Standard 1: Know students and how they learn
Focus area: 1.1 - Physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students
Reflection
Being aware of and accommodating for students’ learning styles and developmental needs is a vital aspect of effective teaching (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2019; Sieberer-Nagler, 2015). I have demonstrated an understanding of this as my final report shows an ‘excellent’ grade for Standard 1.1.1. With knowledge of my students’ visual and kinaesthetic learning style, along with their familiarity with learning stations, I planned lessons that were hands-on and contained an element of student agency. Both Booker et al. (2021) and Swan and Marshall (2010) highlight how students display a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts when the resources used in lessons are both tangible and contain an element of exploration.
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Therefore, I planned maths lessons whereby students were free to roam around the room and engage in a range of tactile activities. Caramia et al. (2020) stress the importance of integrating activities that address fine motor skills, not just in Early Stage 1, but also in Stage 1 and 2 classrooms, thus, by including hands-on activities, I catered for the developmental need of dexterity.
Similarly, another significant yet overlooked physical characteristic of students that impacts their ability to learn and meet outcomes is handedness. Hawkyard et al. (2014) draw attention to the many issues left-handed students face in schools, including disdain from teachers due to ‘messy’ or ‘illegible’ work. However, when we consider how this emerges from discomfort due to improper pencil grip and lack of adequate resources such as scissors, combined with the fact that NSW Foundation Style blatantly ignores the fundamental differences in how left and right-handed students form their letters, ‘messy handwriting’ is not that surprising (Hawkyard et al., 2014). With this in mind, I made an effort to make my handwriting lessons as inclusive to the left-handed students in my class as possible. When modelling the formation of letters, I modelled them in both the ‘standard’ right-handed way, as well as providing an alternative that would cater to the three left-handed students in my class. I also made sure to not emphasise handedness, stressing that provided they began their letters from the top, students were free to form their letters in whichever direction was most comfortable to them.
Similarly, another significant yet overlooked physical characteristic of students that impacts their ability to learn and meet outcomes is handedness. Hawkyard et al. (2014) draw attention to the many issues left-handed students face in schools, including disdain from teachers due to ‘messy’ or ‘illegible’ work. However, when we consider how this emerges from discomfort due to improper pencil grip and lack of adequate resources such as scissors, combined with the fact that NSW Foundation Style blatantly ignores the fundamental differences in how left and right-handed students form their letters, ‘messy handwriting’ is not that surprising (Hawkyard et al., 2014). With this in mind, I made an effort to make my handwriting lessons as inclusive to the left-handed students in my class as possible. When modelling the formation of letters, I modelled them in both the ‘standard’ right-handed way, as well as providing an alternative that would cater to the three left-handed students in my class. I also made sure to not emphasise handedness, stressing that provided they began their letters from the top, students were free to form their letters in whichever direction was most comfortable to them.
References
Booker, G., Bond, D. & Seah, R. (2021). Teaching Primary Mathematics (6th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Caramia, S., Gill, A., Ohl, A., & Schelly, D. (2020). Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(2). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.035014
Hawkyard, R., Dempsey, I., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2014). The handwriting experiences of left-handed primary school students in a digital age : Australian data and critique. The Australian Journal of Education, 58(2), 123-138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944114530062
Sieberer-Nagler, K. (2015). Effective Classroom-Management & Positive Teaching. English Language Teaching (Toronto), 9(1), 163. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n1p163
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2019). Educational psychology (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Booker, G., Bond, D. & Seah, R. (2021). Teaching Primary Mathematics (6th ed.). Pearson Australia.
Caramia, S., Gill, A., Ohl, A., & Schelly, D. (2020). Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School Children: A Replication Study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(2). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.035014
Hawkyard, R., Dempsey, I., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2014). The handwriting experiences of left-handed primary school students in a digital age : Australian data and critique. The Australian Journal of Education, 58(2), 123-138. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944114530062
Sieberer-Nagler, K. (2015). Effective Classroom-Management & Positive Teaching. English Language Teaching (Toronto), 9(1), 163. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n1p163
Woolfolk, A., & Margetts, K. (2019). Educational psychology (5th ed.). Pearson Australia.