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Students have the right to learn in a safe and respectful environment, where learning is encouraged not only in the classroom, but in the world I believe that learning should be fun, not just a relaying of information. In my teaching, I attempt to use a variety of methods and resources to make learning interesting and engaging. Students should have the opportunity to work with a variety of sources to encompass the various themes of history: power and revolution, changing social roles, the nature and impact of warfare. On my practical at Banksia Park International High School, I used a combination of printed handouts, ICT and multimedia to provide my students with a variety of information and to keep each lesson fresh. I have used clips from War Horse and Blackadder Goes Forth in year 9 SOSE to great effect. Showing clips of battles etc. helps to get the boys involved, and underpins the lessons on the nature of warfare. One of the aims of the History curriculum is to help students to become sympathetic, which these lessons aim to do. I am a great believer in differentiated teaching, as a class is made up of individual students, and assessment should reflect this fact. On my first practicum, I adjusted the assessment of a propaganda poster analysis for NEP students, and none of them failed. Using an analysis based assignment also gives them skills for other subjects, such as English. Positive reinforcement in the classroom is something I feel very strongly about. My students should all feel as though they are able to contribute to their learning environment, and are able to pursue topics that they are interested in. I try to provide an array of assessment, to cater for different types of student learning, and I do my best to return marks promptly so that students may receive relevant feedback on their work. When marking students propaganda poster analysis, I would take into account student work, then point out elements that could have made their analysis deeper or more thorough. While working in class, rather than giving students the answers, I would try to guide them to elements of analysis, such as drawing them to particular colours and what they might associate with them. As a teacher, I am truly passionate about my subjects, and am dedicated to lifelong learning for my students and myself. As a History teacher, I am particularly passionate about ancient history, particularly the cultures of Greece and Rome. There is much that can be learned about our modern society from ancient times, and it is, I believe, necessary to retrace our ideals and values to see how we have formed them or how they have changed over the course of time. Regarding Modern History, it is important to consider Australias place in the events that occur, such as in the World Wars, in order to come to grips with our own history. On this note, it is of extreme importance to ensure that the proper respect is shown for Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders, and to remember that Australian history is also theirs, and indeed was long before the settlers arrived. It is also necessary to study significant events in other cultures, to help students to become globally literate, and to realise that there are certain aspects of history that cannot be ignored. With the specific topics within the curriculum, on my practicum I found it helpful at the end of every lesson to reflect on what had been taught and what students seemed most interested in pursuing, and would adjust my unit plan to cater for this. The students seemed to respond well to this, and it was helpful for me to know which direction to take the unit. I have found many helpful YouTube clips for History, as well as websites full of facts and resources. Much of the SOSE at Torrens Valley appears to have an Asian focus, and this is an area that I am keen to learn more about, as it was not something that was a focus at my own school. Part of the job description also mentioned a willingness to teach Research Project, and this is something that I would certainly consider. I believe it is of the utmost importance to foster positive relationships with both my students and my fellow teachers and support staff. I am constantly buying new resources and researching in an effort to better my curriculum knowledge and teaching ability and skills. I love both reading and learning, and this is a passion I hope to foster in my students. Whenever I was enthusiastic about a particular topic in my History class, the students responded to this, and it appeared that their work ethic grew. If I treated the students with respect and had fun with them, generally they responded in kind. Personality-wise, I am quite a positive person and this reflects in how I interact with those around me. I have a can-do attitude and always try my hardest to help those around me. I spent a lot of time in the staff room on my practicums, listening to and interacting with the other teachers. I became adept at using the DayMap system, and the staff and student shared drive to share resources to the students and to collect them from other teachers for my own use. I am also a committed Christian, coming to faith when I was quite young. I was heavily involved in my former church, teaching Sunday school for some time and singing. I have been a member of Golden Grove Baptist for several months after attending for almost a year. I make an effort to read my Bible daily and my family does nightly devotions together. I take a democratic approach to behaviour management in the classroom, emphasising the students role in the classroom atmosphere. Respect of others should underpin the classroom, and getting students to decide on rules that enforce this would help to build that culture in the classroom. When managing student behaviour, I always do my best to give the students a choice in the matter of their behaviour. A student was continually talking and refusing to do their work, so I asked him if he would rather do the task set or stay behind at lunchtime. He promptly got to his work and did rather well. A classroom should be an environment where the students feel safe, and I believe that it is my duty as a teacher to provide this. I make sure that any activities that are done are safe for the students, and any videos watched are carefully vetted for appropriateness, for example, muting when language is inappropriate. Being a student, a learning teacher, and a part-time worker, I do my best to keep a balance in my life between these things and my family and friends. As a Christian, I try to model a Jesus approach in everything I do, from everyday relationships to the workplace. I hope that by doing this, my classroom can be the kind of place where students feel safe and appreciated.