How teachers and other staff typically respond to Student Differences
FHS have various strategies, pedagogies and methodologies to respond to the differences discussed above, in a positive and successful way. FHS ensures all staff are equipped with the skills and understanding to do so, as during Professional Development Sessions, these strategies are discussed in thorough detail. To discuss this, I am going to break it down into three sections, practice, programs and professional support. Wheldall (2009) supports FHS ideology of equipping all teachers with explicit instructions to cater for all types of diversity.
Practice
Through observations and professional discussions with staff and my mentors, there are numerous strategies to practice differentiated teaching for diverse learnings through methods of planning, teaching, assessment, knowledge and understanding of the Australian Curriculum and inclusive approaches, supported by Jarvis (2018). FHS incorporate ‘Learning Intensions’ and ‘Success Criteria’ for every lesson to plan the content delivered and to scaffold the tasks. Within the planning are various methods of delivering information to accommodate for all learning styles, parallel, tasks are designed to have varying levels to ensure the students’ readiness levels are priority.
Teaching strategies differ for the task and topic, which can range from student direct learning, to a class discussion or 1:1, supported by McTighe (2005). Assessment is a critical element of FHS teaching as formative assessment is conducted frequently through methods of discussions, peer assessment, observation, small examinations as well as formative and summative assessment. This enables assessment to be differentiated due to the different rubrics that are used depending on the students’ situation. Again, Professional Development days had designated time to discuss the Australian Curriculum to differentiate. FHS has implemented ‘Meet the Standard’ and ‘Stretch and Challenge’ for the students to read as well as their parents. Both areas have the information to support some students to just meet the standard and information to stretch particular students to maintain their engagement with school. However, for other students that are not able to meet the standard there are other programs which are discussed in the next section. I strongly believe FHS practices inclusive and differentiated teaching to cater for the diversity of the students in a successful and professional manner.
I designed the task sheet below as a differentiated assessment task.
Practice
Through observations and professional discussions with staff and my mentors, there are numerous strategies to practice differentiated teaching for diverse learnings through methods of planning, teaching, assessment, knowledge and understanding of the Australian Curriculum and inclusive approaches, supported by Jarvis (2018). FHS incorporate ‘Learning Intensions’ and ‘Success Criteria’ for every lesson to plan the content delivered and to scaffold the tasks. Within the planning are various methods of delivering information to accommodate for all learning styles, parallel, tasks are designed to have varying levels to ensure the students’ readiness levels are priority.
Teaching strategies differ for the task and topic, which can range from student direct learning, to a class discussion or 1:1, supported by McTighe (2005). Assessment is a critical element of FHS teaching as formative assessment is conducted frequently through methods of discussions, peer assessment, observation, small examinations as well as formative and summative assessment. This enables assessment to be differentiated due to the different rubrics that are used depending on the students’ situation. Again, Professional Development days had designated time to discuss the Australian Curriculum to differentiate. FHS has implemented ‘Meet the Standard’ and ‘Stretch and Challenge’ for the students to read as well as their parents. Both areas have the information to support some students to just meet the standard and information to stretch particular students to maintain their engagement with school. However, for other students that are not able to meet the standard there are other programs which are discussed in the next section. I strongly believe FHS practices inclusive and differentiated teaching to cater for the diversity of the students in a successful and professional manner.
I designed the task sheet below as a differentiated assessment task.
Programs
There two main alternative programs to respond to the student differences at FHS. Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs which support students with different and specific interests, talents and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. FHS staff encourage and supports all students to consider and undertake VET subjects to follow particular interests and talents. Many different types of students undertake VET subjects, as some do not engage well with academic subjects and engage better with practical and hands on learning and some students that are from low socioeconomic backgrounds cannot/do not attend school that often and only attend for the VET days. Other students have a great talent in one area and other students from different cultural and religious backgrounds have family emphasis on some VET subjects more than Maths and English for example. Kleitz (2000) discusses the importance of students having choice in subjects they learn at school to heighten engagement. FHS is a Music and Volleyball school and therefore students with these talents must undertake trials to become a part of these specialised programs. Through conversations with various people within FHS and observation, the VET, Music and Volleyball programs are extremely successful and have supported almost all students to receive their SACE and have maintained good attendance and engagement with school.
The second alterative to respond to student differences is the Negotiated Education Plan (NEP), which is used in conjunction to the Flexible Support Program. These programs are for students with different education needs, learning goals for students with a disability or special needs (DECD, 2018). The teachers of FHS can respond to student differences by suggesting the students move to an NEP or can suggest going to the FSP if need be. The NEP program has been implemented to be inclusive of all student differences as it allows all students to be educated in one positive learning environment. FHS has numerous students on NEPs such as students with a disability, a special need and ESL students. Within this program there are specific teachers and SSO’s who respond to the student differences and negotiate programs to create an inclusive and differentiated space. The Flexible Support Program is a support centre in FHS where students spend time doing their work if they need time out from the mainstream classroom, have challenging behaviour, are ESL students or need extra time and support with their learning. There is a big emphasises that any student can go to the FSP to prevent it from becoming stigmatised. Within the FSP there are counsellors, SSO’s and classroom teachers to support diverse learners. There are also two full-time councillors to provide support when necessary, in which their officers are hidden from the obvious site to allow students to go without being in the public eye of all students and teachers. Similar again, through conversations with many staff, what is discussed at staff meetings and from my own observations the NEP and FSP programs are differentiated plans to support inclusion and are successful at doing so.
Professional Support
All teachers and staff at FHS respond to student differences, however specific staff support other teachers to address particular student needs. The two councillors and SSO staff have weekly meetings to address student diversity and discuss various pedagogies that classroom teachers can utilise to create a differentiated and inclusive classroom. The information discussed is shared back to all teaching staff through the weekly staff meetings in which all staff workshop and discuss in groups. This is supported by external professionals, as both councillors and randomly selected teachers attend Professional Development Days at other schools and some organised by DECD to build upon the teachers’ skills of responding to student differences. These differences include all discussed above, but also ways to promote a growth mindset for all students, reinforced by Dweck (2008). I believe all teachers are well supported and forcefully told to always teach for diversity and given new and innovative strategies to do so in order to successful respond too student differences.
There two main alternative programs to respond to the student differences at FHS. Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs which support students with different and specific interests, talents and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. FHS staff encourage and supports all students to consider and undertake VET subjects to follow particular interests and talents. Many different types of students undertake VET subjects, as some do not engage well with academic subjects and engage better with practical and hands on learning and some students that are from low socioeconomic backgrounds cannot/do not attend school that often and only attend for the VET days. Other students have a great talent in one area and other students from different cultural and religious backgrounds have family emphasis on some VET subjects more than Maths and English for example. Kleitz (2000) discusses the importance of students having choice in subjects they learn at school to heighten engagement. FHS is a Music and Volleyball school and therefore students with these talents must undertake trials to become a part of these specialised programs. Through conversations with various people within FHS and observation, the VET, Music and Volleyball programs are extremely successful and have supported almost all students to receive their SACE and have maintained good attendance and engagement with school.
The second alterative to respond to student differences is the Negotiated Education Plan (NEP), which is used in conjunction to the Flexible Support Program. These programs are for students with different education needs, learning goals for students with a disability or special needs (DECD, 2018). The teachers of FHS can respond to student differences by suggesting the students move to an NEP or can suggest going to the FSP if need be. The NEP program has been implemented to be inclusive of all student differences as it allows all students to be educated in one positive learning environment. FHS has numerous students on NEPs such as students with a disability, a special need and ESL students. Within this program there are specific teachers and SSO’s who respond to the student differences and negotiate programs to create an inclusive and differentiated space. The Flexible Support Program is a support centre in FHS where students spend time doing their work if they need time out from the mainstream classroom, have challenging behaviour, are ESL students or need extra time and support with their learning. There is a big emphasises that any student can go to the FSP to prevent it from becoming stigmatised. Within the FSP there are counsellors, SSO’s and classroom teachers to support diverse learners. There are also two full-time councillors to provide support when necessary, in which their officers are hidden from the obvious site to allow students to go without being in the public eye of all students and teachers. Similar again, through conversations with many staff, what is discussed at staff meetings and from my own observations the NEP and FSP programs are differentiated plans to support inclusion and are successful at doing so.
Professional Support
All teachers and staff at FHS respond to student differences, however specific staff support other teachers to address particular student needs. The two councillors and SSO staff have weekly meetings to address student diversity and discuss various pedagogies that classroom teachers can utilise to create a differentiated and inclusive classroom. The information discussed is shared back to all teaching staff through the weekly staff meetings in which all staff workshop and discuss in groups. This is supported by external professionals, as both councillors and randomly selected teachers attend Professional Development Days at other schools and some organised by DECD to build upon the teachers’ skills of responding to student differences. These differences include all discussed above, but also ways to promote a growth mindset for all students, reinforced by Dweck (2008). I believe all teachers are well supported and forcefully told to always teach for diversity and given new and innovative strategies to do so in order to successful respond too student differences.