Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
Focus area 1.1 – Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
Focus area 1.2.: Understand how students learn
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
I once had the opportunity to work with Prep students in a state school in Ipswich. I had never taught a Year Level this young. At the time, I found it quite challenging managing a classroom full of students who were still becoming accustomed to the school system (Glover Gagnon et al, 2019). Having this experience was both discouraging and stressful, affecting both my relationships with the students, as well as my overall classroom management (Spilt et al, 2011). Upon reflection and consultation with my mentor teacher, it became clear I was asking my students too many higher-order questions of students initially, and not enough lower-order questions to establish a decent foundation first (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2000). I realised I needed to adapt my teaching strategies (1.2) to suit the physical, social and development age of my students (1.1).
I consulted my mentor teacher and class teacher-aide, researched the current literature (1.2), and observed visiting specialist and supply teachers to learn how to better my teaching for this group of students. I decided to adopt the Gradual Release of Responsibility (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983), as well as incorporating Explicit Instruction (Hughes et al.,2017). I also ensured that I was using Bloom’s Taxonomy at a level that was suitable for Prep students. I emailed my lessons to my mentor teacher at least twenty-four hours in advance, as evidenced in this email correspondence, so I could collaborate with her and receive feedback.
My innovative approach involved beginning each lesson began with the Learning Intention on the whiteboard, and using simple terms the purpose of the lesson (Wu & Goff, 2021). I also reminded students of behaviour expectations and ensured I gave positive praise to students who showed the desired behaviour (Wahman & Anderson, 2021). During the ‘We Do’ purpose of each lesson, if students appeared to be struggling, I stopped the lesson, modelled the task again using ‘I Do’ method, and proceeded back to ‘We Do’ part of the lesson (Pearson & Gallagher, 1983; Webb et al, 2019).
I also differentiated the students into groups for the ‘You Do’ (1.2). Sometimes the groups were scaffolded for peer-learning (Webb et al, 2019) (1.2). On other occasions, the students were grouped according to their needs and abilities (1.1). Finally at the end of these differentiated group ‘You Do’ sessions, I gathered the whole class onto the carpet and summarised the lesson, addressing further questions (Ganske, 2017).
My mentor teacher was pleased with the changes, as indicated by her multiple comments on my practicum report (see here and here). The worksheets and resources I used were more age-appropriate and as such were more achievable for my students. For example, I used these colouring-in rhyming worksheets (Antilla, n.d.). I learnt the importance of adjusting teaching strategies and practices to suit the physical, developmental, social, and intellectual characteristics of one’s students (1.1). I was able to implement these concepts in later practicums, and I intend to improve in these practices as a beginning teacher.
References for Standard One
Anderson, L.W., & Krathwohl, D.R. (2000). A Taxonomy for Learning, Teaching and Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Pearson.
Antilla, K. (n.d.). Cat, Hat, Mat – no prep rhyming worksheets *FREE*. Retrieved from https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Cat-Hat-Mat-no-prep-rhyming-worksheets-FREE-1707785
Ganske, K. (2017). Lesson closure: An important piece of the student learning puzzle. The Reading Teacher, 71(1), 95-100.
Glover Gagnon, S., Huelsman, T.J, Kidder-Ashley, P, & Lewis, A. (2019). Preschool student-teacher relationships and teaching stress. Early Childhood Education Journal, 47, 217-225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-018-0920-z
Hughes, C.A., Morris, J.R., Therrien, W.J., & Benson, S.K. (2017). Explicit instruction: Historical and contemporary contexts. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 32(3), 14-148. https://doi.org/10.1111/ldrp.12142
Pearson, P.D., & Gallagher, M.C. (1983). The instruction of reading comprehension. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8(3), 317-344. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(83)90019-X
Spilt, J.L., Koomen, H.M.Y., & Thijs, J.T. (2011). Teacher wellbeing: The importance of teacher-student relationships. Educational Psychology Review, 23, 457-477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-011-9170-y
Wahman, C.L., & Anderson, E.J. (2021). A precorrection intervention to teach behavioural expectations to young children. Psychology in the Schools, 58(7), 1189-1208. https://doi-org.ezproxy.usq.edu.au/10.1002/pits.22531
Webb, S., Massey, D., Goggins, M., & Flajole, K. (2019). Thirty-five years of the Gradual Release of Responsibility: Scaffolding toward complex and responsive teaching. The Reading Teacher, 73(1), 75-83. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1799
Wu, B., & Goff, W. (2021). Learning intentions: A missing link to intentional teaching? Towards an integrated pedagogical framework, Early Years (online). https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2021.1965099
