Pedagogy in a State Environment

The e5 instructional model is a document created by the Victorian government in the Department of Education to develop a "high-quality" teacher. My mentor teacher (from practicum) displayed both positivist/traditional and constructivist traits in her classroom epistemology, learning, methodology and assessment. Here’s how she applied this model to her classroom:

To begin the lesson in the ‘Engaging’ stage, my mentor would stimulate interest and curiosity within the students. Students were always active listeners and participants, as she would begin each lesson with a question, students thrived on this initial clue for what the lesson will entail. My mentor, while promoting questioning, would connect the learning to real world experiences for the students. Although the teacher profoundly developed individual learning goals, each student felt a connection to their goals and a real sense of commitment to achieving them.

Secondly, in the ‘Explore’ stage, my mentor would prompt and structure inquiry for the students. Throughout this stage, my mentor teacher would provide the correct tools for students to evaluate their options to explore the topic in their own way, to maintain the initial engagement and the lessons energy. She also identifies and challenges the students’ misconceptions to continue them on the right path.

Throughout the third stage ‘Explain’, my mentor teacher would provide the students with opportunities to demonstrate their current level of understanding of the topic at hand. She would teach the relevant knowledge, concepts and skills to the class and represent it in a number of ways. Whilst in the Explaining stage, students would make connections to existing knowledge and they referred to this as their “schema”. The teacher would gradually assess the students’ understanding of the lesson and she would structure opportunities for students to practice new skills.

In the fourth stage, also known as the ‘Elaborate’ stage, my mentor engages the students in a discussion, continuously shaping the students’ understanding. She also covers areas in the lesson, which may be familiar and unfamiliar to the students, and this assists students to make connections and build on their knowledge. My mentor teacher would always support the students to make and justify decisions and she would always monitor the students’ development of their understandings, and provide feedback and adjust her instructions accordingly.

In the final stage, ‘Evaluate’, my mentor teacher would support students to continuously improve and perfect their work to the best of their ability using assessment criteria. She would combine evidence from each of the stages and compare the students’ progress against their individual learning goals. My mentor teacher would also provide feedback and assists students to evaluate their own progress and achievements and to reflect on their work and areas for improvement, which could create potential future learning goals.

References:

State Government Victoria, 2014, Department of Education and Training - The e5 Instructional Model, Accessed 21/05/15, http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/support/Pages/e5.aspx

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