Category Archives: 1 Prof. Values & Personal Commitment

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Enquiring Practitioner

To be a teacher now is very different from what it once was. Gone are the days when a teacher lived inside the ‘bubble’ that was their classroom.

Bubble Through the implementation of the CFE we are seeing a shift to a more collegiate way of working. Teachers are encouraged to interact within the school whether it be through: staff meetings, team teaching, joint planning, work parties or school events. As well as this teachers are expected to be enquiring practitioners.

To be an enquiring practitioner is to go beyond personal enquiry and reflection. It is to share your new found knowledge with others, to the benefit of others as well as yourself. It is described by the GTCS as “knowing deeply; knowing what; knowing why; knowing how.” Within the GTCS’s Standards for Registration 1.4.2 it states that one of the Professional Values and Personal Commitments core to being a teacher is: “Committing to lifelong enquiry, learning, professional development and leadership as core aspects of professionalism and collaborative practice.”

“Lifelong enquiry” says it all. As teachers we must question and search for meaning, we must research and make ourselves aware and knowledgeable, and we must pass on our knowledge to our pupils and our colleagues. On top of this we must constantly look to improve our practice through “professional development.” We mustn’t shy away from new ideas and approaches.

Being an enquiring practitioner has its challenges; it is easy to get stuck in a rut and be afraid of change but as teachers we must overcome our fears and embrace change. You may come across others who do not share your views and that can be challenging too but its perfectly fine. These challenges are completely outweighed by the benefits that can be reaped by yourself, your colleagues, your school and your class.

The Virtues of Teaching Tdt

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The five virtues of teaching I have chosen to focus upon are;

Moral courage
Patience
Empathy
Self-control
Fairness

As a teacher you need to have the strength to stand up for what you believe is right. To have Moral Courage is important for a teacher; it is the ability to think and reflect upon your own moral stance as well, as the code of conduct in place, before making a decision. When a problem arises within your classroom it is up to you to respond in the way you feel is appropriate, perhaps you might have a different approach from your colleagues, as long as you are basing your decisions on the guidance set out by the GTCS you can’t go wrong.

To be patient as a teacher is vital. You must be able to adapt and try new approaches with your lessons when the children aren’t responding. You need to stay positive and calm and look for a new avenue. There is no place for a teacher who loses their patience with a child rather than trying to teach them in a new way. Even in terms of a child’s behaviour; in my opinion all behaviour serves a purpose and there is no such thing as a ‘trouble maker’ or a ‘naughty child’. As a teacher you must be patient and try your hardest to acknowledge the route of the behaviour and look for a solution.

An empathetic teacher tries to relate to the children in their class. They work hard to understand the needs of each child as an individual and try to accommodate them. To be empathetic is to realise that each child has a home life and each one is different, some good some bad. The key is to be aware and responsive.

To possess self-control is incredibly important for a teacher. You must be able to stay calm under pressure, be resilient and flexible. If something isn’t going to plan, change the plan. If you disagree with someone else’s approach either raise it with them in a professional way or accept it, move on and know that it is their way but not yours- not everyone is the same. Self-control is about discipline and this extends to motivation and work ethic. A teacher should be hard working and willing to go that extra mile for their pupils.

To be a fair teacher is to put aside your preconceptions and expectations. It is to take each child as an individual with individual qualities, abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Teachers should look beyond class, gender, race, etc. and see the little personality inside. They should not have favourites or show favouritism to any of their pupils. They should encourage all pupils to do their best and push them all to achieve great things. If a teacher projects their own preconceived expectations onto a pupil it will have an impact on the pupil’s success. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy; so the only expectations you should have are for every child in your class to succeed.

Technology and Teaching.

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Technology is everywhere, it has become a huge part of our lives. Our phones are now our computers, our diaries and our cameras. Our computers are now our social tool, the way we network and connect. We have tablets, kindles, selfie sticks and smart watches; so isn’t it only natural that technology has a place in our classrooms?

The advancements in technology within my lifetime have been incredible. My generation has seen so much change that we are among the youngest to become nostalgic. Technology offers us so many new and exciting opportunities, it brings people together and unlocks a whole world of information. Bringing it into the classroom to enhance learning is imperative but we must also be aware of its dangers and challenges and how we, as teachers, can combat them.

The guidance set out by the GTCS addresses both our personal and professional relationship with technology. Using this as a platform we must be mindful of the way we conduct ourselves online. How do we use our accounts? Is our Facebook private or public? How do we come across to others online? I know that for me Facebook is a personal space, it has all its privacy settings in place and I would never add anyone who wasn’t a friend or family member.

But what about an online space which we use for professional purposes? Work emails, Glow, School Twitter feeds etc. How do we utilise these whilst still maintaining the same level of professionalism and keeping the same boundaries with our pupils? Well, it’s pretty simply really; we just need to act in the same way we would within the classroom. Our conversations online should be professional, considered and convey the same relationship we hold with the recipient as in real life. We should think carefully before we post onto professional spaces: Is this message coming across how I want it to? Do I sound angry or confrontational? Am I being too relaxed and personal?

Once we have mastered this art we then must consider how we influence our pupils to behave in a safe and appropriate way when they are online. There are many websites at our disposal which offer helpful and up to date information on how to address internet safety with primary aged children. There are also sites such as NSPCC Netaware that give you current information on new websites and apps children in your class may be using. This is an invaluable tool as we as teachers need to know what our children are accessing in order to keep them safe and resolve any issues which arise.

In my opinion, one of the best ways we can encourage a safe and appropriate use of technology within our classes is to utilise it to its fullest. If we introduce children to new, fun and creative avenues for them to explore online they are less likely to misuse it or to stray into inappropriate content by looking for something fun to do. On top of this we must also address any issues that do occur within the class and use them as learning opportunities: what do you think went wrong here? Why? How could this have been avoided? By creating an open and honest culture we are showing pupils that they can come to us for advice and guidance and that they wont get in trouble for making a mistake.

A great way in which we can increase the profile of internet safety within our classes and schools is by taking part in ‘Safer Internet Day.’ This event offers us the opportunity to center lessons, assemblies and activities around the idea of safe conduct online. It gives the children a chance to be interactive in their learning as well as to voice their concerns and questions.

Overall it can be said that my view on Social Media and Online spaces/resources is a positive one. As a teacher I want to incorporate it into my classes as much as possible after all, it is a huge part of the world we are preparing our pupils for.