Through my own personal reflective practise and also discussing with my placement

mentors I have been able to find three pertinent areas of focus which align with AITSL
standards. These three areas are focus areas that I would like to focus on and have been
flagged throughout my placement experiences as areas that I need to focus and work on.
Working on these three areas through different professional learning avenues will ensure
that as a pre-service teacher and continuing into the field of education I am able to see
personal growth and flourishing and also flourishing/growth of my students.
Nominated areas:

Focus Area Number Domain: Professional Knowledge

Standard 2- Know the content and how to teach it.
Focus area 2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area
Graduate Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance
descriptor and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
Current Knowledge, Skills, Attributes & Strategies​:
Throughout my university experience I have been able to build on a number of teaching
strategies including HIIT strategies from the Victorian State Government that I have been
able to implement into my classroom such as differentiation in the classroom,
inquiry-based instruction, behaviour management, collaborative learning and explicit
teaching. These strategies are just some strategies that I am able to implement into the
classroom however with a more sound knowledge of specific content I would be able to
implement my current strategies and skills in the classroom to give my students an
enhanced opportunity to learn in a positive environment.

Rationale for Choice of Focus Area:

Throughout my three placements it became apparent that whilst I was able to create
fantastic connections with the students in my class and am able to utilise a number of
different teaching strategies to ensure that all learners within the classroom were engaged,
there were times when I lacked specific content knowledge including explicit terminology.
Throughout my placement as I would be teaching some specific content that I did not have
sound knowledge in I lacked confidence in my own teaching abilities therefore the content
may have been hard to understand for my students. It is vital that I have a sound and in
depth understanding of all of the content areas that I will be teaching as an educator as
well as terminology knowledge so as my students are able to grow, flourish and build on
their own understanding of specific content areas.
 Learning Goals (You may have 2 or 3)
Goal 1: ​Find areas where I lack specific content knowledge/confidence- Maths? Teaching
angles. English? Poetry/ Phonemic awareness (what is this?). Science- focus on content
descriptors.
Goal 2: ​Participate in PD sessions with specific connections to content knowledge and
appropriate teaching strategies.
Goal 3:​ When participating in placement ensure that I discuss specific content areas that
may need improvement.
Barriers/Concerns
I believe that the biggest barrier/concern for me in meeting this standard and achieving the
learning goals I have created for myself is my own self-confidence. Where my learning
goal and a large part of this graduate standard is having sound knowledge in specific
content areas. My self doubt is presented both within the classroom when I am teaching
and also in my ongoing assignments where I second guess my knowledge which in turn
affects my confidence in what I am teaching or producing within my assignment. The lack
of confidence produces a lapse in my teaching- this affects my students and myself
directly where they may second guess my teaching and content knowledge. Lacking
self-confidence in the classroom is something my students I believe also pick up on in the
classroom as students are so intuitive…. As an educator I wish to be a positive role-model
part of this is being confident and trusting that I have the knowledge and skills that I need
to teach my students.
Plan of action/Relevant Resources
I plan on taking note of Literacy terminology guide:
specific content areas that I https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachin
lack confidence in. Whilst I gresources/discipline/english/literacy/readingviewing/Pag
am engaging with my es/litfocusvocab.aspx
supervising teaching
throughout my placement Mathematical terminology guides:
experience I plan on Introducing new mathematical terminology
discussing particular content
areas and specific Everyday versus mathematical terminology
terminology that he/she
utilises when they are Teaching terms:
teaching in the classroom. https://commons.georgetown.edu/teaching/glossary/
 Focus Area Number Two: Domain: Professional Practice
Standard 3. Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

Focus Area 3.2- Plan, structure and sequence learning programs

Graduate descriptor Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student

learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
Current Knowledge, Skills, Attributes & Strategies
Throughout my university experience I have utilised a number of different lesson plans
and structures. The lesson plan/structure that was utilised by both of my placement
experiences was a structure that followed having an introduction into the lesson to gain
students attention, the body of the lesson where the main part of the learning takes place
and a recap which concludes the lesson and allows students to recap and works on
concreting student learning or finding misunderstandings. Throughout my ongoing learning
I understand that it is vital to have a structure and sequence of learning to ensure that the
lesson flows and to ensure that learning targets are met. I am able to ensure that there is
an introduction and body within each lesson, however I need to work on timing so as there
is always a conclusion/recap of the lesson.
Rationale for Choice of Focus Area
The reason as to why I have chosen to focus on lesson sequences and utilising student
learning, content and effective teaching strategies is because I believe it is important that
specific strategies are put into place within the classroom to ensure that each individual’s
needs are met and so they are able to learn. Structure within the classroom is vital for
educators to implement as it is said that “classroom structure influences students in a
holistic way.”​ ​(Bergsmann, Van De Schoot, Schober, Finsterwald & Spiel, 2013)​ ​It is
important that a range of specific teaching strategies are utilised within the classroom so
as that individual students with all different needs are able to gain insights, knowledge and
are able to flourish within the classroom and wider community. I believe that I am not fully
aware of all of the different teaching strategies that I am able to utilise as an educator to
ensure that all of my future students within the classroom have structure and are able to
learn in the way that is best suited to the individual. Hence why this has become a focus
area for me to work on. I also found during my most recent placement that I was given
advice to work on structuring my lessons to ensure that all of my students are thought of..
See below:

Learning Goals (You may have 2 or 3)

 Goal 1: ​Gain a deeper understanding of different teaching and learning strategies and
how they are able to meet specific individual learning needs.
Goal 2: ​Attend professional development sessions (either online or physically) about
classroom structure and specific learning strategies.
Goal 3: ​When participating in placement ensure that I engage with my teaching partner
(mentor) to discuss the different individual learners within the classroom and the different
teaching strategies I might use throughout the placement experience.

Barriers/Concerns
I understand that this is something that I will continually work on even as I move from
being a graduate to a proficient teacher. One of my concerns/worries regarding this
standard is not having the complete knowledge of each of my students needs and not
understanding which teaching strategy to implement. Another barrier/ concern for me is
my own lack of confidence which leads to not trusting my own knowledge and utilising the
tools I know and understand that should be implemented.
Plan of action/Relevant Resources
I will ensure that when I engage in my I will ensure that I utilise the Victorian
final placement I discuss with my Government’s teaching department’s high
supervising teacher and discuss impact teaching strategies when in the
potential teaching strategies I am able classroom in my professional experience but
to use within the classroom to target also when I am an educator.
specific students and their learning
needs. I will start by forming my own https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/sc
list of strategies and share this with my hool/teachers/support/Expired/0000highimpactte
supervising teacher. achstrat-expired.pdf
 Focus Area Number Three: Domain: Professional Engagement
Standard 6- Engage in professional learning

Focus Area 6.4- Apply professional learning and improve student learning
Graduate Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continued
descriptor professional learning and the implications for improved student
learning.

Current Knowledge, Skills, Attributes & Strategies

Throughout my university time and professional experiences I have gained the
understanding that professional learning is absolutely crucial not only for my own learning
but also for my future students. I understand that professional learning has a “crucial role
in education” (De Wever, Vanderlinde, Tuytens & Aelterman, 2016). In terms of strategies
that relate to professional learning is actually attending professional development
meetings and further educating myself through research. I understand that as a teacher I
am able to participate in school run personal development/learning sessions. I understand
that whilst I attend these meetings it is also important for me to personally engage in more
than just these in school meetings and attend more professional development/learning
opportunities. Throughout my professional experiences so far I have attended a number of
professional development/learning meetings which have already provided me with
important information.
Rationale for chosen focus area
As mentioned above professional learning is so important to me as I understand how it is
crucial for my own learning and continuous development. I also understand that
professional learning is something that is vital for me to engage in in an on-going fashion
for my students growth and development both within the classroom and wider community.
Professional learning allows for me to understand ever changing classroom teaching
strategies which I am able to implement into my future classrooms so as my students are
continually growing, flourishing and learning within the classroom. I also believe that
continual professional development and learning will build on my own self confidence both
when I am teaching in the classroom and also engaging with my professional learning
colleagues and future parents of my students. I feel that within my previous placements I
have shown that I am able to engage professional however I understand there is always
room to improve. See below (most recent placement report)
 Learning Goals (You may have 2 or 3)
Goal 1: ​Participate in all of the PD sessions provided by the EDFD452 and EDFX444
units this semester.
Goal 2: ​Ensure that when I am on placement I engage in the provided PD sessions
Goal 3: ​Participate in outside of university and placement PD experiences for my own self
learning and self confidence building.
Barriers/Concerns
The main barrier/concern for me in relation to this finding outside Professional
development sessions and not quite understanding if it is possible to do this or not.
Plan of action/Relevant Resources
I will engage with the Victorian Government's page- ​Professional development for
teachers​. ​This page is fantastic and shares different PD meetings/ events and catalogues
to simply find the PD that is on offer in my state. Another page that is helpful is the ​training
and development for school professionals​ page by the Victorian Government.
Whilst I understand I attend ACU whilst I was researching PD opportunities I found
Monash University’s short courses​ in regards to professional development where they
provide specific content area training such as mathematics, STEM etc.