VIT Standards for Graduating Teachers
Professional Knowledge
Teachers know their students
Graduating teachers will:
Teachers know their students
Graduating teachers will:
3.1 regard all students as capable of learning and demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, equity in their practice.
Equity in education is a high priority for me, and will be an ongoing concern throughout my teaching career. I have researched and written two essays on equity issues in education to date, and am contemplating ongoing research in a post-graduate setting as a long term goal.
In Mathematics there is a tendency to focus on gender equality as the most prominent indicator of inequity. My essay on senior secondary Mathematics discusses the imbalance of representation based on gender, but that there are many other factors of inequity that must be addressed including socio-economic status and disability.
I also produced a research essay for Social Context of Teaching and Learning on another disadvantaged group that is frequently overlooked when addressing equity issues: same-sex attracted and queer-identifying members of the school community.
I am completely committed to achieving the best possible learning environment for all students.
In Mathematics there is a tendency to focus on gender equality as the most prominent indicator of inequity. My essay on senior secondary Mathematics discusses the imbalance of representation based on gender, but that there are many other factors of inequity that must be addressed including socio-economic status and disability.
I also produced a research essay for Social Context of Teaching and Learning on another disadvantaged group that is frequently overlooked when addressing equity issues: same-sex attracted and queer-identifying members of the school community.
I am completely committed to achieving the best possible learning environment for all students.
3.2 have an understanding of cultural and religious diversity and of socioeconomic factors which may influence the students they teach.
As I mentioned in 3.1 I am very much aware of the various factors that contribute to diversity and disadvantage in students and their families. My teaching placements occurred in very different school settings, but each had their own challenges and certainly a great deal of diversity in terms of cultural, language, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. As a member of a minority group myself I believe I am well placed to have empathy and appreciation for students from a multitude of backgrounds.
3.3 be aware of teaching and classroom management challenges and develop appropriate professional responses to them.
I expect classroom management to be an ongoing challenge as secondary school encompasses puberty and adolescence for most students and is a time for them to push boundaries and develop their own identities. That being said, I believe the key to successful classroom management is threefold: respect, rapport and consistency. My Classroom Management Plan explains this in greater detail.
3.4 understand the legal and ethical dimensions of teaching, including duty of care and the nature of their professional commitment to students.
I am a student member of the Australian Education Union, and intend to upgrade my membership status as soon as I am formally employed. I have participated in the seminars offered by the AEU regarding the legal and ethical dimensions of teaching, and am comfortable with my understanding and with the support available from the AEU. I have also read the VIT Code of Conduct for Teachers and know where to access both the Code and the Standards for Professional Practice as well as Graduating Teachers.
