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Professional Practice
Standard 4 - Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
Standard 4 - Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments
From knowledge gained in professional development (please see Standard 6) and experience in my role as an education assistant I believe that I have effective knowledge and skills in approaches and strategies to deal with challenging behaviours from low level requiring strategies such as following classroom behaviour management plans, using redirection and de-escalation techniques to more serious positive handling techniques. I understand the laws which surround behaviour management and that the highest priority at all times is maintaining the dignity of children when attempting to modify behaviours (Burnett, Allen and Matthews, 2012).
From my university studies I am aware of guiding principles and laws that surround the rights of children. This includes documents such such as the Disability Standards for Education which states that every child has a right to a high quality education in a safe environment free from discrimination or victimization (Australia. Department of Education, 2014). I also understand that it my professional responsibility to implement and maintain pedagogies and practices which uphold these rights of the child. This includes ensuring that I employ a wide variety of modes and strategies to tailor teaching and learning programs, routines and resources which cater to the needs of all students in the room.
From my university studies I am aware of guiding principles and laws that surround the rights of children. This includes documents such such as the Disability Standards for Education which states that every child has a right to a high quality education in a safe environment free from discrimination or victimization (Australia. Department of Education, 2014). I also understand that it my professional responsibility to implement and maintain pedagogies and practices which uphold these rights of the child. This includes ensuring that I employ a wide variety of modes and strategies to tailor teaching and learning programs, routines and resources which cater to the needs of all students in the room.
4.5 Use ICT safely, responsibly and ethically. Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching.
Situation
At the primary school where I am employed as an education assistant we have recently had a technology upgrade as the lease on previous equipment had expired. Due to unforeseeable circumstances the staff member responsible for rolling out the new hardware and software required long term leave and a long term replacement could not located.
Action
During this time the students were without computers as the devices needed to be configured in order to connect to the school network; a skill I did not have. The school hired an Information Technology (IT) expert who was able to teach me this process on a computer allowing me to connect all the others.
As part of this upgrade laptop technology was introduced into the school for the first time. In order to ensure that the laptops were used appropriately a laptop policy was required before the students were able to use the devices. I designed a draft copy of a policy for our school (adapted to suit the context from a variety of online policy examples) which was presented to the staff for approval. As part of the policy teachers are required to supervise and support students to use the devices for learning safely and ethically. Students and their parents/carers are required to acknowledge and sign documents agreeing to explicit terms and conditions on laptop use (and consequence for misuse or damage) before their child is able to use the technology. All of which has occurred (to view the policy click on the following blue text Laptop Policy and the Principal's acknowledgement of my participation in the process).
Outcome
I believe that the policy shows I understand the issues involved in providing a safe and supportive environment for using ICT in classrooms as well as strategies on how to support its ethical use in schools.
At the primary school where I am employed as an education assistant we have recently had a technology upgrade as the lease on previous equipment had expired. Due to unforeseeable circumstances the staff member responsible for rolling out the new hardware and software required long term leave and a long term replacement could not located.
Action
During this time the students were without computers as the devices needed to be configured in order to connect to the school network; a skill I did not have. The school hired an Information Technology (IT) expert who was able to teach me this process on a computer allowing me to connect all the others.
As part of this upgrade laptop technology was introduced into the school for the first time. In order to ensure that the laptops were used appropriately a laptop policy was required before the students were able to use the devices. I designed a draft copy of a policy for our school (adapted to suit the context from a variety of online policy examples) which was presented to the staff for approval. As part of the policy teachers are required to supervise and support students to use the devices for learning safely and ethically. Students and their parents/carers are required to acknowledge and sign documents agreeing to explicit terms and conditions on laptop use (and consequence for misuse or damage) before their child is able to use the technology. All of which has occurred (to view the policy click on the following blue text Laptop Policy and the Principal's acknowledgement of my participation in the process).
Outcome
I believe that the policy shows I understand the issues involved in providing a safe and supportive environment for using ICT in classrooms as well as strategies on how to support its ethical use in schools.