Standard Four:
Create and Maintain Supportive and Safe Learning Environments
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/2/7/24274892/7495258.jpg?351)
4.1 Support student participation
Establish and implement inclusive and positive interactions to engage and support all students in classroom activities.
This standard is about creating a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported and included. As Maslow's Hierarchy (pictured) demonstrates, in order for students to be engaged in quality learning they must have their lower order needs met.
I try to ensure that students in my classroom feel safe, supported and included by building positive relationships with them. This can start by simply learning their names quickly and is built upon as you begin to know their likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses as individuals. I started this process from day one by having students fill out "getting to know you sheets" (pictured) with key informations about themselves and their approach to the subject. Getting to know your students allows you to pick up on class dynamics (including bullying and ruptures in friendship groups) as well as knowing at what times students may need extra support or extension. You will also be more able to present content in ways that engages your class by linking it with their own interests and experiences.
Establish and implement inclusive and positive interactions to engage and support all students in classroom activities.
This standard is about creating a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported and included. As Maslow's Hierarchy (pictured) demonstrates, in order for students to be engaged in quality learning they must have their lower order needs met.
I try to ensure that students in my classroom feel safe, supported and included by building positive relationships with them. This can start by simply learning their names quickly and is built upon as you begin to know their likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses as individuals. I started this process from day one by having students fill out "getting to know you sheets" (pictured) with key informations about themselves and their approach to the subject. Getting to know your students allows you to pick up on class dynamics (including bullying and ruptures in friendship groups) as well as knowing at what times students may need extra support or extension. You will also be more able to present content in ways that engages your class by linking it with their own interests and experiences.
For strong relationships it is necessary for the students to get to know and trust you as well. This must be done in a professional and ethical manner, ensuring the boundary between student and teacher is not crossed. However I find it is very useful for students to have a sense of me as a human, not just a teacher. This can be done by referencing my own interests, alluding to things that I have done or experienced such as holidays, weekend activities and anecdotes from my own schooling and university (where relevant and appropriate) and most of all by acknowledging when I don't know the answer or have made a mistake having a sense of humour about it. Students tend to model behaviour and take cues from their teacher and are more able to admit to not knowing something or having difficulties when their teacher has shown that this is ok and in fact universal.
The graph below is the responses of my 2014 Year 10 English class when they were anonymously asked to what extent "I feel included and valued in the class".
The graph below is the responses of my 2014 Year 10 English class when they were anonymously asked to what extent "I feel included and valued in the class".
4.2 Manage classroom activities
Establish and maintain orderly and workable routines to create an environment where student time is spent on learning tasks.
Establish and maintain orderly and workable routines to create an environment where student time is spent on learning tasks.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/2/7/24274892/2758876.jpeg?307)
4.3 Manage challenging behaviour
Manage challenging behaviour by establishing and negotiating clear expectations with students and address discipline issues promptly, fairly and respectfully.
This standard addresses the need to manage student behaviour in the classroom as an integral part of the teacher's role. C.M Charles theorised that there were three different stages of behaviour management - preventative, supportive and corrective - and I have modelled my overall behaviour management strategy on this idea (see link below).
It is important however for teachers to follow their school's behaviour management policy to ensure that all students are treated in an equal, fair and transparent manner. Pictured are some of the relevant behaviour management documents from Gleeson College which I familiarised myself with and utilised during my time at that school.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ixg3i0Lw1BDxaCZH5s_kuHNC6WzXHxPYLOPBiPRv3xM/edit?usp=sharing.
Manage challenging behaviour by establishing and negotiating clear expectations with students and address discipline issues promptly, fairly and respectfully.
This standard addresses the need to manage student behaviour in the classroom as an integral part of the teacher's role. C.M Charles theorised that there were three different stages of behaviour management - preventative, supportive and corrective - and I have modelled my overall behaviour management strategy on this idea (see link below).
It is important however for teachers to follow their school's behaviour management policy to ensure that all students are treated in an equal, fair and transparent manner. Pictured are some of the relevant behaviour management documents from Gleeson College which I familiarised myself with and utilised during my time at that school.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ixg3i0Lw1BDxaCZH5s_kuHNC6WzXHxPYLOPBiPRv3xM/edit?usp=sharing.
4.4 Maintain student safety
Ensure students’ wellbeing and safety within school by implementing school and/ or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
All teachers have a legal duty of care that requires them to do all that they reasonably can to ensure that their students remain safe. This duty of care is manifest in two key ways:
Ensure students’ wellbeing and safety within school by implementing school and/ or system, curriculum and legislative requirements.
All teachers have a legal duty of care that requires them to do all that they reasonably can to ensure that their students remain safe. This duty of care is manifest in two key ways:
- Ensuring student safety when conducting activities either in the classroom or during excursions and camps - this includes ensuring students are properly supervised, conducting risk assessments, giving students clear directions and instructing them in necessary safety and emergency procedures, providing students with appropriate safety equipment and ensuring it is correctly used and implementing anti-bullying programs on a school and class level.
- Fulfilling mandatory reporting obligations by promptly making a report (https://auth.families.sa.gov.au/nidp/idff/sso?id=FamCit&sid=0&option=credential&sid=0) in any case where you have reasonable grounds for suspecting that a student is being neglected or abused (physically, mentally, emotionally or sexually). All teachers in South Australia are required to take Responding to Abuse and Neglect (RAN) training to assist in fulfilling legal obligations of this kind.
![Picture](/uploads/2/4/2/7/24274892/4455868.jpeg?355)
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically
Incorporate strategies to promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
This standard emphasises the need for teachers to have a firm grasp on their own legal and ethical responsibilities when using ICT as well as teaching students how to use ICT safely and responsibly. It is essential to familiarise yourself and comply with the ICT policy of any school in which you teach as well as state and national legislation on the use of ICT including:
Teachers also need to make sure that student are protected from the risks presented when using ICT tools and resources, especially those that are internet based. Risks to students can either be externally or internally generated.
External risks such as accessing inappropriate material can be managed through blocking programs that automatically restrict access to certain types of material deemed inappropriate by the school, the education department and/or the parents of the student. However as a teacher it is important to d always run my own Google searches of key terms and concepts related to the research task I have given my students to check that those search terms don't have any inappropriate content slipping through the filter.
Internal threats such as bullying need to be dealt with at the student level rather than the technological tool level. Most students have to sign a behaviour agreement in order for the school to allow them internet access however it is always beneficial to remind students of this policy regularly. ABC's Compass ran an episode on peer intervention in cases of cyber bullying this year that would be useful to show to students.
Incorporate strategies to promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
This standard emphasises the need for teachers to have a firm grasp on their own legal and ethical responsibilities when using ICT as well as teaching students how to use ICT safely and responsibly. It is essential to familiarise yourself and comply with the ICT policy of any school in which you teach as well as state and national legislation on the use of ICT including:
- respect for copyright and correct referencing when using other people's resources.
- use of social media websites in a way that above all protects the safety and well being of the students and does not tarnish the reputation of the school or teaching profession.
Teachers also need to make sure that student are protected from the risks presented when using ICT tools and resources, especially those that are internet based. Risks to students can either be externally or internally generated.
External risks such as accessing inappropriate material can be managed through blocking programs that automatically restrict access to certain types of material deemed inappropriate by the school, the education department and/or the parents of the student. However as a teacher it is important to d always run my own Google searches of key terms and concepts related to the research task I have given my students to check that those search terms don't have any inappropriate content slipping through the filter.
Internal threats such as bullying need to be dealt with at the student level rather than the technological tool level. Most students have to sign a behaviour agreement in order for the school to allow them internet access however it is always beneficial to remind students of this policy regularly. ABC's Compass ran an episode on peer intervention in cases of cyber bullying this year that would be useful to show to students.