Emma Robertson

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November 13, 2017
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Placement Reflection

Overall throughout my experience on placement I really enjoyed it. It was a different experience from what I have had in schools before as before I would have been taken as a spare pair of hands in the role of a classroom assistant and I felt that the children respected me more knowing that I was training to be a teacher. It felt as if I was more responsible being a student teacher than when I was a practitioner during my HNC in college. On my first week of placement I was in a primary seven class and on my second week I was in a primary two class. Working from the two ends of the school gave me an experience working within two extremely different environments were there are two different teaching techniques and reward systems.

 

During my first year placement I felt that it was mostly having to sit at the side of the class and watch teachers and how they teach I think it would be a better idea if the “observing” was more interactive and as a student in first year you are able to plan activities for the children. I planned activities during my HNC at college and I felt that the children really enjoyed being able to work with a new person. Throughout placement I asked if I was able to plan an activity as I felt I was sitting at the side to often and I wanted to become more involved and practice teaching in front of a small group. I took an activity for time and also a listening/concentration activity on my last day. This was effective for me personally because I was able to plan an activity for a small group similar to what the teacher was doing with the rest of the children in the class. The children seemed to enjoy the activities because they were telling me that it was fun and they were excited when they had another activity in the afternoon.

Generally I think overall placement was a fun experience that I was learning everyday. I was learning what I need to improve on and I was learning about the different ways that teachers from two different sides of the school teach. I learned that I should always ask teachers about different things so that I keep myself right and not go by others words. I also learned that maths can be interactive through song and also some games that other teachers may not play with children in a classroom environment. I also learned a little bit more on activities to use for listening and talking through literacy. Finally I learned that teaching and strategies have to be different and you have to be adaptable to the environment that you are in because one year you could be in a primary 1 class then the next in a primary 7 class and the way you approach teaching to 4-5 year old’s is different to the way you approach teaching to 10-11 year old’s. To have a trial at this was beneficial to me as I had to adapt as quick as a week to the different environments. This will be a big learning curve for me to take on within the next 3 years during my placement time.

Working in a school on placement for two weeks has shown me that Primary Teaching is definitely what I want to do as a career. I wish that my placement lasted longer. I am excited to see what future placements bring and what else I will learn from them.

October 18, 2017
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Observation on Videos

My partner and I had very similar notes while watching the videos and check list. We both pointed out were the student teacher went wrong while using both verbal and non verbal communication behaviours and when his interaction with the pupils lacked.  The videos surprised me as I did not realise that teachers sometimes use body language that comes across as if they are not interested or angry. Also through the student teachers verbal communication he often used a monotone voice when he was talking about a lesson and the way in which he spoke to the children. I found the tasks relatively easy. While watching the videos I realised the importance of feedback because receiving feedback will give you a self esteem boost. Feedback also allows you to learn what to improve, also what went well during your time in placement or a lesson that you have taught. The idea I will take to placement will be to take feedback through observation as a positive point as it will show areas that do not need to be changed but also areas that may need to improve but does not need to be disheartening.

 

I feel nervous but very excited for placement on the 30th of October as I will have a chance to work within a school environment not just as a visitor or practitioner but as a student teacher. I am looking forward to observe the teachers techniques through teaching and my peers techniques while working with a group. Then I will be able to take that on as I go through my four years of university.

September 27, 2017
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Review on Chapter 5 “Finding out about others: the skill of questioning.”

Chapter 5 “Finding out about others: the skill of questioning” (Hargie, O. 2011)

The main aim of Chapter 5 is to examine nature, function and effects of various forms and types of questions across a range of social situations. The main themes are; Children, Crime and professional sectors such as teaching and doctors. A claim that is made in this chapter is that in the health sector doctors and nurses were the main people who asked questions to their patients. Their patients would not ask questions as Siminoff et al. (2oo6) states that, patients never asked very many questions as they did not want it to seem like they were lacking in knowledge about the situations they were in. There is an idea throughout the chapter that the people who ask the questions are powerful people such as; teachers, doctors, lawyers and detectives, this is mainly down to them knowing the answers to the questions that they ask. Although when asked questions by someone the respondent may feel anxious and become stressed regardless if they know the answer to the question or not. This is because they do not want to be judged by the answer that they give. For example in a school scenario where a teacher asks pupils a question pupils may feel anxious to answer the question the teacher is asking. I agree with the majority of the chapter although there are somethings I disagree with for example; Closed questions being the most important set of questions to be asked, I feel that closed questions can often miss out some important information that open questions can provide. Some of the words I struggled with were multifaceted, stenographer and ubiquitous.

Reference List

“Finding out about others: the Skill of questioning” – Chapter 5 – Hargie, O. (2011) Skilled interpersonal Communication: Research, Theory and Practice 5th ed. London: Routledge

September 25, 2017
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My Experience at UWS

I applied for the BA (hons) Education in Ayr last year while I was at school and after interview process I became unsuccessful. My second option was to go and do a year at college doing my HNC Childhood Practice. When it came to UCAS application I began to wonder if I should apply for Education again and I decided it was the best option as I have wanted to be a primary teacher as long as I can remember. When I used to stand in my bedroom with a magnetic white board and pretend to teach my students (my teddy bear and dolls).

Getting accepted into UWS the second time applying I felt overwhelmed and excited to start the course, as it has always been my dream. The first four weeks have went in really fast and I have met a few new friends. I felt nervous going into a new environment becoming the first year student again and was very nervous at the point of making new friends and speaking to new people.

There has been mass amounts of information given to me over the past four weeks and I feel like it is a lot to take in. I hope that over the next few weeks everything begins to settle in my mind and everything becomes clearer on what I have to do and how to find different things on Moodle.

I am not very confident in academic writing or used to regularly blogging but I hope that over the next few years it improves and I become confident in both.

I can not wait to see what the next four years has in store for me.

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