My placement was an incredibly positive experience. Being in an area I was unfamiliar with allowed me to meet many new teachers and pupils which allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and make the most of my school experience.

Strength

Throughout my placement I felt my language was appropriate for the age of those I was speaking to. When speaking to younger pupils I would use more basic language and vary my tone of voice much more than I would when communicating with older pupils. In addition to this, when speaking to teachers my language would vary from the classroom to the staffroom or playground. For example, in the classroom calling the teacher by their surname and in the staffroom calling them by their first name.

Area of Most Progress

The area I feel I made most progress in was in my confidence when working with groups of children. In previous work experience I have been rather intimidated at the thought of taking small reading groups and helping a child when they are confused. Prior to my placement I felt I was in no position to help a pupil as I am not a qualified professional. However, I now realise that I do not need to have this mentality as any help, no matter how big or small, is benefiting the child. This is the mentality I will always have from now on as it is important to remember to always put the pupils first.

Area Requiring Progress

An area requiring progress is the speed at which I speak. Although I try to speak slowly I often find this difficult, particularly when nervous. I will make this an aim of mine in future placements to speak slower in order for the pupils to clearly understand what I am saying.

Action Plan 

I think that having more school experience will help me to develop the areas of communication I am weaker in, such as pace. I aim to be more mindful about the pace at which I am speaking and the audience I am speaking to. I also hope to step out of my comfort zone more often and develop areas of my communication.