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SC1 Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of initiatives in student learning

including the Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and the Assessment and Reporting
Advice and the ability to implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent.
The Principals of Learning and Teaching P - 12 (PoLT) is a fundamental element of developing the
whole student. Corresponding with learning experiences developed through the AusVELS
curriculum teachers are able to guide students questions and ideas to cultivate an enriched
classroom environment. With my experience of the AusVELS and Montessori curriculum on
professional placement I have come to understand the importance of the unique needs of
individual students as well as extending my own professional development. I believe that the main
commonality of the two frameworks is aimed towards cultivating the student and their
understanding of the world around them.
I am continuously developing and improving my understanding towards the various ways students
learn. I take into account the way in which specific learning difficulties affect a students ability to
learn and many ways to support and guide the individual student towards global citizenship. I
constantly refer to curriculum standards, literacy and numeracy development continuums and
learning maps to determine my teaching plan to meet the next step in my students progression. I
place a keen focus on particular strategies to enhance literacy and numeracy achievements for all
students including those with specific learning difficulties. Whilst this is important it is also
important to focus on students who are capable and need pushing to the next level. This includes
direct and explicit instruction, priming the students existing knowledge, using visual strategies and
seeking metacognitive reflection.
Over the four years of my teaching education I have developed several unit and lesson plans that
are inclusive of all students. These plans incorporate student interests such as heroes and
villains, games, out of space and a creative arts folio, which take into account all students and the
way in which they learn. I aim to create lessons that are engaging and interactive so that all
students, regardless of ability, move in their learning. My Classroom will be a place where
students will feel confident to engage in their learning.
Throughout my experience on practical placement I was fortunate to have the opportunity to
experience a variety of different planning styles. At the alternative primary school in 2015 I
assisted in the planning for the grade 4, 5 and 6 levelled students, with their abilities ranging from
pre prep through to year 7. Due to the differentiation of the class my mentor teacher and I would
plan Individual Learning Plans for each of the 14 students. These lessons would be planned with
similar content for the class however varying goals for their specific needs. In contrast to my
second placement in 2015 at a mainstream college, I was able to partake in their style of planning.
The entire level 4 teaching staff and I planned each lesson and week as a team, we had a
numeracy and literacy coach to support the implementation of our lessons and guide our planning.
Both contrasting styles of planning have strong advantages that I aim to put into effect with my
own development and implementation of effective term, weekly and individual lesson plans.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870

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SC2: Demonstrated understanding of how students learn and effective classroom teaching
strategies and the capacity to work with colleagues to continually improve teaching and
learning.
In my classroom I feel that my lessons cater for the different learning styles of each student and in
doing so cater for their individual abilities and needs for them to fulfil their goals. I instil in each of
my students, they each have a right to learn along with the responsibility to not interrupt the
learning of those around them. These rights and responsibilities are applied within my own
teaching community also.
During May 2015 I completed my placement at an alternative primary school; at this time I felt that
the 14 students appeared to lack enthusiasm towards reading and writing. After discussions with
my mentor teacher about the students interactions with their school library I took it upon myself to
gather a collection of books of interest for the students from my local library. The following day
upon arrival the students walked into the class with the collection of books at the front of the room.
I initiated conversation on these books, including making inferences about the content, and gave
the students time to browse through the books and talk about the literature and content. The silent
reading time for that day was amazingly different to the previous sessions I had witnessed. This
also allowed me time to conference with the students about their comprehension and
understanding strategies. Not only did this teaching activity have a positive impact on their reading
motivation, my mentor teacher confirmed that their creative writing skills developed, and noticed a
positive impact on their motivation for learning that transferred across other learning areas. In the
past the students enjoyed interpersonal learning but on this occasion they came to the realisation
they also enjoyed intrapersonal learning as it linked their interests to their learning environment.
Engaging in a different style of learning at a mainstream primary school, to cater for the diverse
learning group of the 5/6 class I devised a lesson where the students were to reflect on the Peter
Pan play we had previously attended. I took into account the main learning styles of the cohort and
gave them a choice of three activities. The first was a newspaper review to cater for the student
who thinks critically. For the students who embrace visual learning their option was to construct an
advertising leaflet that could be used for the production. The third option was for those students
who preferred learning of a visual and kinaesthetic style who were to write an interview with one of
the cast members of the production. All students were able to choose the activity that suited their
own strengths and highlight the need to cater for individual needs and different learning styles.
Throughout my second placement in 2015 I was able to learn how to keep records of assessments
and class learning with specific programs on my iPad. I had lunch with another grade 4 teacher
who regularly used her iPad in the classroom. We were able to share ideas and situations where
the iPad is used. We discussed how we would like to see our students using such technologies in
their everyday learning experiences and the way we developed strategies to be able to start
implementing these ideas.
I make it a priority to understand the different learning styles of each of my students. By delivering
the lessons using different methods including self-made PowerPoints, Voice Threads or personal
letters, engaging the students to the lesson and allowing the students to choose a way for them to
best achieve their full potential.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870

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SC3: Demonstrated capacity to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this
data to inform teaching for improved student learning.
My belief towards assessment and learning is equivalent to the argument between the chicken
and the egg. Both are unable to exist in a strong learning environment without the other. I place a
great importance towards providing frequent constructive feedback to my students for their efforts.
I use rubrics to inform students of expectations prior to the task and for assessments. I have
actively been involved in reviewing formal and informal assessment of students including those
with specific learning difficulties. I place a great importance towards a continuous working
assessment system to know where my students excel and continue to work on the areas that may
require more focus.
At the alternative primary school placement the cycle three class started each day with a
scaffolded maths test from the Elementary Maths Mastery program set by Rhonda Farkota. The
program has a focus on all content areas from the AusVELS curriculum, which is a direct
instruction test that is balanced between teacher instruction and student directed learning. The test
has 20 questions covering all areas and each day in the class I would take a record of their mark.
By doing this in partnership with the students they were able to see their progression, which areas
they required extra work on however most of all I was able to know the content of the following
lesson depending on the area the majority of students had incorrect. Farkotas tests varied in
mathematical language which made it clear for my lessons on the specific language area and
content that certain students required. If some students were struggling with problem solving I was
able to set tasks for this group of students to work together and then be able to present what they
had learnt to the rest of the class. On the following day these students were able to see the
progression of their own learning and then give the teacher the opportunity to reflect on the overall
experience.
In the beginning I questioned the idea of testing the students each and every day. It soon became
evident to me the benefits for the students and myself the effect the program had towards the
students learning. On a daily basis the students were able to use all of their mathematical
knowledge and then be able to transfer this learning into the lessons I was setting. They were able
to set their own goals as well as have instant satisfaction knowing that their goals were achieved.
It provided great opportunity for me to be able to allow more time towards self-reflection for the
students to be in control of their own accomplishments and learning needs.
In comparison to my second placement this year I had the experience of testing some of the
students with the Mathematics Online Interview. This gave me firsthand experience to be able to
clarify the standards that each of the students were at. I assessed the students only on the
concepts they were learning in class, enabling me to organise learning and teaching sequence for
the whole class teaching based on common failings. Although this process was able to give me
an idea based on the results of the entire group, I discovered that the Elementary Math Mastery
program was able to cater for the individual needs of the students much better.
In my future classroom it is important to be able to use what we learn constantly. When a new
topic is started it doesnt mean putting previous topics out of mind, instead to make connections
across all learning areas. In saying this I feel that consistent feedback, reflection and assessments
such as observations, working checklists, journals and self-evaluations assist the classroom
environment in moving towards being a thriving learning environment.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870

4
SC4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level
interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with
students, parents and other staff.
A successful learning environment is only possible with great communication. Not only between
the teacher and student but also including the entire team around it. I strongly believe that to be
able to build a strong working team you need to have a respectful transparent form of
communication between the students, families of the students, the teaching team and the school
leadership group as a whole. This assists everybody involved to be working towards the best
interests of the students.
Since 1999 I have volunteered my time for a minimum of one week per year on a Childrens
Diabetes camp through Diabetes Australia Victoria. During this week I am able to open up formal
and informal ways of communicating with my volunteer team, the medical team and the children
living with Type 1 Diabetes. Leading up to the week away, forming a strong line of communication
and trust in the short amount of time with the parents of these children who are spending so much
time away from their home for the first time is a priority. For some of these families it is the first
time the children have ever spent a night away from their families.
While working with the Diabetes Camps Coordinator at Diabetes Australia we first sit and discuss
the volunteers of the previous year as to which camp they would be most appropriate on for the
year coming. Going through the process of selecting volunteers of previous camps and new
applications to decide what camp will suit the individual students strengths and capabilities and the
camps needs.
We take a look back over our debrief notes from previous years to then make suitable changes to
the weekly plan, routine and overall set up of the camp. This might involve changes to do with care
and treatment of the campers and their diabetes needs or even as simple as changing the sites of
where specific activities take place. The coordinator and I have to then plan the training day which
involves immersing some of our volunteers into our world of diabetes yet still ensuring them that it
is a positive experience altogether. My fellow activities coordinator and I spend a night organising
the 30 volunteers into teams of six, sorting them into their rooms that they will be staying in with
the campers and also checking weather conditions and preparing a wet and hot weather program
just in case the weather conditions are unsuitable for the activities we have planned.
Throughout the camp it is my responsibility to keep an open line of communication between the
volunteers, medical team YMCA staff and of course the campers. It is important that on camp that
communication is both taken and given, with this we as a volunteer team are constantly reflecting
and reviewing our actions of the day. Each night we hold a team debrief where we discuss what
has happened during the day, if there are any issues that have come up with the campers and the
teams and also talk about the day ahead. I find it imperative to have experienced volunteers give
advice and tips for the new volunteers, by doing this I feel I am encouraging a strong and
supportive team environment which makes it easier for everyone to be a part of and also work
together. At the end of the camp week I feel that it is very important to put together an overall
report and gain feedback from my volunteers and medical staff to be able to make positive
changes to improve camps in the future.
I believe communication and interpersonal skills are transferable to the task at hand. I will be able
to encompass these skills into my school environment which will assist me developing as a
teacher. It will also support my students towards becoming positive community citizens.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870

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SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of
school activities and a capacity to reflect on, evaluate and improve professional knowledge
and practice.
The idea of a teacher having a singular role that is at the front of the classroom is a vision of the
past. An educators role in 21st century teaching extends beyond the 4 walls of the classroom to
enhance the student as a whole. A great importance should be placed towards being involved in
all school based professional development activities, including identifying professional learning
priorities from a personal perspective and also raising the pedagogical wealth of the whole school
team.
Over winter during this year I completed an education subject called Information Technology. This
course provided various amounts of resources now being used in 21st century schools. I had the
opportunity to be able to workshop these with our peers. Not only were we as students asked to
use a majority of the ICT resources in a unit plan of our choice, it also gave us the opportunity to
be able to explore some of these programs and applications. This positive experience with new
found knowledge of how to embed technology into an everyday classroom setting was something I
attempted on my last placement. I was able to produce a Voice Thread for the student who
struggled to read, as an alternative and interactive way of learning differently than he had done in
the past. By producing the Voice Thread the student with special needs was able to read a piece
of text and take notes at his own pace. I was also then able to share this program with my mentor
teacher and the teachers aide explicitly showing them the many abilities that the program could
be used for, to develop the students learning experiences. This ICT experience was one of many
that I have been able to implement within the classroom environment over my practical
experience. Through this process I have been able to see the growth from using 21st century
learning that can be transferred across vast learning environments. I believe that sharing these
specific and general ideas in the team I was working in enhances professional learning amongst
colleagues and allows opportunities for us to reflect on our teaching delivery.
I recognise through this experience the importance of investigating current applications to be able
to have an engaging environment for the students of our future. Through my learning experiences
in teaching I am continuing to share my knowledge with others, students and teachers as well as
gain insightful information from colleagues that I share my working experiences with.
During my practical placement time at a small school in 2015 I was had the experience of taking
the independent school students to their first cross country interschool sport competition. At the
staff meeting following, the staff and I made a plan to be able to continue and make this
experience not only possible but positive for continuing attendance in these experiences. I made
contributions to their school newsletter, parent teacher conferences, chess club being an
extracurricular activity and also with school celebrations. In 2014 I was fortunate to be able to
assist with the planning and organisation of the grade 6 graduation for the students who I had
taught during my professional placement time. I believe that sharing ideas in the team I work in
enhances professional learning amongst colleagues and allows opportunities for us to reflect on
our teaching delivery.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870

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SC6 Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the use of digital learning tools to
enhance student learning outcomes.
Modern technology is currently embedded in every classroom we see in one form or another. At
the beginning I had very limited ideas towards using computers and iPad in the classroom.
Research towards the topic and after having experience with the AusVELS I am able to see just
how important the everyday use of technology in the classroom is able to strengthen the 21st
century learner. During my research I have explored the Substitution Augmentation Modification
Redefinition (SAMR) model. Classrooms I had experienced were using technology on the
Substitution level of the SAMR model. These teachers had the belief that ICT was being
embedded into their lessons, although students were merely replacing technology with what was
being done before. I have a strong belief that in the classroom I should be aiming my lessons
towards the higher Modification and Redefinition levels where they are able to use technology to
become global citizens of our future.
During my 2015 placement I had spoken to a fellow education student about a program that was
being used in her classroom. The program Kahootz was not only able to engage each and every
student it was able to also give instant feedback to the success of each student as well as their
own perception on the overall lesson. I took this program to my placement class and engaged the
students with the Kahootz quiz I had made as a reflection on their learning. The lesson took longer
than expected as my students had not used this program before however students then wanted to
do the quiz again in my next lesson. I persisted attempting to do the quiz again having a little more
success than before realising that using technology in the classroom is a work in progress rather
than a disaster after a singular moment.
I strongly believe that with positive and effective use of technology and ICT in the classroom I am
able to provide each and every student with a unique learning experience. After success of the
quiz and using other applications in the classroom students success is something I strive to work
towards.

Kate Kilkenny

katekilkenny@hotmail.com

0423381870