Category Archives: Professional Studies

Bringing Scotland to Dallas

It’s Monday again… but it’s my last Monday with Tracy Locke! I seriously cannot believe I only have a matter of days left here.

Today I did a presentation about my life in Scotland which it seemed like everyone really enjoyed! It was so good to be able to tell them about my life in Scotland and at university and teach them about a variety of things such as education, politics and Scottish culture. I also answered questions that they had. It was so funny seeing their reactions to the fact that we have free health care and university tuition in Scotland as that has never been a thing here and something that they are very envious of!

I really enjoyed doing this and it has helped me professionally. I have been involved in public speaking opportunities since I was quite young throughout high school and a number of opportunities with church but it is something I haven’t done for while. This is something I will have to when I am a teacher at things such as CPD events and staff meetings so this was a very good learning opportunity for me.

From making the presentation I have enhanced my computing skills and from delivering it I have improved my self confidence which I had put at a 2 on my self audit. I have always enjoyed public speaking so I’m glad I was given this opportunity.

I then sat in on a group meeting with the PH team called “status” where the group find out how the work of the previous week has come along and what needs more development. This allowed me to see how many different areas of marketing and advertising there is for just one team in the company and how much work gets done in one week.

This afternoon I am going to be doing a bit of research for some healthcare brands that the company has and then some more work with the Pizza Hut team.

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Reflection 5

One week to go! I’m so gutted I’ve got such a little amount of time left here.

I have spent the past couple of days helping out with some research for a couple of members of the Samsung team. The sales of tablets, not just with Samsung, have been decreasing over the years. Additionally, the amount of people watching television on an actual television has decreased more and more each year. In particular with young people- aka: people my age. They asked me to do some research and find out why this could be the case.

So to do this, I spent some time googling articles and gaining professionals views. But, I felt that asking people my age was something that would be more beneficial. I asked a couple of groups of friends on group chats if they had a tablet, if so what do they use it for, if they have a television and if they watch live tv and if they watch Netflix what device would this be done on?

In addition to this I put up a couple of twitter polls which each got over 100
votes which I believe is a good number to gain a good insight of how young people watch on-demand tv and if they actually watch TV live on a television or do so in a different way.

 

 

I sent this to the two members and the response I got made me feel happy that I’d managed to help them. I met with Aaron who told me the work and research I’d done was utterly fantastic. He’d said that in the past they had hired interns who wouldn’t have produced the standard of work I had so this was a complete confidence boost for myself! I am so glad that the work I had done for them is something that would benefit them for their future work, too.

As stated in my previous post I also did some research for the Pizza Hut team about loyalty schemes which has been able to help other members of the team with their work on developing a loyalty/reward scheme for Pizza Hut customers.

This week I’ve learnt a lot about why we should have loyalty schemes are in marketing and advertising and how this is potentially why PH is falling behind other fast food brands and other pizza companies. I’ve also been able to develop my computer skills. I’ve learn how to research in a fast and effective manner while looking for the correct information.

With regards to the standards I’ve continued to meet the SPRs. In particular professional commitment. I have continued to allow myself to develop my collaborative working techniques as I have been working with a variety of people from the team I’m working on and other teams in order to reach specific research outcomes.

Additionally, I am continuing to meet the standard of integrity by being honest in my work and demonstrating courage through working in this environment that I previously had no knowledge on.

I really cannot believe next week is my last week here. I am going to be presenting to the team and potentially more members of the company about Scotland which I am very much looking forward to. Here’s to next week!

 

We’re half way there! (Weekly Reflection 3)

Happy Friday! It’s pretty scary to think that I have just finished my third week with Tracy Locke for my Learning from Life placement. I continually say it but I am so happy I chose to undertake my placement here and in an industry which three weeks ago I was completely clueless on.

This week has been quieter in comparison to the other two, but that does not mean I have not learnt anything new. This week has been beneficial as I have worked with more new people, one of which is not on the Pizza Hut team (Mary). My previous post contains information on the work I did and Mary’s job in the company. This was beneficial for me as it allowed me to see that the work done by Mary was very different to any on the PH team, but it allowed me to understand that someone saying they work in “marketing and advertising” is like an umbrella term as there are so many different types of job opportunities.

Additionally, I have finished putting together my presentation about Scotland and showed it to Lauren and Stephen (The two people in charge of the PH team) who belive it is ready to show to the people at Tracy Locke. They really enjoyed the work I had put together and thought it was very informative.

This week has allowed me to develop my computing skills which I had previously rated at a 2. The work I have done for Mary required a lot of internet searching and developing documents on Microsoft Word which can now be presented to her team. This work has definitely improved my confidence in computing and digital skills and I believe that the work I have done for her has been beneficial.

This week has allowed me to look a lot into two of the SPRs. The first one being integrity. Both teachers and student teachers should “demonstrate honesty, courage and wisdom”. This week I have gone out of my way to work with new people in another area of the advertising and marketing industry that is even newer to me than the work I have been doing with Pizza Hut which I feel demonstrates courage. Not many people would choose to do this type of placement and this work if it was not something they knew much about it. I have previously highlighted my self confidence and I feel that this work with even more new people has developed it greatly and shown my courage and wisdom.

The other one being professional commitment. Although this week has been quite quiet I have still manged to engage with many parts of professional practice. I have continued t o act in a professional manner at all times through my language and dress code. Additionally, I have been committed to lifelong enquiry and professional development through, again, choosing to work in a different area of advertising to continue to learn so many new skills and . I have continued to go out of my way to ask questions which allow me to learn something new everyday which is making it clear why this placement has been so beneficial so far.

Next week is going to be very busy with travel which I am so excited about. I am going to be going to Wilton, CT, with Mary to visit the TL office there and meet some of the clients that she works with on Tuesday. After this I am going to New York (!!!!!) to meet Stephen Miller from our office in Dallas to go to the NYC office to meet with the team who advertise for Heineken and Budweiser and, of course, see the sights of the city.

 

 

 

 

Reflecting on my first week…

My first week at Tracy Locke has been an absolute whirlwind of new knowledge and meeting so many new people who have made me feel extremely welcome. This has made working in an unfamiliar setting a lot easier. I have taken part in so many things that have been extremely beneficial in contributing to my knowledge and understanding of what the world of marketing and advertising is really like.

I have learnt a lot about how companies choose to advertise their products through looking at assignment briefings and decks. From this, it allowed me to realise that advertising is everywhere around us. There were obvious thing like offers at till points and signs above the road (maybe more of an American thing than something we’d see at home). But companies try and reach you through digital aspects such as emails and texts very early in the day to influence your food decisions in the next few hours.

Additionally, this week has shown me how other workplaces use professionalism in their jobs. The dress code here is different to what we would normally wear in the classroom. Most workers wear denim jeans with a blouse/shirt but also a blazer to “smarten” up the look. Professionalism is also used during meetings and phone calls with clients and other colleagues through the use of language addressing the needs of the phone call straight away.

I believe I have met the SPR of integrity this week through the aspect of demonstrating honesty. As previously stated I did not have much knowledge of advertising and marketing and this week I have not been worried to admit this to people and ask questions. Everyone has been so nice anyway so I haven’t been worried when I’ve not known how to do something.

Furthermore, I believe I have addressed the trust and respect section well. The standard states that a teacher should act and behave in ways that develop a culture

of trust and respect. I believe that I have done this as I can tell I am a respected member of the Pizza Hut team. I feel as though this is recognised through little things
such as being invited to go and get lunch or coffee with people. This has also made me feel extremely welcome.

Also, I feel as though I am in the process of meeting the standard of professional commitment as I am committing myself to lifelong learning and adding to my own professional development through working in a different industry where I am choosing to learn new things everyday.

From everything I’ve learnt about advertising this week it has prompted me to look at the CfE Experiences and Outcomes document. Under the Health and Wellbeing (HWB) section there are two Es and Os in the primary section, one in the First level and one in the Second level, which relate to advertising under HWB. HWB 1-37a states: “I am discovering the different ways that advertising and the media can affect my choices”, while HWB 2-37a states: “I can understand how advertising and the media are used to influence consumers”. Progression from the First to Second level is highlighted through the words “discovering” to “understand”. This, therefore, allows me to differentiate lessons between stages and know how much depth to go into in my advertising lessons.

From being at Tracy Locke this past week I can very easily see how advertising is used to influence our everyday choices and I am looking forward to what the next few weeks entail to expand my knowledge of marketing and advertising.

So Much Jargon!

(Written on 13/3/17)

Placement officially started today, but because I arrived in Texas on Wednesday I was able to have a soft start kind of day on Friday. (Thursday was a recovery day but I still don’t think I’m over the jet lag yet!)

On Friday I got to meet everyone on the team I will be working with over the next six weeks. Everyone is so nice and made me feel very welcome. I have been given my own desk with my own laptop, phone and computer to be able to assist with current projects that the team are undertaking.

The team I am working with are advertising for Pizza Hut. On Friday I got to sit in on an “internal”. This is when the digital and creative team meet to discuss final designs before sending them to the client for them to use and distribute to the public.

I was shown the “assignment deck”. This booklet showed me a huge variety of ways that Pizza Hut choose to adervtise their products and specific briefs that Tracy Locke are to follow for the client’s needs.

Today I read over the Pizza Hut account team overview. This allowed me to gain an understanding in what the team are working towards. This morning everyone form the team met to go over what people would be doing throughout the week.

Also today I went to an IR (internal review), one of the many commonly used acronyms, with Kayla (assistant account executive) and the creative team who deals with emails and SMS messages on behalf of Pizza Hut for “Hut Lovers”. An IR happens a week after the email briefing where it is decided what will be included in the email to send out to Pizza Hut customers.

The one big thing I have noticed since coming here is the use of jargon. Because this is an industry I don’t know much about the language they use is all Greek to me. There are many words which are used daily and repeatedly when talking to colleagues and clients which I wouldn’t normally use. However, I am learning and it is definitely not as daunting as it previously was.

In addition to this, there are so many acronyms used between colleagues and Pizza Hut to make communication quicker and easier. However, I know that I will be able to learn the common ones quickly. I’m beginning to feel sorry for those who don’t work in education because we talk to them using our acronyms and just expect them to understand!

So far I am able to see how this placement will help me in my own professional development. I am having to maintain my professionalism as I am working with a number of important people each day. Additionally, I am already reflecting on what I have learnt and I am thinking of ways I can apply this knowledge to my own classroom and teach a variety of lessons for my future classes.

I have had a very good start here at Tracy Locke and I am very much looking forward to see what the next few weeks will teach me.

 

 

Section 1

 

Audit of skills, knowledge and personal attributes

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

Skills and Abilities 1 2 3
 Self Confidence  x
 Contributing to Discussions  x
 Generate New Ideas  x
 Computing Skills  x
 Build Social Networks  x
 Set Personal Goals  x
 Take Notes  x
 Team Work  x
 Take Risks  x
Recognition Reflection Action
Skills already developed How will I use these How do I know (evidence)**
 Contributing to Discussions  When having team meetings where advertising ideas will be discussed  When you feel confident enough about an idea and can put it forward within in the group.
 Generate New Ideas  For this placement new ideas are generated everyday in ways to draw in customers for the client we’re working for (e/g/ Pizza Hut or T Mobile)  When I think of a unique idea
Set Personal Goals  When I am working towards my presentation.  When I achieve the goal.
 Build Social Networks  When working with the team in and out of the office to ensure I am not working alone and contributing well to the team’s effort.  When I have the confidence knowing who is the best person to get in contact with.
 Team  Work  I will use the skills I gained on placement. I worked with those in my class (both pupils and teachers) and other members of staff. This will also be the case with Tracy Locke where each team will need to collaborate.

Knowledge:

As stated in my first post, marketing and advertising is not an industry I know a lot about, hence why I have chosen Tracy Locke so I can learn about the work and the professionalism in the workplace.

Personal Attributes:

I would describe myself as someone who is approachable, patient and friendly. I am extremely (maybe too) organised and punctual. I believe these are attributes that are key when becoming a teacher. However, these characteristics are things that can be transferred to any workplace. These will put be in good stead when arriving at Tracy Locke and prove myself as someone who will be a good asset to the team.

Integrity:

It is important to make a good connection between personal and professional attitudes to bring about change in practice. I believe that a positive personal attitude is vital in developing a positive professional attitude.  When going into my own class I believe that a positive outlook on the day will have a good impact on my professional attitudes and ensure everyday in the classroom is exciting for all of  my pupils. For this placement I feel I must go in each day with a positive outlook on what the outcome of the day will be as everyday is a new day. The team I will be working with are going to be very busy with deadlines and this will allow me to ensure that a positive personal and professional attitude should be maintained at all times to ensure that the task I am working on will be completed to the best standard it can be.

Professional Commitment 

I am undertaking this placement as this is an industry I would really like to know more about. I believe this contributes to my lifelong learning I will be taught new things everyday. I believe my choice of advertising will be a good choice as this is something that really does influence our children and the decisions they make on a daily basis. It appears in the HWB section of the Es and Os (HWB 1-37a and HWB 2-37a) so is something that I will have to teach to a number of pupils over the years. I also think it demonstrates my professionalism as I am going out of my comfort zone which is something I will have to do as a teacher when teaching subjects I am not as confident in, such as science.

During this placement I will demonstrate my professional responsibility for the development of the placement through the use of blog posts which will demonstrate what I’ve been learning while I am here and how my own professional attitudes have developed.

 

Reflection on experiences to date

Since starting university in September 2015 I have been given a variety of experiences that will help me in both my future career as a teacher and life outside of the classroom. These experiences are all going to come in handy for my Learning from Life placement.

My MA1 placement taught me so much more than I possibly thought it could have. it showed me how a classroom should be organised, how to manage behaviour and the importance of planning everything in a lesson.

My MA1 placement has also given me skills which I am able to use in more contexts than just the classroom. For example, this placement allowed me to enhance my skills in professionalism. I was working with a variety of different people everyday including teachers in the school, visiting professionals, pupils and parents. From this I had to develop a more professional language and be approachable at all times. This is a skill I will be able to apply to Learning from Life as I will be working with a variety of different people each day in a professional context.

In addition to this, my MA1 placement allowed me to have very good time keeping. I was always in school early and allowed myself to run lessons on time. This will benefit me in this placement as I will be able to work to time slots that I’m given and be able to complete the work in a professional manner.

Although not academic, since first year at university I have been in the Dundee University Scottish Nationalist Society and I am now a committee member. The experiences I’ve had within the society have allowed me to develop my social skills and from this I have been able to meet new people, help organise events and meet local MSPs and MPs. This has also improved my self confidence in speaking to new people.

During my time in high school I undertook a variety of work experience placements in primary schools from 4th to 6h year which proved to me that teaching was the career path I wanted to follow.

Identification of skills and knowledge to be developed

Self confidence: Self confidence is something that I do have, however, I would like it to be developed just a little bit more. I think that during this placement I will be able to develop this due to meeting a variety of new people everyday and travelling to different places. This will make me more comfortable and more willing to speak to more people in a confident and professional manner.

Computing Skills: I never chose to study any computing subject throughout my time at high school so feel as though I am not very skilled in this subject area. From undertaking this placement I will be using Microsoft Office and email every day and this will allow me to learn and develop skills in ICT.

Taking Risks: As one of my risk taking abilities I have chosen to do my placement abroad. This shows my eagerness for independence and my interest in new culture and a new way of living. This placement will help me with taking risks as I do not know a lot about marketing and advertising.

Identification of learning opportunities

Tracy Locke:

  • While with Tracy Locke this will teach me about the marketing and advertising industry. Throughout my time here I will be working with Lauren Cohen (Group Account Director at Tracy Locke). The main client she works with is Pizza Hut. Through working with Lauren this will give me the opportunity to travel and experience a client meeting where I will see why certain companies want their products advertised and marketed a certain way.
  • I will also get to see how marketing and advertising affects everyday life and how it influences people in wider society.
  • Additionally, I will be able to see professionalism in a different work place other than education. This will allow me to learn about how working in this kind of industry affects workers lives in comparison to teaching. (SPR regarding professional commitment states that as student teachers must:
  • Engaging with all aspects of professional practice and working collegiately with all members of our educational communities with enthusiasm, adaptability and constructive criticality.
  • Committing to lifelong enquiry, learning, professional development and leadership as core aspects of professionalism and collaborative practice.

Huron Valley Roman Catholic Elementary School:

  • This will be a fantastic opportunity to learn about and compare education systems and curriculums in America, Michigan, to CfE in Scotland.
  • This will give me the chance to continue my teaching practice where I will undertake lessons on marketing and advertising using the knowledge and skills I have gained on my previous part of the placement.

Marcus Graham Project:

  • This is going to be the most eye opening part of my Learning from Life placement. Through communication with Tracy Locke CEO this may seem a “culture shock”. This will give me to opportunity to learn about life in an American High School. I will also be able to compare the education there to my own secondary education.

The marketing and advertising industry is quite mono cultural so the aim of the project is to get teenagers from all background interested and involved in the industry.

 

Record of planning and organisation

For this placement I was lucky enough to know the CEO of Tracy Locke which allowed me to plan and organise this placement. The planning and organisation included Skype calls where we would discuss what I would be doing on placement and when I arrive in Dallas I will meet the team I will be working with who will direct me on what projects and tasks I will be taking part in.

What is Scientific Literacy?

For our recent science workshop we were studying a concept known as Scientific Literacy. We Scientific litwere put into groups to try and get a good understanding of the term. So, Hannah Gibson, Kathleen Mullen, Michelle Mackie and I have written a report on our findings.

According to the Programme for International Student Assessment, scientific literacy is defined as “the capacity to use scientific knowledge, to identify questions and to draw evidence-based conclusions” It then goes on to tell us that “Clearly this does not mean turning everyone into a scientific expert, but enabling them to fulfil an enlightened role in making choices” This definition helps us to understand that science is something which should involve research of a specific area of science, ask relevant questions and find a suitable outcome. It also explains that science is a subject which should be enjoyed by pupils and teachers.

Without noticing, we use science every day of our lives and a lot of our decision making comes from science. From choosing what to eat to considering how our decisions will impact the surrounding environment. So, an understanding of scientific literacy is extremely important in having a sound understanding of all types of science in everyone’s daily lives.

Some may say that not all aspects of primary science need to involve fair testing. For example one of the primary school science experiences and outcomes states: I can identify and classify examples of living things, past and present, to help me appreciate their diversity. I can relate physical and behavioural characteristics to their survival or extinction. SCN 2-01a (Scottish Government, 2009) Fair testing may not need to be used for this particular outcome, however it will contribute to the child’s level of scientific literacy. (Jane Turner et al, 2012). Overall this Chemistry_in_Everyday_Lifesupports the idea that fair testing does contribute to becoming science literate although it is not always vital. It is possible to become science literate without always using fair testing. Jane Turner et al (2012)

Within scientific experiments, a fair test is one which the variables are controlled and bias is avoided. The aim of this it to provide reliable results that allow the experimenter to observe and identify the impact of one factor.

While exploring the concept of fair testing in the classroom, children should be encouraged to think about all of the factors that could influence the results of the experiment and which of these can be controlled. In this way, children are learning to become critical and the appreciate that absolute reliability may not be possible (Linfield, 2009. p3)

It is vital that children are taught the principles of fair testing within schools, because this allows them to recognise the wide variety of factors which can influence of the results of a test or experiment. This knowledge allows children to be objective and to feel more confident to challenge or question information, rather than accepting it on face value.

#keepdancing

We recently had a workshop on dance and it was something which I thoroughly enjoyed. Between the ages of eight and 15 I took part in a couple of different dance groups. I started off as a highland dancer which was something I loved taking part in and is something I would really like to start doing again at some point. I then danced at a local dance school with a ‘street dance’ kind of style. However, I did not enjoy this as much and stopped dancing.

I then started musidance-dreamingcal theatre which is still a huge love of mine. I feel as though I’m a much stronger singer than I am a dancer so I think this is why is preferred this kind of performance and expressive art.

So, when I saw that we had a workshop on dance I had mixed emotions. I just mainly did not know what to expect from it. However, I loved every second of it. We mainly explored different aspects of contemporary dance which was slightly out of my comfort zone and this was something which I really liked. We were shown different techniques of dance and shown the importance of using levels of height.

After this workshop I realised how much I actually enjoyed expressing myself through dance and it is something I cannot wait to teach when I’m on placement and when I have my own danceclass. I want the children to understand that if they’re not feeling so confident that it is okay and I want them to enjoy themselves.

For placement I have been given a primary 6/7 class and with my knowledge of the CfE Experiences and Outcomes for Dance as a subject I feel that I could make an enjoyable lesson for the pupils to take part in.

CfE Outcomes : “Inspired by a range of stimuli, I can express my ideas, thoughts and feelings through creative work in dance” EXA 0-09a / EXA 1-09a / EXA 2-09a and ” I can explore and choose movements to create and present dance, developing my skills and techniques” EXA 2-08a

Learning Intentions: By the end of the lesson I will have worked with my group to create a short dance sequence to express our ideas and thoughts on a specific topic using different movements and levels.

Success Criteria: To create a short routine, with or without music, using different forms of travel, rhythm and levels and highlighting the theme of the lesson. 

Assessment: To assess if the pupils have achieved the success criteria I will ask each group to perform their routine and make use of peer evaluation.

How I will achieve this: I will include activities within the lesson that involve the exploration of different forms of travel across the room and activities which allow the pupils to understand the use of different levels and how important this is in the presentation of their routine. Finally, I will include an activity that makes the children use different parts of their body to make a beating noise (e.g. stamping their feet and clapping their hands at a certain speed and a certain beat) 

Therefore, I want my dance lessons to be an enjoyable experience for all my pupils. I want them to feel they have the confidence to express themselves through this art anddancer to keep dancing. 

Feedback

According to google, the term ‘feedback’  is information about reactions to a product, a person’s performance of a task, etc. which is used as a basis for improvement.

The use of feedback in University is necessary, but it is as equally important in the teaching profession and there are positive and negative aspects to feedback.

In university we are given feedback on where we can improve, but recently in my Politics essay I was told that the structure of my essay was very good and I was able to use the referencing system well. This boosted my self esteem for the next essay I wrote for feedbackthe subject. I felt a sense of confidence I do not usually have when writing an academic piece. I feel that this highlights the positive aspect of feedback. But there was obviously negative feedback too. However, it was helpful and I knew what I needed to do for next time.

While on placement it is vital that we receive feedback. We must be told where we can improve or possibly change our teaching styles. But, also told if we dealt with a certain situation in the correct manner.

As teachers: we must feedback to our pupils in order for them to understand how to improve, but more importantly, also how well they have done in certain aspects of the task. I feel it is so important to tell children where they have done well as it can allow their self esteem to grow and allow them to keep working hard towards specific goals.

Therefore, I feel that feedback is essential and so important in the role of a student teacher and as a qualified teacher.

What it means to be an Enquiring Practitioner

Being an enquiring practitioner is extremely important when being a teacher. It means being open to so many new ideas and being willing to change teaching and learning styles which is so important as during your career you will meet so many different types of pupils who may choose to learn in a different style to other pupils. A benefit to it is that it will make us as student teachers, and professional teachers in four years time, question our own educational beliefs which will allow us to think outside of the box and be  a positive influence on our pupils because we will want to challenge and help change education.

However, a challenge of this may be that teachers who have been in the profession may not be willing to continually change their ideas whenever the curriculum changes.

Being an enquiring practitioner is so important when being a student. We need to understand that there are so many different learning styles and learn how we can adapt the one we feel most comformtable with. It will also allow us to also increase our knowledge of learning too.

Therefore, being an enquiring practitioner means to be open to new ideas and willing to continue to learn which is extremely beneficial in the role of being a teacher.

Managing My Learning- Critical Reading Activity

The author is trying to tell us about her experience of being in a primary school and how she thought the children were being taught.

What the writer could do differently to improve the register of the prose:

  • Instead of using the word ‘kids’ use ‘children’
  • When using words such as ‘don’t’ use the full word (do not.)
  • Try to use professional language rather than colloquial language

Three points of advise to the writer in exemplar A:

  • Say what you saw and learnt, not what you do not remember or did not see.
  • Prove how this made you want to be a teacher and how the experience enhanced your understanding of the job.

Tell us more about the experience the children had through play.

Exemplar B:

This writer refers straight to the current curriculum which helps us understand the use of play and children in primary schools. They also use references, this is helpful as it successfully backs up the point the writer is saying. This person uses professional language, which allows their piece to be put across very easily and gives a very good impression of the writer. Finally, the word count of this piece is a lot higher than the first piece, which helps show a deeper understanding of the subject.

Therefore, exemplar B is a more acceptable piece due to its language, the use of references and a larger word count. The writer in part A should take note from this piece in order for their piece to be accepted as piece of academic, critically analytical writing.