Heading into my 5th observation at my prac school this week, I was met by my supervising teacher who enthusiastically asked me, “Do you want to teach my Year 11 Studies of Religion class next week?”.
I of course, jumped at the chance. I am after all, training to be a teacher, so why shouldn’t I take every opportunity to actually teach? As soon as I agreed however, I was immediately confronted by my inner monologue. From the minute the words left my mouth, I began asking myself the question that many pre-service teachers before me have asked.
“Am I ready to teach?”
I of course, jumped at the chance. I am after all, training to be a teacher, so why shouldn’t I take every opportunity to actually teach? As soon as I agreed however, I was immediately confronted by my inner monologue. From the minute the words left my mouth, I began asking myself the question that many pre-service teachers before me have asked.
“Am I ready to teach?”
According to Hollins (2011), teaching is a complex, dynamic and multidimensional process. It requires us to have a deep knowledge and understanding of a wide range of areas. To be effective educators, we need to be able to synthesise, integrate and apply this knowledge in different situations, and ensure it is effectively shared with a diverse group of students, under ever-changing conditions (Hollins, 2011).
Do I really have this level of knowledge and the ability to effectively transmit this content to a classroom full of students?
Do I really have this level of knowledge and the ability to effectively transmit this content to a classroom full of students?
It was in the middle of my panicked inner monologue where I was in fact beginning to convince myself that I was going to do a horrible job next week, when I remembered something that my university tutor said in one of our tutorials.
“Students are only ready to teach when they stop thinking about their own abilities and readiness, and start focusing on their students.”
It’s a powerful idea, and once I remembered it, it began to change my perspective on my readiness to teach, come period 2 next week. According to Australian Professional Standard 1.2.1 and 1.3.1, graduate teachers need to not only be able to understand how their students learn, but also utilise teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of the diverse student group that makes up their class (BOSTES, 2012, p.8).
Once I began thinking of these standards, I began applying the concepts to my observations on prac. Standard 1.3.1 in particular recognises that students come from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds (BOSTES, 2012, p.8). From what I have observed at my prac school, this fact is especially relevant when teaching religious education. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) reports that 22% of Australians identify as having ‘no religion’, with around half of this number being under 30 years of age. Instead of organised religions, youth are now looking more towards the ideal of spirituality.
This can be seen in the religion classes I have observed so far, with most students proclaiming themselves as atheist, or showing a preference for spirituality rather than traditional, organised religion. The majority of religious educators at my school deal with this, by meeting the Professional Standards 2.1.2 and 2.1.3. The teachers engage in learning and teaching programs that show the core substance of the subject –experiencing religion and spirituality as a living entity. Rather than forcing students to memorise scriptures or the catechism, they give students opportunities to actively engage and explore their spirituality.
This is done through school liturgies, as well as more classroom-based approaches. One teacher in particular extended the school policy of beginning each class with a prayer, by creating a prayer roster. Students were assigned a week in which they would lead the class in prayer. Rather than having to recite traditional prayers however, students were invited to show their creativity and explore their own spirituality. They could do so in any form, as long as it was respectful. For example, one pair of boys wrote and performed their prayer in song form.
By reflecting on examples like this, I’m reminded that when we teach it’s not really about us. It’s about thinking about our students and working out how to give them learning opportunities that play towards their strengths and domains of intelligence (Gardner, 1983). When I think about teaching in this way, I begin to think that if I try to focus on the students when preparing my lesson, rather than my own fears, than perhaps I will be ready to teach come Wednesday morning.
“Students are only ready to teach when they stop thinking about their own abilities and readiness, and start focusing on their students.”
It’s a powerful idea, and once I remembered it, it began to change my perspective on my readiness to teach, come period 2 next week. According to Australian Professional Standard 1.2.1 and 1.3.1, graduate teachers need to not only be able to understand how their students learn, but also utilise teaching strategies that are responsive to the learning strengths and needs of the diverse student group that makes up their class (BOSTES, 2012, p.8).
Once I began thinking of these standards, I began applying the concepts to my observations on prac. Standard 1.3.1 in particular recognises that students come from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds (BOSTES, 2012, p.8). From what I have observed at my prac school, this fact is especially relevant when teaching religious education. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) reports that 22% of Australians identify as having ‘no religion’, with around half of this number being under 30 years of age. Instead of organised religions, youth are now looking more towards the ideal of spirituality.
This can be seen in the religion classes I have observed so far, with most students proclaiming themselves as atheist, or showing a preference for spirituality rather than traditional, organised religion. The majority of religious educators at my school deal with this, by meeting the Professional Standards 2.1.2 and 2.1.3. The teachers engage in learning and teaching programs that show the core substance of the subject –experiencing religion and spirituality as a living entity. Rather than forcing students to memorise scriptures or the catechism, they give students opportunities to actively engage and explore their spirituality.
This is done through school liturgies, as well as more classroom-based approaches. One teacher in particular extended the school policy of beginning each class with a prayer, by creating a prayer roster. Students were assigned a week in which they would lead the class in prayer. Rather than having to recite traditional prayers however, students were invited to show their creativity and explore their own spirituality. They could do so in any form, as long as it was respectful. For example, one pair of boys wrote and performed their prayer in song form.
By reflecting on examples like this, I’m reminded that when we teach it’s not really about us. It’s about thinking about our students and working out how to give them learning opportunities that play towards their strengths and domains of intelligence (Gardner, 1983). When I think about teaching in this way, I begin to think that if I try to focus on the students when preparing my lesson, rather than my own fears, than perhaps I will be ready to teach come Wednesday morning.
REFERENCE LIST
Board of Studies, Teaching & Educational Standards NSW. (2012). Australian Professional Standards For Teachers. Retrieved from: http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/publications-policies-resources/publications/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Hollins, E. R. (2011). Teacher Preparation For Quality Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(4), 395-407. Doi: 10.1177/0022487111409415
Board of Studies, Teaching & Educational Standards NSW. (2012). Australian Professional Standards For Teachers. Retrieved from: http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/publications-policies-resources/publications/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers/
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic Books.
Hollins, E. R. (2011). Teacher Preparation For Quality Teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 62(4), 395-407. Doi: 10.1177/0022487111409415