In 2007 I returned to university to obtain my Graduate Diploma in Education. I qualified to teach Senior Biology, Adult Learning and Junior Science and was working by November of 2007. I gained permanent full-time at the beginning of 2008 and stayed at this school until 2019, when I resigned to pursue my PhD in Education. With the arrival of Covid19, my research plans were put on ice, and I began working again, but this time in the role of Learning Strategies Coordinator.
Learning Strategies
A classroom of 25 students has various personalities and physical and cognitive abilities, and a teacher must cater to all these needs while still delivering an engaging curriculum in a pedagogically effective way. For example, some students require regular movement breaks; some can work a lesson without moving, and others must get up every 5 minutes. Understanding and catering to these differences by changing the activities for students ensure that can all work to their best abilities without disrupting each other.
My experience extends to working with students with learning challenges such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia as well as Autism, ADHD, APD, cognitive differences, hearing and sight impaired and students with mental health issues. Each student’s skills, abilities and capabilities are considered to ensure they can access the learning materials and feel like a valuable classroom member.
Curriculum Development
In addition to teaching science classes from years 7 to 12, I was involved in developing content and writing curriculum. Practically, this is working out what the students are to learn and how they will learn it. In younger years, this often involves ensuring the content is easily accessible to all abilities. In the senior years, it is to ensure the content is covered to enable them to complete their SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education).
Speciality courses are a favourite of mine. I have previously re-written the year 10 Science Curriculum as a cooking course to make it more accessible to students who were uninterested in the standard science coursework. For younger year levels, I have been involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) integration using various topics such as earthquake-proofing buildings, support materials for stressed teens and solar-powered boats.
Most recently, I have been writing a curriculum for Cross Curriculum Studies. This subject is for students with learning challenges, and it teaches them life and executive functioning hacks to use in the classroom and their normal lives.