behaviour, and these need to be established right from the outset.
When teaching class band rehearsals, I like to get into the room early to set up seating, music stands and equipment if possible. An entire class of students moving chairs, music stands and instruments around a class can eat up a lot of lesson time and create distracting behaviours. This helps to develop expectations in future music rehearsal lessons and assist with developing student’s Personal and Social Capabilities.
4.3
Focus Area
Manage challenging behaviour
ICT Elaboration
Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches for encouraging responsible social interactions and make use of digital resources and tools, as appropriate to the needs, backgrounds and interests of students, when managing challenging behaviours.
Evidence
To demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to manage challenging behaviour.
As a teacher I aim to use preventative and supportive behavioural management methods of behaviour management before corrective. The best teachers do not need to use correct methods as much, and the old authoritarian style of teaching is one that students generally do not respond to, or are engaged by. I like to get to know my students, their interests, their behavioural traits, and build a classroom culture based on respect and democratic values, in which students own the consequences of their behaviours and the input into the group.
Educating appropriate behaviour in regards to the use of ICT in today’s society is very important in school culture and in the classroom. Discussing the use and effects of behaviour on social medial (such as Facebook) and how social media should be used respectfully is very important.
Students could be given the task of discussing and debating examples of social media interactions and how these can make a positive or negative influence. Students can also learn to identify how social media can have an impact on the psychological lives of others, to develop values towards social media and learn to use this media in a safe way.
4.4
Focus Area
Maintain student safety
ICT Elaboration
Demonstrate understanding of risks to students’ well-being and safety while using digital resources and tools. Demonstrate understanding of practices and tools to mitigate these risks.
Evidence
This standard refers to describing strategies that support students’ well-being and safety working within school and/or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
Students feeing safe in a positive classroom environment involves a team effort. The team (teacher and students) must develop rules and guidelines that must be followed by all included. Students need to feel responsible for their own behaviour and actions.
As a teacher I develop a praise system for convergent behaviours and a encouragement system for divergent behaviours. By modelling appropriate behaviours, fostering respectful relationships and being consistent with behavioural policies, a positive and safe classroom can be developed.
It is also important to maintain the same teaching and behavioural standards in regards to the use of social media and ICT tools within the classroom, school and broader community. Facebook and Instagram are great tools to use as examples in discussing the rights and wrongs and how these affect others, and the consequences of cyber-bullying. Various educational resources and documentaries have been made on this subject that can be used to educate values and personal and social understandings on these issues.
4.5
Focus Area
Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
ICT Elaboration
Demonstrate understanding of safe, legal, and ethical use of digital resources and tools, including cyber safety practices, respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources.
Evidence
To demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching. It is important to educate students on how to use the internet and social media in a safe and ethical way, to respect themselves and the values of others. Safety, respect and maintaining the same teaching and behavioural standards used in the classroom and school community must apply to the use of all ICT and social media by students, teachers and parents/carers.
Facebook and Instagram are great tools to to use as examples in discussing the rights and wrongs and how these affect others, and the consequences of cyber-bullying. Students also need to understand copyright laws and learn how to research information, and know the logistics of published work, in print and via the internet. 'Turn it in' is a work submission program that determines how much of your work is in your own words, or copied from published work by someone else.
Students could be assigned the task of researching a topic and submitting a 250 word report through 'Turn it in.’ The class can then discuss issues of plagiarism, copying, and how to write essays. Here the class can gain perspective how to use ICT respectively, responsibly, how to research, create hypothesis, argue a topic and create multiple perspectives, and write quality conclusion.
