YR11 Furnishing Pathways Theory Class
Context: Yr 11 Theory Class.
I shared my construction and project management history and then explained how the skills they are learning in the Furnishing Pathways subject will give them many employment and career opportunities in the future.
Reflection
(I use the DIEP method for reflection.)
Describe.
The most interesting insight from my lesson this week is that developing a relationship with the students beforehand helped immensely to connect, engage and teach them. My life experience was useful in explaining the significance of what they were studying.
A significant issue I had not realised until now is that I need to be more spatially aware of what the students can see during presentations. During feedback with the supervising teacher, he mentioned that I needed to be aware that I stood before the screen while presenting. The location of the pulpit and screen was not advantageous, so upon reflection, I decided I needed to bring a longer HDMI cable next time to move myself out of the way for better presentations.
I now realise that I am confident speaking in front of others but still learning how to engage the students effectively. I mentioned in my feedback session that I would use a Think/Pair/Share exercise during one part of the lesson and decided not to do this to avoid causing disruption, as they get distracted when interacting together, which would have extended the lesson. In retrospect, I think I should take more risks when it comes to giving students the ability to interact and engage with the content, even if it means dealing with them getting a bit over-excited and off-track at times.
Also I realise my time allowance was way under what actually eventuated. I could have reduced some content related to my career history and past projects. The idea was to establish my authority in the lesson as someone to be trusted with life experience in this subject but, at the same time, may have lost their interest/ confused them regarding how it relates to the topic at hand. I need to be more diligent in including content that will enhance engagement and learning and avoid self-promotion to gain confidence or establish a balance.
Interpret.
This experience idea is relevant to me because I have had issues with ensuring students can see what I am presenting in the past. I come from a building background, so I am used to apprentices moving to see exactly what I am presenting so they can ensure they follow instructions accurately. I presume it will happen in the classroom, so I must be intentional about ‘over-show’ items I am presenting to ensure all students see what they need to see to carry out the task.
Evaluate.
Having realised the importance of spatial awareness, I can now understand the importance of making the effort to move to let all students see what is happening/ expected.
This experience will change the way I view presenting information to students.
This is valuable for me because it allows me to prepare lessons more effectively, giving each student the opportunity to have all pertinent information to complete their task.
Plan.
This benefits me as my future career requires me to teach effectively. This has occurred in several other instances, so it is an important factor to consider moving forward.
In order to further develop this skill…I will include spatial awareness in my lesson planning.
Next time, I will ensure all students can see what I am trying to present.
APST’S
Reflecting on a micro lesson supports several APST categories.
1. Knowledge and understanding (1.1):
By reflecting, I can analyse the effectiveness of the teaching strategies used in the micro lesson. Did they align with the learning objectives and content? This reflection helps me solidify my understanding of effective teaching practices and identify areas where I might need to learn new strategies (1.1).
2. Professional practice (2.2 & 6.2):
Reflecting allows me to assess how well the micro lesson upheld professional teaching standards (2.2). Did it create a safe and engaging learning environment? Were the activities age-appropriate and inclusive? This self-reflection fosters my commitment to continuous improvement and ethical teaching practices.
Additionally, reflection is a key part of professional learning (6.2). By analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the micro lesson, I can identify areas for growth and set goals for future professional development.
3. Planning for and implementing effective teaching and learning (3.1, 3.2 & 3.3):
Reflecting on the micro lesson’s planning and implementation (3.1) helps me refine my lesson planning skills. Did the sequence of activities flow smoothly? Was the content presented clearly and concisely? By analysing these aspects, I can improve future lesson plans for a more effective learning experience.
While the micro lesson itself might not address diverse learning needs, reflection allows me to consider how I could adapt the strategies for future lessons to cater to different student abilities and learning styles (3.2).
Did the micro lesson effectively convey the intended concept within the short timeframe? Reflecting on this helps me refine my ability to break down complex ideas into manageable steps for students, ensuring clear conceptual understanding (3.3).
4. Creating and implementing engaging learning experiences (4.1):
Reflecting on the micro lesson allows me to assess how engaging it was for the audience (whether students or colleagues). Did the activities hold their attention? This self-evaluation helps me refine my skills in designing captivating learning experiences for future lessons (4.1).
5. Assessment and providing feedback (limited):
Although the micro lesson might not involve formal assessment, reflecting on it allows me to consider integrating formative assessment strategies into future lessons to gauge student understanding (5.1).
Overall, reflecting on a micro lesson is valuable for professional growth. By analysing its effectiveness across these APSTs, I can constantly improve my teaching practice, ensure engaging learning experiences, and, ultimately, create a positive learning environment for all my students.
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