Today, I write to you from a place somewhere close to snoozeland.... After around 2 hours sleep I headed for my last day on placement: another day in Year 3, but with a different class.
Again, there were the naughty kids that you remember almost immediately, but the rest of the class was a bit wishy-washy. Nice kids, but unmemorable (at least after a day)
Basic day today, numeracy and literacy (which basically continued from yesterday in the other class) and a bit of reading and free 'reward' time.
But I am through it - my week of home based school experience is completed. Now begins the real tough times begin! I officially enrol on Sunday and start on Monday... and I still don't know if I am actually on the course because I still don't have my degree results! C'est la vie!
S x
Showing posts with label home-based school experience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home-based school experience. Show all posts
Friday, 14 September 2012
Thursday, 13 September 2012
13.09.2012: Day Four
Exhaustion hit in today. It's my own fault, I'm still jet lagged as we flew home from the States on Sunday, and I was basically straight in without any sleep on Monday. But it caught up with me today.
So, baring in mind I was (and am now, so apologies for spelling mistakes/crazy ramblings) shattered, I had a really good day. I was in with Year 3 today - it was an odd mixture of kids. There were two which melted me immediately, 4 or 5 which were either naughty or didn't want to be there and most of the rest were pretty much invisible. Not that they were quiet, but that they made pretty much no impression on me - you could put them in a line up and I wouldn't have a clue who I was looking for.
It was the first class I've been in where the teacher habitually wears jeans to teach in, and my suspicions were confirmed that behaviour would e worse (although I admit its not really a fair test as I was there for one day and that could have just been an off day. It also could be to do with the specific set of children and their own idiosyncrasies and it could have been because a lot of them were not English as a first language. But I think I will always maintain that casual dress in a school should be reserved only for 'mufti' days.
Today consisted of literacy, numeracy and IPC (I actually have no idea what that stands for....) In literacy, we were studying instructions, and I go to help teaching the lesson about note taking in order to get the instructions down quickly. Numeracy was about 'moving on by x' - so moving on by 2 or 10 from a given number and trying to spot patterns. And IPC was about 'the brain' and what it helps us to do.
Last day on this placement tomorrow, so I need to get everything signed and sorted and then I can head home for my one days break before I begin my actual PGCE!
Night, S x
So, baring in mind I was (and am now, so apologies for spelling mistakes/crazy ramblings) shattered, I had a really good day. I was in with Year 3 today - it was an odd mixture of kids. There were two which melted me immediately, 4 or 5 which were either naughty or didn't want to be there and most of the rest were pretty much invisible. Not that they were quiet, but that they made pretty much no impression on me - you could put them in a line up and I wouldn't have a clue who I was looking for.
It was the first class I've been in where the teacher habitually wears jeans to teach in, and my suspicions were confirmed that behaviour would e worse (although I admit its not really a fair test as I was there for one day and that could have just been an off day. It also could be to do with the specific set of children and their own idiosyncrasies and it could have been because a lot of them were not English as a first language. But I think I will always maintain that casual dress in a school should be reserved only for 'mufti' days.
Today consisted of literacy, numeracy and IPC (I actually have no idea what that stands for....) In literacy, we were studying instructions, and I go to help teaching the lesson about note taking in order to get the instructions down quickly. Numeracy was about 'moving on by x' - so moving on by 2 or 10 from a given number and trying to spot patterns. And IPC was about 'the brain' and what it helps us to do.
Last day on this placement tomorrow, so I need to get everything signed and sorted and then I can head home for my one days break before I begin my actual PGCE!
Night, S x
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
12.09.2012: Day Three
Today... I look back at it and it seems like nothing, but I know the kids (and adults) didn't stop all day. Basically, the class did literacy (phonics, reading and writing) for the entire morning and then PSHE (or whatever it is now called) for the afternoon. And I am exhausted.
I realised how much I don't like people - especially arrogant, self-centred, rude people who for some reason have decided to enter this profession. The children on the other-hand are still really cute despite their teachers...
One other thing I noticed was that at year 5 level, the children are still only writing in pencil in their books. In the school I've been working in for the past two years they write in pen by the end of year two... It may just be the way the school is, but I personally feel kids should be able to (and trusted to) use a pen by the age of 10. I would love to know if this is a general norm and my school is the unusual one, or if this is the oddity?
Quick one again, as I have a million notes to write up and I want to sleep. And eat chocolate.
S x
I realised how much I don't like people - especially arrogant, self-centred, rude people who for some reason have decided to enter this profession. The children on the other-hand are still really cute despite their teachers...
One other thing I noticed was that at year 5 level, the children are still only writing in pencil in their books. In the school I've been working in for the past two years they write in pen by the end of year two... It may just be the way the school is, but I personally feel kids should be able to (and trusted to) use a pen by the age of 10. I would love to know if this is a general norm and my school is the unusual one, or if this is the oddity?
Quick one again, as I have a million notes to write up and I want to sleep. And eat chocolate.
S x
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
11.09.2012: Day Two
I am clearly going to have to find a better way of naming my posts because I am already irritated with numbering them.
Today I was in year 1 - I love the little squishies. Cute as they are, I still think I prefer year 2 or possibly 3. I know I could teach Year 1, or even reception if it came to it, but they are so needy that after a couple of years I think I would crack! Basically today I got most of my observations out of the way (I still need one more phonics session, but I can do that tomorrow) so I can pretty much just enjoy the rest of the week :)
We did numeracy (finger counting and adding) and phonics and literacy where we wrote out a sentence about our favourite part of a story (Whatever Next?). And then we did science/art - labelling diagrams/drawing on body parts. Lovely day, the kids were enthusiastic, and adorable. But really clingy. I seem to have found my niche as 1:1 child support for SEN kids - must break out of this habit!
Still, its nice moving round and seeing different lessons and ages etc. I think I'm going to have to find a way to label all my uni notes like blogs as the connective labels are REALLY useful.
S x
Today I was in year 1 - I love the little squishies. Cute as they are, I still think I prefer year 2 or possibly 3. I know I could teach Year 1, or even reception if it came to it, but they are so needy that after a couple of years I think I would crack! Basically today I got most of my observations out of the way (I still need one more phonics session, but I can do that tomorrow) so I can pretty much just enjoy the rest of the week :)
We did numeracy (finger counting and adding) and phonics and literacy where we wrote out a sentence about our favourite part of a story (Whatever Next?). And then we did science/art - labelling diagrams/drawing on body parts. Lovely day, the kids were enthusiastic, and adorable. But really clingy. I seem to have found my niche as 1:1 child support for SEN kids - must break out of this habit!
Still, its nice moving round and seeing different lessons and ages etc. I think I'm going to have to find a way to label all my uni notes like blogs as the connective labels are REALLY useful.
S x
Monday, 10 September 2012
10.09.2012: Day One
Day one.... early start. Left for the school at 6.50am in order to get into the school and print the days resources. So naturally, the entire computer system was down and no printing could occur. Cue: much irritation, stress and flapping. I guess Lesson one occurred there, always print off your resources at least a day before, but ideally more!
Once the day began I spent it with a Year 5 class, 9-10years old. City kids, with attitude. But to be honest, they were still pretty sweet. It was odd really, because they were less mature than I imagined - possibly because I've been working in a lower school, so the top year is Year 4.... and they seem to mature quicker because they are the top of the school sooner (but don't get the school change at year 6, so stay sweet in the 'middle' phase for longer). <-- Not sure what to do when you end a sentence with a bracket.... guess I should swat up on my punctuation rules sooner rather than later.
Anyhow, they class, like any primary school class, has the higher, middling and lower abilities, and are excitable (in the most part) and want to learn. Unlike some of the other classes in the school, the children all speak English (although still not as a first language for some - but ultimately, they speak English really well) and are clearly very bright children. It's going to be interesting seeing how they progress throughout the year, because they all seem in need of 'finding their place' in the class (despite being in the same form group since receptions from what I understand) but then I guess this is about the time that they begin to really come into their personalities.
One thing I did find thoroughly strange was that teachers are allowed to wear jeans in class - all the schools I have been in have required smart/office dress, with the only exception being for non-uniform days, trips (depending on where) and p.e. lessons. I'm looking forward to seeing if the dress of the teachers does have an affect on the children's behaviour (also need to brush up on affect and effect... I probably chose the wrong one there!) I think a more relaxed dress code for the teachers might have a negative impact on learning, purely because there is less of a definitive 'I am in charge and this is where we learn' without a dress code. Teachers become more like Mum or a friend that just happens to be looking after you. But thats just speculation for now. We shall see where I am tomorrow and take it from there!
S x
Once the day began I spent it with a Year 5 class, 9-10years old. City kids, with attitude. But to be honest, they were still pretty sweet. It was odd really, because they were less mature than I imagined - possibly because I've been working in a lower school, so the top year is Year 4.... and they seem to mature quicker because they are the top of the school sooner (but don't get the school change at year 6, so stay sweet in the 'middle' phase for longer). <-- Not sure what to do when you end a sentence with a bracket.... guess I should swat up on my punctuation rules sooner rather than later.
Anyhow, they class, like any primary school class, has the higher, middling and lower abilities, and are excitable (in the most part) and want to learn. Unlike some of the other classes in the school, the children all speak English (although still not as a first language for some - but ultimately, they speak English really well) and are clearly very bright children. It's going to be interesting seeing how they progress throughout the year, because they all seem in need of 'finding their place' in the class (despite being in the same form group since receptions from what I understand) but then I guess this is about the time that they begin to really come into their personalities.
One thing I did find thoroughly strange was that teachers are allowed to wear jeans in class - all the schools I have been in have required smart/office dress, with the only exception being for non-uniform days, trips (depending on where) and p.e. lessons. I'm looking forward to seeing if the dress of the teachers does have an affect on the children's behaviour (also need to brush up on affect and effect... I probably chose the wrong one there!) I think a more relaxed dress code for the teachers might have a negative impact on learning, purely because there is less of a definitive 'I am in charge and this is where we learn' without a dress code. Teachers become more like Mum or a friend that just happens to be looking after you. But thats just speculation for now. We shall see where I am tomorrow and take it from there!
S x
Sunday, 9 September 2012
09.09.2012: It all starts tomorrow
So, the time has come to start my PGCE. Its been a tough year leading up to this point - final year of my degree and two emergency operations - including an appendectomy that forced me to take my final exams late - so now I get to start my course without actually knowing if I am on it or not! But, supposing I am in, here are the basics: I'm 24 yrs old, I took three gap years, where I worked, travelled and volunteered. I will have (finally) completed my degree in Business Management and Enterprise at DMU (I really wouldn't recommend based on my experience with them this year) and I'm just about to start on my PGCE in Primary Education at Cambridge. This blog is my first ever blog, and (providing I remember to write it) should be the year long following of my experiences. Be they good, bad or indifferent, or possibly just a daily reminder for myself of what I have done. It could be a stark warning or a great advertisement, only time will tell.
Tomorrow I start on what is called 'home-based school experience'. It's not the same for every course, but for me it is 5 days in a school in which I have not attended as either staff or pupil. For this I have chosen to go to a school in London - about 75miles from where I actually live. Why London? Well, firstly, I've never studied or worked here so it covers those criteria, but more importantly for my experience, I have spent the last two years volunteering and working in a local village school - a very quaint, middle class, C of E, just over 100 pupils village school. So this school, will be a new challenge - its not a bad school, but it is not what I have been used to. Many of the children speak English as a second language, and others speak no English at all. Further, the school is about triple the size of the one I've been working in, and the area is, well, it's London it's a massive city, it's not my little villages.
So, that's why I'm here. The challenge, the requirement and the opportunity.
Tomorrow it begins, bright and early. Nerves will probably hit in then, but for now, I am quite excited about this new part to my life.
S x
Tomorrow I start on what is called 'home-based school experience'. It's not the same for every course, but for me it is 5 days in a school in which I have not attended as either staff or pupil. For this I have chosen to go to a school in London - about 75miles from where I actually live. Why London? Well, firstly, I've never studied or worked here so it covers those criteria, but more importantly for my experience, I have spent the last two years volunteering and working in a local village school - a very quaint, middle class, C of E, just over 100 pupils village school. So this school, will be a new challenge - its not a bad school, but it is not what I have been used to. Many of the children speak English as a second language, and others speak no English at all. Further, the school is about triple the size of the one I've been working in, and the area is, well, it's London it's a massive city, it's not my little villages.
So, that's why I'm here. The challenge, the requirement and the opportunity.
Tomorrow it begins, bright and early. Nerves will probably hit in then, but for now, I am quite excited about this new part to my life.
S x
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