On the 24th of September, we took part in an outdoors workshop as part of the situated communication module which looked at communicating in different environments. We had to work in small teams of about 6 or 7 people to build a den with a limited number of resources provided.

In our own group, there wasn’t an official group leader selected but it was obvious who took on the role. She was very forward from the beginning and knew exactly how to go about creating the den and was able to delegate different tasks to everyone to make sure we were all included but also so that we used our time effectively. I think this worked really well for our group as none of us were really familiar with each other so it allowed us to get on with the job and not waste time because everyone would’ve felt a bit awkward and wouldn’t have wanted to voice their opinions.  The most challenging aspect of working in the group for me was feeling like I was contributing enough. I was taking part and helping the team but it felt like when everyone else finished their task, they easily moved on to something new and I felt like I struggled to know where to go and that sometimes that was because I wasn’t close to the people in the group so I didn’t wasn’t to intrude on someone and then upset them.

Part of the task was to explain to one of the other groups how we built our den.  The other group explained their construction relatively simply and clearly but they didn’t put a lot of thought into it. It was more simple statements rather than explanations and I found my attention drifting towards other areas as the group wasn’t very captivating.  However, the main point of the explanation task was to come across clear so that you were understood and the other group definitely achieved this.

The environment definitely had an impact on the way we communicated, within our group and then to the other group when discussing our den.  I noticed from myself that if the information wasn’t particularly interesting or wasn’t presented in a way that made it interesting, I would end up looking around and paying more attention to the trees and different noises that surrounded us rather then the group doing their presentation. So this made me realise that when we done our explanation we had to do something different which is why we decided to split the explaining between all the members o f the group. This meant it the information didn’t just come all from the one person which sometimes, if its a lengthy piece of info, can be quite boring and by adding that to the distractions created by the woodland, people lose interest quickly.  One way to also try and overcome being distracted whilst listening is use demonstrations. This way the group is focused on watching something as well as listening which I thought helped to keep peoples attention.

We also received a negotiation task, which for our group, was to try and negotiate an item from another team that appeared vital to their den. Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful. We tried to swap an item of our own in exchange for something of theirs but nobody would budge. We tried a friendly approach and tried to make the other teams pity us so we could get some good materials but everyone was in the mood to win. Another tactic we could’ve tried was to be confident and just keep pushing rather then give up at the first hurdle. However, that method wasn’t a first choice on the day probably down to the fact that not everyone knows each other and you don’t want to create a bad impression with the people you’re spending the next four years with.

Last week, I officially started University. The week before was our induction where lots of different lecturers spoke to us about the course and provided us with lots of information which will be vital for our four years here at the University of the West of Scotland .  The most helpful source of information, in my opinion, came from the BA2 students. They provided us with the most honest perspective on what the year will entail and how best to prepare for it. They also provided us with some more practical info about things like car sharing, etc. 

However, last week was when the real work started. This was when the lectures began and everything started to feel very real. I had imagined for months what it would be like and how I would feel during it but to be completely honest, it felt like being back at school. We were all sitting in groups round tables copying notes from a powerpoint. This felt so familiar and comfortable that it made the transition to University feel easier and not as daunting.  

Reflection on Placement

For the last two weeks, I have been on placement in a local primary school and have found it both throughly enjoyable but also extremely valuable in an educational sense.  I was able to see how all the theories I had learned about in University were used in practice but it also allowed me valuable time to spend with the children and remind myself that this was the career for me.

One communication skill that I think to be a strength of mine is listening.  I think this because of the way the children then reacted back to me.  During the two weeks, I done a lot of one-to-one work with children who needed a little bit of extra support. I would ask them questions and then allow time for them to answer and when they did, I let them answer on their own. I wouldn’t interrupt them, correct them or point out the mistakes right away. I allowed the child to voice their opinion and let their point be heard. I also maintained good eye contact with the children to know that I was paying attention to only them. I also enjoyed listening to the pupils as it gave me insight into how their brains worked and some of the comments I received still make me laugh to this day.

However, a communication skill that I thought needed developed was the language I used with the children. It wasn’t that I used inappropriate language in the classroom, I wouldn’t dream of it. It was more that I struggled to know what kind of language would be best suited for each level, especially with some of the Enfant classes. I knew I would have to simplify what I said but I was unsure how far to go. I tried my best to lead them towards answers but sometimes I felt like I ended up just giving them the answer because it was taking so long for them to understand. Finding the balance between explaining and  just telling them the answer was really difficult but it showed me that this was a weakness for me and somewhere that I should focus on if I want to be a successful teacher of all ranges.