Professional knowledge is the first domain of the Australian Professional Standards of Teachers (APSTs) (AITSL, 2017). Teachers need to know their students and the content to succeed in this domain. The Queensland College of Teachers states, teachers know their students well, including their linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds. Teachers know what challenges students bring to the classroom and how that can affect their learning. Teachers need to be able to adjust their teaching to suit the individual physical, social and intellectual needs of students to ensure their quality of learning is exceptional (Queensland College of Teachers, 2011).
As a beginning teacher, it is important to ensure I am successful in maintaining this domain in my teaching. To achieve success in this domain, I plan to ensure that all my students are supported within my classroom. To provide my students with the best learning outcome, I need to follow the Australian Curriculum, the Australian professional standards for teachers and provide any adjusted learning plans that need preparing. As a role model, I am committed to providing my students with the opportunity to build meaningful teacher-student relationships as good social relationships support social and emotional wellbeing and are important for helping students succeed at school (Allen, Vella-Brodrick, & Waters, 2017).
Knowing the content and how to teach it, is a vital part of a teacher’s role. To ensure I am providing my students with the best learning they can receive. To achieve this, I need to stay up to date with any new curriculum changes and improvements. Providing students with the best education possible requires a teacher to adhere to the Australian Curriculum, general capabilities, and cross- curricular priorities to ensure my teaching and planning are suited to individual needs.
