During my two week placement I was placed in the Primary 7 class where there was 23 pupils. The experience was very enjoyable and educational for me. At the start of the week I was nervous to go into the school and meet the teacher and the class. After the first day I felt better and more comfortable in the school, and in the class.
The school I was in was a catholic school which was a great experience for me to see how these types of schools differ from non catholic school and see how there daily routines are different from the primary school I went to. I found out that the classes pray at the start of the day, before lunch and at the end of the day. I also got the opportunity to go to mass with the school for all saints day, where I got to see all the traditions they do when they are there, including receiving communion
While I was in the class I got to observe the many different lessons and teaching styles the teacher I was working with used. I also got to experience how she dealt with pupils with behaviour problems and other problems that cause them to loose concentration easily. I also got to see how she deals with and separates the less able children and the more able children. Also how she prepares different level of difficulty but same topic of tasks.
The pupils in my class were very welcoming and helped me a lot in developing my confidence over the two weeks. I made some strong connections with some of the pupils in the class mainly a few of the less able children who I was working with to help them develop further but also a lot of the other children who liked to talk to me and bond a relationship.
The children responded well to me teaching them when they were in the group I was taking. They automatically seen me as a professional and as a person they had to listen to and behave for. I enjoyed being the teacher in the classroom and being helpful to the children. I really liked when the children were asking me for help and when I was able to give advice to the pupils about their work.
I also got to work with other professionals such as the other teachers in the staff room. I also got to work with other classroom assistants in the class and got to see what their role is in the school on a daily basis. One of the days I went along with Primary 7 and the teacher to Queen Margaret Academy for a transition day, getting the children ready to move to secondary. On this day I got to meet and talk to loads of teachers from different primaries and the secondary school. I also got to talk to some of the pupils from different schools. I was put with one of the groups as the teacher leader to go around and supervise the group along with the 6th years that were running the day.
Overall my placement experience was very enjoyable and memorable. I also feel I have learnt a lot and everything I have done over the last two weeks is going to help me in my time at University.
