Managing My Learning

Activity 1

Complete the table below to identify and reflect on those factors and plan actions for each.

Recognition/ Reflection	Action
What helps my learning?	How can I utilise this?
Example: “Discussing the topic with others”	· Set up a study group of like-minded peers · Engage with the online community
Note-taking	· Take notes in lectures · Organise notes so they are easier to understand · Revise from notes
Planning a schedule	· Set realistic goals · Record all deadlines · Set aside revision time
Asking questions	· Ask tutors for help/advice · Go to office hours for lecturers · Make use of tutorial group time
Being well rested	· Take time to relax · Try to get enough sleep
Team work	· Meet students in the library · Create group chats with people in my groups

Recognition/Reflection		Action
What hinders my learning?	How can I address this factor?
Example: “I’m easily distracted”	· Study in a place where distractions are minimal · Read lecture notes before the lecture and then take notes lectures to keep me focused
Stress	· Plan my studies to avoid worry about deadlines · Try to relax
Social life	· Put studies first · Make sure work is complete
Work Overload	· Space out work so it doesn’t all pile on at once. · Make plans to tackles tasks one by one
Procrastination	· Try not to use devices while working. · Go somewhere without distraction for study.

Activity 2

Make a timeline so that you are aware of all the potential busy periods and plan the year to ensure that you allocate sufficient time for each module to include reading time, writing time and any other aspects of the module where you need to allocate time.

September:

Course introductions
Revise notes etc
Save time for Philosophy Worksheets

October:

Descartes Philosophy essay due- put time aside to choose question, revise and write
Continue to make time for fortnightly Philosophy worksheet
Working together visit- save time for team meet ups and note exchange.

November:

Working Together assessments due- make time for personal poster and group meetings to prepare presentations.
Study for upcoming essays early next month – Values and Philosophy (thought and reality).

December:

Philosophy essay due
Values essay due
Online units need to be complete
Possible problem with work hours- festive busy period

Activities for unit 1 Personal and Interpersonal Skills and Abilities

Activity 1

Below are a list of skills and abilities. Complete an audit of where you are now. Record this in your learning journal/portfolio.

Rate yourself (1=Not very well developed; 3=very well developed)

Skills and Abilities	1	2	3
Team Work			*
Flexibility		*
Take Risks	*
Listen to Others			*
Act as a leader			*
Organisation		*
Problem Solving			*

Activity 2

Complete the audit below, using the information from the table above.

Recognition	Reflection	Action
Skills already developed	How I will use these	How do I know (evidence)**
Teamwork	I will need to use teamwork both at university and in my future workplace. Team work is a skill needed in order to cooperate with others to complete tasks such as the Working Together project. In schools, it is important to work collaboratively with other staff and members in a child’s life to make sure they have a good overall education experience.	I know I have practised team work thanks to the entire Working Together module. It has taught me how to work well with other people in order to produce an effective result.
Listen to others	It is vital to listen to others in all aspects of education. As a future teacher, I need to be able listen to my pupils and colleagues in order to know what will benefit them and how to help them progress within their learning. In lectures, I need to listen in order to take in and learn new information.	University has provided plenty of opportunities to work on my listening skills through lectures, tutorials and working with others in order to share knowledge and skills i.e. Working Together project, library group study sessions.
Act as a Leader	It is important to show leadership qualities in order to take control of a classroom. I will also be able to use these skills in groups and clubs in order to present new and informative opportunities for myself.	Within group work I have nominated myself for tasks in order to take lead on aspects of certain projects i.e. Scribe on AIM project visit. Also, in school I practised these qualities as I was part of the senior leadership team.
Problem solving	I will need to be able to problem solve effectively in order to deal with any issues that arise both within the future workplace and regarding university work. When tackling difficult tasks, problem solving skills are necessary to find a solution and complete the work.	In Philosophy, the work is often hard to interpret and requires us to build an opinion based on our own interpretation. This has given me practise in solving my way through difficult work and any problems I may have regarding these translations.

Recognition	Reflection	Action
Skills to be developed	How I will develop these	How do I know (evidence) **
Take risks	I tend to stick to what I know, a creature of habit somewhat. I need to step outside my comfort zone and take risks in order to push myself to do well and learn new things.	I will know I have progressed if I can gain new skills. In philosophy, I can choose essay questions I may have originally avoided in order to gain more depth in my knowledge of said subjects.
Flexibility	I can learn to be more flexible by keeping an open mind to other people’s situations and ideas to better understand them. This will help us work together better.	If my groups manage to adapt to each other and work better as a result of this I will know I have effectively practised working on my flexibility.
Organisation	I can develop my organisation skills by structuring my notes well for revision. I can also arrange a study schedule that incorporates assignment deadlines in order to work effectively to achieve my goals within the given timeframe.	My revision should improve if I organise well enough helping further me in my education. If I manage to achieve set goals and meet my deadlines for work this will be good evidence that I have organised well.

Why Teaching?

Learning has always been an enjoyable experience for me. I loved the sense of achievement I felt whenever I gained new knowledge and skills. For me, school was a means to which I could define my future; school was a place where I could shape myself into who I needed to be to achieve my aspirations. School offered the opportunity for me to learn so much about the world and to obtain vital skills to aid me in achieving my future goals.

This process of development was of course aided by many teachers, one in particular who had such a huge influence on me. This teacher was continually supportive and inspirational to me. She had the ability to make me feel important and cared for. She gave me the feeling that I had her whole hearted attention in a room of 30 students. It struck me then just how much one teacher can impact their students. Teachers have the power not only to educate children but also to be a role model, a friend and a source of comfort. After I acknowledged this, I knew beyond doubt that I wanted to be a teacher. I wanted to make children feel as enthusiastic about learning as I felt, wanted them to be proud of their abilities, wanted to make them feel special and cared for. If I have the ability to positively affect even a single child, the way that my teacher affected me, I will be completely happy and know that all of the hard work and training was utterly worthwhile. This is how I know that teaching is something I aspire to do. This is why, personally, I find teaching to be the best possible career path to undergo.

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