Focus Area 6.1 Identify and plan professional learning needs
Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in identifying professional learning needs.
Focus Area 6.2 Engage in professional learning and improve practice
Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
Focus Area 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Seek and apply constructive feedback from supervisors and teachers to improve teaching practices.
In my final year of study, I have turned my focus to professional engagement in readiness for employment. I have paid particular attention to identifying gaps in my knowledge that need addressing and used the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate level) to identify areas for improvement in my teaching practice (6.1) (AITSL, 2017). I recently completed the Teacher Self-Assessment Tool on the AITSL website, which highlighted the following areas of development for me:
- Engagement with parents/carers: I will focus on this area when I am a graduate teacher and have responsibility for my own classes, as the limited time and scope of pre-service teacher placements makes engagement with these standards difficult.
- Developing strategies to support students with a disability.
I am a student member of the English Teachers Association of Queensland (ETAQ) and have attended several online webinars in the past year to deepen my understanding of the English teaching discipline. I plan to continue participation in the activities relevant to new and beginning teachers offered by the ETAQ.
In addition to professional development activities, the ETAQ produces a professional journal called Words’Worth as a forum for English teachers to share ideas about classroom practice. As an ETAQ member, I receive Words’Worth plus the peer-reviewed English in Australia, which I read as part of my ongoing professional development (6.2). I also follow a range of educational thought leaders on Twitter and listen to educational podcasts because there is substantial benefit in sharing resources, communication, and connecting with educators outside of the classroom (6.2) (Gareis & Nussbaum-Beach, 2007; Carpenter, 2015). Scroll down the page to click on my favourite educational podcasts and Twitter handles.
In my previous career I have been responsible for supervising and mentoring graduates, so I understand the additional workload that supervising teachers have when accommodating a pre-service teacher. With this in mind, one of my primary goals when undertaking professional placement has always been to perform my role as independently as possible and come to school prepared in every way to teach, learn and engage professionally. In both of my final reports I received extremely positive feedback against APST 6.3, particularly my ability to seek feedback and implement strategies to improve my practice (Artefact 6.2, 6.3).
When I move into my first teaching role I will utilise the graduate teacher support offered by Education Queensland including induction and accessing Teacher Learning Centres. Whilst estimates vary between jurisdictions, the attrition rate of beginning teachers has been reported as high as 25% within the first five years of teaching and ‘lack of support received in the early years of teaching’ is cited as a contributing factor (AITSL, 2016). My aim is to survive and thrive as a proactive graduate, seek feedback and advice from my colleagues and maximise the formal professional development opportunities available to me.
