Tayla Corrigan

S00117249
TeachingPhilosophyResearchEssay
Throughresearchtheimportanceofcreativityandimagination,buildingsupportive
andprofessionalstudentteacherrelationshipsandincorporatingICTintheclassroom
areallvitalinenhancingstudentslearning.Ifthereisapositiverelationshipbetween
thestudentandteacher,studentswillfeelconfidenttoparticipateinconversations
andsharetheirthinkingwithteachers(Biddulph,2011,p.390).Thisdirectlyrelates
tothefacilitationofcreativityandimaginationintheclassroomasitencourages
studentstotakerisks,becomeconfidentintheirownabilitiesandfurtherdevelopto
theirfullpotential.ThroughtheinclusionofICTineverydaylessons,itcanengage
studentsinwaysnotpreviouslypossible,enhance,createnewlearningpossibilities
andextendinteractionwithlocalandglobalcommunities(Prestridge,2007,p.3).
Theexplorationofthesekeythemesineducation,emphasisetheimportanceof
qualityteachers.
Creativityandimaginationistheabilityforstudentstodeeplyexploretheirthought
processesaswellasinvestigateandinterprettheirideas.AccordingtoCreative
DirectorORourke(2005),whenwearecreativeweseetheworldinnewways,we
asknewquestions,weimaginenewpossibilitiesandweseektoactinsuchawaythat
makesadifference.Thishighlightsthatteachersneedtoencouragecreativityinthe
classroomforstudentstochallengethemselves,becomeflexiblelearnersandbeable
toreflectandcommunicatetheirideaseffectively.EducationalresearcherYuSien
Lin(2011)statesthatcreativityineducationcanbeplacedintothreecategories;the
firstoneisteachingthroughcreativeandinnovativepracticeswhichstimulatesthe
developmentofmultipleintelligences,secondlytheimportanceofthelearning
environmentthatisstimulatingandsupportiveoflearnersmotivationand
enthusiasm,andthirdlyteacherethos,whichencouragesanopenattitudetowards
creativeideasorbehaviors...beingflexibleandvaluingindependencethinking(p.
149).Thesethreepartsarewhatconnectscreativityandeducationtogetherin
developingstudentsthatcanthinkinnovatively.

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TheQualificationsandCurriculumAuthority(QCA,ascitedinFautley,Savage,
2007)statesthatstudentswhoareencouragedtothink
creativelyandindependentlybecomemoreinterestedin
discoveringthingsforthemselves;moreopentonewideas;
keentoworkwithotherstoexploreideasasaresult,their
paceoflearning,levelsofachievementandselfesteem
increase(p.11).Theinquirylearningapproachencourages
studentstobecreativeandactiveparticipantsintheirown
learning,bymakinglearningrelevantandengagingforstudents
(McKenzie,McKinnon,2009).TheoristPiagetstated,to
understandistocreate(ascitedinRunco,2007,p.91).He
promotedtheinquirybasedlearningapproach.Piagetstressed

4.1 This
demonstrates my
understanding of
a teaching
strategy and
approach to
motivate and
engage students.
It supports
inclusive student
participation by
allowing students
to take control
over their own
learning.

thatlearningoccursthroughcognitivedevelopmentaschildren
individuallyconstructknowledgeandmakesenseoftheirworld(Fautley,Savage,
2007).Histheorysupportstheneedforteacherstoimplementinquirylearningsothat
studentscanbecomereflectiveandcreativethinkers,whichwillthendevelop
studentscreativityandimagination.
AccordingtoKlemandConnellintheJournalofSchoolHealth(2004),studentswho
aresupportedbytheirschoolandteacherswillachievepositiveresults,astheywillbe
motivatedtolearn.Positiveandprofessionalrelationshipswithstudentsare
imperativeincreatingasafelearningenvironment.ResearcherRoffery(ascitedin
Roddick,2011)statesthatchildrenwhohavedifficultlivesathomeoftenstruggle
withimportantsocialandemotionalelementsoftheirlearninganddevelopmentas
theyhavenothadpositiverolemodels(p.13).Thisemphasisestheimportanceof
teachersprovidinglearningenvironmentsinwhichstudentscanfeelvalued,
acceptedandsafe(Roddick,2011).Throughevidencebasedresearch,Roffery(as
citedinRoddick,2011)statesthekeyapproachestocreatingsupportiveand
encouragingrelationshipsthatwillenhanceyourstudentswellbeing;firstlyteachers
needtogettoknowtheirstudentsinterestsandwhattheirhomelifeislike,inorder
togaininsightintotheirbehaviorandtheirneedsintheclassroom(Roddick,2011,
p.14).Secondlyteachersneedtolookatcaringforstudentssocialandemotionalwell

Tayla Corrigan
S00117249
beingastheycanmakeanincredibledifferencetothelivesofchildren,notonlyin
theireducationbutalsointhedevelopmentoftheirresilience,confidenceandfuture
success(Roddick,2011,p.14).Thirdly,teachersneedto
createalearningenvironmentwherestudentsfeelsafe,secure,
successful,valued,acknowledged,includedandheard
(Roddick,2011,p.14).Thiswillthenencouragestudentvoice
intheclassroom,astheywillfeelselfassuredthattheywillbe
listenedto.Lastlyteachersneedtoallowtheirpassionfor
teachingtobeseen,andthenstudentswillbeactivelyengaged
intheirlearning.Inthisnurturingandsupportiveenvironment
studentswilltakerisksandhaveapositiveandrespectful
relationshipwiththeirteacher.

4.3, 4.4: This

demonstrates my
knowledge of
strategies to
manage
challenging
behaviours and
how I can support
students wellbeing and safety
and encourage
these students to
reach their full
potential.

Effectiveuseoftechnologyintheclassroomcancreateapowerfullearning
environmentforstudents.ThroughresearchSmeet(2004)found
thatICTprovidesteacherswithopportunitiesforadaptingthe
learningcontentandtaskstotheneedsandcapabilitiesofeach
individualpupilandbyprovidingtailoredfeedback(p.344).Using
technologytogetherwithpedagogywillsupportandpromote
learning,asitallowsstudentstocollaborate,problemsolve,
communicateandthinkcritically.AccordingtoSutherlandetal
(2004),thesocioculturaltheoryplaysahugepartinthe

4.5 This
demonstrates my
understanding of
the importance of
using ICT safely
in the classroom,
as it enhances
learning and
teaching for
students and
teachers alike.

engagementlevelastudenthaswithICT.Throughresearchthere
isincreasingevidencethatthewaysinwhichyoungpeople(and
teachers)useICTatschoolareinfluencedbyoutofschoolcultures
ofuse(Sutherlandetal,2004).Thismeansthatstudentsperceptionsoftechnology
fromtheirlearnedexperiencesinsideandoutsideofschool,contributetohowthey
approachICTintheclassroom.Thesocioculturaltheoryalsoemphasisesthefact
thatstudentsactivelyconstructknowledgedrawingonwhattheyalreadyknowand
believe(VygotskyascitedinSutherlandetal,2004).Studentsinthe21stcenturyare
livinginadigitalworld,andusingtechnologyinconjunctionwithpedagogywill
enhancetheirlearning.

Tayla Corrigan
S00117249

Throughresearchitisevidentthatstudentsbecomemotivatedlearnersiftheyareina
nurturingandsupportivelearningenvironment,wheretheyareencouragedtotake
risksandinspiredtobecreative.Whenteachersknowtheirstudents,theycansupport
thewholechildinallaspectslearning,includingtheirsocialandemotionalwellbeing.
Throughinnovativeandcreativeteachingapproachessuchasinquirylearningand
usingICTallstudentshavethechancetoreachtheirfullpotential(Lin,2011).ICT
opensupmanyopportunitiesforbothteachersandstudentstoconnectandcollaborate
andtransformtheireducationacrossalllearningareas.Thesethemesareimperative
forteacherstoprovideaqualityeducationforstudentstobecomesuccessful
learners,confidentandcreativeindividuals,andactiveandinformedcitizens(Nayler,
2014,p.4).
Wordcount(1097)

Tayla Corrigan
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References
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McKenzie,K.,&McKinnon,M.(2009).InquiryBasedLearning:Encouragingdeep
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Tayla Corrigan
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Nayler,J.(2014).EnactingAustralianCurriculum:Makingconnectionsforquality
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Tayla Corrigan
S00117249