8/10/2019 Bracken Ridge State High School is a Public Co

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John Goulter EDFD173 Observation Presentation

Bracken Ridge state high school is a public co-education school meaning they

teach both genders. It has 501 enrolled students with 70 staff members. These

student to teacher numbers allow for varied class sizes across the year levels

with the larger classes tending to be in the lower years 8-9 and smaller class

sizes are more prominent in the higher grades 10-12 with one year 12 ICT class I

observable had 9 students in it.

In the lower grades most teachers had their students stand behind their chairs

before being allowed to sit down, I think was to ensure that everybody had focus

on the teacher and prepare the students for work.

Teachers would normally explain and give clear goal at the beginning of class

regarding what they were going or expected to cover today. This was through a

range of styles, direct and discovery teaching teaching, assessment work and

individual, group and whole class work. All activates were directed and

instructed by the teacher; students were told what the teacher expected them to

cover before letting them break off into their own work.

Teachers used a variety of methods of motivation including: ‘if you finish this

work we can spend the rest of the lesson doing things practical; mainly in music

and science classes. Teachers utilized the area to have students do activities

which brought a new sense to question asking. 

Some of the behaviour management style I observed included non-verbal

actions, verbal and physical (moving them outside or changing chairs not hitting

them). Verbal warning normally consisted of asking the students what they

were doing and how that affects their own and others work and making them

responsible for their actions.

Observation 1 – Maths Class

In one Maths lesson I observed students were working on assessment on

computers. During the course of the lesson the teacher went to go help a student

with a problem. The teacher bent over slightly and a student behind him decided

to drop a pen drop the back of his pants.

The teacher understandably did a bit of a jump and took a second to recover

himself but he took the whole event very lightly and jokingly saying that ‘ I don’t

know where you are from but where I am from doing that is a bit strange.’ Thatwas the extent of his reprimand to the student and he continued on with his

lesson.

The teacher explained to me later that there was no real point of getting angry

with the student because it would have only demotivated the student and that

boys will be boys.

I learnt from this experience that it is good to be able to take things that students

do lightly because most likely they are just experimenting and what to see what

happens.

8/10/2019 Bracken Ridge State High School is a Public Co

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John Goulter EDFD173 Observation Presentation

Observation 2 – Music Class

I observed a music class run by a second year music class who at the end of ittold me he was happy being watched teach but was a little nervous. Due to this

he was stricter to his class (making them line up, being quite strict with talking in

class) with whom he is normally very relaxed with. The students responded to

this by talking back a lot and being cheeky. He realised this immediately used the

Premac Principle, if you do what I want then we can do what you want, to help

guide the class through the lesson. The next week when I went to the class he

was more relaxed and the student participation was much better and the class

was smoother.

I also learnt that being consistent with your class is important, because students

will notice when something is different and if your try to behave differently for

no good reason then bad consequences may occur.

Observation 3 – English Class

I observed a year 12 English class Friday last period before the holidays. They

were watching a documentary but even then the teacher still managed to

generate and maintain interest and motivation about the subject, instead of just

have a bludge lesson.

She used a variety of teaching resources and styles such as classroom space,

projector to watch a movie, dictionary to motivate and give the students a widerange of opportunities to participate and learn.

The teacher used situational interests by having them watch a documentary

‘Super Size Me’ and turned that into personal interest by asking students about

their own thoughts and ideas about the documentary. By doing this Schraw &

Lehman say that she generated more interest that leads to greater processing

and memorization.

I learnt from this lesson that being creative and resourceful as a teacher is quite

important so that you can use the resources you have to their greatest potential