Beginnings

I don't know who is more excited to be learning in my classroom, whether its myself or the children. I love to see their faces light up with excitement, new ideas and understandings, and wanting to share their skills, stories and knowledge.

I believe many things about teaching and learning. Here are just some, in no particular order:

1. Teacher perceptions of a student's ability are self-fulfilling. If you believe that someone is capable of achieving greatness, then that person will indeed achieve greatness. We do this by setting achievable and challenging goals and teaching student's to do the same.
2. The more students (and teachers) externalise and articulate their ideas the more they learn; providing opportunities for children to continually express, explain and articulate their learning builds deeper, clear and more complex understanding. I like the Charner-Laird et al. (2003) description of reflection as "the mind’s strongest glue” for making the connections essential to understanding.
3. Growth mindset states that abilities can be cultivated and developed throughout lives; through effort and learning students can improve their ability.
4. Learning is not a product but an active process. Students are active participants in learning, employing problem-solving skills to construct understanding out of prior knowledge and new experiences.
5. Intrinsically motivated learning leads to life-long learning.
6. Mistakes and risk-taking are accepted and encouraged in the classroom. This is how we learn. The mind develops in response to a challenge, or in discovering a misconception.
7. Building on students' natural curiosity and interests leads to greater engagement and deeper learning. Problem-solving, creative and critical thinking, and inquiry processes support students in deepening understanding.
8. A detailed understanding of how children learn step by step (pedagogy) is needed to inform planning to best design coherent and well-sequenced learning programs. 
9. A safe environment with strong, respectful relationships is essential to any learning. Learning is collaborative, a shared experience, and a place where students inspire and encourage each other is needed. A place where students are safe to make mistakes and go beyond their comfort zones is needed.
10. The whole school community is part of students' learning, from students to teachers, leaders and families. Families have an important role and communication between home and schools is part of the process; it is valuable to use different communication methods and provide a range of opportunities to reach a greater range of families.
11. Assessment and self-evaluation inform my teaching and enable me to modify and change content and teaching practices. Feedback is part of the assessment process. "Feedback is just in time, just for me information delivered when and where it will do the most good" (Nottingham).
12. Learning is the purpose of my classroom. Whether that be skills and understandings, fostering a love of learning, or the development of values and behaviours. 
    

I have taught in a number of roles over the years: from Reception (Kindergarten) to year 5, and as a specialist teacher in Science, Technology and PE. Right now I am working as a Science specialist teacher and supporting Junior Primary classrooms with guided reading, comprehension and Maths.