Week 1

What is Teaching and Learning?

My previous experience as a Swimming Coach has allowed me to understand the process of learning. I became a Coach 15 years ago progressing from a Learn to Swim teacher. I found this progression easy as I had the basic knowledge of how a person learns to swim and then from this advance to competitive levels of swimming. This learning experience for me was a pivotal point in my life as I realized my passion for teaching children. I progressed from Coaching into Teacher Aide work with Ed QLD, working with disability students. I studied to be a qualified Teacher Aide and my learning journey for this was challenging as the study was done externally. My frustration as a learner due to this has allowed me to see that students have various ways of learning and not everyone fits inside a box, so to speak. I am still learning at the age of 40 and feel this will progress through out the rest of my life. My learning journey has allowed me to now understand students with learning issues and as a Learning Manager in training I believe my previous life journey is allowing me to draw on this knowledge and apply it in the classroom. I had many role models through this time and still to this day contact them when I need advice or assistance. It is my belief that we always need to have Mentors or role models to assist us in our journey of life long learning.

I believe a great Teacher is a person who imparts knowledge onto their students that will stay with them through out their life. A Teacher is a role model and a person who assists students in reaching and achieving their goals. The difference between a Teacher and Learning Manager which is the more modern term, for me seems that in the past Teachers taught students with a very teacher centered approach, where today Learning Managers now engage students in their lessons and make the lessons meaningful to the students. Learning Managers today evaluate their own style of teaching regularly and this allows them to reflect on who they are as a Learning Manager and how they can apply this when teaching their students.

My belief of teaching is knowing and planning your lessons before you teach them thoroughly. It is imperative you have an outcome for each lesson and that you include various teaching styles through out the lesson to cater to all students needs. You must always create a positive learning environment for the students as this will allow for learning to occur. Use class discussion during lessons and create lessons that students can relate to (make it real). KJ