As the Covid 19 pandemic landed in Australia in early 2020, I began to consider different ways that I could support preservice and graduate teachers in their first year in the classroom. The first year is a collection of new experiences and challenges. Assessments. Behaviour management. New content knowledge. Procedures. It can be difficult to know where to begin. Teachers spend a great deal of time at university unpacking educational pedagogy and methodologies for best practise. However, being in the classroom and having your own students is a unique experience and very different from the safety of working with a mentor teacher.
For this reason, I begun designing this website and began to consider important focal areas that might be of interest to English teachers beginning their career in education. Each area of the website is a rabbit hole in itself. Many people much smarter than I am have explored these ideas in greater detail. However, the tools that you will find on this website are designed for practically and quick implementation. You will find step by step guides to approach specific topics or situations in the classroom. Elsewhere, you might find resources that you could modify for your own classroom. I am also in the process of including the AITSL standards that graduate teachers need to address when constructing their graduate portfolio. The resources you find will be helpful in understanding how you might meet these teacher standards in your own context.
I hope you find these resources helpful in supporting your students and developing your own style. And as always, if there is something in particular that you would like support with, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Enjoy the adventure,
Luke Raynsford
About the writer
Enthusiastic and driven educator with a wide range of teaching experience in secondary schooling from year 7 to 12 ATAR. Planned, created, and implemented a wide range of English programs currently used across several year groups. Highly organised with a ‘big picture’ focus, able to develop teaching programs that are thematic, creative and encourage students to engage with ideas outside of their context. Passionate about the power of storytelling in sharing heritage and culture. Adept in reflective practise, modifying teaching approach to suit the specific needs of students while aligning with curriculum standards. Able to build and maintain strong relationships with students and colleagues and manage ongoing projects both within the classroom and as part of professional team. In working with preservice and graduate teachers, offered targeted feedback on teaching practise, ranging from classroom management, and building rapport to developing teaching programs and instructional strategies. Holds an Upper Second Honours Degree in Writing and Literature with the ability to maintain a high standard of written communication and a strong focus on analysing student data to improve student performance.
The English Classroom 