"#$%&' ()*+,-.

/)*0)1 2+/34+,-5 67,8

AsslgnmenL 1 arL 8: Lssay

8ased on my observaLlons and lnformed by Lhe Lhree overarchlng unlL
ouLcomes, l have Lold Lhe sLory of my professlonal experlence and reflecLed on
my cholce of prlmary Leachlng.

uue: 4:30pm Monday 13
Lh
SepLember
(LxLenslon recelved)

9:0-7) ;7,,0- <=>=<?@&










8Lu130 undersLandlng 1eachers' Work Allson Morrls 32423693
"
1hls semesLer l was requlred Lo underLake flve days of professlonal experlence ln
boLh a prlmary and secondary seLLlng. 1he focus was Lo observe Lhe dlverse roles
and responslblllLles of Lhe classroom Leacher. 1hrough crlLlcal reflecLlon, l
esLabllshed an appreclaLlon of Lhe dlfferlng ablllLles and needs of sLudenLs. 8oLh
experlences gave me a broader undersLandlng of Lhe scope of schoollng from
prlmary Lo secondary years, and Lhe funcLlon of schoollng ln AusLrallan socleLy.
rlor Lo underLaklng my flrsL professlonal experlence, l sLrongly belleved LhaL l
was more sulLed Lo prlmary Leachlng, Lhan secondary LeachlngA

l observed LhaL a classroom Leacher, wheLher ln a prlmary or secondary seLLlng,
has many dlverse roles and responslblllLles. Pe or she ls responslble for plannlng,
preparlng, Leachlng, reflecLlng, and assesslng sLudenL learnlng. A Leacher ls
expecLed Lo have Lhe conLenL knowledge and pedagoglcal pracLlce Lo meeL Lhe
dlverse needs of sLudenLs. Pe or she ls also requlred Lo employ successful
classroom managemenL Lechnlques (Ldwards & WaLLs, 2008). A Leacher ls
expecLed Lo uphold a cerLaln code of eLhlcs requlred for Lhe Leachlng professlon
and ls responslble for Lhe duLy of care of hls or her sLudenLs. Pe or she may also
be requlred Lo aLLend meeLlngs and professlonal developmenL semlnars. l am
aware LhaL Lhls merely aLLempLs Lo scraLch Lhe surface of Lhe many roles and
responslblllLles of a classroom Leacher, however Lhese are Lhe maln observaLlons
l made whllsL on my one-week placemenLs.

WhllsL on boLh professlonal experlences, l esLabllshed an appreclaLlon of Lhe
dlfferlng ablllLles and needs of sLudenLs. lL was evldenL LhaL each sLudenL brlngs a
unlque personallLy, and rlch sense of culLural ldenLlLy Lo Lhe classroom. SLudenL
dlverslLy ofLen leads Lo dlfferlng ablllLles and needs ln a classroom envlronmenL.
lacLors such as eLhnlclLy, soclo-economlc sLaLus, gender and language play an
lmporLanL parL ln esLabllshlng Lhe dlfferlng ablllLles and needs of sLudenLs. ln
boLh professlonal experlences l saw a dlverslLy of learners, from glfLed and
LalenLed sLudenLs Lo sLudenLs wlLh dlsablllLles and lmpalrmenLs. lL was obvlous
LhaL boLh menLor Leachers were Leachlng a dlverse scope of sLudenL ablllLles, and
caLered for Lhls commendably. 1hey were culLurally senslLlve and lncorporaLed
8Lu130 undersLandlng 1eachers' Work Allson Morrls 32423693
#
Lhe approach of lncluslve educaLlon, whereby Lhe focus ls on Lhe sLudenLs'
sLrengLhs, and dlverslLy ls celebraLed (CroundwaLer-SmlLh, Lwlng & Le Cornu,
2011)

8oLh professlonal experlences furLhered my undersLandlng of Lhe funcLlon of
schoollng ln AusLrallan socleLy. lL was evldenL LhaL boLh menLor Leachers'
prlmary goal was Lo educaLe. 8arry and klng (1998) suggesL an lmporLanL parL of
a Leacher's role ls Lo work Lowards achlevlng Lhe broad, long-Lerm goals of
schoollng. lor example, ln our socleLy, schoollng ls deslgned Lo equlp young
people wlLh Lhe knowledge, undersLandlng, skllls and values Lo Lake advanLage of
opporLunlLy and Lo face challenges wlLh confldence. Schools play an lnLegral role
ln promoLlng and fosLerlng Lhe developmenL and wellbelng of sLudenLs. ln
reference Lo Lhe Lwo goals ln Lhe Melbourne ueclaraLlon on LducaLlonal Coals
for ?oung AusLrallans (MlnlsLerlal Councll on LducaLlon, LmploymenL, 1ralnlng
and ?ouLh Affalrs, 2008) Lhe funcLlon of schoollng ls Lo promoLe equlLy and
excellence and supporL all sLudenLs Lo become successful learners, confldenL and
creaLlve lndlvlduals and acLlve and lnformed clLlzens.

1o surmlse, l galned lnvaluable lnslghL lnLo Lhe dlverse roles and responslblllLles
of a classroom Leacher and Lhe learnlng dlverslLles of sLudenLs. 8oLh experlences
furLhered my undersLandlng of Lhe funcLlon of schoollng wlLhln our socleLy. As l
was requlred Lo engage ln boLh a prlmary and secondary seLLlng, l was able Lo
conLrasL Lhe Lwo experlences and Lhus make an lnformed declslon abouL
conLlnulng my paLhway Lo becomlng a prlmary Leacher.








8Lu130 undersLandlng 1eachers' Work Allson Morrls 32423693
$

8eferences

1. 8arry, k., & klng, L. (1998) !"#$%%$%# '"()*$%# (%+ ,"-.%+. new SouLh
Wales: Soclal Sclence ress.

2. Ldwards, C. P., & WaLLs, v. (2008) /0(112..3 +$1)$40$%" 5 3(%(#"3"%' (2
nd

ed.). Cueensland: !ohn Wlley & Sons AusLralla.

3. CroundwaLer-SmlLh, S., Lwlng, 8., & Le Cornu, 8. (2011) 6"()*$%#
)*(00"%#"1 (%+ +$0"33(1 (4
Lh
ed.). vlcLorla: Cengage Learnlng AusLralla.

4. MlnlsLerlal Councll for LducaLlon, LmploymenL, 1ralnlng and ?ouLh Affalrs.
(2008) 7"0,.82%" +")0(2('$.% .% "+8)('$.%(0 #.(01 9.2 -.8%#
:81'2(0$(%1. 8eLrleved:
hLLp://www.currlculum.edu.au/verve/_resources/naLlonal_ueclaraLlon
_on_Lhe_LducaLlonal_Coals_for_?oung_AusLrallans.pdf