January 20, 2017
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Comments Off on Semester 1 Reflection.
As semester 2 is well underway it is useful for me to reflect back to semester 1 to analyse and evaluate how I have developed in my personal learning as well as the professional development that has been made. Over the course of semester 1 I studied two core modules – Values (self, society and … Continue reading Semester 1 Reflection. → Continue reading
January 19, 2017
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Comments Off on Learning to Enjoy the Process
Linda Lapere asked: “When are you more likely to show a fixed mindset? What are your beliefs regarding ability? What messages did your practice on your last placement communicate? What changes, if any, will need to be made for the next one?” When are you more likely to show a fixed mindset? When I become […] Continue reading
November 4, 2016
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Comments Off on Professional Standards Workshop
On Tuesday 1st November, we took part in a workshop which encouraged us to look at the standards for teaching which can be found on the General Teaching Council Scotland website. Firstly, we looked at the four main areas: Social Justice Integrity Trust and Respect Professional Commitment We sorted a variety of statements from the […] Continue reading
November 3, 2016
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Comments Off on Football and Numbers
On further reflection of numbers in football, I am going to attempt in using my skills as a football referee to explain some maths in football that even I hadn’t thought about. Something that is apparent when reviewing these numbers in football is that the preference of measurements has changed over time since football began, […] Continue reading
October 7, 2016
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Comments Off on Comenius to John Swinney and all that in between!
Having had a break from blogging for quite a few months, mainly due to time constraints and most certainly not for the lack of things to blog about. I felt that now would be a good time to restart. There … Continue reading → Continue reading
September 29, 2016
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Comments Off on “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
When I was younger, primary 5 age to be exact, I had a really influential teacher who taught me my first understandings of segregation and racism, particularly at the time of Martin Luther King Jr’s existence. It was a time, the first time, that I saw the harrowing, poignant image of the Ku Klux Klan. I […] Continue reading
September 29, 2016
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Comments Off on Extra-curricular Activities
Moving to university is a challenge in many ways, not least in the overwhelming task of making friends. It feels rather childish, to be calling home and the first question on your parents lips: “have you made any friends?” It feels like the first day of school all over again, which in a way it […] Continue reading
September 28, 2016
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Comments Off on Values: Self, Society and The Professions Workshop
Our first values workshop started out as what seemed like a normal group task. We were randomly split up into four groups, I was put into group one. We were given an envelope which contained a variety of resources including rubbers, pens, etc.. Little did our group know, that we had been given the best […] Continue reading
September 25, 2016
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Comments Off on Values Module Workshop
As part of our first workshop for our Values: Self, Society and the Professions module, we were split into groups of around 10 people and given the task of creating something useful which would aid new first years arriving for their first week at the University of Dundee. There were four groups and each group […] Continue reading
May 22, 2016
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Comments Off on L4L Placement: Reflection
Following what seemed like a never-ending pile of paperwork for my placement portfolio and an unfortunate trip to A&E, I have had little time to write a blog post that I felt did my placement justice. My intention was to blog throughout my time at the school however I was so busy that I needed […] Continue reading
April 8, 2016
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Comments Off on Enhancing Digital Technology
Would you accept children being failed to be educated on maths or language? Although they are being brought up/growing up surrounded by it and to have a successful, positive experience within and out with school they must have developing knowledge and skills of these subjects. I’m assuming your answers would be no, therefore, why do […] Continue reading
March 26, 2016
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Comments Off on L4L Placement: Goleman, Gardner and ELSA?
As mentioned in my previous post, I am utilising my blog as a reflective tool for my Learning from Life placement. My placement is based in an integrated mainstream and special school and I have had the opportunity to work with the pastoral team over the past two weeks to begin my work experience. Working […] Continue reading
March 4, 2016
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Comments Off on LFL Placement: What am I ‘Learning from Life’?
“What? Why? That doesn’t make sense when you’re training to become a Scottish Primary Teacher?” – A common response when I explain to my friends and family that my second year placement cannot be within a Scottish primary school. At first I shared a similar opinion, studying Languages and Science and Mathematics modules, then going […] Continue reading
February 23, 2016
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Comments Off on Bloom’s Taxonomy
Tricia asked us as part of our questioning and discussion to come prepared to the second workshop with a context and questions to follow this context. When looking at this I felt extremely nervous as it looked a lot more difficult than she had explained. However as I got started it was such a straight […] Continue reading
February 21, 2016
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Comments Off on We Need More!
Health and Wellbeing. This is a subject which I strongly, strongly believe should be introduced more throughout every single year spent within school. I understand that a lot will be covered within this as it is a main focus within the curriculum however personally I find that many teachers are too shy or uncomfortable with […] Continue reading
February 18, 2016
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Comments Off on A Child’s A-Z Guide
What can you tell from this picture ? You may agree or disagree with me, but certainly when I think of doing anything to do with children: look at activities; plan lessons; or prepare any task including children what sparks up in my mind first is the HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF A CHILD. Definitely something […] Continue reading
February 12, 2016
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Comments Off on Eportfolio: what happens when you change the platform and change the culture?
In late 2013 I returned to work at the University of Dundee as a lecturer on the MA (Hons) & PGDE(P) teacher education courses having spent seven years working at National level with Learning Teaching Scotland/Education Scotland. One of the first tasks that I was faced with on my return was to hold individual tutorial […] Continue reading
February 7, 2016
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Comments Off on Hello! Bonjour! Hola! Guten tag!
Languages. We all have one but should we just stop at that? I believe that as teachers, we would be depriving our pupils if we did not incorporate other languages of the world into our classroom. It is ever more apparent that these days huge numbers of people do not just live in the country […] Continue reading
February 1, 2016
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Comments Off on Scientific “literacy” ……
So what actually does, “scientific literacy”, mean? Being literate is ‘the ability to read and write’ (Oxford University Press, 2016). Being able to read and write helps us understand daily processes we wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Without being able to read and write, we wouldn’t understand travel timetables, signs, how to tell the time, […] Continue reading
January 28, 2016
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Comments Off on Building Financial Resilience: Is it our responsibility?
In a recent Mathematics and Science input, we were very fortunate to be visited by guest lecturer Brenda Rochead who works for the Scottish Financial Education Group. The input focused on how we can raise financially capable children in a society rife with poverty and undesirable financial situations through education starting in the early years. […] Continue reading
