10. The Reflective Practitioner

“The more reflective you are the more effective you are” – Hall and Simeral

Over the last 2 years I have matured as a teacher, I am aware I am at the start of my journey and I have a lot to learn still. Reflecting on how I approached PME 1 placement and then PME 2 placement as allowed me to identify how I have developed. For example, I changed my pedagogical approach, using questioning to drive the learning. Promoting an equal amount of teacher and student voice as allowed me to create a inclusive and supportive learning environment. Understanding the importance of developing my students vocabulary. Utilising Visual Thinking Strategies to support their investigation into support studies and develop their critical language. Encouraging student autonomy, inviting them to cocurate elements of the Units of Learning. I am excited to see how my pedagogy changes over the years as I continue to learn from my peers and my students.

The art I teach and the art I create influence each other. Through Visual Arts for the Classroom modules and the Change Lab, we learned how to combine our art practice and teaching practice together to create a dual identity. As an artist, I am constantly questioning my identity. Just like the teenagers I teach; I question who I am. Throughout school placement, the projects I delivered were rooted in themes about self-discovery and celebration for who they are and their interests. My art practice shapes how I teach, resulting in a pedagogy that emphasised social justice issues and creating a supportive and inclusive environment. Art is a mode of expression and exploration. It has made my voice louder and my thoughts stronger and I hope to do the same for my students in the future.