Planning and Preparing for Teaching and Learning Essay

At present my role is of a hairdressing teacher in a further education college. I currently teach hairdressing on the NVQ level 1, 2 and 3 programs. Gravel’s, A (2006, p5) suggests that it is all about helping someone to reach their full potential, whether this is for personal or professional reasons, and for me, helping to make a difference to someone’s life can be very rewarding. Within this assignment I am aiming to discuss the learning outcomes as outlined in Unit 1 – Planning and preparing for teaching and learning to define the roles and responsibilities of a teacher. Reece and Walker (2003, P4) describe a modern teacher as being a facilitator and when comparing a modern teaching role to more traditional teaching methods, I agree that this is true. As the modern role requires the teacher to be able to communicate with the learners in such a way as to inspire and encourage all learners to engage within their chosen subject. To be able to do this is vital when teaching within further education as groups consist of not just different age ranges but also learners from different learning backgrounds, with individual needs and abilities. Due to this diversity, it becomes more important for teachers to explore new and inventive ways when approaching schemes of work and session plans, whilst ensuring it covers all the aims and outcomes of the syllabus set out by the awarding body (VTCT) and follows an internal strategy which is monitored by an external verifier to ensure that standards are being adhered to. By doing this it will ensure that the aims and o bjectives planned in a session are meaningful and relevant to all learners. One of the roles of a teacher is to identify learners’ needs thus ensuring the learners are not only on the correct course but also on the correct level for their ability. It is my responsibility to facilitate initial assessments, assessing and monitoring the various learning styles for each individual learner, taking into consideration the learners prior experiences, knowledge and motivation both academically and within their home life in order for individuals to achieve their full potential. During this initial assessment the learner is encouraged to disclose any disabilities and/or learning difficulties so that any need for additional support may be identified and the appropriate measures can be put into place to support them. This could be in class support, adapted or specialised equipment or resources or referring them to a specialised department for support or guidance. It is also the responsibility of the teacher to know what will need to be disclosed and what is to be kept confidential. Due to government requirements, to improve basic core skills further assessments (BKSB) are carried out which identify learners’ levels in numeracy, literacy and ICT. The completion of these tests allow for any additional learning needs to be identified thus ensuring that support is put into place to assist the learner. This allows for more effective learning to take place and will allow the teacher a deeper insight into the learners’ level of learning therefore allowing the teacher to challenge the more capable learner whilst allowing the less able learner to be encouraged. Another role of the teacher would be to plan for the academic year. This would include producing a scheme of work for each unit covered. The scheme of work is a working document and is frequently evaluated and reflected throughout the year and adapted as I gain a deeper knowledge of each learner’s requirements. This knowledge is gained through the initial assessments which would include a learning style questionnaire, observations carried out during sessions and from each learner’s ILP (individual learning plan) which is a document produced by each individual learner that takes into consideration the learner’s strengths and weaknesses. While more traditional teaching methods are based on the principle that all learners should get equal attention, follow the same curriculum and are assessed at the same level (‘One size fits all’), an ILP presumes that the needs of each individual learner are different, and therefore should be addressed on an individual basis. Research has shown that putting emphasis on the individual learner’s role is vital to a productive learning experience. It is important to take this into consideration when producing resources and session plans to ensure that all sessions are inclusive to all learners. Regularly updating and assessing the individual learner’s ILP enables me to review a learner’s progress, negotiate priorities with the learner and agree with them an individual learning plan. By doing this it will allow the learner to take responsibility for their own education whist ensuring that they are following the same curriculum design. I would then input the individual goals set onto an assessment tracking system (Pro-monitor) this information is available to all teachers in that curriculum area so that they are aware of individual goals set ensuring continuity and in turn creating an assessment cycle action plan for the academic year. This process allows for the learner’s progress to be continually reviewed against the goals that have been set and allows for them to be amended in order to extend. It is the responsibility of the teacher to have a detailed profile of the learners, to allow for differentiation in session plans. The responsibility is to plan lessons that will incorporate varying learning styles to ensure that learners have equal rights to learn. The completion of attendance records, carrying out one to one interviews and clear differentiation sheets for all learners should be completed and regularly updated and records kept. It is the teacher’s responsibility to recognise the limitations and boundaries within their role, therefore referring learners to the relevant departments for support that falls outside of their expertise for example, the ESOL, Learner Support, and Counselling departments. As Dow and Truman said, â€Å"Teachers do not – and certainly should not – act alone, nor should they imagine that there are no limits or boundaries to their responsibilities† (Dow & Truman, 1995). The teacher needs to remember the aim of ’Every Child Matters’ (ECM, 2003) and that every child has the right to learn in a safe learning environment that promotes openness and trust. Ensuring the layout of the classroom is suitable, gives all learners an equal opportunity to engage in activities. However in my specific role as a hairdressing teacher this is not always possible when working in the salon where all learners have individual stations to work at. Whilst this is beneficial for independent learning I always ensure that there is an open space to gather learners for demonstrations and group work.