Units Of Work
Scenario
“Amy was faced with something she had not experienced before; the school had a policy of not finalising classes until the start of week 3. The principal said that this policy was in place in case a new student should unexpectedly arrive. ‘No problems,’ thought Amy, ‘It can’t be that bad.’ But she soon found that the children’s behaviour was challenging, she couldn’t start any quality teaching because they were not her real class…”
In the beginning weeks of Term 1, it is a time when a primary teacher should get to know his or her students and begin to form relationships with them. In some instances, it is a time when classes are not finalised and consequently, teachers are not allocated a permanent class. This could be due to the possibility of a new student enrolling in the school which may require the class structures to be changed. In either situation, it is the perfect time to implement a unit of work that will enable the teacher to learn about the students’ personal interests, families and backgrounds and will also allow the students to learn about their fellow classmates. See below for an ‘About Me’ unit of work that focuses on English, HSIE and Creative Arts.
edpd_about_me_unit.docx | |
File Size: | 108 kb |
File Type: | docx |
This ‘About Me’ unit of work is an introductory unit that has been designed so it has the flexibility to be adapted to any Primary Class from Kindergarten to Year 6. The unit allows the teacher to differentiate the activities where necessary to ensure all students learn to their optimum potential. The unit aims to develop a positive and friendly classroom environment by providing students with the opportunity to learn about their fellow classmates including their interests, families and backgrounds. Research indicates the importance of the teacher creating an inclusive classroom environment by developing positive relationships with students and building classroom rapport (Kerry & Kerry, 1997). Inclusivity in the classroom is vital as it allows students to feel safe and welcome at school so that they can learn to the best of their ability (Kerry & Kerry, 1997). Classroom inclusivity also builds students’ self-efficacy and self-esteem and therefore provides an environment where students feel confident enough to take risks so they can learn to their optimum potential (Kerry & Kerry, 1997).
The unit also aims to improve the quality of students writing by focusing on Narratives. The learning activities provide the opportunity for students to develop their knowledge, understandings and skills related to the writing process including planning, drafting, revising, editing and publishing. The unit also focuses on developing other techniques to improve the students writing fluency. These activities have been incorporated into the unit as the ability to clarify meaning and self-correct is essential for fluency in writing (DET NSW, 2000).
The unit also aims to improve the quality of students writing by focusing on Narratives. The learning activities provide the opportunity for students to develop their knowledge, understandings and skills related to the writing process including planning, drafting, revising, editing and publishing. The unit also focuses on developing other techniques to improve the students writing fluency. These activities have been incorporated into the unit as the ability to clarify meaning and self-correct is essential for fluency in writing (DET NSW, 2000).