During my two weeks of professional experience, in preparation for secondary

teaching, I experienced challenging, confronting and yet positive insights into

what is required of classroom teachers.

In both schools, the role of the teacher is extremely varied. The most
dominant aspects of teaching that I observed, through both my mentor
teachers, were delivering information to students in lessons in an engaging
manner, and also constantly managing the classs behaviour to keep the
students focused and engaged with the lesson. Many techniques for
behaviour management that I observed were familiar to me from the week 3
lecture and readings. For example I observed the use of the I-message, an
emphasis on positive statements, the use of praise and rewards, and the use
of non-verbal cues, such as clapping/humming a rhythm, holding an arm in
the air for attention etc. These were all used in age appropriate contexts and
provided me with excellent insight of how I can use these methods in my
career. The teachers I observed had also established positive relationships
with their students (and some parents), which opened the possibility to
influence and inspire students to reach their full potential.

The need to consider the students abilities and needs when planning lessons
was most clearly demonstrated while observing in the secondary school. In
the primary class, the teacher had one lesson and had to balance the pace of
the class to account for all students abilities and those who were advanced or
struggling would occasionally go to a separate lesson for extra instruction.
However the secondary school places the students in classes based on their
ability. My secondary mentor teacher clearly demonstrated how the same
lesson could be presented to 4 different classes, all the same year group,
while structuring the lessons differently for each, to allow the students to
proceed at a pace that enabled every student to achieve the learning
outcomes without being left behind or getting bored due to finishing early.
The teaching style my mentor teacher utilised in the high ability class was
completely different from the low ability class even though the activity was
exactly the same.

In todays society, it is expected that upon leaving school, adolescents/young
adults will either enter the workforce or higher education. It is considered to
be the role of schools to prepare children for this outcome, beginning with
early childhood through until the student leaves secondary school. Every
teacher within the school/s that a student attends has an opportunity to impact
that student in positive ways. An example could be encouraging a student to
develop areas of strength which could lead to good career choices later in life.
There is also the possibility of having a negative impact on a student,
potentially contributing to them despising education and becoming disruptive.
I observed several students in year 10 who were extremely disruptive and I
was informed they hated school and wanted to leave the education system.
As a future secondary teacher I see my responsibility will be to contribute to
demonstrating the value of education to students and inspiring them to reach
their full potential.

My experience in primary and secondary schools provided me with deeper
insight into what it means to be a teacher in todays society. My future career
promises to be both challenging and rewarding.





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