Classroom choreography and teacher professionalism

What is a classroom?

It is not just a background, but an elaborate choreography.

Classroom as an oscillation between many moving parts.

A lot of 'learning the dance' as a professional is understanding what a lot of different behaviours look like.

Two functions of all things within a classroom:

Instrumentalising - everything in the school has a particular defined role.

We must accept our own instrumentalising (although we must also be aware that it limits us and be open to applying ourselves and the resources in alternative ways.)

Directional - toward productive citizens. e.g. - towards a globalised, post-digital world? - the global choreography of schooling.

Extending yourself through teaching - 'Indeed for bodies to arrive in spaces where they are not directly at home, where they are not “in place”, involves hard work, indeed, it involves painstaking labour for bodies to inhabit spaces that do not extend their shape’

(Ahmed, S. (2006) p.63).

What does being professional as a student teacher look like?

Understanding your place and role within the professional hierarchy

A commitment to aiding the development of students

Familiarisation with the policies in place - safeguarding etc

Balancing professional work within the school and seeking to learn in the other (non-direct) sessions

You are in control of understanding your journey.

Advice from previous SA&D PGCE students:

- Don't panic, Model the behaviour you want to see in the room

- Maintain calm, projected voices

- Be firm but fair, confident to everyone - Use silence to get silence

- Make expectations clear

- Not your mess but our mess

- Discover your own brand of excellence

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#Lecture