Phase One: Pre-instructional information
The areas in this section, are important as a first stop before you start teaching students.
- We believe that it is the school's responsibility to impart to our students skills and knowledge and to share responsibility with the communities for reinforcing and reflecting the communities' core values.
- We believe that all members of the school community are lifelong learners who learn most effectively when they share in all phases of the learning process.
- We believe that each individual is valuable and must have the opportunity to learn in a way that allows for differences, fosters self-esteem, promotes empathy, and instils a respect for diversity.
- We believe that the future of our local and global community depends on educating our students to be responsible and involved citizens who are reflective, flexible in thought, and cognizant of the importance of service to the community.
- We believe that the school climate should reflect a pleasant, attractive, safe and productive environment for learning and working.
- Effective pedagogy is purposeful, challenging and connected to a student's experience, stage of development and background.
- A sensitivity toward the varieties of individual and cultural diversity
- A disposition and ability to collaborate ethically and effectively with others
- A reverence for learning and a seriousness of personal, professional and public purpose
- A respect for learners of all ages
- A wide general knowledge and a deep knowledge of the content to be taught
- A knowledge and appreciation of the diversity among learners
- An understanding of what affects learning and of appropriate teaching strategies
- An interest in and an ability to seek out informational, technological, and collegial resources
- All children and young people are capable of learning.
- Students learn in different ways and their learning programs need to recognise this.
- The teacher is a critical factor in a child's learning success.
- Teaching needs to foster students taking responsibility for their own learning and setting challenging yet realistic goals for improvement.
- Learning programs need to acknowledge and build on where students are at with their learning. They need to be culturally and developmentally appropriate and have real-life application.
- Students should have the opportunity to observe and practise and teach other students the actual processes, products, skills and values which are expected of them.
- The mental, physical health and well-being of students and teachers is a priority.
- Students need opportunities to engage in higher order thinking and reflection about learning.
- The core-shared values in practice are the important foundation for all learning and teaching.
- Learning happens best when student-teacher relationships are based on mutual trust and respect.
- Learning occurs where student, home and school have a common goal, interact positively and are mutually supportive.
Philosophy: We need to know our students' abilities, interests, dislikes, behaviours and how they respond to their learning environment. We need to record and share their knowledge with all who are involved in a learning partnership with the student.
Each student's profile contains:
- educational adjustments
- previous school's history
- family details if applicable
- diagnosis and medical details (if applicable)
- likes / dislikes
- triggers / motivators
- strengths / weaknesses
- behaviour management plan - multi-elemental plan (if applicable)
- student almanac entry
- Curriculum Access Plan / Individual Education Plan / Education Support Plan / SETP (Senior Ed Trans Plan) / METP (Middle Ed Trans Plans)
- reports
- New Basics- rich task achieved record of Targeted Repertoires of Practice matrix
- Key Learning Areas outcomes
- work samples.
The student profiles may be accessed via computer and a hard copy filed in the administration files.
Physical environment
The teacher examines the classroom, playground and other outdoor areas initially for workplace health and safety risk management. This is ongoing and vigilantly acted upon. Risk analysis is conducted for groupings of community facilities and sites (gym, swimming complex, shopping centres, parks) with individual detailed assessments conducted for excursions which require variation to routine compliance.
Factors considered in teaching space:
- Adequate lighting.
- Temperature: use of louvres and safety mesh on windows to allow maximum air flow supplemented by use of ceiling fans. Air-conditioners are also used where appropriate to monitor temperature.
- Colour and contrast used to highlight displays, work space and mobility aides in motor skills area. This requires simple, clear and easily discriminated use of backgrounds and features (A highly distracting learning environment can be almost painful for students unable to filter these stimuli).
- Materials require careful storage and ready availability as desired for the learning experience. Careful storage, cleaning and maintenance of equipment is necessary to avoid hygiene and injury risks. Students are taught which materials are freely available for their access and those that require supervision - especially books, scissors, and fragile, expensive technology devices.
- Spatial management: the overall effect is to appear uncluttered and consistent whilst being sufficiently flexible to allow a quick, efficient reorganisation for a specific purpose such as a celebration, or social event.
- Furniture is selected for age-appropriate activities. Restricted mobility for many students dictates that chairs are stable and free from protruding obstacles, easily cleaned to maintain hygiene and light enough for students to carry them to desired location. Similarly floor space must be kept free of obstacles and dangers such as spills, and toys.
- Restoring the work/play area is the joint responsibility of students and staff. Early Years Teachers should teach these skills and provide sufficient time to enable students to follow through this expectation.
- Room dividers should be kept low to allow vigilant supervision to all spaces within the classroom.
- Regular evaluations of classroom environment and playground are conducted to maximise student engagement and safety.
- Evaluate excursions/camp accessibility for all ST
- ST with students
Social and affective environment:
Establish rapport:
Warm personal contact is established through supportive, positive language and actions. Genuine feedback on student achievement and encouragement fosters self-esteem, success and intrinsic motivation.
Communication:
Students learn to approach staff and request attention using appropriate strategies. These strategies are applied in all possible settings and peer-to-peer interactions are modelled and encouraged at appropriate times, e.g. social games, free time.
Students interact with other students within the school.
Inclusive programs:
Group sessions are structured to ensure all children are consistently engaged in the activities, and the behaviour of others does not detract from engagement time.
Behaviour:
Multi-element plans are developed and implemented for students with challenging behaviours that impede learning.
Time Management:
- Timetables are broken into appropriate sessions.
- Students may require the play/free time or opportunity to withdraw from structured learning environments. Individual teachers may vary this timetable after consultation with all other teachers.
- Adjustments made to cater for students' differences.
- Outings on the bus need to be evaluated to comply with the school schedule and having staff available on time for playground duty. The breaks are short and precious for staff.
- Planning of priority goals for Curriculum Access Plans/Individual Education Plan process is six-monthly.
- Senior Education and Training Plan 12 months
- Education Support Plan 12 months
Human resources
- Teachers collaborate with others in their team (AVTs, therapists, SEU teachers, teacher assistants/aides) to ensure strategic and flexible use of allocated staffing personnel
- Professional development is essential for staff, and training opportunities for permanent and casual teacher aides is encouraged to update and maintain knowledge and skills. Professional growth is significant in the philosophy of the school community.
- Purchase of expertise beyond Education Queensland for productive, efficient programs such consultants
- Access community agencies such as swimming, gym, horse riding; riding for the disabled.
- Acknowledgement of others (parents, AVTs, therapists) deep knowledge of students is essential when writing referrals for therapist resources and AVTs in disability-specific areas, as well as for writing Curriculum Access Plans/Individual Education Plan / Senior Education and Training Plan and developing the classroom program.
- Each teacher has a folder for relief/casual staff including timetable, students and teacher aides, routines and basic behaviour.
- The whole school has developed a student behaviour management profile booklet (almanac) for specific students throughout the school (held in each classroom).
Material resources
- Teaching resources that are of high interest, age-appropriate, relevant and durable are sought through the Resource Centre, Toy Library, Education Queensland library, curriculum exchange, Queensland Studies Authority
, school library and other specialist outlets. Those resources that come at considerable cost are prioritsed co-jointly by staff (teachers and teacher aides) - Some resources, communication aides in particular are planned and prepared by teachers and constructed by teacher aides.
- Resources need careful protection, e.g. laminating.
- Personalised resources stay with students as they progress through class to class and school to school.
- Induction process for new staff members including volunteers.
- School-wide Student Behaviour Management Policy document.
Multi-disciplinary approach:
Teaching students with disabilities requires effective communication, consultation and collaboration skills with:
- teachers from other classes and schools
- students (existing and new)
- school community, agencies, therapists, as well as other educational and medical professionals and various members of the community, TAFE, non-Government agencies etc
- para-professionals.
Students
- Consistent relationships between teacher and student are paramount to learning. Student needs to know and trust and anticipate expectations of the teacher and support staff. Teacher and support staff need a deep knowledge of the psychological, cultural, and medical aspects of the student to make informed assessment and curriculum content decisions.
- Students are respected and their efforts to learn are acknowledged and celebrated.
- Teachers encourage choice-making and student input into programs including Curriculum Access Plans/Individual Education Plan and Senior Education and Training Plan plans. Students are encouraged to work towards independence.
- Students are encouraged to make daily choices regarding access to and involvement in aspects of their program.
- Students' preferred learning styles are identified and the development of all learning styles is promoted to support their learning potential.
- School-wide structures supporting positive interactions contained in the school behaviour management plans.
- Specific strategies for individual students are described in their individual behaviour plans when necessary.
New students
Staff employ a range of strategies to successfully integrate new students into their classes. Staff take the time to introduce new students to other members of the school community. Parents are welcomed in an initial interview and kept regularly informed of school events via newsletter.
Parents and school community
Teachers should seek to maintain open lines of communication with parents of students. In seeking consistency, the teacher and parents work together sharing information and ideas on every aspect affecting student learning.
To develop and maintain open communication, teachers should take appropriate action in seeking and giving information and strategy sharing.
Communication between school and home is encouraged through:
- communication books (for selected students)
- newsletters
- verbal contact
- the Curriculum Access Plans/Individual Education Plan and transition planning process
- formal Curriculum Access Plans/Individual Education Plan/Education Adjustment Plan transition meetings are conducted in consultation with parents
- informal meetings can be arranged at any time by parent or teacher request, as the need arises
Information sharing with parents and school community is a valued part of teaching in the school. Workshops, seminars and conferences as well as coping strategies for parents and siblings are common requests, and details are communicated to parents usually through the school newsletter, or through discussions with staff/principal.
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