Element 3

ELEMENT 3 TEACHERS PLAN, ASSESS AND REPORT FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING

Element 3 Aspects - Graduate Teacher 

3.1.1 Demonstrate the capacity to identify and articulate clear and appropriate learning goals in lesson preparation.
3.1.2 Plan and implement coherent lessons and lesson sequences that are designed to engage students and address learning outcomes.
3.1.3 Select and organise subject/content in logical, sequential and structured ways to address student learning outcomes.
3.1.4 Demonstrate knowledge of a range of appropriate and engaging resources and materials to support students’ learning.
3.1.5 Demonstrate knowledge and use of a range of strategies to assess student achievement of learning outcomes.
3.1.6 Demonstrate knowledge of the link between outcomes and assessment strategies.
3.1.7 Give helpful and timely oral and written feedback to students.
3.1.8 Demonstrate knowledge and a rationale for keeping accurate and reliable records to monitor students’ progress.
3.1.9 Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practices of reporting to students, parents and caregivers.
3.1.10 Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practices for using student assessment results to reflect on lesson sequences and inform further planning of teaching and learning.

Milestones - I have...

I have developed my skills in constructing lesson plans which outline clear learning goals (Aspect 3.1.1). In many lessons, these learning goals have also been clearly communicated to the students to provide clear goals for each lesson or lesson sequence. One example of a lesson sequence which has been designed with clear learning goals are a series of lessons I have collaboratively planned and implemented as part of an Integrated Arts in-school teaching experience. These lessons were also designed with the specific intention of engaging students in the learning experience so that learning outcomes could be addressed (Aspect 3.1.2).

To view the Unit Overview and Lesson Two Lesson Plan, click here.



During my previous Professional Experience, I have developed a series of lessons designed to assist the Stage 1 students in developing and demonstrating their skills in narrative construction, with a particular focus on text structure. In order to support students in this process, I organised the learning sequence in a structured series of activities (Aspect 3.1.3) which began with lots of teacher modelling and scaffolding, which was reduced to minimal support in the later activities, as students developed confidence and independence in completing tasks. I have utilised feedback throughout each stage of this narrative building lesson sequence. This feedback was in the form of oral feedback to students and they were completing each of the tasks, and in a written form at the completion of each activity (Aspect 3.1.7). This feedback allowed students to refine and adjust their approach towards narrative construction. It also allowed me to discuss individualised goals for future development with each student.

To view the Teaching and Learning Sequence, click here.


During a unit of work which addressed how living things change and grow, I have utilised a large range of resources to support students learning (Aspect 3.1.4). Students were provided with soil and spout seeds to support their prediction and experimentation with plants. Working in collaboration with my cooperating teacher I also organised for students to have access to the frog pond in the after school care on the school grounds so that students were able to observe the different lifecycle stages of a frog including frog spawn, tadpoles, froglets and frogs. Finally, I used non-fiction ‘big books’ from the library, to explore factual texts about living things, as well as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to explore a fictional representation of the caterpillar/butterfly lifecycle.

When implementing an in-school lesson sequence related to volume and capacity, I have worked cooperatively to utilise a range of different assessment strategies (Aspect 3.1.5). These included peer recorded observation notes, collection of student worksheets, and photographing of students’ volume and capacity related constructions. Subsequently, I have utilised a student record to summarise student achievement towards learning outcomes for all lessons in a lesson sequence related to volume and capacity (Aspect 3.1.6). Within this student record, all formative assessment strategies utilised throughout the lesson sequence, including observation notes and photos and student worksamples, were used as evidence for student achievement towards, achievement of, or achievement beyond each outcome. Therefore, accurate and consistent student records were necessary for successful monitoring of student progress (Aspect 3.1.8) within this learning sequence.  

To view a copy of one student's assessment record, click here.


I have some experience in designing assessment tasks to match the A-E scale used to report student results to parents (Aspect 3.1.9). For example, I have devised an A-E scale rubric which can be used to assess students’ performance in understanding the Ethical Code of Journalism, and how this relates to the use of digitally enhanced images in media.

To view the marking rubric, click here.
 

I have continually used student assessment formatively to inform future learning experiences (Aspect 3.1.10). During a series of lessons related to reading the time, I continually reviewed student progress and adapted subsequent lessons to better meet the needs of the students in my class.

To view my Critical Reflection on this Lesson Sequence, click here.

Milestones- I need and I will

I will

I need
Expand my experience in developing whole units which integrate multiple KLAs- To discuss with my coordinating teacher the potential which is exists for me to develop integrated units within my upcoming Professional Experience and Internship.
- As per Element 1, I need to revise my existing Stage 2 resources to identify meaningful inter-KLA links, using Board of Studies support documents as a guide.
Expand my knowledge of digital resources which can be used to integrate ICT within my teaching and learning programs- To sign up to ‘The Le@rning Federation’ to explore available resources
- To seek professional development related to the use of interactive whiteboards in the classroom
Implement more assessment strategies to assess student progress throughout teaching and learning units, in order to inform future planning - To plan for assessment at the beginning of a unit in order to frame the unit planning in terms of learning goals and assessment of students’ achievement towards learning goals, using the Quality Teaching Four Key Questions (NSW DET, 2008) model as a guide.
Develop and implement more strategies for providing meaningful feedback to students.- To explore lesson structures in which students are independently engaged for sustained periods, in order to allow me to provide feedback to each student or small group.
Engage in more experiences related to reporting to parents- To read the NSW DET policy on Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K-12.
- To seek opportunities from my coordinating teacher to assist with the completion of mid-year student reports.
- To engage students in developing a portfolio (Groundwater-Smith et al., 2003) of work related to an integrated unit.