Ever since I can remember I always wanted to become a primary school teacher. To be able to make a difference in a child’s life and see them grow as individuals is a fulfilling experience and an ambition of mine. I began doing voluntary work with children at the age of 15. I began by volunteering at a brownies club every week. I found it extremely rewarding to witness a child’s confidence grow at the outings and camps that I would help supervise. I then began doing more voluntary work such as tutoring a Primary 3 girl, attending Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, gaining a leadership certificate and volunteering at primary schools. All of these experiences prove to me that this is definitely a career I want to pursue.
At college we did two placements. My first placement was at a primary school. I assisted the children in promoting their language, literacy and numeracy skills through writing and interactive activities. I helped the teacher by supporting children that have additional learning needs. In order to do this effectively, I worked with them on a one to one basis. I now feel more comfortable in teaching children with learning difficulties. My second placement was at a nursery. Before this I never considered working at a nursery however i loved it. Being surrounded by children between the ages of a couple of weeks old to 5 years old was so interesting. I went across all rooms and saw how much each child grew from being surrounded by other children their own age. Doing placement at a nursery has made me now consider working at a nursery in the future.