Element 5 "Teachers create and maintain safe and challenging learning environments through the use of classroom management skills"
I have created an environment of respect and rapport with my students on all my practicums. I have developed positive personal relationships with every student by getting to know them, and by utilising my smile to model my values and respect to students (5.1.1). I have composed classroom expectation charts collaboratively with students to ensure they are aware of acceptable and unacceptable behaviours, and the rewards or consequences associated with these. With stage 3, we composed a classroom chart stating what it will "look like, sound like and feel like."
I have also developed my skills in providing clear instructions and directions to students to ensure their safety in learning activities. i have managed classroom activities smoothly and efficiently to ensure purposeful learning for students (5.1.4). One way in which I have ensured smooth and efficient learning is by implementing efficient transition activities between lesson, such as singing songs and playing short games. Dig a potato is a song I taught to kindergarten. (Evidence 1).
I have demonstrated my knowledge of behaviour management strategies and have used practical approaches to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding of them (5.1.5). I have used rewards systems with early stage 1 to promote student responsibility for their own actions. I have used positive reinforcement effectively to teach students what acceptable behaviours are, and have linked these to the school policy and ethos to maintain relevance for students.
I will further develop these skills to enable students to engage in tasks and to ensure they are aware of my expectations regarding their behaviour and learning.
I need to implement different strategies to develop these skills, such as discussing expectations with students at the beginning of the year, or the beginning of my practicum. I will discuss with students what our classroom will look like, feel like and sound like, so that they take more responsibility of their own actions, and the consequences of these, if they break the rules. In addition to this, I will try writing the day's schedule on the board, so student's are familiar with the way the day will progress.
I believe that creating and maintaining safe and challenging learning environments is vital to developing respect and rapport with students. This is pivotal for students to develop confidence and comfort to engage in classroom discussions.
Evidence 1- Lesson transition "Dig a potato"
Dig a PotatoI taught this rap to kindergarten students on my practicum to use as a lesson transition throughout the rest of my teaching. The classroom teachers had existing lesson transitions in place, which I also used, however, ‘Dig a potato’ was especially effective because I introduced it to the students. I taught them the rap line by line, and once they had learnt it by wrote, we decided on actions to match the words, which students responded well to.Dig a potato, deep in the ground,Rub it, and scrub it, and peel it all around,Cook a potato, throw it on a plate,Whack on the butter mate,It’s great!