June 2023

Reflecting on the importance of developing strong relationships as an early career teacher Mr Paul Soward, English Teacher

Developing strong relationships with students is one of the cornerstones of my pedagogy. One of the primary reasons I became a teacher was that I saw the power of the relationships my parents developed in their careers as teachers. To this day, the stories they hear from, or about, past students are a poignant reminder that mentoring adolescents and sharing your passion with them can be an incredibly rewarding experience. In my own teaching practice, the relationships I have developed in the classroom have been immensely rewarding personally and professionally. In my time at BGGS, I have found clear and empathetic communication is a vital part of building these rewarding relationships. The payoff is most evident in how students engage with feedback and show a willingness to explore new ideas. Recently, I have been conferencing with my Year 9 students about their narrative short stories. As part of this, I have needed to guide students to reflect on the logic of their characters, how their reader is positioned to respond to these characters, and how they can create tension within these stories. Writing a story can From the very first day I stepped into a classroom as a teacher, I knew I had made the right career choice. Having the opportunity to facilitate learning in a classroom, see those moments of understanding in a student’s eyes, observe growth, and cultivate a supportive classroom environment, have been the true highlights of my early career as a Math teacher. The path to get here has not been without its obstacles. Meeting students’ diverse needs, discovering effective (and not so effective) strategies to engage learners, and facing the challenge of students saying ‘I don’t understand’ halfway through a lesson have all been part of the journey. Rising to these challenges has been instrumental in my growth as a teacher, both personally and professionally. Every experience I’ve had as an educator has played a crucial role in shaping my teaching philosophy and self-awareness. In my short time as a teacher, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside inspiring colleagues and mentors who have encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, embrace new approaches, and reflect on my practice. Although there is always a fear of ‘getting it wrong’ during peer observations, I have learned the immense value of feedback on teaching practice. It has provided me with insights into areas of improvement while also highlighting the strengths I bring to the classroom. One observation, in particular, stands out. I believed the lesson had gone awry, but the feedback was surprisingly positive. It helped shift my focus from meeting the specific, rigid, classroom goals I had set to prioritising student learning and engagement. It also taught me to be kind to myself and reflect on both the good and bad of a lesson. It was a transformative moment that reshaped my teaching perspective. Another significant milestone for me was reading Oliver Lovell’s book, Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory in Action .

feel very personal, and as a result, so can the feedback. Therefore, communicating this guidance with clarity and empathy was crucial. Initially, some students were quite visibly disappointed that they needed to change their idea or think more deeply and fully about their story. I noticed conversations went not only more smoothly, but were far more constructive, when I was able to clearly communicate the intent of my feedback. Additionally, navigating the delicate balance of praise and criticism was essential in managing this challenge. This intent and tactful communication was always informed by the relationships I had developed across the year so far. What has been most rewarding is that many students have worked hard after these conferences to apply, and then seek, further feedback. By building trust and communicating clear expectations it has been fantastic to see students embrace feedback and work through the challenge of changing their ideas. Reflecting on this recently has been a powerful reminder for me that relationships should remain at the forefront of my pedagogy. As an early career teacher, it feels particularly important to remember this.

Equations and insights: early career reflections Mr Allan Herbst, Mathematics Teacher

This enlightening resource helped me understand the limitations of working memory and the importance of optimising learning through effective instructional strategies. Simply put, a student’s working memory is a limited resource in a lesson. Once used up, there is very little left to work with. This helped me see those moments of ‘I don’t understand’ for what they are: signs of cognitive overload. With limited working memory in mind, keeping it simple and avoiding overcomplication has become a guiding principle in my teaching. So now when I introduce the Quadratic Formula for example, I fight the urge to derive the formula from scratch in the first instance. I show students how to use the formula and highlight its important features first. When they return with a refreshed working memory and the necessary foundation, we can then delve into these fun, complex concepts. As I continue to learn, I look forward to embracing new challenges, finding innovative ways to empower my students, and further exploring how we all learn. Teaching is a lifelong journey, and I am excited to continue learning and growing as an educator.

School-wide Pedagogy Newsletter June Edition 2023

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