Semester 1 opened my eyes to many different issues over the course of the 12 weeks. The values module in particular made me think specifically about my own values and beliefs that will shape the way I conduct myself as of now. Before this module I failed to realise the importance of knowing and understanding my own values. I am unable to pinpoint an exact moment where I realised how important my personal values are to my professional development as it was definitely a progressive process.
The SPR states that student teachers should “adopt an enquiring approach to their professional practice and engage in professional enquiry and professional dialogue” and the values module certainly encourages this. After the lectures, very often myself and some peers would gather for lunch or in a café and we would find ourselves having good, professional discussions about prior lectures. Throughout the semester I found myself discussing the topics of feminism, race and sexuality the most often as I found these topics very interesting.
Another standard in the SPR states that one should be able to “reflect and engage in self-evaluation using the relevant professional standard”. The values module helps to ensure that each student teacher understands how to act professional and take into consideration every factor of a child’s life not just the immediately apparent ones. This enables us to teach a child the most appropriate way for the individual.
The Process of Reflection
Throughout my school career I have never had much need to reflect upon my actions and how they impact others around me. However, since starting university I have started to see the importance of reflecting on your thoughts and actions in order to shape yourself into a better person.
After reflecting on different aspects of my life I have started to see many areas which require changes, for instance, time management or organisation. Reflection must be seen in a constructive way and not a critical way as you better yourself further once you process the way in which you have acted. Improving my reflective skills will help me to become a more productive student and a better person overall.
http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/the-standards/standards-for-registration-1212.pdf
