Ptlls_Theory_Assignment_1

Michelle Fahey Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (PTLLS) Level 4 Theory Assignment 1; Review your role, responsibilities and boundaries in terms of the teaching cycle. The “teaching training cycle is an outline that helps identify various teaching methods that could be useful throughout a teaching program. The teaching training cycle provides a good structure within which roles, responsibilities and boundaries can be assessed and reflected upon. This ensures that the teacher and students' reflective growth of role, responsibilities and boundaries remains core to reaching a greater understanding of the aims and objectives relating to development with the course” (What is the teaching/training cycle, 2012). There are four stages to the cycle, during which there are responsibilities and boundaries which, as the teacher, I need to carefully work through, in order to fulfill my role. The definition of the word role is “the actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group” (role, (n.d)). The main roles of a teacher (J. Killion and C. Harrison (2006) include that of being; resource provider, instructional specialist, curriculum specialist, learning facilitator and mentor. First in the cycle is ‘identify’. Teachers must find out who the learners are, in order to help ensure the teaching can be tailored to the needs of the learners. The acronym SPICE is used to describe the elements of learners needs (Theory Assignment 1, (n.d)); social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional, which the teacher will need to try to meet. I will have the responsibility for designing promotional materials for the course, devising sign-up sheets and giving potential learners a pre-course questionnaire to complete. Through gaining prior knowledge of their qualification levels I would be able to plan the lessons to meet their individual learning needs. Here the legislation regarding confidentiality and data protection provide a boundary which must not be breached. Secondly, teachers must then ‘design’ the course, based on what has been learned in stage one. I would have the responsibility to ensure that the requirements of the awarding bodies is met, for example, in terms of the number of hours learning a person undertakes, as well as planning sessions so that learners achieve the planned learning outcomes. I would also have responsibility for ensuring appropriate resources will be in place, to facilitate the learning experience, and would use for example flip charts, white boards, and IT to ensure I am able to keep the learners motivated and interested in the subject. An important responsibility here is for planning the safety of the student; so I would conduct a risk assessment. An example of a boundary here would be if I planned to deliver sessions for which I would not be suitably knowledgeable or qualified, just to meet the requirements of a funding body. Thirdly is the ‘implement’ stage. Here I am responsible for ensuring the ‘design’ is now put into practice. During this stage of delivering the classes I am responsible for teaching in a flexible and adaptable way to ensure all learners’ needs are met, and outcomes achieved and would use a variety of methods and equipment to ensure all learning styles are accommodated; visual, kinesthetic and auditory. “Students can also use the model to identify their preferred learning style and maximize their educational experience by focusing on what benefits them the most” (Learning styles (n.d.)) As teacher I am also responsible for ensuring a positive learning environment during the session, and would ensure sure things like ground rules were put in place and health and safety followed. A boundary to be avoided in this stage could be becoming too friendly with a learner, developing a relationship beyond the professional, into the personal, or spending too much time with one learner to the detriment of the others. Finally comes ‘assess and evaluate’. Here one element of my responsibility would be for marking the work to assess whether the required outcomes have been met. I would also self assess in this stage; can my work/delivery style be improved upon, do I need to carry out further research/reading, for example. I would also use feedback forms and questionnaires with the learners to see how they feel the course went, and act upon that feedback. Examples of boundaries here include allowing learners freedom to give true opinions during feedback, and not taking negative opinions personally. Also, ensuring to mark work to the required standard; not marking for the sake of ensuring a good pass mark. In conclusion, teachers have many responsibilities which they must complete, and boundaries which they must not cross, throughout the entire learning cycle, and I would consider all possible options and do whatever I can to act in a manner deserving of the main role of a teacher, that of giving information and promoting learning. 769 words. What is the teaching/training cycle, (n.d.) Retrieved 17th February, 2012, from http://uk.ask.com/what-is/what_is_the_teaching_training_cycle Theory Assignment 1, (n.d) Retrieved 17th February, 2012, from http://www.anqdevelopment1-linux.co.uk/04-TheoryTasks/Theory1.htm J. Killion and C. Harrison, Taking the Lead: New Roles for Teachers and School-Based Coaches, 2006; retrieved February 17th 2012, from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/%20vol65/num01/Ten-Roles-for-Teacher-Leaders.aspx Role, (n.d) Retrieved 17th February, 2012, from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/role Learning styles (n.d.) Retrieved 17th February, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles