4.1 Support student participation

Brief description of evidence 

My work as a teachers aid has constantly presented me with situations on a daily bases where I am able to support student participation. I have facilitated student participation in a range of ways, from helping students within a class as a whole to helping specific students individually in classroom and small group contexts.

 

Analysis of what I learned

From my work as a teachers aid, I have learned that some students accept and even love the help and attention while others prefer not to be identified as requiring extra assistance. For the later mentioned students, I adopt a general assistant role, 'hovering' around the class, visibly working with other students as well. After around 2-3 periods of this method, the students who dont want to be seen accepting help, generally open up and are more willing to follow suggestions as to what or how they might do their work.  

 

Evidence 

Student A is grateful for the help and assistance, often asking if I will be in their classes and that they need help. 

 

Student B is grateful for the help and assistance but is shy about not being able to read and as such, does not like to do reading exercises in the class setting. I will usually seek teacher approval and take her outside for one on one activities and reading. They respond well to this and I have been making some progress.

 

Student C often has class with student A and seems to respond to help but only in small group settings. They do not want to appear as needing help and so in class settings are less productive.

 

4.2 manage classroom activities

Brief description of evidence 

During practical lessons in the metal workshop, I have 20 students who are making the same project but up to different levels. Plans and dimensions of the project are provided to students as a hand out to keep in their apron & refer to.

Instructions and diagrams are written on the board.

Demonstrations are given at the start of each lesson on the previous step as a reminder for those still doing it and the next step for those students who are ready. 

Once students start work, I move around the room observing they are doing as instructed, not misbehaving and helping students who come to me.

 

Analysis of what I learned

Demonstrations need to be taken slowly and cover everything from the process to the tequnique. Ask questions to ensure students are listening and understanding.  

Roaming around ensures students have more success quicker.

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Evidence 

My final practicum at Normanhurst Boys High School.

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4.3 Manage challenging behaviour

Brief description of evidence 

Year 7 math: This math class happened to have many struggling students and a number of students with special needs and behaviourral issues. Because of this, there were always 2 teachers on class and usually 1-2 teacher’s aids. 

The teachers did a marvellous job at diversifying their teaching methods and classroom management to better explain concepts and encourage learning. Almost every class lesson had a practical application for the concept they were teaching and most students actively participated in the activities. After the lesson or refresher lesson, small group work aimed to consolidate the information via the use of class games, activity sheets, mini white boards, scales, geoboards, card board boxes (for area & volume topic), building blocks/shapes, dice (probability) and ICT in the form of apps, websites that explained concepts, cool math games and Khan Academy.

 

Student A: Behaviour included loudly calling out and disrupting the whole class, getting into arguments with other students, obvious mood swings from day to day, sulking, listening to music, escaping from the room, arguing with teachers and not doing work. Working one on one worked really well with this student, they liked the individual attention and I developed a good rapport with them over the months. This student preferred to work on their own rather than with the class or in small groups. A number of measures were taken to address this students behavioural issues – talking with them one on one, separating them from other antagonist students (who also had behavioural issues and/or learning deficits) by putting them in different ends of the room, working with them one on one and sending them to the year 7 co-ordinator. Students were unable to change class. During class lessons, work time and group working, this student would read and have ear phones in, look out the window, sulk or try to go to the bathroom. They were a bright student who was capable of harder work at a faster pace and the occasional helping hand. To make this time for them productive, they were given harder work of the same topic and checked on from time to time (as they would only occasionally ask for help if they were in the right mood). This worked best out of all the measures taken. During group work time, they sought one on one attention constantly and did not like being with other students. After some time and praise for getting work correct, they would work on their own well and I would see how they were doing, help when I needed and praised wherever possible. Towards the end of the year, they had become more social and less disruptive, even worked occasionally with other students during group work time.  

 

Analysis of what I learned

What I learned from student A was that one on one guidance and praise was a big help for this student. The teachers of the class often commented at the end of lessons what a difference it made that lesson and were surprised to see the amount of work we got through in the given time period. Giving the student more challenging work and allowing them to listen to music, led to them working much more independently with far fewer behavioural issues. The positive reinforcement and increase in difficulty of work, seemed to give them a huge confidence boost, they did better in tests, were less disruptive and started interacting with the other students who were up to speed in the class.   

 

Evidence 

My work at Bishop Druitt College 

 

4.4 Maintain student safety

Brief description of evidence 

My work as a TAS trained teacher's aid has given me many hours over several months, of work in wood and metal workshops. ensuring students work in a safe and responsible manner is an essential part of these classes. Manditory technology classes have few high risk areas (chisels, hammers, hand saws) however considering the general lack of safe working knowledge and developed behaviour, ensuring safe practices are learned and become habit are essential. 

Elective technology classes allow students to use power tools and some machinery, opening up a large list of risks and safe working proceadures. 

 

Analysis of what I learned

Students need to be shown first through demonstration and work booklets and clearly told the do's and dont's several times before they should be allowed to work.

 

Evidence 

My work at Bishop Druitt College 

 

4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically

Brief description of evidence 

During my last lesson, students had to find a chocolate recipe, suitable for the budget, time frame of the double period and their skill level. 

 

Analysis of what I learned

Students will easily be distracted by the lure of the internet, most of them did very well to research their recipe and stay on task. Some students strayed onto playing games, this was after they found their recipe, printed it off and filled in their food order, for that reason, I allowed them to continue as long as they were quiet while the rest of the class caught up.

 

Evidence 

Practical placement at Bellingen