Last week of prac…..

Another busy week ahead of teaching and assisting with assessments in collaboration with my mentor teaching. Not only is the ICT factor a major learning experience for me in the classroom but also understanding the assessment process has been great to be apart of. Due to the class dynamics of students within the class, there is always a requirement of differentiation in the majority of subject areas for this class. This has allowed me to adapt these practices and learn how to do this effectively in the classroom to assist children in their learning. I’m embracing what I can this week to ensure I further my own knowledge and skills to become a confident teacher 🙂

Second week of prac down….

So I have started my incorporation of ICT in my teaching practices in the classroom with students, learning as I go. Turns out my class is quite handy with how to use our IWB. Whilst there is not alot of ICT facilities at the school, I have used many power points as warm up activities with students to lead into the maths and english, using WALT/WILF displays with the IWB at the start of each lessons with students, introducing Youtube links in maths lesson to assist in teaching fractions and number sequences and utilising online resources through the Learning Place. I have found some great resources to use in the class room as have some of my other fellow students on prac.

Week 15 – First Day of Prac Placement

Having a meet up day with my mentor teacher before starting prac this week was great. We were able to establish some expectations, discuss class dynamics and students prior learning to equip me with some background knowledge of the class and school. From Day 1  I quickly began to learn the routine and students name to ensure that I was able to manage the class and for students to respect me as a teacher. From observations and conversations with students during the day I was able to establish on my own how I would need to differentiate my lessons to cater towards all students needs and ensuring that I was able to teach the content that they were required to learn. Great first day 🙂

When everything seems to begetting on top of you….

Michelle Casey  has posted an awesome blog that make me think about where I am  in my own life with work, study and personal relationships as I have been feeling very overwhelmed and anxious on how I am to cope with the balance with all of them and succeeding at the same time. I now I am no wonder woman but really want to achieve the most I can with everything I do but I feeling the toll of it now after so many years of study and juggling prac placements with work. I made me realise I do need to focus on other aspects of my life and appreciating all those specials things and people that mean everything to me to make sure I have a full and happy life. Thanks for sharing Michelle, got me a little emotional 🙂

Preparation in teaching our class…

Well I’ve met my mentor teacher and had a break overview, during a morning tea break 😦 of the expectations of the school and in the classroom. Though my mentor teacher has not given me yet the specific lessons that she wants me to teacher she did give me some background information about the class and behaviour management strategies that are in place in the classroom. Whilst I feel quite confident in class management after working in the early childhood industry for 13 years, my worry is not knowing what I am teaching to the class. As I am not using the Australian Curriculum on a daily basis and my own knowledge in subject areas, I like to research and prepare myself to ensure I know my content to present a strong lesson as well as being confident in what I am teaching myself. I have been following other students blogs and can see similar thoughts with teaching their class and some new information they have uncovered to use in the classroom.

Week 11….Meeting the class and prac mentor

This week I went in my prac school where I will be placed for the next 3 weeks. The class of Year 2 students are really lovely as well as my teachers, job share role in this class. I am already seeing the benefits of having two teachers as mentors as this will give me two great minds to pick at with questions and teaching styles. As lovely as my prac teachers are they have both admitted that they do not incorporate much ICT in the class as they are not very ICT savvy which includes the IWB. This makes me a little uneasy with the IWB use in the classroom as I have used it before though with the guidance of my mentor teachers. I guess I am going to have to try and wing it and read over and over the tips on the IWB moodle on Study Desk.

Assignment Three – here we go…..

Now that Assignment Two is done and dusted – fingers crossed. It is time to prepare the most that we can for prac placement and start establishing ideas and lessons to incorporate ICT in our classrooms. Would help if we had a little more time to prepare for what school we are going to, what age level we will be teaching and what subjects that we will need to incorporate ICTs into the lessons. I am trying to be optimistic about this semesters prac, I have used IWB before in the class room but that is the most ICT I really have had the opportunity of using during prac. Using the IWB at the best of times was a little uncoordinated for me, students as so ICT savvy they helped me out at times haha

Digital footprints…

Digital footprints – the evidence of our presence in the digital form on computers and softwares.

This is a bit of an eye opener, that something that we may consider as insignificant that has been put online or transfer through ICT facilities which can impact upon our own or others lives and our own personal safety. This link to Cybersmart is an online  information site specifically for children that provides tips on how to be safe online. It is really important as teachers to reiterate to students from the younger age levels to be super smart when online and how to protect themselves at home and at school .

Week 10 – Getting Connect.ed….

This week  I explored more about ICT safety and standards within the classroom in regards to incorporating online and computer access to students. We all completed as students ourselves an online safety training course, Connect.ed, to inform us of online safety and the appropriate use of ICT with students to make the learning environment safe. Some information I was already aware of but it is a great idea to refresh the memory of how vulnerable you are when you are online, especially with young students. The awareness of school policies and procedures is something that we need to be mindful of when we are on prac to ensure we are creating a safe learning environment. I see that I am not the only student who has completed their course, Rossco is all up to date with training. Upon finishing this course we received a certificate of completion amca certificate.

Feeling a little apprehensive about ICT planning….

Whilst I am quite ICT competent, the overview of the amount of teaching content required from day 1 of prac placement makes me feel a little unsteady, especially when I am still learning all aspect of the Australian Curriculum. But I suppose this is the challenge of a teacher, but as a preservice teacher is can be very challenging and makes me question my own abilities at times whether I can achieve successful lessons, as I am learning as a student myself as I go.  One of my fellow students makes some valid points in regards to promoting an ICT learning environment for students.