1. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION EVENING FOR FIRST YEAR TEACHERS WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PROFESSIONAL AND EFFECTIVE TEACHER

2. Thank you all for coming tonight, I am Professor Gilmour from Curtin University and it is a privilege to be your guest speaker for this evening. It is great to be here and we are fortunate to have a fantastic turnout from teachers all around the city and I hope this evening provides you with some extra knowledge as well as some handy tips and pointers to take home with you and apply in your classrooms.

4. Characteristics of a Professional

5. Commitment to Students

6. Knowledge

7. Piaget’s Theory of Intellectual Development & Characteristics

8. Decision Making

9. Reflective Practices

11. CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER: Commitment to his/her students Specialized Knowledge of content and Pedagogical content Competent Classroom Management & quick Decision Making Skills Reflective practices such as self assessment We will expand on these in more depth throughout the evening.

12. “A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others.” ~Author Unknown Think about how you would like your students to perceive you and the impact you will have on your students lives.

14. A committed teacher will always aim to Motivate their Students – studies have found that motivated students have positive attitudes and a higher success rate in learning abilities.

15. A committed teacher will always Voice and Act on concerns they have for students - by taking a little extra time to help a student who doesn't understand equations and/or speaking to a student's parent if concerned about their child’s behavior or skills.

17. Pedagogical Knowledge is an attribute that all successful teachers have. It is having the ability to understand how to explain or demonstrate a topic for it to be understood by students. Effective strategies to use are diagrams, pictures, real life models, examples of the real world. Producing concrete examples helps children make sense of and understand the new knowledge. This leads on to the next slide - Piaget's theory.

18. Piaget’s Theory of Intellectual development Jean Piaget is well known for his records of children's thought processes and how they differ from adults. Piaget described that everyone has the need to understand and make sense of their own experiences, and this is what he calls 'equilibrium'. "If an individual has a new experience and can understand it drawing from an existing experience then they are maintaining a cognitive state of equilibrium." (Eggen, P: Kauchak, D, 2010, pg 34) Teachers need to understand Piaget’s theory of Intellectual Development so they have a clear understanding of what the factors are that influence cognitive development and the age and stage of children's minds so they can prepare the lesson adequately. Piaget’s theory helps highlight examples from the sensory motor stage right through to the formal operational stage; birth until adulthood. A table is on the next slide of the different stages an individual will go through throughout their journey of their life.

20. Symbolic thought

22. The circle graph below shows the complexity of the issues involved when making decisions. Uncertainty - Many facts may not be known. What way is the right way to handle a situation? Complexity - You have to consider many interrelated factors. How has the student been raised? What is their religion and beliefs? High-risk consequences - The impact of the decision may be significant. It could affect a student in a negative way. For example….. Alternatives – There are numerous choices you can make before reaching a decision. Each option has its own set of uncertainties and consequences. Interpersonal issues - It can be difficult to predict how students will react. Everyone has unique personalities and this may present extra challenges within itself.

23. 4. REFLECTIVE PRACTICES “Like other professionals, teachers cannot become effective by following scripts. Instead they need to create knowledge in the use of practice…. Knowledge does not exist apart from teacher and context” Thomas Sergiovanni Every good teacher needs to be aware that they can always improve. Reflection is a process of thoughtful consideration of a situation or event that that has taken place with the intention of understanding and learning from it and changing or improving future actions. Dewey (1933) first described reflection in terms of ‘thinking about thinking.’ In this modern day world it is hard for teachers to receive feedback about the effectiveness of their classes and are therefore encouraged to examine the underlying rationale for their choices. The question to be thought about is, ‘has the class been conducted to create enough learning opportunities for the students?’ “The ability to conduct this self assessment can be developed, but it requires willingness to critically examine our actions”(Eggen, P: Kauchak, D, 2010, pg 5). Performances must be monitored with the continual aim for improvement and gained knowledge from previous decisions.

24. SUMMARY Professional and effective teaching is very complex and can come with experience. Teachers play a major part in student’s lives and the aim is to have a positive and influential effect on the students throughout the entire year! Therefore having the knowledge of how children think and act at different ages along with their cognitive abilities is an essential tool for operating classrooms in an effective and professional manner. Through the learning theories, such as Piaget’s, teaching methods are continually evolving due to the update of modern technology and teachers must continue to adapt and use it to their advantage. Decision making skills and reflective practices continue to challenge teachers, nevertheless, they are there for the benefits of teaching and the rewards of aiding and assisting children in their development and these are the types of individuals who become successful and professional teachers.

26. Dictionary Reference .(2010) Retrieved from January 14 2010 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/professionalism

27. Eggen, P. & Kauchak, D. (2010). Educational Psychology: Windows on Classrooms (8th ed.) New Jersey: Pearson

28. Introduction To Decision Making Techniques. (1995 - 2010) Retrieved 27 January, 2010, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_00.htm

29. Kramer, P. A. (2003). The ABC's of professionalism. Kappa Delta Pi Record

30. Laurie Sheldrake, (2008). Classroom Management Ideas for Teaching At-Risk Students January 21, 2010, from www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLJFegBbOnQ

31. Piaget, J. (2002). Piaget: The Language and Thought of the child (3rd ed.) London: Rutledge

32. Pryce, L (2009). Thoughts from teachers TV – Tomorrow’s Teacher. Retrieved January 08, 2010, from http://www.teachers.tv/tomorrow/staff/pryce

33. Reflective Practices (2008). Retrieved January 27, 2010 from www.educ.utas.edu.au/TandL/.../assessment%5CReflectivePractice.doc