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 26, 2016
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Comments Off on Is there Social Imbalance?
The Exercise: To demonstrate social imbalance in a small scale, first the class was separated into 4 groups. We were spaced around the room and given a packet of supplies and instructed to plan and make a tool which may be useful for a future student of Dundee University. I was placed in group 1 […] Continue reading
September 26, 2016
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Comments Off on Our first values workshop: Experiencing inequality and how it effected the group
On Tuesday, we had our first of the values workshops. For this, we were split into 4 groups. I, unaware of what was to come, was put into group 4. All four groups were handed an envelope, that included items in which we had to use to make a resource for freshers coming into the university that […] Continue reading
September 14, 2016
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Comments Off on Different Understanding of Childhood?
The first lecture of the year really got me thinking about the differences between childhood 20 years ago to childhood in the present day. On first thought childhood for most people carries the reminder of being carefree, having no stress and being able to play outside after school until the street lights turn on. However […] 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
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 15, 2016
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Comments Off on What does my body say ?
Having watched the video on body language it became apparent to me that there are various ways in which you can use your body to convey what you mean. The approach that the teacher used at the end of her lesson to get the children organised would be highly effective to use within my placement […] Continue reading
February 11, 2016
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Comments Off on A colourful, organised and engaging atmosphere.
My Ideal Classroom. It’s difficult to design a classroom on a small single A4 piece of paper. I have always had this picture in my head of my perfect classroom since I was a little girl and slowly I am getting closer to that dream. I have designed my ideal classroom to suit 22 Boys […] 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
January 25, 2016
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Comments Off on Tackle Inequality to Achieve Better Outcomes for Individuals
Colin Miller. Head of Essential Skills and Progression at West Lothian Council says: “We’re finding that girls who are good at maths and science at school tend to go into the care side of things (doctors and nurses) rather than engineering and construction”. ….This could be due to the fact that engineering and construction occupations […] Continue reading
January 25, 2016
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Comments Off on I’m sorry, I’ll try harder…
I’ve not been a good student! Okay, that is maybe an over exaggeration but in terms of this blog, my engagement has declined severely as semester one was drawing to a close. Having looked back through some of my posts I have realised that most of my posts are influenced by lecturers who are telling […] Continue reading
January 23, 2016
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Comments Off on Responding to Technology
Having recently had an ICT input on searching, researching and presenting we had a discussion about how crucial it is to teach children about internet safety. Technology has grown drastically over the years. I remember as a teenager my brother and I would argue about who had been on the internet for the longest or […] Continue reading
January 22, 2016
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Comments Off on National Testing and Sweeping Statements.
After Scotland rid itself of National Testing in 2003 in an attempt to move away from testing and back to teaching Nicola Sturgeon seems to have brought us right back to where we started. Aside from the issues I have with the reintroduction of national testing on the grounds of the stress it causes children […] Continue reading
January 22, 2016
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Comments Off on YOU DID WHA-….Oh don’t worry about it!
I just sat down on the train and opened up my laptop ready to write my blog post on reflection and reading my peers blog posts when much to my horror the guy across from me spilt is coffee ALL OVER THE TABLE. I tried to get a picture of the mess but was too […] Continue reading
January 22, 2016
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Comments Off on Overcoming the ‘Fear of feedback’
One of my student peer’s recently published a ‘blog post’ called ‘Fear of feedback’. After reading their fantastic and informative post, I have personally been inspired to actively look through more of my other peer’s work, commenting and helping them with feedback. In this particular post, the way in which the individual has crafted […] Continue reading
