Standard 6: Engage in professional learning
Standard 6 shifts perspective from student learning to professional learning. Within this standard teachers cultivate understanding of the repercussions of professional learning for their praxis and relatedly for the continuous enhancement of their students’ learning (AITSL, 2010). Cognizant of this teachers articulate their learning goals, relevant resources for constructive feedback and training, such as peer, mentor and superior teachers and educative organisations, and motivations for continued pedagogical development (AITSL, 2010).
Focus Area 6.1: Identify and plan professional learning needs
The APST offers a framework at all stages of teaching careers to benchmark high quality practice and invite teachers to set and pursue challenging professional goals. The Teacher Self-Assessment Tool (TSAT) can be utilized in interrogating current practice and indicative areas for improvement. As can be seen reflected in my TSAT results I am in the beginning of my career as a Primary School Teacher, though in some areas I have some competence from my work and education in the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector. Moving forward as a reflective practitioner I plan to pursue high quality professional learning across all Standards, but explicitly with reference to moderation and teaching strategies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Focus Area 6.2: Engage in professional learning and improve practice
One of the areas of the curriculum that I am fascinated by teaching and learning about is linguistics. I identified that my feelings of being overwhelmed by the seemingly vast intricacies of English grammar represented a need for professional learning. I was lucky enough in my second year of university to supplement our literacy content by attending a professional development program focused on reading. I found the content valuable and look forward to developing this area of my praxis continuously in years to come.
Focus Area 6.3: Engage with colleagues and improve practice
Focus Area 6.4: Apply professional learning and improve student learning
During all of my practicum experiences, including my CE experience co-teaching in an educational bridging program for children who are refugees in South Africa, I was immersed in a constructive, supportive environment. As illustrated in these exerts from my upper primary practicum, I pursued constructive feedback, professional conversation and development. Aware of the crucial nature of continuous improvement and its implications for student learning I strived to integrate all feedback and professional learning into my practice.
