Know the content and how to teach it
As a part of my studies, I have been required to develop lesson plans, and activities which are directly related to outcomes in the curriculum. Shown below is a photo of one slide of an interactive ICT resource I developed as a part of a science module, and the beginning of a report explaining what the resource is. This resource supports standard two focus area 2.6.1: 'develops teaching and learning programs and/or lesson plans which how the integration of ICT into activities to make content more meaningful'. The resource I developed is an interactive presentation through Nearpod, which can be shared as a live session to a class. The presentation allows students to use ICT to interact with the science content being taught, by answering open ended questions, multiple choice questions, and visiting interactive websites in the midst of the presentation to further engage their learning.
EPT329 Annotations:
Within this placement I developed and taught a number of lessons, on which feedback was provided. I have chosen two feedback sheets from different lessons which relate to the content, and explanation of content as areas for development. These lessons were on an Integrated Unit ‘A multicultural world’ and English ‘Tongue twister poems’. While delivering these lessons, my development feedback was reflective of the explanation and usage of content. For the Integrated unit, my lesson was a focus on different world festivals.
Within this placement I developed and taught a number of lessons, on which feedback was provided. I have chosen two feedback sheets from different lessons which relate to the content, and explanation of content as areas for development. These lessons were on an Integrated Unit ‘A multicultural world’ and English ‘Tongue twister poems’. While delivering these lessons, my development feedback was reflective of the explanation and usage of content. For the Integrated unit, my lesson was a focus on different world festivals.
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lesson_feedback.pdf | |
File Size: | 844 kb |
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lesson_evaluation.pdf | |
File Size: | 795 kb |
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Critical reflection:
In each of my chosen lesson feedback sheets, there were areas for development. Within the Integrated unit lesson feedback, my areas for development included providing explicit instruction on content and why we were looking at specific content at the beginning of the lesson. Venville and Dawson (2012) discuss the importance of curriculum, explaining that “teachers are the key people responsible for interpreting and enacting the curriculum” (p.125). This importance is stressed as “the things that students actually learn can be quite different from the ideal curriculum” (Venville, Dawson, 2012, p.125). As such, my feedback reflected the importance of explicitly explaining what the students are required to do, and why this is our area of focus.
In my second lesson feedback sheet, my areas for development included the usage of my own poems in conjunction with resource examples. This would give students the opportunity to see a teacher example of what is required of them. However, this feedback also included my usage of explicit instruction to students, which the previous feedback stated as an area for development. He feedback sheets demonstrate my capacity to achieve standards 2.1 “content and teaching strategies of the teaching area” (AITSL, 2014), 2.2 “Content selection and organisation” (AITSL, 2014), 2.3 “Curriculum, assessment and reporting”, 2.4 “Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians” and 2.5 “Literacy and numeracy strategies”. I have found that there is a gap in standard 2.6 “Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” in these examples. In standard 4, I demonstrate my capacity to integrate ICT resources into the curriculum (see standard 4 lesson plan evidence). However, I still believe I can develop this further. Standard 2.4 was achieved through a focus on Indigenous ceremonies during the Integrated Unit on festivals. In these lessons, questioning why specific content was being used was important (Weatherby-Fell, 2015). My feedback reflects the relevance of content within my lesson plans.
In each of my chosen lesson feedback sheets, there were areas for development. Within the Integrated unit lesson feedback, my areas for development included providing explicit instruction on content and why we were looking at specific content at the beginning of the lesson. Venville and Dawson (2012) discuss the importance of curriculum, explaining that “teachers are the key people responsible for interpreting and enacting the curriculum” (p.125). This importance is stressed as “the things that students actually learn can be quite different from the ideal curriculum” (Venville, Dawson, 2012, p.125). As such, my feedback reflected the importance of explicitly explaining what the students are required to do, and why this is our area of focus.
In my second lesson feedback sheet, my areas for development included the usage of my own poems in conjunction with resource examples. This would give students the opportunity to see a teacher example of what is required of them. However, this feedback also included my usage of explicit instruction to students, which the previous feedback stated as an area for development. He feedback sheets demonstrate my capacity to achieve standards 2.1 “content and teaching strategies of the teaching area” (AITSL, 2014), 2.2 “Content selection and organisation” (AITSL, 2014), 2.3 “Curriculum, assessment and reporting”, 2.4 “Understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians” and 2.5 “Literacy and numeracy strategies”. I have found that there is a gap in standard 2.6 “Information and Communication Technology (ICT)” in these examples. In standard 4, I demonstrate my capacity to integrate ICT resources into the curriculum (see standard 4 lesson plan evidence). However, I still believe I can develop this further. Standard 2.4 was achieved through a focus on Indigenous ceremonies during the Integrated Unit on festivals. In these lessons, questioning why specific content was being used was important (Weatherby-Fell, 2015). My feedback reflects the relevance of content within my lesson plans.