Standard 7

As per APST 7, teachers are required always engage professionally with colleagues, parents/ carers and the wider community. This is central to transforming professional development and being an outstanding member of the profession.

Focus Area 7.1
Within this outcome, FA 7.1 teachers are required to both understand and apply the key principles described in the codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.

Annotation: This is feedback provided to me by my University supervisor that I feel displays my demonstration of FA 7.1. I always ensure that I am respectful, gracious and mature in every context but I am especially conscious of this within a school context as there is a certain expectation that I hold myself accountable to. I place a great deal of emphasis of acting professionally and ethically when interacting with staff, students as well as parents and as such I do feel that this feedback captures my ability to both understand and apply key principals within the teaching code of conduct.

Critical Reflection:

“Ostensibly, the code of ethics within the Australian education system correlate for 2 central reasons; to reinforce the trust of the greater community in the profession” while guiding my conduct as a professional teacher. (Schwimmer & Maxwell, 2017, p.143) My explicit understanding, particularly of outcome 7.1 provides a platform with which I can conduct myself with the upmost dignity and respect at all times. The multi-faceted nature of teaching can sometimes complicate the level of understanding I need to employ regarding ethical frameworks so I consistently exhibit maturity and graciousness as it will always be received well. 
My behaviour in the classroom, as demonstrated in the above excerpt, is representative of my belief that “prioritising instrumental rationality” is critical. (Schwimmer & Maxwell, 2017, p.146) Although it may seem unconventional, these effective practices nurture student well-being as their welfare is central to all ethical frameworks and conduct. Teaching is not a rigid profession and in exchange for exercising professional autonomy, I am committed exhibiting the key principles described within the codes of ethics and conducts. The implications of not maintaining a professional, respectful and ethically charged approach can be detrimental to my development as a professional and consequently my students and I feel that the above excerpt is an insight to my achievement of APST 7.1. 

Reference List:

Schwimmer, M., & Maxwell, B. (2017). Codes of ethics and teachers’ professional autonomy. Ethics And Education, 12(2), 141-152. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449642.2017.1287495

Focus Area 7.2
The importance of understanding FA 7.2 and the relevant legislative, administrative and organisational policies and processes that are required for teachers determines their overall success within the school stage.

Annotation: The above excerpt from one of my many lesson plans from my professional placement at a catholic school demonstrates how closely I followed the legislative, organisational and administrative policy/ processes. This is a useful skill as it speaks directly to the adaptability and versatility that is required as a teacher. I simply worked closely with the school administrative and organisational policy which is why for example, there is explicit mention of the backward design model and why the lesson begins with a religious prayer.

Critical Reflection:

As I have completed professional placements within the NSW catholic sector, I have been exposed to the varying legislative, administrative and organisational policies against most of my learnings throughout the course which predominately focus on the Australian Curriculum as a whole. Evidenced in my lesson plan above, it is clear that I have meticulously referenced and subsequently developed a lesson plan that mirrors the administrative and organisational policies of a secondary school within Sydney’s catholic diocese.
In order to satisfy outcome 7.2 I ensure all lesson planning begins with the relevant curriculum documents and then explicate the appropriate legislative and organisational processes that are necessary to demonstrate my understanding of the importance of APST 7.2. For example making time for prayer and intentions at the beginning of the lesson and implementing the ‘Backward Design’ model throughout the my pedagogical structure.
I am aware that as the curriculum develops or while I work within the varying education sectors of NSW, my processes will evolve accordingly, keeping consistent my competency levels for this focus area.

Focus Area 7.3
Within this outcome, FA 7.3, it is important to demonstrate an understanding of strategies for working effectively, sensitively and confidentially with parents/carers.

Annotation: Above is an excerpt from one of my various lesson plans during my practicum block. It was within this practicum that I slowly began to acclimate to the sensitivity and ethical focus required when engaging with parents and carers of students. While I was unable to de-identify the actual feedback of which this lesson refers to, I felt this was a good indication to demonstrate the steps I was beginning to take in order to satisfy 7.3 of the APST.

Critical Reflection:

Governmental policy and procedure alongside empirical research acknowledge the positive influence that the use of effective strategies can have on parent/ carer engagement with their child’s schooling process. In order to satisfy outcome 7.3 within my practicum schedule I had to consistently oscillate between effective, sensitive and confident interactions with all parents/ carers. Primarily, educating myself on the potential limitations of effective parent-teacher communication informed my ability to be able to satisfy outcome 7.3 as I was aware of what behaviours and strategies, I needed to implement in order to establish these valuable interactions. “Teacher efficacy, time constraints, socioeconomic and cultural barriers” (Ellis et al., 2015, p.169) commonly impede on teachers being able to work with parents/ carers and so I focussed on refining my own efficacy, time management and empathy when beginning these exchanges.
Implementing collaborative, approachable and informed communicative approaches with parents/ carers during my limited tenure on my placement was in fact a goal of mine and having this correspondence with parents was something that permeated again throughout as many lessons as was appropriate. I focussed on the “quality of contact” (Ellis et al., 2015, p.163) between myself and parents/ carers by practicing positive interactions like, for instance, offering positive, constructive feedback on practice exams that parents will have to read and sign as per the example above. The feedback I received from parents extremely encouraging.

Reference List:

 Ellis, M., Lock, G., & Lummis, G. (2015). Parent-Teacher Interactions: Engaging with Parents and Carers. Australian Journal Of Teacher Education, 40(5), 161-174. https://doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2015v40n5.9

Focus Area: 7.4
Within this outcome, FA 7.4, it is critical to be able to fully understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening my professional knowledge and practice as an in-service teacher

Annotation: I developed a professional learning plan early on in my MTeach where I outlined my desire to become an active member of the wider teaching community. Relative not only to my aspirations of becoming an outstanding English teacher but also my desire to become a well-versed, respected member of the greater educational community in NSW, my professional knowledge and practice will transform with the involvement of these groups. In fact, I have already initiated my membership with the ETA NSW which in my opinion, satisfies outcome 7.4 of the APST.

Critical Reflection:

As I have engaged with the literature over the duration of the course, I have come to understand that there is a certain misrepresentation of the theory that the “quality of teaching” is a function of the “quality of the teacher.” (Gore et al., 2017, p.109 ) Oftentimes this implies that the academic credentials of the teacher are the only definitive factor in their efficiency however what the literature is explicating is that it is the professional development of the teacher that contributes to their effectiveness. I myself, am an example of the profound value of investing in the professional knowledge and practice of (teachers) as I have focussed on effectively engaging with external professionals and community representatives in order to evolve as a pre-service teacher. My PLP has come to fruition and in an attempt to satisfy outcome 7.4 of the APST I have sought involvement from the ETA NSW. My confidence and effective practice have improved dramatically, and I advocate for professional development as the driving force behind my own efficacy.

Reference List:
Gore, J., Lloyd, A., Smith, M., Bowe, J., Ellis, H., & Lubans, D. (2017). Effects of professional development on the quality of teaching: Results from a randomised controlled trial of Quality Teaching Rounds. Teaching And Teacher Education, 68, 99-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.08.007

Standard 5

APST Outcome 5 focusses assessment, delivering feedback and reporting the learning of students

Focus Area 5.1
Within this outcome, FA 5.1 asks that teachers demonstrate their understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

Annotation: The above are excerpts from an assessment task where I was required to develop a unit of work for my CPA (English). They clearly indicate my interaction with various assessment strategies and demonstrate my ability to implement the various assessment types across a whole unit of work. While there is always room to improve, I feel as if this is an example of how I am moving toward satisfying focus area 5.1 of the APTS.

Critical Reflection:

“Synthesis of research related to teachers’ assessment practices has established strong links between teachers’ assessment practices and students’ learning achievement.” (Kaur et al., 2017, p. 162) Therefore, it is essential for myself as the teacher to acquire the adequate skills and knowledge to conduct classroom assessments in a manner that is efficient. Theoretically speaking this not only diversifies learning but appeals to the wide range of diverse learners that populate the classroom at any given time. This reiterates just how central classroom assessment is to effective teaching and learning. 
My attempt to display “assessment literacy” (Kaur et al., 2017, p.161) as a way to prove my competency and capability when either designing, implementing or interpreting varied forms of assessments mirrors focus area 5.1. It is also important to acknowledge that “as a means to adhere to the requirement of the differentiation of assessment” (Matruglio, 2007, p.3) flexing between formal and informal formative, diagnostic and summative tasks is an effective means to showcase a profound understanding of both how and why students are assessed.
I believe that the above strategies value a holistic approach to student learning, maintaining their well-being as a central driving force of success which speaks directly to focus area 5.1 and my subsequent achievement of the standard. 

Reference List:

Kaur, A., Noman, M., & Awang-Hashim, R. (2018). Exploring and evaluating differentiated assessment practices of in-service teachers for components of differentiation. Teaching Education, 30(2), 160-176. https://doi.org/10.1080/10476210.2018.1455084

Matruglio, E. (2007). Values and attitudes in ancient and modern history (pp. 2-17). Wollongong: Faculty of Social Sciences – Papers. Retrieved from https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=2153&context=sspapers

Focus Area 5.3
Within this outcome, FA 5.3 the demonstration of the understanding of assessment moderation and its application to support consistent and comparable judgements of student learning is critical to student success.

Annotation: This excerpt from my Professional Experience Report Book and it displays an improvement from standard 5 being only provisionally demonstrated in my previous practicum to now being demonstrated. Through formative assessments and various learning/ assessment strategies (critiqued above) I have fulfilled focus area 5.3. However it is also important to note the constructive criticism in terms of my delivery of these activities and this is something I will work on.

Critical Reflection:

In order to be able to fully display how the above evidence links directly to my attainment of focus area 5.3 it is critical to deconstruct the literature of the outcome, completely considering what it involves. In education, moderation is the practice of the sharing and developing an understanding of what learning looks like. Consistent and comparable judgements explicate logical and equivalent judgements (again regarding student learning) therefore recognising that “students are diverse in their skills, prior knowledge and understanding” (Marsh et al., 1988, p.367) which, in turn, affects the pace at which they comprehend new contents and demonstrate their learning is imperative. In order to successfully moderate assessments and discern equitable outcomes I must employ a variety of proactive, ethical measures that are appropriate to the learning levels of all students. This is central to understanding effective assessment. As I progress in my practice, I will utilise and expand upon the opportunity to attain responsive and authentic conclusions supporting the learning needs of my students. Subsequently facilitating my achievement of outcome 5.3. 

Reference List:

Marsh, H., Byrne, B., & Shavelson, R. (1988). A multifaceted academic self-concept: Its hierarchical structure and its relation to academic achievement. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 80(3), 366-380. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.80.3.366

Focus Area 5.4
Within FA 5.4 there is a need to demonstrate the capacity to interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

Annotation: This evaluation was from my second practicum placement, where my supervising teacher opened up a Google Doc for us to share open communication about my teaching progress. This was one of the lessons where standard 5 – particularly 5.4 was a focus as I was yet to confidently execute a lesson fulfilling (5.4) until then. Naturally, there is a mix of constructive feedback but my supervising teacher explicitly acknowledges my efforts to evaluate student data to directly modify my pedagogical practice.

Critical Reflection:

“Educational measurement is, at its heart, about two things. The first thing is to characterise the domain proficiency of students in some way. That characterisation could be in either a formative or diagnostic capacity. Secondly, it (educational measurement) requires the teacher…”(Knapp et al., 2016, p.14) to engage with whatthat characterisation reveals about the way students learn and adapt their pedagogical practices accordingly. Within focus area 5.4 this is especially prominent and a key part of my own development when evaluating student learning and modifying my own teaching practices as a direct response to (student) assessment data. I found that differentiation, was a key component of modifying practice, as it provided quality data on the progress of my students’ as well as key instructional decisions that I need to make in order to satisfy both my achievement of the APST(s) and the outcomes of my students. Speaking directly to student success, my quest to achieve outcome 5.4 was key in developing divergent and creative thinking both among myself and students. I personally thrive when implementing sociocultural theory within my teaching and this idea of differentiation finds its foundations within this theoretical approach as it focuses on equity and inclusion in the classroom; both of which I am a huge advocate for.

Reference List: Knapp, L., Glennie, E., & Charles, K. (2016). Leveraging data for student success (2nd ed., pp. 11-14). RTI Press/RTI International. 

Focus Area 5.5 
Within this outcome, FA 5.5 requires teachers to demonstrate their understanding of a range of strategies for reporting to students and parents/carers. It also acknowledges the purpose of keeping accurate and reliable records of student achievement.

Annotation: Above appears feedback from my supervising teacher from my very first practicum placement and although demonstrated at a provisional level it can be seen that the foundation for achieving standard 5 of the APST is formed. The critique I received from my supervising teacher notes the variation in strategies that I demonstrated while also managing to deliver timely written feedback – as per FA 5.5 specifically – was achieved.

Critical reflection:

There is always a need to collect, collate and rework student data against ever evolving assessment frameworks. (Thibaut & Curwood, 2017. p.51) Improved decision making through this data occurs because we are living in an age whereby teacher, parent/ carer and student accountability is facilitated by the effective communication of this data. As classrooms are more integrative and there are various ICT implementations across a wide range of classroom activities, it makes sense to make student reporting and data more accessible to both students and parents/carers via varied online platforms. Student learning progress will be delivered effectively through this means and is a strategy I will personally employ – as per the recommendation of my supervising teacher. In order to ensure the effective communication of student learning it is important to be mindful to not simply reproduce curriculum documents that read in positive comments or educational jargon. Parents need to engage with the feedback their children receive in order to be fully equipped to support their progression through their educational journey. Research suggests that key-stake holder perspectives such as those of parents/ carers can help to influence the legislative bodies that form these standards of student reporting; making them more accessible overall.

Reference List:

Thibaut, P., & Curwood, J. (2017). Multiliteracies in Practice: Integrating Multimodal Production Across the Curriculum. Theory Into Practice, 57(1), 48-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2017.1392202

Standards 3 and 4

Standards 3 and 4

APST Outcome 3 requires the planning and implementation of effective teaching and learning

Focus Area 3.7
Within this outcome, FA 3.7 describes the broad range of strategies implemented by teachers for involving parents/carers in the educative process of their children.

Annotation: The above excerpt is from a lesson plan from my last practicum placement. It was within this time frame that I began to realise that I would need to cleverly nuance parental engagement throughout my lessons as a means to sate APST 3.7. With a focus on a more organic approach to engagement, having students take a few minutes of time from the day of their parent/s or carers is critical in the beginning stages of strategising their involvement in the educative process as a whole.

“Teaching is not a profession that is practiced in isolation. It is universally understood that teachers typically work within a community that is characterised by a complex network of interactions between students, and parents/carers.” (ARACY, 2012) Pertaining to an “ecological approach” and building upon the earlier research of educational theorist Joyce Epstein; the presentation of a “conceptual model that reflects the broad contexts in which parental engagement takes place and demonstrates the complex inter-relationships that shape parental engagement practices and student learning outcomes” (ARACY, 2012) is helpful in my achievement of FA 3.7.
As a pre-service teacher, I am aware of the need to develop strong partnerships within this community setting while also closely aligning my approach to the expectations of the school I teach at. However, my experience in the course thus far has also revealed to me the complexities surrounding the involvement of parents/ carers in the educative process. While parental involvement has an important community and social function, the key to facilitating positive change in a child’s academic attainment is the engagement of parents in learning outcomes in the home. 
The social, emotional and academic well-being benefit from various kinds of parental engagement which is why, in order to satisfy APST 3.7 I had my students complete various tasks where parental involvement was encouraged. 

Reference List:

Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth for the Family-School and Community Partnerships Bureau. (2012). Parental engagement in learning and schooling: Lessons from research. (pp. 7-11). Weston Creek. Retrieved from https://www.aracy.org.au/publications-resources/command/download_file/id/7/filename/Parental_engagement_in_learning_an

APST Outcome 4 focusses on creating and maintaining supportive and safe learning environments.

Focus Area 4.5 
Within this outcome, FA 4.5 calls for teachers 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.

Annotation: This is an example from the planning of a Unit of work for a senior English class; where through my study of the theoretical and pedagogical practices throughout the unit I understood and was able to demonstrate the value of differentiation in assessment through the safe implementation of ICT. Having an ICT focussed summative assessment with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (cross-curricular) focus demands ethical and responsible usage which I learnt to demonstrate through the formation of the task itself. 

Critical reflection:

Due to the ever-evolving nature of pedagogical strategy one key aspect in the “conceptualisation of literary practices within safe and supportive learning environments is the consideration of new ‘ethos’ and new ‘technologies’ on student achievement. (Payne, 2007) This is a powerful tool in innovating ethically sound and responsible ICT usage across all learning areas. The rationale for this summative assessment has its foundations in the concept of promoting student success through well-being by engaging diverse learning needs through an ICT focus. The processes of assessing students, measuring their achievements and ensuring their success through safe and equitable ICT usage manifests in a holistic, equitable approach to pedagogical practice. When implemented in a framework such as this all students can “seek personal fulfilment that is largely filled with successful and wholehearted engagement in intrinsically worthwhile activities…” (White, 2007, p.19) which in this case is the challenging, creative, ethically bound world of differentiated learning. The cross-curricular focus reflects APST 4 as a whole as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander texts need to be nurtured through the confines of safe and supportive learning environments.

Reference List:

Payne, P. (2007). Learning contracts: Personalized professional development to strengthen teacher efficacy within the construct of the gifted cluster model (Doctorate). Regent University. 

WHITE, J. (2007). Wellbeing and Education: Issues of Culture and Authority. Journal Of Philosophy Of Education, 41(1), 17-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9752.2007.00540.x