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Professional Practice 3
102605 Secondary PP Community Engagement
Self Reflection Form
Placement Details: If you haven’t complete 60 hours face to face you must provide a
detailed statement of how your experience meets the outcomes for Professional
Practice CE. Attach evidence.
Contact Person:
Mrs. Virangana Raj
I worked at Colyton High school in the science faculty. Colyton high has about 700 students from year 7 to 12. It offers
a wide range of educational programs like full range of academic courses for year 11 and 12, school-delivered VET
courses and TAFE delivered VET courses, gifted and talented, sporting, creative and performing arts programs.
Moreover, the school caters to the needs of students from various backgrounds and with diverse learning abilities. I
chose to work here because I wanted to have a hands-on experience of teaching science to different students with variety
of needs in a real school set up.
First and foremost, working with students of diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds helped me
understand that each student had different educational needs (APST 1.3). I was able to be react to the students’ strengths
and needs. For example, I used this technique to establish relationship with my students. I asked students about a few
traits in their language they spoke at home. I used those traits often during my lesson. The students considered it fun and
I was able to connect with the students.
Secondly, through this community engagement I was able to identify some teaching approaches that could benefit me in
teaching students with a range of abilities. I was able to differentiate the lessons to suit the individual needs of the
students (APST 1.5). For example, during a lesson on atomic structure in year 10, I came across a student who was
highly distracted. On enquiry, the student said that he was distracted because he found the class activity to be too easy
for him. Therefore, from the next lesson I designed special activities that were more challenging for him while the other
students in the class worked on their regular tasks. This helped me to keep the students focused and engaged in learning.
Additionally, I also gained knowledge to select relevant, engaging content and organise it in the lesson (APST 2.2). I
plan apply this skill while planning lessons in my other teaching practicums and when I start professional teaching in
schools.
Another important thing I observed during the placement was that the students were given diagnostic tests in the
beginning of each new lesson to pre-assess their standard. The students were given learning activities challenging the
standards achieved in the diagnostic tests. The teachers also explicitly state the learning goals and criteria for
achievement so that the students become aware of the learning goals. The students understood what is expected out of
them which made teaching and learning coincide. Thus, I learnt to establish challenging learning goals (APST 3.1) to
make the ends of teaching and learning meet in my teaching practice.
Finally, this professional practise experience gave me a chance to work with different teachers with a range of
experience. I worked with the head teacher, other teachers and casual teachers. I learnt about classroom management
strategies by working with these teachers. Moreover, I also closely worked with two other pre-service teachers who
were doing their practicums. I was able to collaborate with them and participate in teaching. This helped me get more
insights about effective teaching in my practice (APST 6.3).
Thus, the skills and experience I achieved through this community engagement will help me grow as a professional in
teaching science.
Subsidiary questions:
What surprised you about your learning in your community setting?
What research about communities did you engage with before you commenced?
What goals did you set for yourself in your service learning activities?
What do you believe the participants in your service learning project learned?
What did you learn? How will the experience shape you as a teacher in a classroom?
Check Due Date accompanied by your Timesheet and signed Report.
Submissions after due date will receive an N grade. At the following HECS census date, if
the work is still incomplete, this will become an AF grade. This is University policy.
The AF grade can be changed when you complete the work. You must also keep a hard or
electronic copy of your assignment.
Submit this form online via InPlace. Your PPCE Report written by the Contract
Person, is mailed by them or delivered by you to the PP office in the SOE.