RESUME of Roxanne Betts

As a recent graduate I have passion, willingness to learn and commitment. I offer a holistic
approach to teaching which has Student Wellbeing at the heart of learning. Focusing on
community and partnership I believe schools play a huge role in creating our future
leaders. Using my organisational skills and determination to be the best teacher I can be, I
believe I would be an asset and can make a difference to your school.
EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
2015
Latrobe University
Bachelor of Education-Outreach and Community (P12)
Mental Health First Aid
2015
2015
2014
2013
2012

City of Casey
My Friends Facilitator Training
St Johns Australia
Senior first aid, Asthma, Anaphylaxis
Australian Education Classroom Dynamics workshop
Union
Restorative practice (P.D)
Australian Child Care Certificate III in Childrens Services
Career options

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
-

Narre Warren South P-12 College

2015 July-August (three weeks) Practicum
English as an additional language (EAL) Grades 5-8, Student Wellbeing P-12.

Global Education Practicum- St Tersa, Kuala Lumpur

2015 June-July (three weeks)
Classroom teacher, English, Art and Exercise- Grade 2-6.

Elwood Primary School

2014 September (two weeks + two weeks volunteering)- Practicum
Pre service classroom teacher- Grade 4

Coral Park Primary School

2013 September (four weeks)- Practicum
Pre-service classroom teacher- Grade 3-4 combined class

Diamond Valley Secondary School

2013 September (three weeks) - Practicum
Classroom teacher- English, ICT, Low Literacy Support- Whole School WellbeingGrade 7

Brighton Primary School (IB)

2012 July (one week)- Practicum
Observations and classroom teaching in an inquiry setting- Foundation level.

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

High Street Early Learning Centre
May 2012 Current
349 High St, Prahran VIC 3181
Contact Centre manager Bex: (03) 9510 0611
- Child care assistant. Experience in nursery, toddler and kinder rooms.
Providing care for children, general cleaning duties, creating and facilitating educational
games and activities for children.
Yarra Outside of School Hours Care (YOSH)
July 2011- Jan 2013
Davison St, Richmond VIC 3121
PH: (03) 9425 9217
KEY COMPETENCIES

Hard working, passionate, motivated and

willing to learn new skills. Flexible and
adaptable.
Experience with mindfulness and circle
time in classrooms.
Logistical, time management and
organisational skills.
Excellent communication and
interpersonal skills.
Creative and open minded.
Excellent computer skills.
Ability to work autonomously or in a team

REFEREES
Punetta Chanana
EAL teacher (Primary)
Narre Warren South P-12 College
chanana.puneeta.p@edumail.vic.gov.au
Ph: 03 9704 3325 Mob: 0447 542 580

Jessica Smith
Classroom teacher
Elwood Primary School
smith.jessica.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
Ph: (03) 9531 2762 Mob: 0405 387 027

HOBBIES AND INTERESTS

I have a passion for travelling, I love

exploring new places, foods and
cultures.
I practice mindfulness and meditation.
I enjoy swimming and snorkelling in
the ocean.
I believe in looking after our bodies
and practice this by maintaining a good
level of physical strength through
exercise and eating a variety of
balanced foods.
I love all things creative, including
scrapbooking and drawing.

Dr Caroline Walta
Senior Lecturer (Global Practicum
Supervisor)
La Trobe University
c.walta@latrobe.edu.au
Ph: 03 58208614

Clorinda Siemienowicz
Student Wellbeing Co-Ordinator
Narre Warren South P-12 College
Siemienowicz.clorinda.j@edumail.vic.giv.au
Ph: 03 9704 3333 Mob: 0414 364 228

SC1 Demonstrated understanding of initiatives in student learning including the Standards, the
Principles of Learning and Teaching P-12 and Assessment and Reporting Advice and the capacity to
implement curriculum programs consistent with their intent.
The Principles of Learning and Teaching (PoLT) and Assessment and Reporting Advice inform my
practice, particularly throughout the planning process. I use these principles to guide my learning
intentions and success criteria for students. Furthermore, various assessments, such as national
and on demand tests provide me with data on my students that will influence my planning and
implementation of lessons.
I believe creating a supportive and positive classroom environment is crucial to student
achievement. I achieve this by building strong relationships with my students. I find ways to
incorporate students needs and interests into the classroom environment. I encourage students
to think critically and often facilitate class discussions that support different perspectives. By role
modelling acceptance of other opinions (even if they differ from my own) I am able to build a
culture in the classroom where we respect and value others opinions (PoLT 1).
To maximise learning and encourage deep thinking, I use the 5Es model of Engage, Explore,
Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate. I have also used Kath Murdochs inquiry model of Tuning In,
Finding Out, Sorting Out, Going Further, Making Conclusions and Taking Action, which I found
encouraged critical and deep thinking. I understand that assessment is an integral part of teaching
and learning. Assessment should not only be summative. Assessment should be for, as and of
learning. I believe it is important to have evidence of learning throughout a process, it allows me
to see where I may need to focus on, as well as informs students of their own progress (PoLT 5).
Both formative and summative assessment are useful for understanding where students are at
and what scaffolding they need to get to where they need to be. I believe students should be
assessed from their individual point of need.
- At Elwood Primary I planned an inquiry lesson which explored heat. I used the 5E
approach. To engage students, we watched Brain Pop clip which introduced the topic in a
fun way, we then went deeper and as a class discussed what we knew about heat. I asked
students to elaborate and justify their opinions. We then looked at what we wanted to
know about heat. As a class we wrote down some key questions. Next, students
completed a range of activities and experiments which would give them more information
on heat. At the end of the lesson we revisited our questions and knowledge and added
what we knew now along with more question for the next lesson.
Effective assessment requires a broad range of methods, some methods I use include:
- Observations of student learning, checklists, effective questioning to encourage deeper
thinking, student surveys and reflections, portfolios to represent student work, pre and
post-tests to identify students point of need, self and peer assessment opportunities to
give students ownership of their learning and class circle time discussions to facilitate
deeper thinking or discussions on sensitive topics. I use a variety of ICT tools to document
student work and learning, including google drive, dropbox and photos.
-

Whilst on placement at Narre Warren P-12, I worked with students to create an

assessment rubric that reflected the diversity of the class. Students were empowered
throughout this process and took ownership of their own learning (PoLT 2). As a class we
decided what was fair and reasonable, whilst ensuring students were challenged. In this
particular class, students were from a diverse range of backgrounds and had different
skills and abilities. Because the criteria facilitated for this, it allowed students to self-direct
their own learning. Furthermore, the unit was created to incorporate each students
culture (through a class cookbook) and allowed students to share their culture with their
peers (PoLT 3 and 5). Importantly, I believe community involvement is a crucial element to
student success, hence when creating our class cookbook, I sent letters home to parents
and guardians encouraging them to get involved and create recipes with their children at
home and take some photos for our book (PoLT 6).

At Elwood Primary I gave students a pre-test which was aligned with their AusVELS level
and point of need for numeracy. Students then created their own math goals, which gave
them a sense of ownership and responsibility on their own learning. I found this
personalised approach was effective in engaging students in their learning.

I develop stimulating and engaging Interdisciplinary units of work with real life contexts and
inquiry elements to create curious learners and critical thinking. I use a variety of literacy
strategies including CAFE Reading, Writers Notebook, The Daily Five and VCOP and try to include
literacy interdisciplinary links wherever appropriate and applicable.
SC2 Demonstrated high level classroom teaching skills and the capacity to work with colleagues
to continually improve teaching and learning.
I believe teachers need to encourage and model a love of learning, this includes learning from and
working effectively with colleagues and other professionals. The students are always the focus and
my goal as a teacher is to ensure they feel safe, confident and eager to learn. I believe a
commitment and openness to learning, will improve my teaching practice. As a pre-service teacher
I have had the opportunity to observe many different teaching styles and strategies. Through
observation in a range of classrooms I was able to adapt these approaches to teaching to suit my
own individuality and also ensure they align with the needs of my students.
Throughout my degree I have been exposed to various teaching strategies and skills. Those that
stood out to me most were classroom climates which were built on roles, responsibilities and
relationships rather than punishment and negative consequences.
- I have taken part in a restorative practice workshop and have a thorough understanding
of this approach. Whilst on practicum, I have had the opportunity to use these strategies
and have found them effective. I constantly reflect on my teaching strategies to ensure
they fit well with the learners and class.
- While on placement, I became involved with each school as much as possible and liked to
see my students in different settings. For example, I attended all specialist classes, which
not only allowed me to build relationships and see my students in different setting but
also exposed me to different teaching strategies. Furthermore, I participated in various
groups, including wellbeing teams and voluntary roles.
I believe it is important to share knowledge with other teachers and I will often ask mentors
and other staff about best practice teaching and effective strategies. Whilst on practicum, I
debriefed with my mentor after each lesson. We discussed what went well and potential
improvements. I reflected on this and adjusted my lessons accordingly.
- For example, when working in a secondary EAL class, I noticed the students were
struggling with the work and after speaking with my mentor she suggested making the
handouts more structured for the students. I adjusted the handouts, which provided more
scaffolding and structure and as a direct result, the students responded very well.
- When working with the welfare coordinators during my placements, I would watch and
take note of the strategies during sessions with students and then we would discuss. This
helped me clarify the role and also taught me effective strategies for working with
students with welfare issues. Furthermore, this experience exposed me to many useful
resources and programs I can utilise as a classroom teacher to ensure my students feel
supported in class and school.
- Whilst on practicum in a combined grade 3 and 4 class, I noticed students were often
grouped by ability and discussed the effectiveness of this with my mentor. After this
discussion, my mentor agreed to allow me to mix the groups when I was teaching the
class. My mentor and I worked collaboratively to mix students so that all groups had a
diverse range of students with different skills and abilities. In this case, this strategy was
very effective and not only increased students confidence but also their grades. We
worked together to ensure students were supported and had the scaffolding they needed
to be able to achieve their goals.

At Elwood Primary I built relationships with students and parents, which allowed me to
identify each students point of need and teach accordingly. Upon completion of my practicum
I gave the students a survey asking about my teaching practices and how I could improve. This
informed me that students felt I have got to their individual interests and they felt a mutual
respect when I was teaching. Furthermore, my classroom management strategies, which are
focused on positive reinforcement, along with the embedded class rules, rewards and
consequences model, were effective. I have great classroom teaching skills, but as I am
committed to being the best teacher I can be, I often ask for feedback so I can improve my
practice.
SC3 Demonstrated ability to monitor and assess student learning data and to use this data to
inform teaching for improved student learning.
I believe student data can be used for many purposes. It can be used not only to inform my
practice and allow me to structure future teaching and learning to match their understandings
(know what the students have covered in class), but also to empower and encourage students in
their own learning.
Assessment should be: of, as and for learning. If this is implemented effectively, the data should
show students progress and learning in different ways.
-Before creating a unit of work I will seek student data, to find out their prior knowledge,
as well as what has been taught already. This data could be in the form of a pre-test, class
discussion or student generated questions. This data allows me to identify each students
point of need and teach accordingly.
I have been privileged to work in settings from P-12. This has allowed me to see various methods
of assessment as well as data collection processes. I believe that we can learn from our students
and I will often survey my class before and after (I being my practicum) a unit of work to see, not
only what they have learnt, but also their ideas and thoughts about my teaching and learning
practices.
At Narre Warren South P-12, the school conducted a survey with early high school students on
their attitudes towards school. The results indicated that students need resilience training and
support. The school used this data as evidence to implement a resilience program called 'My
Friends Youth'. I was privileged to participate in facilitator training for the program and was able
to see the positive impact it had on students in the school. The 'My Friends' program is evidence
based and relies on data to support its effectiveness. This demonstrated how student data could
be used to identify areas within a school that need intervention or improvement.
I have seen data used at an individual (student/teacher), group (year levels/ subject teams), and
whole school level. I understand how this data can be used in different ways and to accomplish
different goals.
-I will often take notes and observations of students work during independent learning
time, to indicate their level of understanding (of the topic) and inform my future lessons.
Keeping a record of students skills and accomplishments is important for identifying their
progress over time, this is also useful to discuss student achievements with parents and carer. I
create checklists in order to keep track of students specific skills.
During my placement, I have used formal assessment methods, including a variety of running
records and spelling tests. I recognise that these can be used to allocate progressions points in
reports. I use AusVELS as a framework to assist assessment and guide planning units of work.
I have seen schools use NAPLAN data to identify possible areas of whole school focuses for
learning. For example, Elwood Primary School introduced VCOP to build students capacity in timed
writing tasks. This has been an effective program and has improved NAPLAN results.
At Elwood Primary School I was able to identify each students point of need through a range of
strategies including looking at previous work, giving pre-tests that were linking to their current
AusVELS levels and speaking with the students, their parents and my mentor.

As a teacher at Elwood Primary School, I will access appropriate data to get an understanding of
school and class demographics. I will continue to collect data and use it to inform my practice and
provide students with an opportunity to set and achieve new goals.
SC 4 Demonstrated high level written and verbal communication skills and high level
interpersonal skills including a capacity to develop constructive relationships with students,
parents and other staff.
It is important for teachers to be able to communicate clearly and effectively in a variety of ways. I
believe positive relationships are at the core of good teaching. To build these relationships a
teacher must be sincere in their words and actions.
My ability to create authentic relationships and use my interpersonal skills are reflected in my
teaching and many of my lessons consist of whole class discussions and circle time. I use this as an
opportunity to build relationships with my students as well as model effective communication and
social skills. I believe peer learning is very effective, particularly in primary years, therefore I
encourage students to work collaboratively when possible. Relational learning has a strong
presence in my class. I value contributions from parents and the wider school community and
welcome parents into my classroom. I believe parents are an important source of knowledge on
their child and feel teachers and parents should work together to ensure the best outcomes for
students. I have seen effective community engagement through school markets, art exhibitions,
school performances and kitchen garden program. I have had parents in my classrooms assisting
with reading groups and other activities.
- Recently, I sent letters home to parents of my year-8 EAL class. We decided to create a
class cookbook, which connected students to their culture. I thought this was a great
opportunity to get families and the community involved. The letters were translated into
different languages and informed families what we were doing in class and invited
involvement. Importantly, students were asked to write a short anecdote explaining what
the recipe meant to them and their culture. Their families were also encouraged to share
cultural stories with the students.
-The cookbook will be used by the school when they run community cultural cooking
classes, to try to engage parents in the school community.
- Whilst working at Elwood Primary I was involved with the Stephanie Alexander Garden
Program. I found this was a great way to interact with students in an alternative setting. I
enjoyed the community aspect and met many parents through the program. After my
placement I began volunteering in the program, to maintain a relationship with the school
community.
Here are some ways I build develop constructive relationships when
Communicating with parents
- I always make an effort to introduce myself to parents and will often send a letter home
encouraging them to get involved in my classes.
I believe positive partnerships and relationships with parents will improve students
learning and relationships
Communicating with colleagues
- Attended and participated in staff and team meetings, including external network
meetings at other schools
- Shared ideas and activities with staff
- Openly engage in discussions about best practice teaching and ways to improve
Communicating with students
- Developing positive relationships built on mutual respect.
- Providing immediate and constructive feedback to students to improve their learning
- Develop class roles and responsibilities
- Building a positive classroom culture, including establishing class values, expectations and
learning goals.
- Interact with students during extracurricular activities and showing interest in their lives.

I am committed to building constructive relationships with students, parents and colleagues at

Elwood Primary School.
SC5 Demonstrated commitment and capacity to actively contribute to a broad range of school
activities and a commitment to ongoing professional learning to enable further development of
skills, expertise and teaching capacity.
I believe it is important to be involved in school communities as much as possible. There are many
opportunities for this, such as curriculum days and professional development courses that I have
taken part in. As a graduate teacher, I believe it is important to continue to develop my skills and
expertise to ensure I am the best teacher I can be.
Within school communities, I have contributed to: cross country days, excursions, after school art
exhibitions, kitchen/garden programs, after school 4Cs dance group, school assemblies and
external programs run within the school.
At Narre Warren South P-12 I contributed to teacher meetings and discussions during a curriculum
day. In small teacher groups, we worked collaboratively to create learning intentions and success
criteria for a range of classes. This was a great opportunity to work with other teachers and enable
further development of my skills.
-I was involved in a girls empowerment program, as well as the 'My Friends youth'. This
allowed me to observe different programs and how they can be effectively implemented
into schools. This allowed me to build my skills and develop my capacity to teach in a
variety of settings.
- In every school I have been in, I have always be proactive in being involved with Student
Wellbeing, this includes attending meetings and events and discussing effective strategies
the school uses to promote Wellbeing.
- It was through my commitment to Wellbeing that I was able complete my My Friends
Youth facilitator training as part of my practicum at Narre Warren South P-12. This is an
evidence based programs which builds resilience and Wellbeing in young people.
Outside of the school environment I have participated in Australian Education Union training, and
personal development as well as attending talks and seminars on 21st century education and best
practice teaching.
-I have completed a variety of extracurricular online courses, including, Working with
Children with Autism (Swinburne University), Practicing Mindfulness (Monash
University), Growth Mindset and its implications on learning (Stanford University) and
How to Learn Maths (Stanford University).
In June 2015, I took part in a global practicum experience in Malaysia. During this trip I was
immersed in a new culture and education system. My capacity to teach was put to the test as I
was often left alone. While I was in Malaysia, I was involved in many extracurricular activities,
including reading to the students after school, running, exercise, mindfulness classes in the
morning, and observing Chinese drumming classes after school. I also spent time with teachers
and parents outside the school to build positive relationships and learn about their culture and
educational practices.
With my skills and passion for Student Wellbeing I would love to be a part of this team at Elwood
Primary School. Furthermore, I enjoy attending the Elwood community market and as a teacher at
the school would enjoy attending and contributing to this community. As Elwood is a community
focused school I would strive to maximise the use of the wider community when developing
learning programs. As a teacher at Elwood Primary School, I will seek to develop and provide
extra-curricular programs that support and enhance the curriculum and meet the needs of all
students.