School ofPractice

Professional Education
3

102605 Professional Practice Community Engagement - Reflection

Pre-service Teacher Details

Pre-service Teacher Name: Pre-service Teacher ID:

Rachel Heaslip 17433583
Pre-service Teacher Phone Number: Pre-service Teacher Email Address:
0422471096 17433583@student.westernsydney.edu.au

Placement Details: If you haven’t complete 60 hours face to face you must provide a detailed statement of
how your experience meets the outcomes for Professional Practice 3. Attach evidence.

Placement Name: Placement Phone Number:

GWS Giants AFL Multicultural/ In Schools Programs 0432561451
Placement Address: Placement Email Address:
AFL Precinct, Blacktown International Sports Park, josh.rozairo@afl.com.au
Eastern Road, Rooty Hill, NSW 2766
Contact Person:
Josh Rozairo

Describe in 500-800 WORDS any features and benefits of the setting you attended. Consider number of
students, location details, age of students, types of educational programs offered and any other salient
aspects of the experience. Consider how this experience will contribute to your development as a beginning
teacher. (Remember theses can also be used in your Weebly so think carefully about your learning)

AITSL Standards

The criteria for pre-service teacher reflection focus, the first, second, third and sixth standards.
 1.3 Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds
 1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of
abilities
 2.2 Content selection and organisation
 3.1 Establish challenging learning goals
 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice

Subsidiary questions:
What surprised you about your learning in your community setting?
What research about communities did you engage with before you commenced?
Why were you surprised about your learning?
What goals did you set for yourself in your service learning activities?
In what ways were you communicating with your community participants?
What do you believe the participants in your service learning project learned?
What did you learn? How will the experience shape you as a teacher in a classroom?
How would you help someone else learn what you discovered?

This form is to be completed and submitted to the notes/docs section of your profile within InPlace.
Students who do not submit on time (TBA on vUWS announcements) will receive an FNS.
The community placement with Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Giants AFL club was an amazing
experience which was eye opening and rewarding. The placement involved working with a range of
students from kindergarten through to year 12. The placement involved working with schools both
during and after school hours, as well as running clinics in school holidays for students of all ages. The
students involved in the programs were from a range of socioeconomic, cultural, religious and
linguistic backgrounds, which meant the programs made for these students had to be inclusive of all
backgrounds. This was achieved through the implementation of the multicultural program developed
by the GWS AFL club and the facilitation of this program as successful, and shows evidence of AITSL
standards 1.3 (Students with diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds)
and 1.5 (differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of
abilities). The activities involved in the clinics could be modified and differentiated to cater to the
abilities of all students. This was achieved by splitting up the students into beginner and intermediate
skill levels after an introductory game aimed at assessing their basic skills. The breakdown of each
individual skill allowed myself and the GWS staff to ensure students were learning correctly. They
were then assessed through demonstrating the skill and further assessed by participating in modified
games that focused on the skill and performing it correctly.

The activities were selected to cater for the different skill groups of the students, and were organised in a
sequence to facilitate learning and understanding. I assisted in developing and running these activities,
which meets the requirements of AITSL standard 2.2 (content selection and organisation). Standard 3.1
(establish challenging learning goals) was achieved using learning goals, which were established at the
beginning of each session and were announced to all students. These learning goals were reviewed at the
end of the sessions and were discussed with the group. The placement also required me to liaise with
students, parents, school staff and the GWS staff. Through working with these groups, I believe I have
improved my conversation skills and have learnt a lot about active communication.

The placement involved sitting the level 0 coaching course which was a good way to learn the
appropriate skills in AFL, along with teaching points on how to effectively teach the skills. I also
attended a skills and development clinic at the GWS headquarters, which included a range of skill
clinics and seminars focusing on building the skills used in the game, the rules and how to hold
effective conversations with parents and school staff. The day involved several team based
challenges, focusing on building relationships and communication skills. The involvement in this day
and the whole placement has met the requirements of AITSL standard 6.3 (engage with colleagues
and improve practice), as my teaching practice has improved by engaging with the AFL staff and
learning from them.

This placement has opened my eyes to the range of backgrounds in the Western Sydney, and has
made me realise that one teaching style or drill does not work for everyone. My teaching practice has
improved because of this placement and I have developed a deeper understanding of how to
effectively liaise with parents and teachers, and how to differentiate my teaching styles to cater for
students of all backgrounds and abilities. I have developed a greater understanding of different
cultures by speaking with students and have started to build my knowledge on how one’s culture can
affect their health and wellbeing. This placement has also made me realise that students across
Western Sydney are lacking in fundamental movement skills. I believe this is due to less time being
spent outdoors and playing sports where these skills are learnt, and because primary school teachers
are spending less time outside and on the PDHPE syllabus, due to content overload from other
subjects. This placement has made me realise the importance of teaching health and physical
education, and has made me more excited and keen to start my teaching journey.