September | 2016 | Alex's Eportfolio

This time last week my modules officially started and to say I was nervous for starting my studies was an understatement. Apart the normal challenges a first year student faces in the first couple of weeks such as making friends and settling into your new home I was also worrying about how I was going to deal with getting back into studying.

I took a year out after finishing secondary school and this year did not consist of me going to college or taking up any additional studies. I had a year away from studying, classes and the stressful exams. To be suddenly thrown back into it all I wasn’t sure how well i was going to cope with it. It can be quite overwhelming however the big difference for me, personally, was being involved and interested in the modules I have each week. I come away from the lectures motivated to do well in what i’m doing, work hard and put in the time to make sure I understand what had been said. It’s like going back to the gym after you’ve had a long period of time away from it, the first session is always the toughest as it can be a shock to the system but afterwards you feel a sense of achievement and determination to keep going and reach your goal.

The Values module was particularly intriguing in the first week. In the workshop we were split into 4 groups and all given one large brown envelope all containing a number of different objects. Unaware that some groups had a lot more to work with than others we proceeded with the task at hand which was creating a useful piece of equipment to help a first year student who just started at the university. I was in group 2 which had a variety of resources to use and so we made a starter pack filled with to-do lists, a welcome letter, study tips and stationary. We soon learnt the real lesson behind all this which was inequality. Two groups had a lot more than the other two groups and because they had more resources they got more praise and attention from the teacher. This was emphasising the fact that children must be treated fairly and equally no matter their background or situation. This happens in everyday life not just in primary schools, there will always be people who are better off than others and we have to remember we cannot treat those who aren’t any differently.

Now that lectures and workshops have officially started i’m looking forward to whats to come in the Values module and also in my other modules this semester which are working together and psychology. Year 1, semester 1 has well and truly begun.

Out of all the career paths to choose from in the world, why do I feel teaching is the right choice for me? Honestly, I always knew I wanted to work with children however I didn’t quite realise I wanted to teach until later on in life.

Studying to become a primary teacher wasn’t quite the image I pictured doing whilst growing up. To be honest, I never knew what I wanted to go into. It wasn’t until secondary school, when I became a classroom assistant and started to explore the world of teaching that the interest struck me. Working with young children in a primary school was eye opening and only then did I realise how enjoyable and rewarding this profession can be. This played a big part in my decision to go to university and study primary education. However, I still felt I needed more experience working with children.

Sport has been a massive part of my life. I developed a love for sport the moment I was thrown into a P.E class. At an early age I took particular interest in swimming and since then have continued to train and compete. Through my swimming, I had many opportunities to help coach younger swimmers in my club during their training sessions. I got to witness their progression in technique and confidence in the water. After secondary school I decided to take a year out and trained to become a swimming teacher. I loved it! I was responsible for managing my own classes and preparing lessons for children as young as 4 years of age. By going through these processes every week, this gave me a valuable insight into how much preparation and work goes into teaching.

All these experiences only further confirmed the fact that I wanted to pursue a career working with children as I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It is incredibly rewarding when you have helped a child develop and succeed whether it may be academically or in sport. Being part of their learning journey and being that role model in their lives, in my opinion, is quite special.

Let the Teaching Begin!

Why Teaching?