APPLYING FOR POSITIONS IN

SCHOOLS Lyn Gordon

SELECTION CRITERIA

SC1 Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and the Assessment and Reporting Advice and the ability to implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent. 

SC2 Demonstrated understanding of how students learn and effective classroom teaching strategies and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning. 

SC3 Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning. 

SC4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students, parents and other staff.

SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school activities and a capacity to reflect on, evaluate and improve professional knowledge and practice.

SC1 Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and the Assessment and Reporting Advice and the ability to implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent. (Graduate Criteria)

SC1 Demonstrated understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Standards, the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and Assessment and Reporting Advice and the capacity to implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent. (Classroom Teacher Criteria)

SC2 Demonstrated understanding of how students learn and effective classroom teaching strategies and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning. (Graduate Criteria)

SC2 Demonstrated high level classroom teaching skills and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning. (Classroom Teacher Criteria)

SC3 Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning. (Graduate Criteria)

SC3 Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning. (Classroom Teacher Criteria)

SC4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students, parents and other staff. (Graduate Criteria)

SC4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students, parents and other staff. (Classroom Teacher Criteria)

SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school activities and a capacity to reflect on, evaluate and improve professional knowledge and practice.(Graduate Criteria)

SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school activities and a commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of skills, expertise and teaching capacity.(Classroom Teacher Criteria)

SC6 Demonstrated ability to use Student Learning Data to plan and implement a differentiated classroom program.

SC6 Demonstrated ability to plan and implement a sequential junior and middle school Physical Education program.

SC6 Demonstrated understanding of Japanese culture and language and the capacity to develop and implement an effective Japanese language program.

SC6 Demonstrated ability to create a supportive classroom environment where positive student welfare and management practices are implemented.

SC6 Demonstrated capacity to engage children of all ability levels in their learning, including children with severe learning and behavioural needs.

SC6 Demonstrated knowledge and competency in the use of Information and Communication Technology to support learning within the classroom, including the effective use of interactive whiteboards.

SC2 Demonstrated high level classroom teaching skills and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and learning.

The manner in which teachers teach affects not only the students’ knowledge and skills, but also their attitudes and behaviours. An important part of my role as a teacher is to build positive relationships within the classroom, thus creating a supportive learning environment where students feel confident to seek help, acknowledge and learn from their mistakes, take risks, and know they belong.

I have been fortunate in my practicums to be able to implement a variety of teaching strategies, enabling students to achieve their full potential. My experiences at Kingston PS, George Street PS, King Street PS and James Street PS allowed me to:

Use a variety of visual aids, concrete materials, explanations and examples students could relate to, assisting them to understand the concepts being covered

Place emphasis on classroom management, as I believe this has a direct relationship to student learning, my capacity to teach effectively and my commitment to building strong relationships within the classroom

Develop comprehensive planners which informed my daily teaching and directed my thinking as to what my students needed to know next

Incorporate ICT into student learning to increase engagement and extend each student’s skill base

Utilise small group and individual activities to foster motivation and provide opportunities for explicit teaching

Plan activities that incorporated Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences and students’ preferred learning styles

Plan Units of work (Discovering Australia) using Bloom’s Taxonomy and De Bono’s Thinking Hats Integrate Brain Gym (kinesiology) as a ‘methodology’ to prepare the mind and body to process

new information

During my Professional Experience practicums, I have developed numerous Lessons and Units of work based on an Integrated Curriculum approach using inquiry based learning, as it allows for open-ended activities and promotes negotiated tasks, encouraging all learners to work at their own pace, extend their understandings and research issues they feel are important to them. Throughout my placements, I have:

Facilitated inquiry based learning across a range of year levels. One such unit enabled students to step back in time and learn about the goldfields, and the effect the gold rush had on people’s lives. This Unit enabled students to reflect on the changes brought about by the discovery of gold and allowed them to present their findings in a variety of formats.

Designed an Integrated Unit of study exploring emotions titled ‘Why Do we Cry?’ where students’ ideas were recorded, then a series of Literacy, Science, ICT and Art activities were used for students to come up with answers and present them accordingly

Used ongoing evaluation of both my teaching and student learning, to assess which methods and activities employed were most effective in achieving individual and classroom goals

I have attended numerous staff meetings and been involved in several team meetings and whilst at James Street PS, I was actively involved in a curriculum planning day for the following term. This gave me an opportunity to contribute ideas and be aware of the effort and the resources required to develop engaging activities. The main objective of this planning was to improve the outcomes for students and to engage and connect them to their learning. I am very passionate and dedicated to my chosen profession and feel that it is important to share ideas, knowledge and resources with other professionals, so as a teaching team we are able to provide a positive working relationship and the best education possible for our students.

As a classroom teacher at James Street PS, I will plan, implement and evaluate quality teaching programs using my understanding of how students learn and my high level classroom teaching skills to provide engaging and successful teaching and learning experiences to enhance student achievement in all areas of the curriculum. I will collaboratively work with my colleagues to develop my teaching skills and improve my teaching to ensure positive outcomes for all students within my care.

 SC3 Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to inform teaching for improved student learning.

Effective monitoring and analysis of assessment allows for accurate judgments to be made about student progress and therefore inform focused teaching and learning. Assessment is an ongoing process that requires the gathering of data, analysis of that data and subsequent reflection – where to now? 

To monitor and assess means to observe, understand and act on the knowledge gained. Monitoring and assessment forms an integral part of teaching and learning. Observing students as they learn and interact assists teachers to understand their students and fully develop their abilities and capacities.  

Monitoring and assessment of students is a process which occurs both formally and informally, inside and outside the classroom. Whether assessment is undertaken as anecdotal records or structured tests, a variety of methods are required to ensure that the data collected and collated is reliable, valid and useful for planning future instruction to ensure improved student learning.

Throughout my Professional Experience placements, I have demonstrated my ability to use assessment to improve my teaching practice by: 

Using Assessment as Learning by facilitating group discussion and reflection at the end of each lesson, in which students identified what they had learned, what they would like to know more about and what they enjoyed

Using Assessment of Learning by making observations of student engagement, noting comments made during discussions, and collecting and evaluating work samples

Using Assessment for Learning by beginning each lesson with a class discussion to elicit prior knowledge about each topic to inform my teaching

The ability to critically assess and reflect is an essential skill for an effective teacher. By undertaking ongoing student assessment (formal and informal) a teacher gathers, analyses and reflects on student work, monitors progress and achievement, and has a basis on which to plan for future instruction.

During my practicums, I used a number of different assessment practices to monitor student learning. These included:

Anecdotal records – making daily notes on students in my class to ensure that I observed and gave attention to individual students, heightening my awareness of their learning progress

Classroom support – assisting students in the completion of their work and providing immediate feedback on their progress, both formally and informally

Samples of student work – gathering students’ work and through thorough analysis assessing their level of learning

Numeracy testing – assisting with the Mathematics Online Interview (to assess students’ growth in the dimensions of Number, Measurement and Space)

Reading assessment – completing running records on students operating at various reading levels and displaying an array of reading strategies, or lack thereof, and making anecdotal notes re their text comprehension

Report writing – observing the process of collating evidence and developing reports to document student academic progress against the Standards

Learning displays – assisting students to create presentations to showcase their learnings in Literacy, Numeracy, Creative Arts and Information and Communication Technology

Rubrics – developing rubrics to guide students in their completion of learning tasks i.e. The Rush for Gold (project)

With each type of assessment, I took the time to review and reflect on the information obtained. I used this information to increase my knowledge of individual students and their ability to complete a given task. It is this knowledge that improves teaching and the outcomes for students.  

Assessment takes many forms (diagnostic, summative, formative) and must be chosen to best fit the purpose in mind. It is essential for teachers to ensure that the needs of individual students are being met and that measurable progress is being made by each student.   

As a classroom teacher at James Street PS, I will continue to develop my understanding of and skills in assessment. I will provide students with varied assessment opportunities and keep detailed and accurate observations and records of student work. I will also use this data to improve my own teaching practices, inform future instruction and engage in reflection.

CURRICULUM VITAE

CURRICULUM VITAE ~ Erin SMITHPersonal Details:

Name: Erin SmithAddress: 17A Eureka Street Ballarat VIC 3350Contact Phone: 0418 220 990 Email: smith.erin.e@gmail.com

Education:

2011 – 2014 University of Ballarat / Federation UniversityMount Helen CampusBachelor of Education ( P – 6 )Majoring in PsychologyGolden Key International Honour Society ( member )

2005 – 2010 Baimbridge College Stephen Street HamiltonVictorian Certificate of Education ( ENTER : 94.75 ) Other Qualifications:

Community Coach Training Program( Facilitated by the Australian Government Sports Commission )

Level 1 Coaching Certificate( Facilitated by Gymnastics Victoria ~ fully accredited program )

AMEB Grade 8 Piano ( Theory and Musicianship )

Career Objective:

To create a safe, positive, supportive, engaging and caring learning environment that encourages all students to reach their full potential

Pre - Service Teaching Experience:

2014 James Street Primary SchoolGrade 3 / 4Result: High DistinctionDuring this placement I designed an Integrated Curriculum Unit using

Bloom’s Taxonomy focussing on Environmental Sustainability.

2013 King Street Primary SchoolGrade PrepResult: High DistinctionThis placement provided me with a sound introduction to the Early

Years Literacy and Numeracy Programs.

2012 George Street Primary SchoolGrade 5 / 6Result: High DistinctionDuring this placement I designed and implemented an Integrated

Curriculum Unit on Discovering Australia using the inquiry approach with students to facilitate their learning.

2011 Kingston Primary SchoolGrade 1 / 2Result: Pass ( Pass or Fail mark only )This placement taught me much about rural school communities,

which inspired me to instigate a community project recognising the local environment and culminating in the production of a school mural.

Voluntary Experience:

2014 James Street Primary School Planning and teaching of Music lessons Henty House Sports Day Grade 3/4 Outdoor Camp Experience Sports Teams Preparation Assembly Item Preparation

2013 King Street Primary School Prep Parent Picnic Tea Prep Parent Information Evening

2012 George Street Primary School School Concert choreography and practices Grade 5/6 Melbourne Urban Camp Experience

2011 Kingston Primary School Activity Leader ( Dance ) CLUBS Program Circus Skills Activity Day

Professional Development:

Walk on Words Presenter : Mem FoxEarly Years Literacy Conference

Success for BoysPresenter : Lyn WattsHamilton Cluster of Schools Conference

The Silent E Speaks OutPresenter : David HornsbyG - TEN ( Grampians Teacher Education Network )

Building Positive RelationshipsPresenter : Gayle MooreJames Street PS Curriculum Day

Other Work Experience:

2011 – Present Ballarat YMCAGymnastics Coach / Active After School Communities Coach / Vacation Care LeaderSkills involved :

Lesson planning and skill assessmentManagement of groups of up to fifty children and ten staffOrganisation and facilitation of excursionsLiaison with parents and the wider community

2011 – Present COLES SupermarketOffice Clerk / AssistantSkills involved :

High level customer serviceTraining of staff in office proceduresResponsibility for rostering of staffTime management

Personal Qualities:

CaringEnthusiasticConscientiousResponsibleReflectiveResilientDiligentOptimisticPersistentOrganisedCreativeInnovative

REFEREES

Mrs Jane BrownGrade 3/4 Classroom Teacher / 4th Year MentorJames Street Primary SchoolHamilton VIC 330003 5568 5217

Jane will be able to indicate my ability to differentiate curriculum when working with a diverse range of abilities and my commitment to developing engaging lessons for all students.

Mrs Lisa BlackPrep Classroom Teacher / 3rd Year MentorKing Street Primary SchoolHamilton VIC 330003 5571 6684

Lisa will be able to provide feedback on my relationships with students and parents, along with my detailed incorporation of the AusVELS within my planning of lessons and units of work.

Mrs Karen WhiteGrade 5/6 Team Teacher George Street Primary SchoolHamilton VIC 330003 5583 2524

As one of my supervising teachers during the delivery of an Integrated Curriculum Unit and the teaching of concert choreography to Grade 5 and 6 students, Karen will be able to comment on my utilisation of ICT, my capacity to work cooperatively in a team-teaching situation and my ability to build positive rapport with students.

COVERING LETTER

Erin Smith17A Eureka StreetBallarat VIC 3350Contact Phone: 0418 220 990 Email: smith.erin.e@gmail.com

Mr David JonesPrincipalJames Street Primary SchoolHamilton VIC 3300 Re: Classroom Teacher – Reference 855178

Dear Mr Jones and Panel Members,

I wish to apply for the Classroom Teacher position offered within your school through Recruitment Online, as advertised on the DEECD (Jobs in Victorian Government Schools) website.

I am graduating from Federation University (Ballarat) with a Bachelor of Education (P – 6) this year. I am a conscientious and enthusiastic teacher seeking entry into the teaching profession. My professional experiences have reinforced my passion for teaching and learning and the importance of working collaboratively with associate teachers. With further experience in a school environment and opportunities to maintain and extend my learning, I hope to continue growing as the exemplary teacher I aspire to be.

The culture supporting education encourages a strong sense of community within schools, thus promoting a safe place for students to learn. Following the completion of a practicum at your school this year and spending some time volunteering, I took note of the positive sense of community within the school and the dedicated and friendly nature of staff. If I were to gain a position at James Street Primary School, I would endeavour to maintain this culture and commit to making an active contribution to programs such as the Science Night, Family Picnic, Arts Performances and other extra-curricula activities.

Throughout my practicum experiences, I have been able to work collaboratively and cooperatively with a variety of staff from a variety of schools. This has assisted my growth as a teacher and my professional development, as it has allowed me to experience different teaching methods and a variety of classroom management strategies and styles. I believe strongly in the ‘team’ culture within schools and that school staff, prepared to share knowledge, talents and skills, promote excellence in education.

Please find attached my Curriculum Vitae and responses to the Selection Criteria, as outlined in the advertised position. If you have further questions regarding this application, please don’t hesitate to contact me on the details provided. Thank you for taking the time to read my application.

Yours sincerely,

Erin Smith

“I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather.As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether the crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanised or dehumanised.” 

Haim Ginott