Intentionally develop positive relationships with students and colleagues

I believe that teaching is at heart a communicative activity. “Working in a school means negotiating a myriad of relationships with students, colleagues, parents and other members of the school community” (Groundwater-Smith, Brennan, McFadden, & Mitchell, 2001, p89). In my teaching experience I have sought to develop positive relationships with students and colleagues as I recognise the positive impact that these relationships can have on student learning outcomes.

Positive relationships with students stand at the forefront of our ability to engage students, and clearly articulated expectations and learning goals are a focus of my pre-service teaching.

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  “Alex evidently understood the importance of building positive relationships in the classroom and embraced the use of strategies to further facilitate and continue the established working environment. He clearly articulated his relationship expectations to the students and followed through with the required consequences for some inappropriate behaviour. Alex spoke to students clearly and with empathy, quietly explaining how behaviours did not meet expectations. He gave students the opportunity to make a positive commitment to future learning opportunities. Alex’s collaboration with other staff has been excellent, in terms of planning, reflecting, and assessing lesson-by-lesson achievement. By the end of the four weeks, Alex enjoyed respectful and responsive relationships with the students and earned the esteem of a range of colleagues and other personnel within the school. Administration staff, canteen staff, support staff and ancillary staff all remarked on Alex’s professionalism and work within this environment”.

I understand that the different experiences that every student brings to a classroom results in them requiring different types of physical, emotional, social and cultural needs. In providing students with an environment in which these needs are met there is no substitute for getting to know these students and their needs. In some situations meeting students’ needs may require a structured, consultative approach including numerous stakeholders, such as the development of an Individual Education Plan (IEP). In my professional experience I have worked with students who require an IEP and have attended to their physical, emotional, social and cultural needs to the best of my ability. The ability to attend to the needs of high needs students will be an area of my future teaching that will be an ongoing challenge that will require learning and training on my part.

The correct use of timely and constructive feedback is an important part of a teacher’s role. Students need to experience success, but also to assist their learning in the future. I enjoy providing ongoing feedback to students about their learning in class and also endeavour to maintain good record keeping practices that allow me to be accurate and insightful in my feedback to students.

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  “Alex did a tremendous job conferencing with individual students and providing them with constructive feedback in relation to an “introduced species” assignment. His assessment of their work was concise, consistent and insightful”.

The development of positive relationships with colleagues is fundamental to student learning outcomes but can have a significant impact on my development as a teacher. The experiences I have gained by planning and reflecting with expert teachers within the schools I have worked has been invaluable. I actively pursue the knowledge that can be gained from such discussion and interaction. I hope that by drawing upon teaching and learning strategies from those around me I can become a more effective educator in the future.

• View References

  Groundwater-Smith, S. Brennan, M. McFadden, M. & Mitchell, J. (2001). Secondary schooling in a changing world. Harcourt Australia. NSW.