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Teaching reflection paragraph 1
My experience all started when I was in year 11 at secondary school. I volunteered as a sports leader as part of my physical education GCSE. Being a sports leader involved planning and leading P.E sessions at local primary schools where children could develop their coordination and motor skills as well as improve their personal, emotional, and social skills during teamwork exercises. I absolutely loved being a sports leader, I found it so fun and enjoyable. This experience then inspired me to take on a bigger role as a young sports ambassador who essentially promotes the idea of a healthy lifestyle and sportsmanship. Sportsmanship was a real focus for us, in the assemblies, we presented we wanted to develop children’s understanding of diversity in sport and the respect competitors show each other. We often used the Olympic and Paralympic games as a tool to show this as well as showing the importance of healthy choices. Getting involved with primary schools at 16 years old really helped me become more confident in planning sessions and presenting in front of young children because I remember it to be really scary at first. Learning how to engage children at various ages across KS1, especially during the assemblies, was a real learning curve, and as we improved we often involved mini interactive tasks using equipment to help us get our message across to the children and to help make the whole session more fun and engaging for which we got a really good response. Looking back, I think we could have worked more on engaging the older years as it was mostly the younger children that were the most enthusiastic during the assemblies.
Teaching reflection paragraph 2
Then there’s a bit of a gap in my experience as A levels took over my life slightly, but when I got into university I started volunteering for forest schools in my first year which is also what I’m currently doing. My degree was focused on environmental science, but education and community outreach are just as big of a part of helping the environment as the research side of things. So, forest school was a great opportunity to combine both of my passions together. But while at the beginning I thought I was teaching them; it was almost the other way around! I learned so much doing forest schools, watching the children interact with nature and each other showed me that having this outdoor connection is a lot more than “just connecting with nature”. Being outside puts the children outside of their comfort zones, physically and mentally speaking, and I was just amazed by the transformation of some of the children between sessions in terms of confidence and self-esteem. It has made me a big advocate for outdoor learning as well as learning through play after getting to observe these kinds of teaching approaches.
Teaching reflection paragraph 3
Then in my second year of university, I became a Green Ambassador for my university. The role was to take our knowledge and enthusiasm for sustainability and other green issues and plan out a workshop at a local primary school. So, we were given six weeks to plan and lead 6 lessons. This experience was really challenging, it was my first real go at lesson planning because in my previous experiences I was a volunteer helping a qualified teacher but in this situation, I and the other ambassadors were leading the lessons so it was a big step up. But it went really well! we communicated with the teacher to see what the children’s previous knowledge was and to make sure we built on that. We also made sure we knew of any specific learner needs as it was quite a diverse class, some of the children not having English as their first language as well as children with learning difficulties. Bearing this information in mind we decided to build on the children’s knowledge of an ecosystem while introducing the idea of Green Cities. We chose Green cities because many of the children had never left Bristol and didn’t live near many green spaces. This ensured our lessons were as inclusive as possible. So, in the first 5 lessons, we based activities on each level of an ecosystem. So lesson one was on plants, then lesson 2 was on insects, lesson 3 on birds and small mammals, lesson 4 was on large mammals, and finally, lesson 5 was on people. In all of our lessons we tried to use a variety of approaches to reach all learning styles, using visual and auditory tools, activities for more kinaesthetic learners, and activity sheets or reading tasks for more logical learners, while always trying to be as inclusive as possible. For example, all of our activities were designed in a way where children were bringing nature to them such as planting windowsill plants for pollinators. In our 6th lesson, we introduced a fictional character called The Baron. The story behind the Baron was that he was planning on building a city that would only be for people and no nature or wildlife was allowed to share the city. So, it was up to us to use our knowledge to make an amazing plan for a green city so we could triumph over the Baron and share our home with all living things. What I liked about that session was once the children were put into groups it was largely child-led as they brainstormed their green city. The groups we chose were of mixed learning levels. We liked the idea of children being able to learn from each other especially those who were disadvantaged with English as their second language or with learning difficulties. The children then used computers and other digital technology to make a presentation on how they would make their city. An extra lesson was actually then added where the children could then present their work to the class which was a great way to round off the project seeing the children applying their knowledge using their individual ideas to plan and present their ideas as a group, while also developing their speech and communication skills. All in all, it was really successful and I learned a lot about being in a classroom setting, lesson planning, behavioural management, how to reach our aims and objectives, how to implement a variety of teaching styles, and how to adapt lessons. It also gave me a chance to observe different positive and negative behavioural management techniques in the classroom, such as verbal praise, use of a sticker awards board, or if a child was getting distracted and misbehaving the teacher would go through the classroom agreement like, listening and respecting each other.
Teaching reflection paragraph 4
On reflection, I think the whole project worked well and we ran some fun, engaging sessions for the children. What worked well was using a fictional character The Baron as this added an element of playfulness but slight competitiveness which excited and motivated the children when planning their presentations and their green cities. Looking back I would have also liked to of had more child-led activities. I think the jump from reception to year one often involves a lot more adult-led lessons, I feel there should be a more integrated approach between the two levels. Obviously, we are seeing the gap being narrowed slightly but personally, I think in the wrong direction after reading the updated EYFS framework that is being trialled this year. What I also would have wanted to improve on if I had longer with the children would be to be more creative in the ways we adapted some of the tasks for those who were struggling. Rather than just simplifying the task, more time could have been spent adapting the way it was approached so it was more suited to their preferred learning style, then that way they would have been on a more even playing field.
Teaching reflection paragraph 5
Towards the end of my masters, I did some educational outreach volunteering with the RSPB “Giving Nature a Home” project where we went to various primary schools around the south west delivering presentations and doing map and identification work before I went on to do forest schools again which I am doing currently at just one school every week which I should hopefully be continuing with through 2021 if the pandemic permits it. I have learned that through my various experiences that I really enjoy sticking with one school because you really get to build a relationship with the children, you are with. I have found this especially rewarding during forest schools because the children really trust me and feel able to explore an environment that makes them feel out of their comfort zone, which is part of your duty as a teacher so I’m really looking forward to seeing how the children develop over the year and how I develop and improve over the year as well.
Why do you want to teach?
Education has always been incredibly important to me. School helps you develop into the person you will become; it pushes you to challenge yourself and prove to yourself that you can do it. I always remember really struggling with maths and I really remember my primary school teacher giving me extra help until it clicked in my head. My teachers taught me to never give up even if others are ahead of me, I was even given a Little Miss Perseverance award when I left primary school which has been the most useful skill throughout my life. But aside from the direct academic development school also offers a safe space where you can explore social, emotional, and personal experiences while still having that structure. Teachers also offer children another adult role-model which they can hopefully trust and confide in if ever they needed someone to talk to and a hot meal which they may not necessarily get. For me, I honestly can’t think of any other job that is as important or as rewarding as being a teacher to young developing minds.
What issues are there in education at the moment?
I feel we are seeing a narrowing curriculum particularly with the new EYFS framework that is being trialled this year at early adopter schools. There is a high pressure for children to reach the early learning goals required, which some people have argued not being entirely appropriate for the younger years in literacy and maths. This pressure could potentially lead to a drop in mental wellbeing as some children might feel they are failing, especially those who are already disadvantaged. Not to mention the resilience needed by the teachers who must change and reform their practices to meet the expectations of the framework.
While I agree that children must be brought up to the required standard of literacy and numeracy, I read about many children especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds struggling to meet the required literacy standard for KS2. It is still essential for children to lead their own activities and explore their environment. I read an article recently about the jump between reception and year 1 where classes are a lot more adult-led. In the article, a child was questioned about what he didn’t like about year one and he said that he thought they spent too much time on the carpet and that it was a waste of his life. This suggests that there might be a lack of engagement from some children meaning they will struggle to reach the goals expected by the framework.
Why choose this age group/why have you chosen this course?
My decision has definitely been influenced by my voluntary work with children in this age range, but I particularly like this course because 3 – 7 is such a huge development period. I’m particularly fascinated by cognitive development in this age range. Children start to question why? And how? they start learning and exploring their emotions, how to regulate them, and express them depending on the social situation. Moral development begins to take place and they start learning the consequences of certain behaviours. While there are formal assessments as well for year 1 and year 2, I like that in the early years and KS1 a big part of your job as a teacher is to continually observe the children learning, talking, interacting, playing so you can work out how the children are doing and what you can do better in your lessons to help them on this massive journey to KS2.
What makes a good teacher/ what qualities do you have that will make a good teacher?
A good teacher must have a strong curriculum knowledge so they can teach it effectively using a cross-curricular and holistic approach. This is something I’m really looking forward to developing during the PGCE and throughout a career as a teacher. A good teacher also needs to be creative in their execution of teaching strategies and pedagogical approaches. I am quite a creative person in my problem solving which was of huge benefit during my research masters when certain methods weren’t working for me. Without creativity in how to deliver lessons to children, this can dilute having good knowledge of it if the children aren’t engaged with it. For me, one of the most crucial teaching qualities which I’ve experienced through my voluntary roles is being empathetic and a good listener. I think It is vital to start a dialogue with children and listen to their opinions, to let them know they can trust you and confide in you. By building trust, it can help you safeguard children and be more understanding and responsive to children from diverse cultural backgrounds. As a teacher, I also think listening to children’s opinions is an invaluable tool to help you self-reflect and improve your teaching practices. Self-reflection and analysing your efforts to help reach targets is a vital quality for a good teacher. Teaching to me isn’t over once you are qualified, it is a lifelong commitment to not only developing children but to be committed to wanting to improve the education system as a whole. I am very good at keeping up to date with relevant data, statistics, and research through my years at university, and engaging with current developments will help me push myself to be the best teacher I can be.
What do you understand about safeguarding?
I understand that as a teacher you are responsible for the safety and well-being of children and to always be vigilant of any signs of injury, neglect, grooming, or extremist views and to report anything you might see or hear. Safeguarding also includes prevention from injury and classroom safety.
An example: When we were out in the forest during forest school, I was responsible for supervising and ensuring the safety of the children while off-site.
Tell me about a time a child struggled with their learning. How did you support them?
One of the activities we did at forest school was a supervised risk-taking class to help develop coordination and confidence. The children had to cross a bridge going over a shallow body of water. One of the girls straight away after just hearing about the task was really nervous and scared and said she didn’t want to do it. But I sat next to her and comforted her but also encouraged her to give it a go and that I would do it with her because when we do challenging things together as a team it can be less scary. When we approached the bridge, she was very nervous but took my hand and she did it. All the children were so supportive and once she got over there was such a transformation in her mood and attitude, she was so proud of herself. I made sure to talk to her afterward, giving her lots of positive verbal praise telling her how proud of herself she should be and to always believe in herself that she can do it. It was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had.
How would you deal with a gifted child?
I would focus on compacting the curriculum and offering more advanced enrichment activities as well as extra curricular activities. I would try and encourage the child to take more ownership of their learning by offering them to work on an individual project of their choosing. Plus I would try and find opportunities for that child to interact with other gifts children perhaps through organisations or through competitions that can help accelerate that child to do the best they can.
What have you done to prepare yourself for a career in teaching?
I have tried to gain experience in the age range I want to teach, working at a range of schools, organisations, and age groups covering reception to year 2. I have also gained experience working alongside different senior members of education from teachers, TA’s as well as learning coodinators and officers for conservation organisations to be able to observe the various lesson plans, teaching strategies and behavioural management techniques.
Why did you apply to this university?
I did my undergraduate degree at UWE and had a really good experience there. The lecturers were excellent, as well as the facilities and placements. Although I will be learning under a different department UWE’s department of education and childhood looks to be at a very high standard and I love the fact that it has teaching rooms modelled to contemporary classrooms so you can get used to teaching in an environment that wil be similar to that on your placements, so this will give us the best possible training beforehand alongside the specialist academic staff.
What strengths do you have that will help you deal with all the work involved?
I have already completed a postgraduate course which had a significantly larger amount of work, much of it being independent study. It was a big step up from an undergraduate degree in terms of quality as well so I had to push myself to reach the required standard. Also during this time, I had to work part-time so it taught me to manage my time effectively as well as learning to cope when you don’t get much down-time. I think the PGCE will be very similar in these respects and I’m very glad I have experience in these areas as it will be a huge help to ensure I cope with the level of work required.
