Category Archives: 3.4 Professional Reflection and Communication

3.4 Professional Reflection and Communication, Literacy, Mathematics, Professional Goals and Reflection on Placement

First year placement

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During my two week placement I got to explore all areas within a primary school from P1-P6, this giving me great knowledge and experience of working with children of all ages, and I was able to identify a range of different teacher qualities and styles. The main class that I spent most of my placement time at however was one of three primary five classes and with the teacher being newly qualified she was able to help me to the highest degree possible, this making my time at the school very enjoyable. Due to spending a lot of time with this particular class I gained a great bond with all the children and the teacher, this being something I very much had in mind before going out to placement as I think it is very important to be in a happy, friendly environment to get the best outcome from an experience like this.

The different classes that I went in for one hour per day mainly all focused on mathematics and literacy activities, because of this I found it very easy to fill in the work which was required to be done when out on placement. I also found it very rewarding to complete both peer observations and self-evaluations as it was great to see the improvements I made from the first week to the second as I was able to change things that I was doing that I wasn’t fully happy with. However, a main strength that I found I had on placement was that when speaking to the children I was able able to be heard and seen, this being a very important aspect of communication as this leads on to other positive aspects of both verbal and non-verbal skills.

The school’s enthusiasm and interest in the children was great to see and they work with many external agencies to try and make sure the children within the school get the best education and childhood that they possibly can. They work closely with a woman who tackles attendance and children coming into school late, this was very interesting to see as previously I had never known any other school to work with an agency to try and combat this issue. The children also had an area for the children to go to if they were feeling down or wanted someone to talk to, this really opened by eyes to the caring nature that is within primary schools to ensure children always have someone to talk to.

Overall, my first placement was a great experience which I thoroughly enjoyed, due to the warm and welcoming nature of both the children and all staff members, and how the general feel of the school was great to be within. I am also pleased with how well I got on as an individual and how much the children looked up to me as a professional. Due to this I am even more excited about becoming a primary school teacher and the future placements I have to come.

 

1.3 Trust and Respect, 2.2 Education Systems and Professional Responsibilities, 3.4 Professional Reflection and Communication, Professional Goals and Reflection on Placement

Self-Evaluation study task

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During this independent study task based on observations, self-evaluation and communication skills, I feel as though I have gained more knowledge on what I wish to be like during my time on placement and as a teacher in future years. After watching the Year 3 teacher who was being observed by Sue Cowley I compared what I had written down with a partner, although we had some of the same content gathered from this video, we also had different things wrote down which the other one of us never picked up on. For example, my praise after watching this teacher was that he had a friendly approach with the children, this meaning they will feel comfortable around him and be able to trust him, along with this they will have a sense of respect for him.  However, I felt as though sometimes he never portrayed as much authority as what he should have, due to this sometimes the children were distracted and were never told to participate more or told to stop messing around.

Something that surprised me about this self-study task was that often we fall into a trap of doing and saying things which we think are okay, but when we look back it may have not been the best thing to do at that time. When watching the video on the teacher looking back on a recording of her teaching it made me more aware that often we are unaware of everything that has happened in a day, so often we forget crucial elements. It was interesting to see a teacher recording herself to look back on and I was very surprised this happened, as I personally haven’t seen anything like this before.  However, I think it is a great way to look back and reflect.

I feel as though this self-study task has made me more self-aware and has showed me certain aspects I want to take forward and some I should try and avoid when out on placement. For example, how it is nice to be friendly with the pupils, but there also should be a professional barrier too.  Overall, watching videos of teachers with their classes makes me excited to start placement to get involved within the practical side of things.

2.1 Curriculum, 3.4 Professional Reflection and Communication

My first few weeks at UWS

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During the first couple of weeks at UWS I have been enjoying starting all the different classes that are incorporated within my course. Beforehand, I was the most confident about starting literacy, as English was my favourite subject at school; therefore I felt like this module was where I could contribute to a high degree and share a lot of knowledge within.  Overall I was most nervous about starting Spanish as I have never studied it before, therefore I was hesitant as to what level of difficulty this particular module would be like. However, after looking at all the course handbooks for each module I quickly realised the courses are all set out nicely and easy to follow, this allowed me to look ahead and see what was going to be covered within the next few weeks.   Being able to do this put me at ease as the unknown of what each module would be like was the issue that was worrying me the most.

However, as I am onto my fourth week I am finding all my modules equally understandable and enjoyable.  I am feeling a lot more confident about Spanish as I have realised all the people in my class are also beginners to the subject, therefore we are all in the same position and learning together.  Although literacy was the module I felt most confident about beginning, I have realised every module is preparing me for all the different aspects of becoming a primary teacher, so although I am still confident in literacy, I am also feeling more confident in all the other modules as well.  Due to all of this, in the future going onto my second, third and fourth year of the course I will remind myself that there is no point in feeling anxious over modules that I haven’t even explored yet, as by the end of the year they could end up being the module I find most enjoyable overall.