week 3

Monday 27 Oct– Year 10 Metalwork: Workshop Safety and Behaviour

 

APST:
• 4.2 – Manage classroom activities to establish an orderly learning environment.
• 4.4 – Maintain student safety through clear procedures and supervision.
• 7.1 – Comply with professional codes of conduct.

 

The week began with a timely reminder about maintaining control in practical spaces. While assisting students in the metal workshop, I noticed a group of known work-avoiders missing. I checked the adjoining wood shop and found them near the mortise machine and drill press — both off-limits without direct supervision.

 

I immediately instructed them to return to the metal room and made it clear that safety overrides everything. One student told me to “chill out.” I responded firmly, reminding him that teachers are responsible for every student in the room and that safety is not negotiable.

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After class, I kept the group back for a debrief, restating expectations and outlining the consequences of unsafe conduct. It reinforced that clarity and consistency build respect and that authority in workshops comes from calm firmness, not confrontation.

 

Tuesday 28 Oct (Period 1) – Year 7 TMT: Student Medical Emergency

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APST:
• 4.4 – Maintain student safety and wellbeing.
• 7.2 – Understand legislative and organisational procedures.
• 6.3 – Seek and apply feedback to improve teaching practice.

The Year 7 Technology class began routinely. Students lined up, entered in good order, and we started the lesson. Moments later, a student suddenly became unwell. Considering the previous day’s 40-degree heat, I suspected dehydration.

Working with my supervising teacher, we acted quickly: the office was contacted, a wheelchair brought down, and the student was escorted to sick bay. Parents were called and an ambulance arranged.

While maintaining the class, I spoke briefly about heat exhaustion and hydration — linking the incident to a real-world discussion on health and safety. Later information revealed that the student suffers from absence seizures, which reframed the event. The experience was a clear lesson in situational awareness and maintaining composure under pressure.

 

 

Tuesday 28 Oct (Period 4) – Year 10 Metalwork: Vandalism Admission

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APST:
• 4.3 – Manage challenging behaviour.

• 5.2 – Provide feedback to support learning and behaviour.
• 7.1 – Uphold ethical conduct and model integrity.

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That afternoon, two students admitted to vandalising a peer’s project the previous week. The damage was beyond repair, and the student had to start over.

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I commended their honesty but made it clear that their actions were a major breach of trust within the workshop. We discussed the seriousness of destroying another student’s work and how it undermines the shared respect needed in a practical environment.

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I told them that we’d talk again on Friday after I had discussed the matter with my supervising teacher. It was an important moment to reinforce that respect and responsibility form the backbone of workshop culture.

 

Wednesday 29 Oct – Year 11 ITS: Project Examination

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APST:
• 2.2 – Organise content into effective learning and teaching sequences.
• 3.3 – Use a range of teaching strategies to support learning.
• 5.1 – Understand assessment strategies including formative and summative approaches.
• 5.3 – Make consistent and comparable judgements.

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Wednesday marked the Year 11 Industrial Technology & Systems exam. The assessment focused on the desk mirror project, a cumulative task that required students to demonstrate, interpret, select, and evaluate across design and practical components.

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The written exam tested interpretation and demonstration — students needed to read and explain design drawings, identify errors, and describe correct procedures. The practical assessment evaluated the final build of their mirror, focusing on accuracy, craftsmanship, and finish.

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My role involved setting up the workspace, supervising students, and supporting the process within assessment boundaries. I also monitored pacing and checked that all tools were safely and correctly used during the final evaluations.

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The task provided valuable insight into aligning theory and practice and reinforced the importance of clear marking criteria that balance creativity, precision, and problem-solving.

 

Friday 31 Oct – Year 10 Metalwork: Consequences and Restorative Discussion

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APST:
• 4.3 – Manage challenging behaviour.
• 6.3 – Apply feedback and reflect on practice.
• 7.4 – Engage with colleagues to support student outcomes.
• 7.1 – Uphold ethical conduct and maintain professional relationships with families and caregivers.

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Today marked the final day of my Professional Practice 2 placement, and it brought closure to the vandalism incident from earlier in the week. I held the three students involved accountable for their actions through a structured restorative process. Each student was asked to respond in writing to the following prompts:

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1. What was it you did, and why was it wrong?

2. How have your actions affected the other student?

3. What does respect and responsibility mean in the workshop?

4. How are you going to repair trust and avoid repeating the behaviour?

 

Once their written reflections were complete, each student was required to personally apologise to their classmate for the damage caused and demonstrate understanding of how their actions had impacted someone else’s learning experience.

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I then informed the students that I would be communicating with their parents and caregivers to explain what had occurred, outline the consequences and restorative plan, and acknowledge how each student had responded to the process.

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This experience reinforced the power of restorative practice in teaching. It allowed the students to take ownership of their actions while maintaining their dignity and a pathway back into positive participation. It also reminded me of the teacher’s role as both a disciplinarian and a mentor — firm, fair, and focused on growth.

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The day closed on a reflective note for me as well. Seeing students take responsibility and apologise sincerely validated the effort invested in building respectful relationships across the term. It felt like the right way to end this placement — with students learning not just about tools and materials, but about character, accountability, and trust.

 

Overall Reflection

This final week was a blend of steady teaching and situational leadership. Each event — from managing misbehaviour to responding to a medical emergency — reinforced how professionalism extends beyond lesson content. The value lies in being ready for the unexpected, acting with calm authority, and protecting both learning and wellbeing.

Across the week, I strengthened my confidence in decision-making, safety management, and reflective practice — each directly tied to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and to the everyday realities of teaching.