Element 3: Teachers Plan, Assess and Report for Effective Learning
I have...
In my teaching experiences I have demonstrated the ability to plan units for my students which have clearly focused learning goals, are sequenced within a set of meaningful learning experiences, address relevant content in developmentally appropriate sequences, and meet the appropriate outcomes through assessment for learning and assessment of learning strategies. This is evident in the stage three PDHPE Unit of work titled, 'It's Time to Change.' Throughout lessons I have utilised a range of engaging resources and a mixture of authentic formative and summative assessment strategies. This is evidenced in a stage three PDHPE lesson, where students had the ability to interact with ICT and graphic software to complete their assessment task. Students have received timely feedback through a variety of strategies; Individual conferences, whole class evaluation sessions, on the spot oral feedback and meaningful written feedback. I have also begun developing mechanisms to report student learning to parents/caregivers.
I will...
As a graduate teacher I will develop appropriate mechanisms or procedures to keep reliable records enabling me to monitor student progress. Ideally I would develop individual student work portfolios, these would contain student work samples which reflect the achievement of NSW BOS Syllabus outcomes, skills and values.
Students, parents and caregivers will also be constantly informed through the development and negotiation of appropriate measures to report student progress. Ideally I would like to involve the use of ICT, through emailing students and parents/caregivers of individual progress and having an online class notice board to report class progress and happenings.
I will reflect on student assessment results to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching program. This will involve critical evaluation and reflection of student results and reflections to pinpoint any issues.
I need...
On the coming professional experience I will need to (with the support of my tertiary mentor and cooperating teacher) develop individual student portfolios to keep accurate and reliable records of individual student progress. Prior to the practicum experience I will research and evaluate effective student portfolios in order to understand what is required.
Developing reporting skills will require observation and evaluation of current teacher methods of reporting to students, and parent/caregivers. With the support of my cooperating teacher I will need to trial one to two methods of reporting, ideally one of these would involve the use of ICT. Prior to the practicum experience I will need to research and discuss procedures with my colleagues, and consult the NSW BOS 'Assessment Resource Centre' (2009).
Developing the skills to critically reflect on my teaching programme, will require me to create an authentic program, utilise student feedback strategies, analyse assessment results and reflect on any issues.
I believe...
Assessment is a key component in producing a meaningful and student centred program, this is achieved through a combination of formative and summative strategies. I believe assessment is an essential part of the teaching and learning cycle; authentic assessment is both the process and the outcome, it genuinely embodies student learning (Groundwater-Smith, Ewing, & Le Cornu, 2006, pp. 270-271). I believe in continously using planning, assessment , feedback, and reporting to improve the effectivesness of my lessons and practice.
Students require immediate, corrective feedback on their learning while it is emmerging (Good & Brophy, 1991, pp. 123-127). I believe that improvement in effort and product can be achieved by phrasing student feedback in a positive manner. The feedback process should promote individual autonomy by providing students with opportunities to reflect and evaluate their own work.
Parents have a right to continuing, relative information about their child's learning in the classroom. The effective education of students involves an interactive partnership between parents/caregivers, the teacher and the student; parents possess a wealth of knowledge about their child's knowledge outside the classroom and thus require opportunities to share and discuss this information with the teacher(Groundwater-Smith, Ewing, & Le Cornu, 2006, pp. 285-286).
Jessica Coughlan, 2009.