My Goals for my MA1 placement are as follows;
- Thinking flexibly and creatively.
I put this as a goal because there will be a range of different pupils in the class with different personalities, skills and learning styles. It is important that I am flexible and can think of different ways to motivate my pupils to work and learn, or think of a different way to explain a topic if the class doesn’t understand it the first time. I need to be able to encourage my pupils to do the best that they can. I want to come up with creative lesson plans which engage the pupils and which help them to see the relevance of what they are learning. This fits in with the General Teaching Council in Scotland (GTCS )Standards for Registration under;
2.1.2 Have knowledge and understanding of the relevant area(s) of pre-school, primary or secondary curriculum
3.1.1 Plan coherent, progressive and stimulating teaching programmes which match learners’ needs and abilities
3.1.3 Employ a range of teaching strategies and resources to meet the needs and abilities of learners
3.1.4 Have high expectations of all learners
- Developing confidence in front of the class
Having often done the Bible story in front of about 30 kids at my Church’s youth club, I already feel a little bit experienced in this area. Even so, standing in front of 30 pupils who rely on you to teach them things they will remember for the rest of their lives is still pretty nerve-racking. I need to develop confidence in what I am teaching and make sure I properly understand it so that I can try to give the best lessons I can give. I plan to do this by reading a lot around the subjects I will be teaching and planning lessons so that I know what I am doing. This fits in with the GTCS Standards for Registration under;
3.1.2 Communicate effectively and interact productively with learners, individually and collectively
However, I know that most of this goal will not be achieved until I am actually on placement, standing in front of the class, delivering a lesson.
- Behaviour Management
One of my biggest fears of going into the classroom is a child ‘kicking off’ and rejecting my various methods to calm them down. I will develop confidence in this area by doing a lot of reading involving behaviour management, and the ways to gain respect in the classroom. This is my chosen placement reading subject, and so I will have to constantly reflect on my practice and how my reading is influencing it. This I believe will improve my confidence in behaviour management, and again, is another one I will not see the fruits of until I am actually in the classroom. I am determined to go in to my classroom and gain the respect of the pupils. This fits in with the GTCS Standards for Registration under 3.2.2 and 3.4.1.
3.2.2 Develop positive relationships and positive behaviour strategies
3.4.1 Read and critically engage with professional literature, educational research and policy
