Uncategorized – Page 2 – Rachel Fraser UWS ITE ePDP

Religion, Society and Diversity

In today’s lecture and tutorials, I learnt a significant amount of knowledge in regards to religion and society. Firstly, the lecture was an overview of what religion means, features of religion, types of religion, core religions can vary in believes and introducing theorists and religion functions. During the lecture, I began to question my own views, as I practise my faith and have been brought up to believe in the faith teachings, but today allowed myself to consider a different dynamic to religions and cultures. Therefore, I found this input to be insightful, as the terms and definitions where genetic and universally used by all religions. Participating in the group tutorial enabled us to share our opinions and our individual perceptions of religion and society, concluding religion can have positive and negative aspects that can affect not just local communities but wider communities too. As part of the independent task I selected to research French social psychologist Emile Durkheim. His theories highlight religion is factual, brings society together, preserves society and engenders citizens to have a sense of value. Reading into Durkheim views it became apparent I feel and witness this through my faith.

In general religion and society are complex issues that can create confusion and questioning. But from today’s inputs I was able to understand majority of concepts raised specifically features of religion. However, I found the aspects based on theorists to be rather challenging and will have to consolidate my understanding through further reading. Also, being introduced to ‘insider and outsider view’ of religion will require more reading too in order to develop my knowledge and what is meant to have an ‘outsider view’ as a student teacher/teacher.

Overall today I learnt an abundance of new knowledge which has motivated myself to do further reading and research religion and society as I find this topic to be engrossing, learning the cultures behind the religions can influence the ways in which we lead our lives. It is important now that I look beyond my faith and have a wide scope of understanding of other religions.

As a student teacher, it is important that I develop my understanding of the many religions in not just Scotland but worldwide, and the impact that religions can have on societies. I believe that moral, ethnic and religious education is vital and should always be taught in the classroom as this provide pupils the opportunity to explore their own religion in-depth but other religions too. Being a practising Roman Catholic, later this year I am hopeful I will be able to start the Catholic Teacher Certificate and this will provide me with the opportunity to teach in Catholic Schools. However Catholic schools are become more diverse and enriched with other religions, it is therefore pivotal that I advance my learning of our religions and cultures to support the pupils whom I teach. By completing this module, I should develop my understanding of religion which could support my knowledge when I am ready to commence the Catholic Teacher Certificate.

Most aspect addressed in today’s input will require further revision and reading in order to consolidate and secure my understanding in these aspects of religion and society.

Personal Response to ‘Room’

During our introductory lecture of Literacy of Understanding we were informed that we had a novel- ‘Room’. I dreaded the prospect of reading this novel as the last time that read a novel was during my study of Higher English. But since reading ‘Room’ this has completely changed my outlook and attitude towards reading. When I was little my parents would always read to me and this influenced my habits of being a reader until my mid-teens.

I doubtlessly stopped reading for pleasure in fifth year of school as I had other priorities of studying for my Highers. Before then during my younger teens I was an avid reader and found contentment in reading by discovering new cultures and gathering a greater understanding of the current world in which we live in, but also the past world. During this time, I did find fulfilment in reading novels, my particular genres varied, I went through stages when I liked horror fiction, girl fiction and fantasy fiction. Sometimes if I got interested in a subject topic I studied at school this would influence my reading choices. For instance, during second year History I studied American Civil Rights therefore during this period I read the ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ and ‘The Help’. Reading books related to school I was able to gain a further understanding and knowledge. Reflecting back, I believe if I kept reading novels I would have more creative writing flare and a more styled style of writing, but intimating the authors that I read.

Presently I prefer to read current and in date texts such as newspapers and magazines. I am increasingly inclined to read broadsheet newspapers such as ‘The Times’, ‘The Herald’ and The Guardian’. The writing methodology of the editors influence my writing style, but at time their lexicon and language can be complex to understand.

Why do I not choose to read fiction presently? That was a question that I pondered about. Why I do not choose to read is partially all excuses- I don’t have any time to read, I don’t find reading enjoying, I cannot find any fiction that standouts.

However, since reading ‘Room’, in which I enjoyed reading has changed my view on reading. The initial pages of ‘Room’ did not interest me in the slightest but as the novel developed I became intrigue by the plot especially when Ma and Jack where planning their escape from ‘Room’ and understand how they would adjust to life on the outside. ‘Room’ is definitely a book that I would recommend to read, as I found it profoundly moving and conveys a world being locked away from society and the bond of mother and son.

Reading ‘Room’ has highlighted the importance to myself that I have to read more breath of fictions and I should not just read the first few pages and get discourage if I am not fond of the plot or characters. Reading a scope fictions allows you to gain a better understanding of the world and varying situations that humans find themselves in.

Undoubtfully it has changed my view on using novels for academic reading, reading ‘Room’ reinforced the aspects of language development present in young children and their tendencies as young speakers, as Jack language highlighted the development of his and shows that situations can impair facets of language.

Reflections on Placement

Reflecting back on my university placement, the week went by extremely quick. From the first day of university finding out the date that placement would begin, did not seem to long ago either.

Fast forward seven weeks I had discovered my placement school and was fretting over printing out the required eight placement task and hoping I had printed enough placement handbooks for staff who required it at the school.

Monday morning came I was immensely apprehensive as my placement school was dissimilar to the primary school that I attended and also where I gained my work experience at. But I was eager to get started and to embrace this new challenge… and the placement tasks.

As the week evolved I observed in many classes and also introduced to interesting teaching methods that contributed to completing the placement task. I was engaged in self/peer evaluations and school assessment that helped me to discover strengths and areas for improvement in my communication.

Strength

My most notable strength was the way in which I used voice to speak loudly, clearly and variation of tone when carrying out group work activities. This allowed the pupils’ to understand the task and also show my enthusiasm when explaining the task.

Area of Most Progress

My area of most progress during the placement was my engagement with staff. Initially during the first couple of days while in the staffroom I was rather quite, but as the week progressed I felt more comfortable in this setting and began to interact with staff more while in the staffroom.

Area Requiring Progress

It was evident after evaluations that my area that I need to improve is my overall non-verbal communication. When explaining tasks to groups I would use limited amount of body language and often would hide my hands.

Action Plan

This placement highlight to me that I need to become more confident with teaching staff and to improve my non-verbal communication. My next steps for next placement is get more involved with staffroom discussion. In terms of my non-verbal communication my next steps is to use more hand gesture when speaking to friends and family so I become more adjusted to this method of communication.

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