Week+8

=**Week 8 Performance and Development Culture 24 June 2009 ** = 

Amber is purple  Luke is **__BLUE__** Nicole is PINK Mathew is GREEN 

This weeks lecture was a look into accountablility and how to survive the first year out teaching. It highlighted the myriad of things that teachers are responsible for and gave advice/strategies for handling these things effectively. The lecture covered things such as the 'Professional Standards', duty of care, student profiles, POLT (Principles of Learning and Teaching), 'Calmer Classrooms', characteristics of effective teaching and kids' views of what their ideal teacher would be like.

One important quote which I took from the lecture was "Make a difference to each person, each child in your class.". This is an idea which I hold very close to my heart. It is an idea which influences how I plan, how I teach, how I interact with the children, how I give feedback, how I speak to the children; just about every aspect of school life. It is as simple as smiling at a child or acknowledging them as you pass them in the corridor or as complex as planning a lesson to fully engage, motivate and inspire your class. As well as making a difference, how ever small that may be, it is also my mission to try and make children I teach feel as though they are truely important. I do this by doing small things such as look at them when they speak, respond to what they are saying, positively encourage (and discourage if need be), praise for work well done or effort made.

Another way to make children feel important and to connect with them more thoroughly is to engage with them personally. One way to do this (which was raised in the lecture), is to ensure that you become familiar with the children you are about to teach before you teach them via the student profiles which the school collects and keeps for each child in the school. Doing this enables you to find out where the child is at in terms of their school life as well as give you some insight into their hobbies and interests. It is possible then to show a child that you are interested in them by refering to this knowledge of their hobbies/interests. These student profiles are useful to help build up an image of a child before you teach them. However, I think it is also important to let each child start a new school year with a clean slate (so to speak). Often a child can gain a reputation in a school. Once this happens, it becomes very difficult for the child to break away from this pattern of behaviour because it becomes expected of them. Teachers can treat a child in a certain way because of their expectation that the child will behave in a certain way. I think that it is important to give a child a fresh start, after all, it is possible that the child will connect with you in a way that they haven't with another teacher. It may be you that inspires something more from that child.

I also enjoyed looking at how children view their ideal teacher. Each point serves as an important reminder as to what is truely important for developing a conducive learning environment in the classroom, as well as building an atmosphere of trust. The salient one for me; 'doesn't yell at me'. I don't like someone yelling at me! I endeavour never to raise my voice, not even to get the attention of the class. This is very important to me! -Mathew

What I found really interesting is how students view their ideal teacher. Students wrote their ideal teacher is someone who; § Doesn’t yell at me  §  Bothers to get to know me  §  Listens to what I have to say § Understands my feelings § Is fair § Believes in me  §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;">  Wants me to do my best §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Keeps class interesting §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Makes it clear what I have to do to improve my work §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Takes me outside for games §<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Praises my efforts

A lot of these points come back to having mutual respect in your classroom. Taking the time to get to know your students is really important to them. Building relationships looks to be the most important for the student. I found this very interesting because I feel this is the most important aspect of teaching too. I think if we do not take the time to get to know our class we are going to have a very difficult year, let alone career.

<span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(151, 0, 255); font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Yes, some great points there. One of the main reasons I am in this profession, is to bring a ray of light into some childrens lives, who need it. Some children are not cared for at home, and this makes me so sad. As a child, you should feel like the most important person to your parents. You should feel loved and special. I will always emphasise how special all the children in my class are, and have them look at their own good points and what makes them a good person. As Mathew pointed out, I will always treat all the children I come into contact with, with respect. Looking at them, listening to them, smiling at them as I pass them. A nice quote I got from the lecture was "The day I stop being passionate about being a teacher, I will retire". I loved that. I have seen some teachers who seem like they do not enjoy being in the classroom, and don't really enjoy the company of children! They need to get out. If I ever find myself feeling that way, I would certainly try something different. You can always come back. But you should not be in a classroom if you cannot be a positive role model for your students. Another good point was the getting to know your students as Mat and Luke have discussed. This is vital. You need to know your students in order to understand their needs. How can you teach effectively if you don't know your students? <span style="font-size: 110%; color: rgb(255, 0, 77); font-family: Georgia,serif;"> I thought the same Luke. All those factors that make a great teacher were really interesting to me. It was very interesting to listen to because they are all such important factors into what makes a great teacher. And when I go over each point individually I realise how important they were to me when I was younger in primary school. Most of all THEY MAKE COMPLETE SENSE!! <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 77); font-family: Georgia;">Matt I think you are right about the whole respect issues. If you want respect, you have to show respect!! To have a classroom set up with that as a moral background I think would work fantastic. "To teach is to touch lives forever." I believe in this statement. It is something very important and a reason why we should be teaching. I don't believe a teacher is there just to be there and supervise the children. They are so much more and anyone that is going out into the profession with that attitude will quickly fail. We need to be inspirational, we need to care, we need to create the best possible learning environment for our students. They are important. It is our passion that will take us places and take our students places. We are there to guide them and give them hope where sometimes hope is lost. I believe in engaging students and getting the best possible from them. Afterall we are there because we have a passion!!

<span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Children learn what they live <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with criticism, they learn to condemn. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with hostility, they learn to fight. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with ridicule, they learn to be shy. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with shame, they learn to feel guilty. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with tolerance, they learn to be patient. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with encouragement, they learn confidence. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with praise, they learn to appreciate. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with fairness, they learn justice. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with security, they learn to have faith. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If a child lives with approval, they learn to like themselves. <span style="text-align: center; display: block; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">If children live with acceptance and friendship, they learn to find love in the world.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0); font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">I just wanted to share the above poem. It is like a mantra for me, something which I think about as I enter the classroom. I use this mantra to influence the way in which I behave towards the children (whether they be in class or out). I believe this to be a good guide for teachers and parents within their relationships with children. -Mathew

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