4. Create and maintain safe learning environments
During my placement at Woodend Primary School in 2017, I aimed to create a learning environment that enabled all students to feel comfortable and motivated, allowing them to actively participate in all tasks. I placed an emphasis on 'noticing' and 'wondering' within the classroom - concepts my mentor teacher embedded throughout her teaching to get students continuously reflecting and thinking about their work and the next step. In order to incorporate this idea within my own teaching, I implemented a "wonder wall". At anytime during the day, students could add to the wall with anything they noticed or wondered about from any of the learning activities or class discussions. I believe that this not only promoted student participation, but also created an environment that provided all students with a voice.
Evidence 1
Also connects with standards 1.5, 2.5, 3.3
'Wonderwall' put up in the classroom - third year placement
Evidence 2
Also connects with standards 1.5, 3.1, 3.3
'Intellectual Stretch' and 'Stretch Thinking' were two concepts that were unfamiliar to me prior to my third year placement at Woodend Primary School. Stretch thinking supports development of metacognition, resilience and persistence. Click on the button to the left to find out more information about how Woodend Primary has implemented stretch thinking into their teaching and learning.
In order to familiarise the students with this concept of stretch thinking, we had a class discussion and recorded our findings. We discussed what stretch thinking looks like, feels like and sounds like. This recording was referred back to when the students needed to be challenged with their learning.
Whole class discussion about 'stretch thinking' - recorded on a poster and put up in the classroom for students to refer to.
Evidence 3
Also connects with standards 1.2, 1.5, 1.6,
As a part of the morning routine each day, we would take part in the 'Feel Calm, Stay Calm' program. This program was adapted from the concept of interoception. The aim of this program is to develop an awareness in students about how their body is feeling and strategies they can use when they are becoming escalated or heightened in their behaviours. Some of these strategies included pushing up against a wall for ten seconds, pushing down on a table for ten seconds, massaging head for ten seconds and counting to ten by whispering. Each morning we act out all these strategies and when I saw any of the students become heightened, I would prompt them to use one of these strategies as a calming tool. This provided a safe environment for all students and began to develop a toolbox of calming strategies for these students with special needs. For my future practice, this program can easily be used across both special education and mainstream settings.
Evidence 4
Also connects with standards 1.5, 1.6, 6.1,
Throughout my research, I have found that Kids Matter has an abundance of useful and engaging resources to support students within our classrooms. The MindUp Curriculum focuses on the development of social and emotional skills and focuses on the development of self-regulation behaviours. The program is made up of a series of sequential lessons that enables the program to be delivered in a sensitive and respectful manner.