Professional Experience - Interim Review

Block Placement

Early Childhood Education

(Please delete headings not applicable)


Year 2A Year 3
Undergraduate
Year 1
(MTeach)
Final Year
Date of Review 14/5/2014
Name of Pre-Service Teacher Melanie Kenton ID: 2096395
Name of Mentor Teacher Jodie Hobbs
Name of Site McLaren Flat Primary School

This assessment should be completed by the pre-service teacher and mentor teacher by the end of the second week of the four
week block and by the end of the third week of the six week block, and a copy forwarded to the University Liaison
(not the Professional Experience office)

The assessment should form the basis of discussions amongst the pre-service teacher, mentor teacher and university liaison. At the
end of this process, pre-service teachers should clearly understand which aspects of their performance are developing effectively
and which should be given greater attention, in order that action can be taken to rectify any deficiencies in the final weeks of
teaching practice.
If a pre-service teacher is at Risk of an overall unsatisfactory grading, the University Liaison, in discussion with the
Mentor Teacher and pre-service teacher, completes an At Risk form, which will be emailed, with the Interim Review,
to sally.cole@flinders.edu.au

Please place an X in the boxes below to indicate the appropriate performance.

PROFESSIONAL & COLLEGIAL LEARNING LEARNER RESPECT
U A S x VG O U A S VG x O
Comment: I have engaged in conversation with my
mentor teacher about performance, strengths and areas
of improvement. I have collaborated with my mentor
teacher about my planning, if it is appropriate and also
what I am aiming to do with my inquiry and how Im
going to do it. I have identified to my mentor teacher
things I think I need to improve on, and will engage in
further discussion on how to go about making these
improvements.
I also plan on attending two to three staff meetings in the
next couple of weeks.

I have also, with the help of the principal and mentor
teacher arranged to observe in a Year 2 class for a day or
two, just to see how things run in an older year level class.
Just to give me some insight as I have only ever been in
childcare, kindergarten and reception.
Comment: I have made connections with a significant
number of children, making sure not to foster an
unhealthy connection or clingy relationship. I have spent
time helping each child in my class, as last year I mainly
focussed on my small focus group, this year I wanted to
get a feel of what being a teacher is really like, having to
focus on everyone!

I am making sure that when a child wants to speak to me,
I am entirely free so I can give them my full attention. If I
have two or more children wanting my attention, I make
sure the other knows that they can have my attention
once the other has finished.

I am also collaborating with my mentor teacher to
continue her efforts in the encouragement of peer respect
between the students for other peoples learning and
rights to be in an environment where students feel safe.

PARENT/CAREGIVER & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS LEARNING PROCESSES
U A S VG x O U A S x VG O
Comment: I have put a poster up on the door as you walk
in the classroom, outlining who I am, where I am from,
what I am doing here and how long I will be here for.
When the children come in, in the morning, or when they
leave in the afternoon, I make sure that I say hello (name)
or goodbye (name) as to initiate conversation between
the child and the childs parent and myself. A couple of
students parents have approached me or signalled to me
to help them with a child that doesnt want them to leave.
So I have initiated conversation with the child or have
encouraged them to become engaged in an activity and
made a connection with those parents in that way. I am
planning on inviting the parents to stay one morning in
the last week of my placement, so they can see what we
have been doing in our Geography unit, with a
presentation and some multicultural foods to share.
Comment:

Comment: From being at university I have learnt about
multiple learning processes, but would like to further
my knowledge in this area. If a child does not
understand what I am teaching then I change the way I
am teaching it and try something new, so that they
might understand. I have begun to focus on a couple of
childrens learning styles, so I can look further into this
aspect from an experience outlook.
I am making sure my learning experiences meet the
learning outcomes of ACARA, planning my lessons
around the learning areas and outcomes.

I feel that I need to work on my instruction giving, by
refining and only giving 3 instructions at a time, so the
students can remember them.



LEARNING CONTENT LEARNER CONTEXT
U A S VG x O U A S x VG O
Comment: I have refreshed my memory about
geographical aspects, as I am teaching a unit on
Geography. Using the resources I have access to, to make
sure I know the content I am teaching. I am enhancing my
lessons by doing whole group work, collaborative or
partner work and individual work. I am using the
interactive whiteboard to break lessons up, while also
using other methods to engage the children and impart
information.



PLANNING & TEACHING FEEDBACK & REPORTING
U A S VG x O U A S x VG O
Comment: The reason I planned a unit on Geography,
was due to the fact that the school identified geography as
an area of improvement in the site improvement plan.
Then on my lead in days, the school had Harmony Day.
The children seemed interested in the fact there were
different countries in the world that had different ways of
living. I took from this interest and from the schools site
improvement plan and planned a unit around geography,
continents, countries and the things that make each
country unique and special. I am slowly realising that I do
not have time to do all that I want to in the short time I
have here. The children are just being given a small
insight into geography, but hopefully enough to intrigue
them further.
Comment: I like the take note and think of ways I can
build on to my activities, enhancing them, changing them,
or altering them to become slightly different for different
children. Whether this is due to the fact of different skills
I want them to build on or different learning styles or
different areas I would like them to explore.

I need to work on my lesson plans being fully filled in and
detailed.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
GENERAL COMMENT (optional): U A S VG x O
Comment: I have exercised different strategies of
creating a safe learning environment for all children,
considering all aspects that may pose a threat to the safe
environment. I feel that my lessons are safe and friendly
in their practice but sometimes I need to work on how to
deal with childrens conflict and resolutions to problems,
when they ask for adult assistance. Also need to work on
keeping my class at an appropriate level of noise, as I am
used to a kindergarten setting which is much more noisy!
I have gained knowledge about a few children on how to
manage their behaviour and encouraging them to behave
appropriately.
In all my lessons I take into account the diverse range of
ages, learners, and try to be flexible and adaptable in
different areas.

SIGHTED & DISCUSSED BY:

I feel that I have made a successful start to my placement
block, teaching quite a considerable amount for my first
three weeks. I have slowly adapted my planning to be
structured for the school setting. I have planned for
Literacy and Numeracy learning experiences, and have
also made a concrete start on a Geography unit with the
students. I have used multiple resources and media
within my lessons, breaking them up with group work
and individual work.

I feel that I need to improve in making sure my lesson
plans are fully detailed, spanning from my observations. I
also need to work on having full control of the class,
keeping the noise to an appropriate level for school.

I am looking forward what the next three weeks will
bring!


Jodies Comment:

Mel has made a pleasing start to her placement. She has
immersed herself in the running of the classroom from
her initial visit and has taken on teaching lessons from
the first week. Mel has initiated ideas that are of benefit
to the whole class, for example, she asked to work with a
small group of students that need a boost with learning
the sounds.
Mels lessons have flowed well and she has arrived
prepared to teach them, with all the materials needed
accessible. Her lessons have incorporated a variety of
resources and media, and have also had an appropriate
mix of class, small group and individual work.
Mel is becoming more conscious of the differences
Comment: Until now I had not had any experience
teaching in a school setting, and found it surprisingly
challenging planning for school children rather than
kindergarten children. Slowly I am adapting to being
more structured in my lessons, but still need to work on
this aspect in some of my learning experiences/lessons.
I am starting to plan for particular childrens interests,
now I have a small literacy group in the mornings.
between a kindy setting and a school setting, for example,
the amount of noise that may be acceptable in a kindy
setting may be too high for a classroom setting.
I commend Mel for the effort and enthusiasm she has put
in so far, while still attending her paid employment. I
look forward to working with Mel for the next three
weeks.

MENTOR TEACHER Jodie Hobbs
UNIVERSITY LIAISON
PRE-SERVICE TEACHER Mel Kenton
DATE: 14/05/2014

NOTES FOR MENTOR TEACHERS AND SITE COORDINATORS
Both performance ratings and comments are needed and should be made in terms of what may reasonably be expected of pre-service
teachers during this teaching experience in an early childhood setting

U Unsatisfactory: Performed below an acceptable standard for this stage
A Acceptable: Performed at a minimal level for this stage
S Sound: Sound performance from a pre-service teacher at this stage
VG Very Good: Above that which could reasonably be expected from a pre-service teacher
O Outstanding: Well above that which could reasonably be expected at this stage