Professional Practice

Professional Practice

I believe that it is important for teachers to establish a working and conducive learning environment, which facilitates student engagement and progress in learning. A working and conducive learning environment is a positive learning environment that employs a range of teaching and classroom management strategies that facilitates and improves student learning progress and outcomes (Hester, Gable, & Lee M, 2003). For this reason the use of formative assessment was strongly implemented in my teaching practice, as formative assessment, alternatively known as assessment for learning, is an effective tool for the broadening and deepening of student knowledge and understanding (Dixson & Worrell, 2016; Earl, 2003). Furthermore, the use of formative assessment provides the teacher with information about student learning progress and learning needs, which can be used to inform future pedagogical choices such as teaching programs and assessment design that provide the appropriate challenge for learning (Earl, 2003; Little, Hauser, & Corbishley, 2009). Formative assessment was also used to provide additional student feedback, as well as information to report to parents or caregivers, which connects the classroom and community (Earl, 2003; Little et al., 2009).

References

Dixson, D. D., & Worrell, F. C. (2016). Formative and summative assessment in the classroom. Theory into Practice, 55(2), 153-159. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00405841.2016.1148989

Earl, L. M. (2003). Assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning. In In Assessment as learning: using classroom assessment to maximize student learning (pp. 21-28). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin Press.

Hester, P., Gable, R. A., & Lee M, M. (2003). A Positive Learning Environment Approach to Middle School Instruction. Childhood Education, 79(3), 130-136. doi:10.1080/00094056.2003.10522212

Little, C. A., Hauser, S., & Corbishley, J. (2009). Constructing Complexity For Differentiated Learning. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 15(1), 34-42. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/stable/41182949