Category Archives: 3.4 Prof. Reflection & Commitment

2B- Getting the Basics: Grammar, Punctuation and Paragraphing

When writing academically, it is crucial to have basic skills and knowledge in grammar, punctuation and paragraphing.

Grammar is important as it is required for a piece of writing to make sense. Through my studies of modern languages, I have learnt of the importance of learning grammar in order to understand the language. By ensuring we have a high level of grammar we are able to understand the logic behind what we are writing.

Punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence. A common example is- “Let’s eat Grandpa.” and “Let’s eat, Grandpa.” Good punctuation means that the piece of writing is easier for the reader to understand and get the point across. Sometimes, it can be easy to write a long sentence which would be better as a shorter sentence as this adds emphasis. When checking work, it is a good idea to read it aloud to see if it makes sense. If you feel that you need to take a breath mid-sentence, you may need to put a comma or full stop in.

Paragraphing allows ideas and topics to flow logically. They allow work to be clearly structured rather than a huge chunk of writing. It is a good idea to read pieces of writing aloud to see where a natural break point is to help you paragraph. By paragraphing, there is a clearer division between topics making the piece easier to read and understand as each idea can be taken one at a time.

1C- Benefits of Active Learning and Co-Operative Working

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The benefits of active learning include:

Encourages creativity through thinking using imaginary situations as well as real life situations
Interesting way to learn e.g. through play
Allows children to remain more focussed in lessons as it is more exciting and enjoyable for children
Increased enthusiasm in both pupils and teachers
Allows pupils to give feedback and discuss what they are learning
Improves pupils’ social skills and builds relationships through group work and discussion
Creates a sense of community within the classroom
Allows those with different learning styles to participate

The benefits of co-operative working include:

Opinions from different individuals can be heard meaning a wider perspective is gained.
Increased trust and respect within a community.
Relationships can be built within a community.
Network of support to help one another.
Work can be shared and divided up.
Improves communication and team working skills.
Resources and knowledge can be shared.

1B- Managing My Learning

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Activity 1

I will update the tables below as I continue to learn what helps my learning.

Recognition/ Reflection	Action
What helps my learning?	How can I utilise this?
Discussing the topic with others	Set up a study group of like-minded peers
Bright, interesting work	Use colours in my revision notes by making key words stand out without spending too long focusing on the creative side
Short and to the point notes	Use post it notes to summarise my learning
Planning	Ensure I know what I am doing by creating a plan before I start my work
Regular Breaks	Set time aside for breaks to ensure I don’t spend too long on work that I lose concentration. It is important to take breaks too.

Recognition/Reflection		Action
What hinders my learning?	How can I address this factor?
Distractions	Remove all distractions in the room e.g. my phone (put it on airplane mode) or go to the library where I am around likeminded people.
Not reading ahead of lectures	Set time aside to read before each lecture.

Activity 2

I use a diary and to do list to ensure I know what work I have to do and when it is due. I also plan my time using a timetable to make sure I spend an appropriate length of time on each task especially during busy time periods such as near deadlines.

Unit 1: Identifying Skills and Abilities

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Activity 1

Below is a list of skills and qualities. I have rated myself with 1 being “not very well developed” and 3 being “very well developed”.

Skills and Abilities	1	2	3
Personal Skills · Flexibility			X
· Self confidence		X
· Self-discipline		X
· Work under pressure			X
· Set personal goals		X
· Take risks		X
· Share opinions confidently	X
Interpersonal Skills · Team work			X
· Take responsibility		X
· Build social networks		X
· Manage Time		X
· Act as a leader	X
· Negotiation		X
Communication Skills · Make presentations		X
· Listen to others			X
· Debate formally and informally		X
· Contribute to discussions		X
· Converse confidently	X
· Take notes			X
· Write for academic purposes		X
Technical Skills · Computing Skills			X
· Be creative		X
· Use technology			X
Intellectual Skills · Problem solve		X
· Generate new ideas		X
· Work on own initiative			X
· Organise and plan		X
· Think critically		X
· Evaluate information		X

Activity 2

I have completed the following tables to show what skills I have already developed and skills I need to develop along with evidence and how I will use these skills during my degree and in a classroom setting. As I will continue to develop skills throughout my degree, I will need to update my tables to show my progress.

Recognition	Reflection	Action
Skills already developed	How I will use these	How do I know (evidence)**
Flexibility	Through considering the ideas of others and taking them on board. Considering how to include other’s ideas without compromising all of your own however, sometimes it is important to consider others over your own ideas/methods.	I tend to listen to other’s suggestions and consider how I could use them to improve my work or the group’s work.
Work under pressure	I will use this skill during times of business e.g. coming up to assignments and work deadlines.	During my final year of secondary school, I was faced with many tasks whilst being in charge of the Scripture Union, working towards achieving good A level results, participating in choir and being a prefect. This busy schedule put pressure on me to get school work done but to a high standard.
Team work	I will use this skill during the Working Together module with my peer learning group to discuss ideas and prepare our presentation, ensuring each person has a part to play. I can also use it in the classroom through collaborative practice with various professionals such as speech and language therapists, social workers, office staff, janitorial staff and many others.	I have been involved in various summer mission teams which have allowed me to develop this skill and ensure that each person feels they have a role. Additionally, through my various roles in my last year of school, I have learnt the importance of working together as a team rather than as individuals.
Listen to others	This skill is crucial in the role of a primary school teacher. It is important to listen to both the staff and pupils to ensure that each child is getting the right education for their needs. We can listen to each other during lectures and group discussions to share opinions and ideas. It is important to take other people’s opinions on board to develop your own understanding.	I would say that I am a good listener. Through my experience at school, I have learnt of the importance of listening to other’s thoughts to ensure that the organisation or work is the best it can be for the people involved.
Take notes	This skill is important particularly during lectures and group discussions to ensure you gain as much knowledge and therefore understanding about the topic.	Throughout my time at school and university so far, I have taken detailed notes on what is being said.
Computing skills	Computing is becoming more popular in today’s society, making it all the more useful for children to learn about it. It is important that the teacher has computing skills in order to teach children. These skills can include coding, making powerpoint presentations, creating work sheets on Word and producing a simple game.	I feel I have quite a high level of ICT as I studied it for GCSE and then studied Applied ICT at A level. Through this, I learned how to design a game, database and website which involved the skill of coding as well as using Word to create reports on my work.
Use technology	With the increasing use of iPads, laptops and interactive whiteboards in the classroom, it is important to have ICT competency to keep lessons modern and engage with the children.	Through my studies in ICT in school, I have developed a confidence in using technology.
Work on own initiative	I will use this skill to ensure I get my work done before the deadline self-reliantly.	I tend to work well on my own and get the work completed before the deadline. I usually know what I need to do and how to do it to the best of my ability.

Recognition	Reflection	Action
Skills to be developed	How I will develop these	How do I know (evidence)**
Share opinions confidently	Try to always give my point of view and not be afraid of others disagreeing as this is how discussions come about. It is important that all opinions are considered therefore I need to share mine more often.
Act as a leader	A leader is usually needed to ensure a task gets done properly and on time therefore I need to try to step up every once in a while if there seems to be a lack of effort or determination in group work. In the classroom I will need to be a leader.	Through my leadership in Scripture Union, I had to delegate tasks whilst supporting each member of the committee and helping them with any problems they faced.
Converse confidently	Similar to sharing my opinions confidently, it is important that I can engage in conversation to ensure that any issues are resolved and ideas are considered from all points of view.
Self confidence	By sharing my opinion with others and not placing too much pressure on myself to get the top grade. By reading around various topics to increase my level of understanding. It is important that as a teacher, I have confidence so that the pupils can have confidence in me.
Self-discipline	By ensuring I meet my goals and get things done on time and not last minute.
Set personal goals	Through planning when I will have a certain task completed by and working towards that goal. I need to ensure that I set realistic goals that push me but are also achievable.	During my A levels, I set targets of when I would have tasks such as revision notes completed by. I also use timetabling and to do lists to ensure I know what I need to do, how long it should take and by when it needs to be completed.
Take risks	I will need to develop a confidence to feel comfortable with risk taking. I need to be confident with trying new ideas to ensure variety in the classroom to keep children engaged and to help them enjoy the learning experience.
Take responsibility	I will take responsibility for my part in the group work as well as taking up roles of responsibility in the work place.	I have taken responsibility during group tasks to ensure I have completed my part within the time limit. Through being a Rainbow leader, I have increased my understanding of leadership with young children and having initiative in situations.
Build social networks	By talking to people from different disciples to ensure a multi-disciplinary environment whilst also sharing ideas on social media apps such as Twitter and Pinterest.
Manage time	I will plan my work to ensure it is done within the required time scale. I will also plan my lessons to ensure that each activity can be scheduled into the day. I do however realise that sometimes the unexpected happens therefore it is important to not have too tight a time plan especially when working with children.	As my final year of school was busy with school work and responsibilities as well as being a Rainbow leader, volunteering at a local youth club and participating in weekly team meetings, I had to manage my time wisely to ensure I got my work done as well as gaining social skills.
Negotiation	Through sharing ideas, it is likely that a difference of opinion will occur. It is therefore important to be able to come to a joint decision through working together.
Make presentations	Through giving presentations. The more presentations I do, the more confident I will feel as I will have been able to learn from my mistakes and improve upon them.
Debate formally and informally	By working with people from different backgrounds and disciplines to discuss their opinions and understanding as well as my own.
Contribute to discussions	Through collaborative practice and discussing various tasks and issues with course mates as well as other staff members. The more discussions I am involved in, the more my confidence and participation will grow.
Write for academic purposes	By completing more tasks such as essays, I will grow in confidence in what is expected of me.
Be creative	By sharing ideas with others and asking for other’s opinions on how I could improve upon my ideas. By practicing new techniques which can be used to teach children and by being open to new ideas and constructive criticism.
Problem solve	Through group work as well as individual tasks which we are given to complete. By doing research into how to go about looking at issues and being open to other’s ideas as well as my own.
Generate new ideas	By considering other people’s ideas and doing research into teaching methods and how to go about completing an assignment.
Organise and plan	By using a diary/planner to schedule when I will do tasks and giving myself deadlines to ensure nothing is left until the last minute. By checking reading lists to ensure I have read the required material before the lecture.
Think critically	By taking time to consider why things have been done a certain way and looking at how I could improve upon my methods.
Evaluate information	By considering the reasoning behind information and how I can use that information to improve upon my own work and assess the validity of information.

** This section should be completed as you identify when/where/how you have used/developed these skills.

An envelope with potential?

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I love receiving an envelope. There’s a sense of mystery and excitement when you are handed an envelope. It amazes me that something so small can hold something incredible with so much potential. You never know what you will find when you tear that seal off and look into that small space. Envelopes can hold pieces of optimism such as acceptance letters or they can hold disappointment e.g. those ever so depressing bank statements. You never know whether that envelope is going to make or break your day. On Tuesday, during my workshop, that envelope brought me hope; It contained several items with purpose.

As part of my course, I participate in workshop style classes which put our team work skills to the test. I was fortunate to be in group two (the group which received the second best set of resources inside their envelope). The aim of the workshop was to invent something using the materials in our envelope to create a resource to help a new student to the University of Dundee. Groups three and four had fewer items than groups one and two, making the task more difficult for them. Inside my group’s envelope was: post it notes, pens, pencils, paper clips, crocodile clips, coloured paper, scissors, two smaller envelopes, blue tack, sellotape and elastic bands. Within two minutes we had agreed on an idea- a survival kit for a university fresher containing various essentials for starting uni life.

We used the paper to make a tray with a handle to place the items in and sellotaped it together. As we had some extra paper, we made some flashcards for the student to use when it comes to making revision notes. Meanwhile, a few of us made the other parts of the kit including a shopping list and a to do list and using blue tack stuck a pen onto each of these lists. It can be hard to remember what you need to be doing and when at uni with so much going on especially during the first few weeks. This is why we created the to do list. We wrote down various tips for surviving at university on the pieces of paper such as “Hand your work in on time”, “Join clubs and societies to make new friends” and “Make a list before going shopping”. Additionally, we thought it would be nice for the student to have something to read before they get started at uni so we composed a welcome letter and put it in one of the smaller envelopes. Without a doubt, for many students, university is a huge change and they begin to miss home. Therefore, we agreed that the other envelope could be used to send a letter home to keep the student’s family updated on how they are doing. Finally, we created a contents page for the tray so the student could easily see what was in it. We also included a list of any other essentials the student may need such as drawing pins for putting up their timetable and photos, clothes hangers and a diary to write down their work deadlines and lecture times/locations.

During the task, Carrie came over to our group quite a lot. She encouraged us and told us that it was very obvious that we were training to be teachers with our organisational skills and love for stationery. Carrie continued to give us encouragement and told us she liked our idea. We noticed that Carrie was spending less time with groups three and four but we didn’t think much of it and just thought their ideas weren’t as interesting as ours. At one point, group three asked us if they could have one of our pens. We decided that they could considering we had several pens and didn’t expect anything back. We later discovered that this was because they had less resources than us. We noticed that during group four’s presentation of their idea, Carrie seemed bored and was looking out the window and checking the time. This seemed quite unfair on them but we still didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until all the groups had presented their ideas that I realised that each group had been given a different amount of materials and then I started to realise the point of the task.

When it came to scoring each group, Carrie awarded the highest amount of points to group one who had the most materials. We thought that our idea was just as good as theirs and gave ourselves an 8 out of 10, however, to our surprise Carrie disagreed and gave us a 6. Group four received a very nasty 2 points. We were surprised at how badly they had done. Personally, I felt it was unfair because groups three and four had tried their best with the resources they were given.

Carrie then revealed to us that the workshop had been set up and the scores had been decided before we even entered the room. The main lesson of the workshop was that in the classroom we are going to have children from different backgrounds with different resources. Some children will come from a good background where they can get help if it is required whereas other children may come from poorer backgrounds in which they can afford to get additional help. Some children will come into the classroom with top branded stationary whilst others will have poorer quality materials or maybe even none. Therefore, it is crucial that all students have access to equal resources and opportunities so that the classroom is a fair environment for everyone. By having equal opportunities for all pupils, those from poorer backgrounds are able to achieve the same things as those more fortunate. This is so important for a child’s wellbeing as they will feel more accepted for who they are in a diverse classroom where each student is treated equally and has the same chances as the others to achieve their potential.

Even though I wasn’t in the groups with fewer materials, this workshop gave me an insight into how to relate to those who don’t have as much and be willing to help them wherever possible e.g. giving the pen to group three. It also showed me the importance of giving pupils equal opportunities as I could see the disappointment and effect that rejection from the teacher can cause. No pupil deserves to feel the way groups three and four felt. Each pupil needs feel comfortable in the classroom so they can enjoy learning and do their best. They need to feel accepted by the others in their class as well as their teacher as their minds and behaviour are moulded by these early experiences. We as teachers need to ensure that the classroom is a place of equality and acceptance! No pupil should be left behind!

Why teaching?

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For me, teaching has always been something I have seriously considered as a career. Both secondary and primary appealed to me, however, I realised that I prefer working with younger children. I enjoy interaction with children, gaining insight into how they view the world. The idea of playing an active role helping children develop their potential greatly appeals to me. I gain huge satisfaction helping them develop their learning skills. It is challenging yet rewarding to present new concepts and observe children as they gain understanding. While subject knowledge is important; good communication is crucial. This is a skill I feel I have developed through my experience working with children.

I have spent approximately ten weeks in a primary school. During this time, my passion for children has developed and I obtained hands on experience of what a day in the life of a teacher involved. I observed and assisted the teacher in a wide range of areas including literacy and numeracy. By leading reading groups, I learned the various levels of ability in the class and the necessity for teachers to consider this when planning lessons and to differentiate accordingly. Another essential skill I further developed was the ability to communicate effectively. This is vital for every teacher to ensure that children are engaged in learning.

I also spent 2 days shadowing a teacher in a school for deaf and blind children- Jordanstown School. This provided an entirely different experience, showing me the challenges that teachers in these schools face. Working with children on the autistic spectrum enabled me to understand that various activities such as hydrotherapy sessions help children relax and concentrate better in the classroom. Time in this environment taught me that children require various types of support and encouragement if they are to succeed with challenging tasks.

Another part of my work experience placement involved speech and language therapy sessions at the deaf and blind school. This allowed me to communicate with children who have auditory problems as well as children from different countries who do not speak English as their first language.

Through my time in the deaf and blind school, I have discovered the importance of teaching modern languages and adapting to each child’s needs. My studies in GCSE French and A level Spanish have helped me to gain confidence in modern languages. They have helped to make me more aware of what it is like for an international student coming into a classroom where their mother tongue is not the primary language spoken. By interacting with children who do not have English as their first language, I gained experience ensuring this does not become a barrier and communication can still be achieved. I believe studying languages at school equips me better to understand the difficulties faced by such children. I would say that I am passionate about the 1+2 Approach in Scottish Education as I am aware of the benefits learning a modern language has on your future. Observing modern language classes in Northern Irish primary schools has allowed me to see the various techniques used to teach younger children modern languages.

The ability to work as part of a team is an essential skill for any teacher. Through participating in hockey, netball, volleyball and summer teams, I have developed my teamwork skills. Other key aspects of teaching are leadership, the ability to take the initiative and be flexible. These are skills I have learnt as a young leader in Rainbow Guides and a leader at holiday Bible clubs for the past 4 years. Teaching requires commitment, enthusiasm and positive relationships with children and staff, along with good organisational and time management skills. By helping in crèche and children’s church at my local church and achieving the Baden Powell Award, I feel better equipped to deal with the challenges teaching presents.

Last year, I developed my leadership skills through my role as Scripture Union President and as a prefect in school. Taking on these new roles required good time management as I had other commitments including school studies and volunteering at a local youth club. I completed the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award, giving me the opportunity to take on many new challenges and remain motivated in demanding situations whilst maintaining a sense of fun.

Teachers play a vital role in today’s world having the potential to shape the future of children. It is essential that young people have dedicated, hardworking and enthusiastic teachers influencing and educating them. I feel I have many of these skills and will continue to improve upon them, making teaching the ideal profession for me.