Biography
My name is Bobbie Moyle. I am studying for a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education at Curtin University. I decided I wanted to become an Early Childhood Educator while working in the Education Department as a Teacher Aide. I saw the positive impact I could have on students' lives and learning and wanted to take the opportunity to continue this positive experience in a way that was more influential. Each teacher has a different purpose as to why they want to teach. Michael Huberman (1993) recognises three common reasons in his work "The Lives of Teachers" for wanting to become an educator, the first being the joy that comes from teaching, second being the financial aspect of employment in the education industry and the last reason is to continue having involvement in particular subject areas. I agree with Huberman however would also add one of Lortie's point of views that some teachers are attracted to the teaching profession as it is a valuable service to society (Churchill, R; Godinho, S; Johnson, N; Keddie, A; Letts, W; Lowe, K; Mackay, J; McGill, M; Moss, J; Nagel, M; Shaw, K; Rogers, J., 2019). I want to teach future generations for all of these reasons and more.
References
Churchill, R., Godinho, S., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Lowe, K., . . . Rogers, J. (2019). Teaching Making a Difference. Milton, QLD, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
Huberman, M. (1993). The Lives of Teachers. New York: Teachers College Press.
Ethical and Legal Responsibilities as a Teacher
The Australian Institute for Teaching and School leadership (2018) highlights the crucial role in which teachers play and have listed Australian Professional Standard for Teachers. As a pre-service teacher, I have the responsibility to meet these standards through professional development and deliver high-quality teaching of the Australian curriculum. A crucial role of educator’s implementing curriculum is having an ethical understanding that aligns with it. It's not enough to just have good values; as a teacher, it is my responsibility to continually reflect and examine my values as well as consider my personal opinions (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2016). Ethical issues arise across all areas of the curriculum; to be an effective teacher, I must analyse and evaluate the ethics of the decisions I make.
Like all other citizens, I am accountable under common law, but as a teacher, I also must follow policies and procedures put in place to deal with statutory requirements (Churchill et al., 2019). All educators in Australia must meet the legal requirements of their state to teach. To teach in Queensland schools, you must:
- Hold a teacher qualification
- be registered with the Queensland College of teachers
- be an Australian Citizen or hold a valid Australian working visa
- hold a current blue care card
(The State of Queensland 1995-2019, 2019)
Along with meeting the legal requirement, teachers must also follow policies and procedures. The Melbourne declaration states that it is my responsibility as an educator to promote equity and excellence, this means making sure children have essential skills in literacy and numeracy and are creative and productive users of technology as a foundation for success in all learning areas (Barr et al., 2008). I have a duty of care for students' within school grounds, and now with the growth in technology I have a duty of care for them online concerning Information and Communication Technology (ICT), this means educating students' on the dangers of ICT. The Queensland Government Website (2018) has many resources for teachers to help implement cyber safety.
References
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2018). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Carlton South: Education Services Australia.
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2016). Ethical Understanding. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.acara.edu.au/
Barr, A., Gillard, J., Firth, V., Scrymgour, M., Welford, R., Loxam-Smith, J., . . . Constable, E. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australian. Melbourne: Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs.
Churchill, R., Godinho, S., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Lowe, K., . . . Rogers, J. (2019). Teaching Making a Difference. Milton, QLD, Australia: John Wiley & Sons Australia.
The State of Queensland (Department of Education). (2018, December 21). Cybersafety. Retrieved from Queensland Government: http://behaviour.education.qld.gov.au/cybersafety/Pages/default.aspx
The State of Queensland 1995-2019. (2019, September 9). Becoming a school teacher. Retrieved from Queensland Government: https://www.qld.gov.au/education/jobs/teacher/school/schoolteacher
Bobbie Moyle 's wall
Bobbie Moyle 's portfolios
Digital Professional Portfolio
(10 pages)My Teaching Identity
The purpose of educating is to create successful learners; this is highlighted in the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. Students need to be taught the essential skills across a broad range of subjects as a foundation for success in all learning and life (Barr, A; Gillard, J; Firth, V; Scrymgour, M; Welford, R; Loxam-Smith, J; Bartlett, D; Pike, B; Constable, E2008). It is the job of teachers to teach well, engage students’ and prepare them for life. Engaging and preparing is possible through rich interaction between teacher and student (Walker, 2017). As Shanmugaratnam (2005) explains, teaching is about touching the hearts of children and engaging their minds. When looking back at my schooling, the memories I have of learning best go hand in hand with fond memories of the teachers I loved. I will never forget my year four teacher who managed to engage my whole class by using a microphone that gave her a funny-sounding voice or my high school math teacher who took the time to tell the class hilarious stories and create a friendly bond so that Maths which a lot of students’ dread became fun because we enjoyed the time we spent with that teacher. These teachers that I fondly remember created engaging atmospheres which in turn influenced what I learnt and who I am now.
The relationships I had with my teachers have helped me understand what a powerful impact I can have on students' lives not just now but in the future. What I teach in classes will influence the students' achievements throughout their whole lives. By being an effective teacher, I can be a source of inspiration and be a dependable and consistent influence on the young people I will educate (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2018). The greatest resource in schools are teachers; I want to work my way to being a great resource.
I currently am employed as a teacher aide in a remote school in Far North Queensland that is made up of approximately 58% indigenous students. Being in such a culturally rich school has shaped my teaching identity significantly. Working towards educational justices for Indigenous Australians is a collective struggle and a collective responsibility (Rudolph & Brown, 2017). I have been lucky enough to be in classrooms where relationships have been built to ensure educational justice for the indigenous students at our school. The teachers and students I work with every day have demonstrated great principles, which have positively affected my values and beliefs.
References
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2018). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Carlton South: Education Services Australia.
Barr, A., Gillard, J., Firth, V., Scrymgour, M., Welford, R., Loxam-Smith, J., . . . Constable, E. (2008). Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australian. Melbourne: Ministerial Council on Education Employment Training and Youth Affairs.
Rudolph, S., & Brown, L. (2017). Understanding The Techniques Of Colonialism: Indigenous Educational Justice. In B. Gobby, & R. Walker, Powers Of Curriculum: Sociological Perspectives On Education (pp. 289-331). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Shanmugaratnam, T. (2005, September 22). Achieving Quality: Bottom-Up Initiative, Top-Down Support. (S. G. Release, Interviewer)