Competency Goal 1

In an informal discussion between myself and the class teacher we would determine our roles throughout the activities, what teaching styles will be used to match the needs of the individual children or groups. Discussing the individual children and preparing to provide additional support ensuing all needs are met, any barriers that may become apparent during the lesson can be overcome without fuss.

“….The school therefore is to provide and maintain a safe and healthy environment for all staff, pupils, parents and visitors when they are on the school premises….”

Using my personal presence, presonal example, charisma and tools such as ground rules, I need to create the right first impression to ensure that my learners are aware of their responsibilities within the learning environment. I try to create an environment of support, collaboration and mutual respect. I am responsible for ensuring inclusivity of the learners and celebrating their diversity. I have a duty of care in respect of my learners and should get advice and guidance from my fellow professionals in areas I am unsure of. The environment should be in accordance with Health and Safety requirements allowing free movement and access, no trip hazards, safe, tested electrical equipment. I need to create a psychologically safe environment without intimidation or disrespect. I would do this by challenging inappropriate behaviour and encouraging positive behaviour. I could also refer learners back to the ground rules. Depending on the learning needs / progress of individuals I might need to adapt and target some parts of the course content. I need to minimise jargon and adapt my language and style to the needs of the participants. I need to create opportunities for networking, self-development and experimentation. I must also be aware of any perceived or real barriers to learning and make appropriate interventions. To do this I would confer with teaching assistants or ‘privately’ discuss any issues directly with learners.

In my child care setting, I work hard to provide all children with a safe and healthy learning environment. I research and follow strict standards available from the state related to preventing and reducing injury and illness, helping children feel safe, following sound nutrition and fitness practices, and creating an enriching learning environment.

It is important to take into account the health and safe requirements of all pupils before planning or starting any activity, ensuring that the environment is free of hazards and the children can play and learn safely.

Children and young people should feel happy, safe, respected and included in the school or early years setting environment and all staff should be proactive in promoting positive behavior in the classroom, playground and the wider community. Policies and practice which make sure the safety and wellbeing of children should already be in place and it is this legislation develop through many years and experiences, and mistakes, that underpin the working practices that are used today.

Dimension 3.1, classroom environment, routines, and procedures, the teachers is expected to organize and maintain a “safe, accessible, and efficient classroom” (TEA, 2016, p. 15). Dimension 3.2, managing student behavior, focuses on establishing expectations for behavior. And dimension 3.3, classroom culture, consists of creating a culture of mutual respect in which all learners are engaged (TEA, 2016). The focus of this domain is to ensure an orderly and safe environment for all learners by maintain high

Providing physical and emotional security for each child and helping each child to know, accept, and take pride in him or herself while developing a sense of independence is my responsibility as a child caregiver. Part of my responsibility is treating each child as an individual and promoting their own strengths and needs as they grow. To encourage growth in each of these areas I use books, pictures, stories, and discussions to help children identify with positive events and experiences in their lives. I help to ensure each of my children feel love, affection, and security through consistent encouragement and positive reinforcement.

'We have a duty of care towards pupils, we should ensure that they are comfortable and safe and that the environment is secure and conductive to learning. ' Louise Burnham Supporting Teaching and Learning in schools. Indoors the housekeeping must be to a high standard. It is required daily. It is required after each lesson in each classroom and after each outdoor and indoor activity. Tidy areas help prevent accidents and health risks. Toys and other equipment need to be checked on each use visually for wear and tear and removed from use as required. It is good practice to teach pupils to keep their tables, area and things tidy and in order to reduce the risk and possible outcome to them and others. We are to help pupils to be progressively independent according to their age and stage. Correct footwear for PE is important for each pupil. The correct control measures need to be in place for each activity. When using the

Goal 1 I will improve my communication skills by demonstrating an effective communication skill with by the patients and nurses within ten weeks of consolidation. Measurable: Communication skills can be measured through body language. I will observe the patients and nurse facial expression and eye contact to see how well they understand me Attainable: I understand that communication skills play an important role in nursing.

To provide a developmentally appropriate learning environment that is safe, healthy, respectful and supportive of children and families. For the learning environment to be safe, I ensure that I always check identification, and have parents notify me whenever someone new to the list will be picking up. I always bring my roster with me to ensure I have all my children with me. I do a roll call every time we get to a new area after traveling anywhere away from our room, and before leaving the room. Another way that I make the learning environment safe is by covering all the outlets in the room, and making sure sharp or dangerous objects are put away, and out of the children’s reach. I put cleaning supplies and other chemicals in high locked cabinets.

It is important to establish appropriate behaviour and respect for others in order to fully realise the potential of all within and to ensure each student is safe from both physical and psychological harm. Appropriate behaviour must apply to both student and teacher. I, as a teacher, must follow a Code of Practice in order foster individual growth and learning. The principles of Good Practice are to treat people with care, respect and dignity. To recognise that I, as a teacher, am a trusted representative of my work place. I must ensure communication with students is open and clear and assess the risks to my students of the activities by carrying out a thorough risk assessment before each session.

While most educational programs generally exclude learning that is not specified in the fixed curriculum, it is encouraging to see that in recent times more universities are open to diverse learning, inside and outside the classroom. I believe that competency focused education being more learner centric and outcome based, will lead to better student engagement because the content is relevant to each student and tailored to their unique needs. This will result in a new generation of differentiated leaders. Having said that, this form of education is more suited for students learning a specific skillset for a specific industry [eg safety/nursing etc]. Application of this method may not be suitable for younger students that that are still discovering

I composed numerous plans for each competency addressed in order to achieve mastery of that particular competency. In regards to the first competency addressed, Standard 3: Instructional Delivery, I planned to make sure I differentiated in all my classes in a variety of ways. One way I planned to differentiate is by ability. Teachers do not have any control over the students that walk thru our door on the first day of school. No matter where they fall academically, we have to build them up to greater heights of achievement. By differentiating in a variety of ways and settings, I am able to help students improve to greater heights of ability, and meet every student’s needs (Jennings, 2012). When approaching the second content competency, Standard 5: Learning environment, my plan was to allow my students to help establish the rules of the class, and to make sure I hold them accountable for those rules. the policies, procedures, and rules of the class are usually determined at the beginning of the school year, and many teachers refer to these tasks as setting the tone for the course of the year. Setting the tone, establishing

The core competencies that the schools have implemented have been developed by the central office, by the school themselves and by teachers within the school. I will be identifying three core competencies that I have worked with in the past year and evaluate their relevance in the school setting. I will also be looking at how the rest the school uses these competencies, along with ways that we might be able to improve upon them.