Unit rationale, description and aim
There are few aspects of teaching more critical than the ability to create safe, productive and positive learning environments. Classroom organisation and routines, classroom management, and positive relationships are some of the many key influencers of positive behaviour, but effective teachers are able to demonstrate an understanding of the complex factors that underpin classroom environments and apply relevant, appropriate, and effective approaches to promote well-being and optimal learning for students.
Pre-service teachers will develop a critical approach, informed by multiple theoretical perspectives, to planning, implementing and evaluating these practices by investigating, analysing and synthesising approaches to building a positive environment for all students. The unit emphasises the development of pedagogical judgment and practical skill in relevant high leverage practices, including the implementation of organisational routines, specifying and reinforcing productive behaviour, building respectful relationships with and between students, and engaging effectively with parents/carers to foster positive behaviour and manage challenging behaviour.
The major focus of this unit is the role of the classroom teacher in planning, leading and evaluating positive and safe learning environments that support equitable and ethical outcomes for students, and ultimately lead to demonstrable learning and development of students, both academic and social/emotional. Pre-service teachers in the unit will create and apply theorised pedagogical approaches to their professional experience and engage in critical reflection of their developing understanding of the complex factors that underpin student behaviour and optimal approaches to foster positive behaviour in the classroom.
The aim of this unit is to provide pre-service teachers with a comprehensive understanding of the theories and practices that underpin positive learning environments.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding o...
Learning Outcome 01
Critically analyse and evaluate a range of theorie...
Learning Outcome 02
Synthesise and develop principles and policies rel...
Learning Outcome 03
Analyse, critique and synthesise behavioural manag...
Learning Outcome 04
Critically reflect on the application of behaviour...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Theories and models of classroom management in schools.
- Trauma-informed pedagogical theories and practices that promote engagement, achievement and wellbeing in the classroom.
- Approaches and strategies to develop and review whole school and classroom positive learning environments.
- Codes of ethics and conduct, and legislative requirements, with regard to managing behaviour
- Student engagement, effective teaching and learning, prosocial behaviour.
- Student wellbeing, mental health and safety: risks and protective factors.
- Strategies that support students’ well-being and safety, working within school and/or system requirements, and family and community contexts.
- Self-care, resiliency and managing personal safety.
- Issues in behaviour management, attribution for misbehaviour, including motivational, socio-cultural and socio-historical factors, family and community, and school, class and teacher factors.
- Interaction between curriculum and behaviour management.
- Aspects of positive classroom management including:
- establishing routines and communicating directions
- establishing and maintaining supportive and safe learning environments
- motivating students and maintaining positive behaviour
- preventing and minimising behaviour problems
- resolving behaviour problems and building pathways to support positive behaviour
- defusing aggressive students/situations
- working collaboratively with parents/carers, external professionals and community representatives
- Networks of support and collaboration to manage challenging behaviour.
- Bullying identification, prevention and response strategies in school and social media contexts.
Assessment strategy and rationale
A range of assessment procedures are used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes and professional standards and criteria consistent with university assessment requirements.
The assessment strategy for this unit is underpinned by the practical nature of this particular course, which provides a professional experiential context within which participants can produce evidence that they have successfully met unit learning outcomes (and by extension, that they have addressed the corresponding APST). Thus, each task is based on the development of authentic artefacts of teaching that highlight the progressive development of knowledge and skills within the unit and their application within professional experience. The progression of assessment tasks within this unit mirrors the progression of essential activities undertaken by early-career teachers related to promoting positive behaviour, which begins with behavioural management planning, then moves into application of practice, and culminates in critical evaluation and consideration of implications for professional learning. A variety of assessment procedures will be used to ascertain the extent to which pre-service teachers achieve stated outcomes.
Minimum Achievement Standards
Pre-service teachers are required to demonstrate achievement of learning outcomes by submitting all assessment tasks and obtaining a combined score of at least 50%.
Assessment Task 3 (Critical Task) is core to the demonstration of a number of Australian Professional Teacher Standards and a score of at least 50% must be attained in Task 3 in order to pass this unit.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Behavioural Management Plan D...
Assessment Task 1: Behavioural Management Plan
Develop a behaviour management plan, synthesising two to three key approaches to classroom management and linking to specific strategies for managing challenging behaviour. Rationale for the plan must include analysis and evaluation of codes of ethics and conduct, approaches to and practices for establishing positive learning environments to support inclusive student participation, approaches and practical strategies for managing challenging behaviour and promoting positive classroom environments, and strategies for working effectively with colleagues and parents/carers to support positive behaviour for students.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Reflective Analysis of Behavio...
Assessment Task 2: Reflective Analysis of Behavioural Management Practice
Critically reflect on a series (at least three) lessons you have taught, based on implementing a variety of behavioural management approaches and strategies. Reflection should:
- Draw connections to research and theory that have informed the approaches and strategies you’ve prioritised.
- Address at least two of the following core practices: implementing routines and providing directions, specifying and reinforcing productive behaviour, building respectful relationships with and between students, communicating and collaborating with parents in support of student engagement and positive behaviour.
- Make reference to feedback and shared reflection undertaken with a colleague who has observed teaching.
- Provide critical evaluation of the effectiveness of particular strategies, development of expertise and implications for future professional learning goals and planning.
30%
Assessment Task 3: Critical Reflection, Analysis ...
Assessment Task 3: Critical Reflection, Analysis and Response to Challenging Behaviour (Critical Task)
Critically reflect on and evaluate the implementation of the behavioural management plan created for the first assessment of this unit. Drawing on relevant literature and personal experience, provide analysis to account for both successes and challenges related to creating and sustaining a positive, safe, and inclusive learning environment.
Develop, implement, and evaluate an approach with specific evidence-informed strategies in response to this critical reflection and which addresses an important behavioural issue, considering future implications for practice and synthesising principles for promoting positive behaviour.
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Delivery may be on-campus (intensives) and online. The primary rationale for multiple modes lies in the fundamental structure of the course as part of an employment-based pathway. As participants in this unit will be working as employed first-year teachers in their placement school, multiple modes of delivery enable participants to learn concurrent with their professional responsibilities. This approach supports the employment-based pathway to create a continuous spiral of teaching, practice, and assessment within the authentic context of their teaching role. As a unit nested within the employment-based model of this course, praxis is the central organising principle for teaching and learning within the unit, such that participants are provided with regular and consistent opportunities to apply the content within this unit to the context of their professional responsibility as a working teacher. This approach aims to develop pedagogical judgment alongside the essential skills, or core practices, that are critical in an employment-based pathway.
The unit specifies a number of core practices that are particularly relevant to the focus of the unit, utilising an approach that combines critical analysis of multiple representations of practice, deconstruction of the characteristics of particular practices, rehearsal and actual application of practice in authentic contexts, and critical evaluation and reflection.
The unit content will be presented in a variety of teaching-learning modes and active participation in the learning process will be encouraged where possible through self-directed and problem-based learning experiences, as well as guided reflection. Through the adoption of a reflective approach to the teaching-learning process, participants will be encouraged to critically analyse their own learning approaches and preferences in relation to the content of the unit.
Teaching and learning strategies may include:
- Lectures – face-to-face and/or online – which include interactive learning situations
- Seminars – which include analysis of critical incidents, student-led discussions, microteaching, role play
- Reading materials – includes both directed reading for the unit as well as self-directed study materials
- Online activities and discussions
- Collaborative and co-operative learning opportunities.
AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR TEACHERS - GRADUATE LEVEL
On successful completion of this unit, pre-service teachers should be able to:
Representative texts and references
Required Texts
McDonald, T. (2019). Classroom management: Engaging students in learning (3rd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Slee, P (2017). School bullying: Helping students cope. Oxon: Routledge.
Quinlan, D., & Hone, L (2020). The educators’ guide to whole-school wellbeing: A practical guide to getting started, best-practice process and effective implementation, London; New York, NY: Routledge.
Recommended Texts
Whitson. S. (2014). 8 keys to end bullying: Strategies for parents and schools. New York, NY: Norton.
De Nobile, J., Lyons, G., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2017). Positive learning environments: Creating and maintaining productive classrooms. South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.
Further References
Ashman, A., & Elkin, J. (Eds). (2019). Education for inclusion and diversity (6th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson Education Australia.
Berns, R. (2013). Child, family, school, community (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters, L. (2016). Trauma-informed positive education: Using positive psychology to strengthen vulnerable students. Contemporary School Psychology, 20(1), 63-83.
Charles, C.M. (2018) Building classroom discipline (11th ed.; International edition). Boston: Pearson Education.
Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2015). Teaching: Challenges and dilemmas (5th ed.). South Melbourne. Vic: Cengage Learning Australia.
Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Slee, J. (2014). Classroom management: Creating positive learning environments (4th ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.
Marzano, R.J., Marzano, J.S. and Pickering, D., 2003. Classroom management that works: Research-based strategies for every teacher. ASCD.
Roffey, S. (2011). Changing behaviours in schools: Promoting positive relationships and wellbeing. London: Sage publications.
Rogers, W. (2011). You know the fair rule: Strategies for positive and effective behavior management and discipline in schools (3rd ed.). Camberwell, Vic: Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).