Professional Experience Report

Primary 3rd year/ 1st Year M Teach 2021

Pre-service Teacher
Name: Madeline Abfalter Student ID: 2167203
School
Name: Murray Bridge Primary School
Mentor teacher: Hannah Gilles-Smith Year Level: 3
School Coordinator: James Parkin

Placement Details
University Liaison: Penny Williams
Academic Topic Coordinator: Jennifer Frances
Placement dates: 19/07/21 – 13/08/21

Length of Placement: 25 days5 planning days + 20 teaching days (lockdown online days inc).

Context
School: Murray Bridge North School R-7arge category 2 school with a mixed and complex demographic make up.
Providing a school context that enables students to feel safe, educationally challenged and happy at school is a
clear moral imperative for our staff. The North school has approximately 580 students in about 30 classes including
2 Special Options classes hosted on behalf of the local Partnership and one “Bridge” class. The school has
approximately 14% Aboriginal students, 5% EALD students, 55% school card. The school has a long local history
and broad support from the Murray Bridge community and has been growing as one school since the amalgamation
of Murray Bridge North Junior Primary and Murray Bridge North Primary School in 2013. There are a number of
heritage listed buildings and features in the school in which the school community has some pride. The school also
has a proud history of engagement with the Instrumental Music Service and the Festival of Music in South Australia
and numbers of students go on to participate in Arts and Music programs at the Murray Bridge High School. The
school participates in many SAPSASA sports and also has a team in the state Pedal Prix competition. There is a
strong focus on student welfare underpinned by the coordinating Well Being, School Engagement, Intervention and
Aboriginal Education Teams with the purpose of not allowing any student to fall through the safety net these teams
provide.
Class: The year 3 class is made up of twenty students, six boys and fourteen girls. Students in the class are
currently working between a reception and year three level. Eight students have One-Plans. One student has been
diagnosed with a learning delay but details of this are to be confirmed. Four students are getting support for speech
and language concerns. Eleven students receive literacy intervention. Several students present with challenging
behaviour which stems from a history of trauma. One student is under the Guardianship of the Minister. The year 3
students come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Three students identify as Aboriginal and attend language and
culture lessons.

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The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Please place an ‘X’ at the point along each continuum that best represents the development of the pre-
service teacher towards each of the standards.

Professional Knowledge

Standard 1 - Know students and how they learn

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Standard 2 - Know the content and how to teach it

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Professional Practice

Standard 3 - Plan for and implement effective teaching and learning

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Standard 4 - Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Standard 5 - Assess, provide feedback and report on student learning

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Professional Engagement

Standard 6 - Engage in professional learning

I I x I
Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

Standard 7 - Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community

I I x I

Novice Emerging Towards Graduate

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Summary Statements
Classroom Teacher/Mentor
Maddy worked with enthusiasm throughout her placement, displaying a sense of responsibility and
professionalism at all times. She continuously demonstrated respect and kindness towards students and
members of the school community. Maddy was able to consistently reflect on her practice which enabled
her to think deeply about her teaching. She planned exciting lessons which offered students a variety of
learning experiences and catered to different learning styles. Her calm and patient nature is ideal for
creating a safe and happy classroom environment.

Maddy built strong caring and respectful relationships with students during per placement. She
demonstrated an ability to listen carefully to their interests and needs and respond appropriately. Maddy
planned lessons which were appropriate to the diverse learning needs of the students. Several parents
reported that their students had developed a strong relationship with Maddy and that they appreciated the
time she spent supporting their students individual learning needs. Maddy also demonstrated that she can
support students to problem solve, negotiate and find resolutions to help manage emotions appropriately.
She understands the importance of student wellbeing and has reflected on strategies to support students
to feel safe and a sense of belonging.

Maddy has shown a mature attitude towards her teaching commitments. She is organised and
demonstrated a clear understanding of curriculum requirements for year 3 students, differentiating as
needed. Her teaching demonstrated she can make changes when faced with challenges and can extend
on what has worked well. Maddy has shown she can plan a series of lessons that show progression, and
which build upon prior learning. She independently sourced resources and was able to develop and teach
two maths units and one technology unit from beginning to end with minimal support. Maddy recognises
the need for explicit instruction and manageable tasks which ensured students can be independent. She
was able to use both formative and summative assessments in her teaching and she was able to interpret
results from these to inform her planning. Maddy always showed initiative in seeking out individual
students and supporting their learning. She also worked well with small groups and the whole class.

Maddy took part in staff meeting and PLG meetings each week. She engaged in staff discussions and
offered her perspective and reflections. Maddy evaluated her own work and took advice on board to
implement change when necessary. She is open to suggestions and works well within a team. Maddy
recognises the qualities needed to be an effective teacher and she works hard to move forwards with her
own learning. I am confident that she will be very successful in her 4 th placement and wish her all the very
best for her future.

Name: Hannah Gillies-Smith Date: 29/08/21

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 Site Coordinator
Madeline has been a welcome addition to our site over the period of her practicum and has displayed
passion, professionalism and reflective practice to all areas. Madeline’s interpersonal skills, her willingness
to ask relevant questions, step out of her comfort zone, and her openness to receiving and reflecting on
feedback has been imperative to her success within the classroom and her ability to build working
relationships with staff and students within a short-period. Madeline has demonstrated her ability to
differentiate lesson plans, the curriculum, and her pedagogical approach to support students who require
quality differentiated teaching and supplementary adjustments based on their One Plan, and Social/
Emotional/& Behaviour, Communication and Learning Needs.

Madeline is going to be missed by the class and we wish her all the success in the rest of her pre-service
and teaching journey!

Name: Amanda Johns Date: 31/08/21

University Liaison
Madeline’s ability to plan lessons and apply new strategies has exemplified her practical experience at
Murray Bridge North Primary School. Her professional courtesy and reply to my emails is a credit to her
professionalism. She has handled each situation with care and consideration for the teaching profession
and her representation as a Flinders University Pre-Service Teacher. She has listened to and applied
feedback from her mentor and myself. Madeline applied her skills and pedagogical knowledge to reflect
and consider changes to her practices resulting in good reflective skills. She has asked relevant
questions in an effort to increase her knowledge and practices to improve student learning.

As reflected in this report, Madeline has built trusting relationships with students and colleagues,
resulting in good interpersonal skills and the ability to respond to students needs.

Madeline is a respectful, caring individual with a friendly manner. I wish her all the very best for the next
chapter of her professional experience.

Name: Penny Williams Date: 03/09/21

In our opinion Madeline Abfalter has demonstrated the following overall level of performance in this
final professional experience:

☐ Unsatisfactory (not at ‘emerging’ level for most Standards)

☐ Satisfactory (at or very near ‘emerging’ level for all Standards)

☒ Above Satisfactory (at ‘emerging’ and towards ‘graduate’ for all Standards)

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CRICOS No. 00114A ABN 65 542 596 200