102605 Professional Practice Community Engagement – Reflection

Brigitte Gerges

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Word Count: 540

The community setting at Kellyville Highschool encompasses a highly diverse student

and teacher body. I had not expected the environment to hold and nurture such a diverse range

of students. The learning centre is an essential dimension of the high school whereby support

officers employ strategies that were developed through the collaboration of the student’s

teachers, experts in the field specific to meeting the students need and supported by the family.

These strategies improve the learning experience of students with differentiated needs. Before

I commenced the practicum, I had engaged with teachers that had previously worked at the

high school in order to develop an understanding of the learning expectations and community

environment.

I researched the philosophy of the school as well as investigated the new developments

surrounding the learning process the school was implementing. The goals I had set for myself

during my practicum included developing a comfortable confidence in front of students,

learning the content i.e. relearning algebra. Attentively observing the different teaching styles

across different KLA’s in order to develop and adopt my own style. This was an extremely

valuable experience completed at Kellyville Highschool Learning centre as it exposed me to

students with diverse learning abilities and diverse backgrounds. I was also able to observe

teachers in delivering their instruction, organisation and content selection for the different class

levels this included whether they differentiated the tasks for students that were not able to
follow the mainstream content. This experience showed the realistic expectations and trials the

learning centre had attempted to implement across the faculty.

I believe the students learned different content and a different teacher style and patience

and resilience in my service learning project. I felt I was able to build a relationship with

students I was able to consistently assist. By the last class I felt there was a mutual respect and

understanding that we had developed for each other followed. It was certainly challenging and

eye opening and my first day was exhausting however it was enriching overall and rich

professional learning experience. In addition, I was able to guide students through individual

learning assessments and differentiated content suitable to their learning abilities. It was

difficult at first as they weren’t familiar with me however it was great after a couple of lessons

and getting to know the student.

This experience has helped me understand the effort and negotiation I’d need to employ

in a classroom environment in order to get effective cooperation and effort from each student.

This further shows the opportunities that the students have not fulfilled yet and where I would

be able to help them strive for and then thrive in learning abilities for better academic, social

and emotional learning. There was certainly an etiological system present within the classroom

and between students. The more effective teacher management styles had clearly outlines their

expectations and reinforced these expectations in with positive strategies over the course of the

previous term. There were rewards and timely activities with realistic incentives that still

followed the content and outcomes the lesson would achieve. I am so happy I had the

opportunity to work along amazing staff at Kellyville Highschool and the Learning centre. This

experience has positively influenced my future pedagogical practice.