Connecting and Engaging Students

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

85 hours

This subject provides participants with an introduction to student wellbeing and engagement. It supports participants to understand the critical theoretical perspectives and the relevant state and school based legislative and policy contexts, including provision for students with disabilities.

This subject also supports participants to explore evidence-based strategies for creating high quality learning environments including managing classrooms and student behaviour. It assists participants to recognise and support students with additional learning needs by designing and implementing whole classroom approaches to an inclusive classroom and quality learning environment, including targeted support for students with diverse needs.

On completion of this subject participants should be able to:

• Build productive pedagogical relationships, building trust and rapport with students, creating a culture of achievement and student engagement
• Develop intervention classroom management strategies, with a focus on promotion of positive behaviour and purposeful engagement in learning
• Demonstrate knowledge of practical approaches to managing challenging behaviour and theoretical understandings of causes and triggers of challenging behaviours
• Demonstrate the capacity to organise classroom activities and provide clear directions and maintain safe, orderly and inclusive environments to maximise student learning.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how to meet the learning needs of diverse learners through evidence based classroom planning
• Use effective classroom communication by demonstrating a range of verbal and non-verbal strategies to support student engagement
• Develop pedagogical approaches that cater for student diversity, including differentiation of learning

Essay about positive classroom management (1000 words) end of January 50%

Development of Individual Learning Plan (1000 words) end of March 50%

Hurdle task – completion of one online task on management of challenging behaviour (3 hours) end of April

This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 80% attendance at all tutorials, seminars and workshops.

Participants will be provided with a collection of readings via the online Learning Management System (LMS).

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject, participants will have the knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to:

• Understand the significance of developing their practice on the basis of research evidence
• Be self aware, resourceful and resilient
• Be flexible and able to adapt to change through knowing how to be solution focussed
• Work in teams with skills in cooperation, communication and negotiation
• Be skilled communicators who can effectively articulate and justify their practices