Schools, teaching and teachers have come so far over the years. From not having a designated school building, anybody being able to teach and no set teaching program (Churchill, Godinho, Johnson, Keddie, Letts, Lowe, Mackay, McGill, Moss, Nagel & Shaw., 2019) to having a central location for education, needing a degree to teach and adhere to curriculum and teaching standards. As a future teacher, I know that there are different learners and that it is imperative for me to be able to accommodate for those differences in a safe, open and secure learning environment. It is also my duty to deliver engaging lessons according to the professional standards and curriculum so that my students receive the best education.

In this technologically vast world, teachers are no longer the sole fountain of information and as such the role as a teacher has changed. I believe that teachers are no longer the be all and end all for information and learning. We are now facilitators of education; guiding our students through their journey with the use of learning experiences (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019). Technology has broadened the scope of the classroom, breaking away from the confines of physical walls and aids in keeping kids engaged in work. However, with the good comes the bad and it is my legal duty and responsibility as a teacher to implement and enforce safe use of Information and Communication Technologies [ICT].

Technology and the internet have made it possible for people to stay connected at all times of the day. Whilst this makes for easier contact, it also means that issues such as bullying can leave the school grounds and lead right into their bedrooms and can also lead them right into dangers way by being susceptible to grooming and attack. It is my responsibility to teach my students how to use the internet safely and ethically. To teach them what is right and wrong and who to inform if they ever come across something odd or unsafe. I will implement a student contract outlining my expectations of them and their use of ICT in and out of the classroom and misuse will hold them liable. This will be one way to integrate safe use of technology which is a key part of being a teacher.

Australia is a large multicultural society. My passion for equality and inclusivity is what motivates me as a teacher. I believe in equal opportunity for all and that knowledge is the key to breaking down barriers. With the political and social climate being very volatile at the moment, I believe that knowledge is the first step to diffusing current tensions. I will endeavour to create an atmosphere of love and acceptance in my classrooms. I appreciate that there is Harmony Day in schools, however, I believe that it should be something done more often. I believe that many students today are of third culture; a mix of their host country culture and their heritage culture. These students will find it more difficult to find the middle ground and find it hard to fit in. I believe that by embracing the different cultures and promoting them assists in self-identity and thus is in line with the Queensland College of Teachers [QCT] Code of Ethics value of dignity (QCT, Code of Ethics, n.d.).

A child starts learning from infancy and whilst there are some things that all children learn; for example: how to crawl, walk and chew. There are external factors to how and what they learn; for example, children that come from parents of migrants will most likely have English as a second language and this can affect how they learn language. I believe that a child's background and home life have a great impact on their learning and how they learn. The Constructivist theory of learning states that a person’s knowledge is not just accumulated but is influenced by life experiences (Churchill et. al, 2019). This theory of learning promotes building on the knowledge that students already have to aide in their journey (Duchesne & McMaugh, 2019). My teaching style and learning experiences will be based on this theory. I believe that teachers need to provide quality education but also allow their students to explore the world through the provided learning experiences. This will engage students and teach them how to be pro-active thinkers for solutions and not just to check off a list.

As a teacher in this ever-changing society, I believe that it is my responsibility and duty to keep up to date with curriculum and technology changes. It is imperative that we, as educators, are constantly looking at our work practices and reflecting to see where we can improve. I believe that to teach we need to learn and teachers are lifelong learners. By reflecting on our work practices, learning new skills and seeking help where required we are setting ourselves up to provide our students with quality education to the best of our ability.