EDN2104 - Task 11

Critical Learning Incident

Level 4 school
Year 6 class of 24 students.

Situation:
Within the Year 6 classroom that I was in for the duration of the EDN2104 two-week professional
practice, there was an autistic student. This student has recently had his medication changed and
often takes it late when coming to school, resulting in him being non-compliant and disruptive to
teachers and the class. On my fourth day at the school, the student came in to class very loudly and
energetically, was disrupting others and talking in a very high pitched voice while the teacher was
trying to give a class. He was running around the classroom, touching other students and irritating
them, I could see the other students and the teacher becoming frustrated with his behaviours. This
was because he had taken his medication only 5 minutes before coming to school (the medication
usually takes 30 minutes to calm him).

Action:
I took this student and sat with him, aiding him in doing his handwriting until his medication began
to take effect. I talked to him, asking him questions about himself, his afternoon the day before, his
sleep and how he was feeling that morning as he was writing. This was to try and distract him from
the idea that he was doing work and allow him to become more relaxed when doing the work as I
could judge/see that he was excited and worked-u over something. My mentor teacher said that he
will rarely sit with a teacher (other that the EA who was away) when he has not had his medication
and is often uncompliant and hard to manage.

Outcome:
My mentor teacher was amazed when she saw how calm he became and the initiative and approach
that I displayed when I took him 1-on-1 to work with him. She witnessed me building a rapport and
relationship with him and said that he was comfortable and well-mannered when he was with me
because I had gained his trust and respect by getting to know him and understand his interests etc
and be able to use these to manage his behaviours and continue to build a relationship/rapport with
him. Every morning since that day, the student has approached me, asking me to help him to do his
handwriting, which has given me a great sense of achievement and confidence in my teaching
capabilities. This has impacted my teaching by reinforcing that students are often misbehaving
because their needs are not being met, including students with special needs, and that when these
needs are met students will strive to learn and achieve. So, at times patience is virtue and having a
good rapport/relationship with students can often help to calm them and guide their behaviours to a
desired or preferred level.