Belief Statement

Professional Practice requires the teacher to create and maintain engaging, valuable, safe, inclusive, and equitable learning environments and experiences. Therefore, learning must align with the curriculum in an authentic way that enriches learning outcomes.

Students are more likely to learn when they are invested in a topic (Lapinski, Gravel, & Rose, 2012), which positively influences achievement (Roorda, Koomen, Spitt, & Oort, 2011) and decreases noncompliant behaviours (Lane, Menzies, Ennis, & Oakes, 2015). I intend to increase student engagement by using teaching strategies and learning experiences that allow students to have autonomy, minimise threats and distractions, and be culturally and socially relevant (CAST, 2018; Usher, 2019).

Inclusive learning environments are imperative to student success. To optimise student learning, students need to feel safe (Odenbring & Johansson, 2021). I will create safe environments that are conducive to learning by teaching with empathy, managing the physical environment appropriately (Anderson & Bowen, 2020), and providing clear behavioural expectations (Department of Education Queensland).  

I believe in authentic assessment that is relevant and reflects the 21st century. The validity of assessment increases when the skills and strategies are relevant to the industry and real-world applications (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, 2019). The language we use affects students’ learning, therefore choosing our words carefully will allow students to build positive identities for themselves (Fisher, Frey, & Pumplan, 2012).