where do I start? When I begin teaching,

What I know of the world. What I hold to be true. I begin with what I’m sure about.

My beliefs inform my practice. They translate who I am into how I teach.

Here is how beliefs show through in what we say and do in our classrooms

Belief #1: In a climate of trust and mutual respect, we inspire and encourage each other.

In my classroom I focus on relationships. Not just on building them, but on the quality of what I build. inspire and encourage each other

I have clear expectations and I communicate them well. inspire and encourage each other school student parent teacher

Belief #2: We move towards experiences from which we gain a sense of achievement and self worth.

Are you ready for this? How can I challenge you? How can we learn from our mistakes? What positive feedback can I give? How will we progress, together. achievement and self worth In my classroom I ask:

Belief #3: Learning that is learner driven is more likely to be effective and meaningful

Just like me, each student has their own story. learner driven learning is more meaningful I need to discover how each student learns best. What do they know? What do they want to know? In my classroom each student has choices.

I seek to: design learning experiences with open-ended aspects Negotiate the curriculum at a micro level in class, and also at a macro level, giving students the opportunity to plan their own curriculum with parent and teacher guidance learner driven learning is more meaningful

Belief #4: Learning is constructing and deconstructing meaning from our own experiences KEEP IT REAL! or more accurately...

Model being a ‘learner’ not a ‘knower’ Explore and manipulate concrete materials Explore real life situations Explore issues that are student issues Design experiences that challenge students’ views of the world Work from practice to theory Involve students in coming up with patterns or rules Build on what is known Critically reflect Make time to explore, discover, debate, question, design, practise construct meaning from our own experiences Checklist:

Belief #5: Our brain-mind-body system is capable of multiple ways of knowing. 'Knowing' is deepened and amplified when there is an integration of our ways of knowing.

I seek to: multiple ways of knowing design learning experiences to integrate our many ways of knowing integrate experience, feelings, imagination, information and action.

At a micro level this means: multiple ways of knowing integrating emotion, movement, image and sound Practices that encourage expression of learning in a variety of ways include dance, drama, song, story, cartoon, posters, metaphor, essay, debate, theory, procedures

Belief #6: Human psychic drives differ in different life phases

Match the nature of the learning experiences to the primary psychic task of the learners’ life space. drives differ

Infancy:trust and belonging

drives differ Infancy:trust and belonging Childhood:competence and playfulness

drives differ Early adolescence:identity Infancy:trust and belonging Childhood:competence and playfulness

drives differ Young adulthood:intimacy vs isolation Early adolescence:identity Infancy:trust and belonging Childhood:competence and playfulness

My beliefs inform my practice. They translate who I am into how I teach.

The material herein was extracted and adapted from From Values & Beliefs about Learning to Principles and Practice COPYRIGHT:© Julia Atkin, 1996 the contents of which were published previously as: Seminar Series No. 54, Incorporated Association of Registered Teachers of Victoria Mercer House, 82 Jolimont St, Jolimont. 3002