3rd Year Undergraduate or 1st Year Master of Teaching

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REPORT 2018

Student ID
Pre-service Teacher Jessica Tassone

School Mark Oliphant College

Name: Learning Area: Year Level
Mentor Teacher(s) Matthew Ames Health/PE 9-11

Name: Learning Area: Year Level

School Co-ordinator Angie Michael

Liaison Coordinator
University Anna Noble

Teaching Days 5 introductory days + 20 day block: 25 days

CONTEXT Please add brief context statements about the school and class:
School sector; size and composition of campus (R-12, Area, Primary); particular
features or unique characteristics; index of disadvantage.
School

Mark Oliphant College is a Birth to 12 co-educational public school located in the northern suburbs. It is
organised around 4 sub-schools: Early Years, Primary Years, Middle Years and Senior Years. Mark
Oliphant College opened at its current location in May, 2011. The school currently has a Category One
rating of disadvantage and its environment is at capacity with approximately 1400 students spread
across the four sub-schools. Mark Oliphant College has a significant number of ATSI students and
students from non-English speaking backgrounds, in particular students who arrived in Australia as
refugees from several African conflict areas. There is an Area Resource Class for students with
significant learning disabilities and mainstream support for a larger group of students, also with
Negotiated Education Plans. The school has a 1:1 laptop/iPad program and embeds technology in its
pedagogies.

Class (including children with special needs)

Jessica taught classes from year 9-11. The classes that Jessica taught are very diverse. Jessica taught
25 students from non-English speaking backgrounds (this includes 11 in one class alone). She taught
16 students who have an NEP and at least 5 students who are chronic non-attenders. The classes that
Jessica taught, have varying levels of student enthusiasm and motivation towards physical education-
in one class it wasn’t uncommon to get 5 students sitting out of PE.
ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS
Please place an ‘X’ at the point along each continuum that best represents the development of the pre-service teacher
towards each of the standards at this time.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Standard 1 Know students and how they learn

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 2 Know the content and how to teach it

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Standard 3 Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 4 Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 5 Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT

Standard 6 Engage in professional learning

I X I I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate

Standard 7 Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

I I X I .
Complete Novice Emerging Graduate
SUMMARY STATEMENTS (You may choose to comment on both personal and professional characteristics)
School Coordinator/Principal
Jessica has developed a range of pedagogical strategies based on the explicit teaching methodologies adopted
by Mark Oliphant College. Jessica has engaged with learners from a broad range of backgrounds and abilities,
supporting their individual learning needs focussing on ensuring improved achievement for all. Curriculum
development and implementation has also been a focus for Jessica who has also interacted well, developing
strong professional relationships with staff and students at Mark Oliphant College.

Name: Angela Michael Date: 26/09/2018

University Liaison

Name: Date:
SUMMARY STATEMENT(S) (May be used as a referee statement)
Mentor
Learning Area:Physical Education
RE: Jessica Tassone

Professional Knowledge
In health classes, Jessica showed a clear understanding of the curriculum. She planned for and
taught lessons that contained excellent information which was relevant and specific. It was evident
from her lessons that she had spent time planning and collecting information and had unique ways of
delivering content- her positive reinforcement lesson for mental health was a highlight. Jessica asked
questions if she wasn’t sure of an idea and made to improve/implement them based on the response
from myself.
In physical education lessons, Jessica taught units of sofcrosse, volleyball and soccer. Her lessons
were designed to ensure all students were active for a majority of the lessons. Her skill
development/drills for the students were designed with some progression, but at times, struggled with
timing and duration of activities. At times, Jessica included ‘play based/game sense’ learning, but was
inconsistent in including these every lesson.
Areas of improvement for Jessica would be to better understand the game sense approach to
teaching to ensure that students not only learn relevant skills, but also strategy and tactics of the
sports she’s teaching.

Professional Practice

Jessica planned for and taught physical education lessons to year 9 and 10 students. Her planning
included sport specific skill development and appropriate timing was spent on most activities. Whilst
her lesson plans were completed before the lessons, planning more in advance would help to fix
timing issues. She worked well to develop the areas of improvement given by myself and university
liaison e.g. her voice projection during practical lessons, but there is still room for improvement here.
She took advice and criticism well and worked to fix the issues that were identified.
Jess has also taught the Shine curriculum with success to year 9/10 students which covers
areas of sexual health.
In Health, Jess has taught content to Stage 1 students covering areas including environmental
health, mental health and physical health. Her lesson plans were satisfactory and included tasks
for the students to highlight their learnt knowledge. Her classroom management was good and
she didn’t have behavioural issues in this class.
One of Jessica’s strengths was that she was constantly moving around in her classes (in both
practical and theory lessons) providing feedback and support to all students. She gave specific
feedback, often in the form of demonstrations, that helped the child progress in their skill.
Professional Engagement
Jessica immediately made positive relationships with the staff and students at Mark Oliphant. The
speed and effectiveness in which she was able to do this was highlighted in the positive response
from the students. She learnt names quickly and took an interest in their lives, which helped to
further develop her relationships with students.
As a result of her positive relationships with the staff, she was able to assist with other staff
members in teaching lessons to ensure she gained more experience with other staff, students
and content.
During her placement, she was punctual, arriving before 8:30am and leaving after 3:30pm and
dressed in attire that was suitable for teaching physical education.
In accordance with staff expectations at MOC, Jess attended staff meetings, completed all yard
duties and assisted on school events- such as the year 8/9 basketball tournament.
An area of improvement for Jessica would be to make better use of her non-instructional time.
She could use this time to plan further in advance and in more depth and could also observe
other teachers in her fields of study.

Written by: Matthew Ames Date: 5th September, 2018

 SUMMARY ASSESSMENT (To be agreed by the School Coordinator and the University Liaison)

In our opinion (Insert full name)

(Please click on appropriate box below)

☒ has, on balance, attained the level of ‘emerging’ against the Flinders standards for pre-service
teachers and is ready to progress to the final professional experience.

☐ has not attained the overall level of ‘emerging’ against the Flinders standards for pre-service
teachers and is not ready to undertake the final professional experience.

NOTES FOR COMPLETING THIS REPORT

The pre-service teacher may wish to submit this report with an application for employment. Please avoid the use of
acronyms as student reports are often viewed by interstate and international employers who are not always familiar with
South Australian nomenclature.

Please keep an electronic copy of this report and submit the report to the University Liaison.
Please DO NOT give a copy of this to the student as the report needs to be certified by the University.

Please submit the completed report within 2 weeks of completion of Professional Experience placement.

If this is not possible then please email it directly to: mssprofexp@flinders.edu.au