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*A Great Achievement 17/02/17

I can still not really believe it!

This week was not your average week in the life of a trainee teacher, I must say. I had been counting down to the 23rd February ever since the first teaching interview back in January. The 23rd was the 2nd stage interview with (initially) the interim Principal JW and course manager ST, this changed to J the financial director and ST on the day.

I was not sure how the interview would go, but I kept positive even know deep down I was scared. I was successful and was offered a 12-month fixed term trainee contract. I am still a little numb from it if I am honest as that has been the dream for most of my adult life - to become a teacher. 

I feel impressed that part way through my PGCE PCET I have been successful with employment but at the same time I feel a bitter sweet feeling, as I now know everything will change.

A large part of teaching and of my feedback has been my rapport with the learners, and I feel now it will be a real test for me to be able to build new relationships from scratch with a whole new set of learners. It means all the groups I have been leading lessons for and getting to know, and planning differentiation and engaging lessons will now change. I know this is a huge part of teaching, the groups changing etc. 

I had my 4th FO on Valentine’s Day, and really thought hard about the lessons and how I would incorporate the day and create engaging tasks. My mentor SW had set a challenge of me just facilitating the learning in this session, so no chalk and talk - mainly peer/self-assessments. I have yet to receive full feedback but I was met with several 1s for this and I was very pleased. It did seem to confirm my place in this college, just sad I would not teach the group again.

I feel I have grown so much as a teacher, with my persona and how I deal with talking and low level phone use. How I chat with the learners more and how they want to talk to me. The role is broadening and advancing, and It is exciting. 

I have received my draft timetable for a potential start after the half term, it is chaotic with new units and groups to understand. I feel ready but nervous. It is no longer the dress rehearsal.

I have been considering communication (chapter 6) in Scales, Teaching and Learning. Several targets included time management and feedback etc. It is useful to continue to read about ways to improve, or new strategies to try.

Wider reading has and will continue to encourage me in my journey to becoming a qualified teacher, including work by Sutton (1981), Smith (1988) and Wragg (1984). I know I will have the support of my colleagues in my work place too.

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*Absolutely Marvellous 12/02/17

This week has been fabulous!

I have had a lot going on this week, with modules ending and new modules starting at University, but my placement has been my redeeming aspect. Tuesday was great, I was left to get on with my own devices and my mentor did not even attend the lesson. It was like my actual class and it felt great! I was thinking a lot about my persona and the teacher I am becoming and it excites me, I seem to be this trainee that students enjoy having, I receive praise from the learners from level 1 up to access and it is a grounding feeling; deepening my desire to teach. 

I had spent a long-time planning as the more responsibility I have been given the more I am planning and creating lessons and for Wednesday I was expecting to be doing my recap from the previous week in health and safety- following my formal observation. However, as I arrive in the office, I am told that I will be team teaching with R who I have yet to observe or work with. The first two lessons were being combined with entry 3 and my level 1s (PS 6). They were doing a painting exercise that would support them in placement should they ever be taking part in creative sessions, and the idea of the lesson was to help them use different paint brushes and perform different tasks. I really enjoyed it! 

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is a great theory when considering this lesson. With lower academic learners, it is common within their group profiles that the learner has low self esteem and confidence issues with others and in their own ability. Through this hierarchy of needs, we as practitioners are able to build upon their weaknesses, through providing safety, praise and positivity thus ensuring learners over time, meet this ‘self-actualisation’ stage. I feel this is an important theory for those I teach currently and will maintain the consistency in my approach to learning and assessment, through continual encouragement and support. 

The group worked very well together and I was proud of my level 1s for being well behaved. “Motivation is what compels us to do things… think about what does and doesn’t motivate you, and apply this to your learners; they’re just the same as you” (Scales, P pg. 226-227 2008). This is key when considering joining learners’ groups to others, motivation and behaviour run hand in hand. 

Following that it was my usual session, and with a last-minute activity created late the night before; it went down very well. “There is a strong relationship between thorough planning and effective teaching” (Scales, P pg. 86 2008). I have received feedback throughout my observations about my planning. I do find that the more thorough it is, the easiest it is to follow, structure and teach. A target of my own would be reacting to change in the plan, if something is valid and useful if discussed further, then I should allow it to happen. This happened in this session, with some of the activities. The group were openly talking about their family lives and discussing care options for the elderly. The longer I am with these students the more I feel I understand them and them me, there is mutual respect there and I am happy in this placement. The experiences are so varied on a daily, and I just cannot wait to pass this course to become a fully qualified practitioner.

There is a lot said about work/life balance, but these days it seems to be more university/placement balance. I hope that as the lessons become easier to plan for and take less time (excusing the intense formal observation planning of course) I hope I find more time to sit down and concentrate on my university work. I did spend 3 hours the other night on my PDP so feel a little weight has been lifted.

Reading included, Dix (2010), Race (2013) to further explore behaviour of learners.

PS 1, 3, 4, 6, 20, 19, 14, 13, 12

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February already? 03/02/17

Wow this year is flying by at a rate of knots I must say.

I have just received feedback on my 3rd observation already and the numbers are looking good. I am feeling capable and confident in my practice and just want to keep getting better and strengthening my strategies.

 I have now been given full reign of the AtE group as of Tuesday, and will continue to plan and teach lessons for them weekly (unless the college employs me, following my 2nd interview and everything changes). I am also starting to be handed fully the Health and Safety group of which I was just observed this week (Wed 1st). 

My role is becoming a lot more intense than it was; I stayed behind on Wednesday to mark my level 1s work, I have had learners coming to me for advice on PayPal and EBay, there is even the chance I will be assisting on parents evening.

The lessons are taking ages to plan as I am trying to fit so much into them, I think a lot can be said about teacher-led compared with facilitating and knowing the difference as a trainee. I think when you are filling out a BCU lesson plan you are so concerned with having activities and sections that show creativity and engagement that you are almost losing time to allow the learners to develop and learn. “Effective planning is a fundamental part of the process of being a reflective teacher; it is part of a cycle of PLAN - DO - REVIEW.” (Scales, P pg 87 2008).

I must stress that choosing relevant PSs is a skill others may have grasped before me. I am learning to take the comments I receive from both my mentors and the learners who are the main judges. What do they enjoy? What am I doing right? Where lie my strengths? It is becoming such an enjoyment though I must say, I cannot wait to arrive to lessons and present what I have prepared for them. 

I have hit some milestones this week I think in my own practice development. On Tuesday I had my first behavioural problem whereby in an access to Education lesson, two learners (in a self-directed study workshop initiated by my mentor) decided to say they were unable to work in this environment and thus would be completing no work or learning outcome section. It did come as a surprise but I spoke to my mentor after the lesson and she gave me some strategies to prevent this attitude. On Wednesday when giving out the referrals for work that had not met the pass criteria to my level 1s, one learner with AS wrote on her feedback that I had enabled her to understand the module through my explanations, which made me feel great as I was affecting these learners progress in a positive way. My formal observation later that morning was a hit too, as the technology I had used was greatly received and again I came home that night feeling positive. 

I think it’s important to remember how much we are developing ourselves as trainees, as placement and university can be very demanding of our time. I find it important to remind myself of my initial thoughts on my teaching philology and how after only a few months the values I hold are being reciprocated and the learners are reacting well. I want the learners to enjoy learning and to look forward to lessons, and so far, this is working. I know I have a long way to go but the tunnel does not seem as dark anymore.  (Petty, Schön, Brookfield)

(PS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 11, 12)

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A very mixed bag 24/01/17

This last week has been very trying in different ways. I fell ill again, as I am finding that us teachers spend a lot of time fighting off student germs - upping the vitamin C intake daily.

Monday was an emotional start to the week, as at Uni we had been asked to bring in some objects, pictures, or words to discuss and explain our professional journey. I had spent some time coming up with my 9 major points and in delivering it to my friends I found the emotions took over, and me AB and LB all found tears aplenty in this session. I also spent time with SM going through ideas for my micro teach session for 23/1; so, it felt like a loaded Monday.

On 17th January I had my 2nd formal observation with the AtE, and it was fantastic. I got my first 1 for embedding Maths and English and was thoroughly thrilled with that result. I have not received the feedback yet but once I do, I will then have will have some points to work on for the next. It went well though and I was pleased with how, for an almost 3-hour lesson I could plan effectively and keep my learners engaged. SW did mention on several occasions, how I have a great rapport with the learners, and how this is not that easy to grasp so quickly.  I feel my targets in this area would be relating to PS 17, as this standard is continually meeting a 3 in my formal observations. As stated in Scales, “research, especially by Malcolm Knowles (1978), suggests that adults have particular characteristics.. recognise their life experiences.. provide them with support and guidance” (2008). I am definitely going to spend more time on differentiation with this group for my next formal observation, this should meet their needs academically but also guide and support them as individuals too.

I saw KS on Wednesday and made some adjustments to the AB for the level 1s, I am just waiting for this to be completed (IV’d) then I will take a copy for my PDP (PS 20)

Due to me being ‘under the weather ‘this week, that seemed to add to my nerves for the interview I had yesterday. I attended though, and even though I was unwell I did my absolute best, at 9am I was interviewed by a panel of 3, all of which I knew (FD, LP (DSL) and ST). I was pleased with how I answered the questions, then at 10am I had my micro teach, which was on the nature nurture debate in relation to life span development, and was for a cohort of 29 learners (a group I had not taught before, but I recognised some for being peers of my own learners). It was a long morning but I felt positive, and I passed the first stage, I am now just waiting on confirmation to meet with the interim principal (hopefully soon). If I am offered the position, it will be as a trainee, and would mean, I would become a distance learner for my course in order to cater to the college. I will be sad to leave friends at University but this is why I am on this course, to get a job. I know I have the support of KM, so I do not feel too worried at this moment; just a little impatient to get on with the second interview. 

Tomorrow I have been asked to cover 2 sessions for GM as she is at BCU on a visit; I am excited about this especially after how yesterday went. I am starting to feel comfortable in my placement and overall positive with how this last week has gone. (Vygotsky’s’ zone of proximal development theory, is definitely ringing true about me and this placement; I was not sure I would ever feel part of the department after the initial thoughts about me were negatively discussed, but I do think I can do it, I am definitely passed the anxiety zone, and now feel like I am in the learning zone moving up).

It is hard work, but I do love the challenge, and if this is what to expect in teaching, I really cannot wait to start working properly! When I think of the journey so far, Piaget’s work on assimilation and accommodation are relatable to me in this placement and the experiences I have endured so far. It is a development and although not specifically childhood, it is a resonance of my experiences thus far. 

PS 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 

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Interesting Week 13/01/17

This week has had several interesting elements 

Tuesday kicked it off with a visit out to Newman University, to attend an open day/ tour / mock interview with the AtE group and SW. It was fantastic, I really enjoyed it. The interaction with the group was lovely and professional and I felt helpful being able to discuss undergraduate life from my experiences and halls of residence etc. I felt it gave me that time with the learners outside their ‘normal’ surroundings to be themselves and allowed me to get to see them in a different way, through watching them interact and practice their answers for University interviews I saw those who appear quiet and reserved in lessons, come to life when talking about their aspirations.I feel that this will only help deepen my understanding of the students and help me better prepare for their lessons. “The first stage of planing a teaching lesson is to assemble all the information which is relevant to the needs of the learners,” (Armitage et al, pg 93, 2016) Newman University was a lovely place and the student ambassadors were helpful and friendly. 

Wednesday was great too, as I could set my first assignment as assessor for my level 1s. They all received the Prezi and task requirements well and I was very chuffed with how the lesson went. They all sat and worked which is not what I was expecting (through opinions of this ability group). It was interesting how in contrast to me, they became different people in their second lesson of the day, with another lecturer KS. They seemed to be disruptive and noisy and from the looks of things not getting much done. It also became an issue for me, because I was in that lesson to get advice and help on this SOW and AB for this group with their course leader KS. It did not seem to die down, so in the end I was not able to get any help. I just copied the work to her pen drive and left the class. Mezirows’ transformative learning theory is quite an important theory for this because, it suggests starting with a frame of reference, and how through experiences these change. I can quite honestly say that prior to teaching level 1s my opinion was they would be disruptive and hard to control, but they are actually a really well behaved class. 

I was then asked to meet with the CL and CM, ST. I did not feel this meeting was all too positive, as due to another member of staff resigning (sessional worker) they were after me taking on more classes. I had to decline as our PBE has just been launched and I need to know I have the right amount of time to keep on top of my university work as well as my placement work. I felt a little demotivated after this meeting, as there was concern that my AB/SOW had not been IV’d (although until this point I was not told this was required). I felt quite down about the placement and their feelings towards me after Wednesday.

On Thursday I spoke to S and M at University and asked for advice about the bookings of my formal observations over the next few weeks. They settled my concerns and nerves, and made me feel a lot better.

Thursday evening, I received an email asking me to attend an interview for the job at HC. I was genuinely surprised and had to take some time to think about what I wanted to achieve moving forward.

My opinion of the college is that I enjoy it, the learners are great and really remind me on bad days, why it is I took myself out of full time sales and marketing to pursue my aspiration to teach in FE.

Yes, it has been a challenging placement and from peers at University I hear that others have had bad experiences and thus left the course. 

I am not a quitter, and would never start something I could not or did not intend to complete. So, I have decided to plough through, of course I would love to be offered the post and work for the institution and department, but if I am not successful I will take the experience and try harder somewhere else.

 This course is tough and not for the faint hearted but I feel in my life I have picked myself back up, after worse.

Now for the organisation to step up a gear, with a FO on 16th, 27th and potentially the 1st I need to get cracking, oh and that interview on the 23rd.

Wish me luck! 

PS. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20

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January Blues? 06/01/17

So its back to the grind this week, not all gone as I’d hoped. I applied for a job at my placement before Xmas but there is still no released short listing for it. I also had it planned that Tuesday I would be on a Newman College visit with the AtE but I had the wrong date, as it is next week. So great start! 

However I was very happy when Wednesday came along, I had done some small preparation for my level 1 group as I now have them for the remainder of the academic year (PS 1, 2, 7). I was happy to meet those who had not attended before Xmas and advise them I was now there teacher for the rest of the year. It was great to see that nearly the whole class attended so I could ask those newer students where they were at in reference to the criteria guide sheet I created (PS 20, 18, 17, 9). I found out some were far behind and seemed a little concerned with their ability to catch up (Vgotsky, Gestalt, Dewey, Gagne). I felt through my planning and listening to their opinions and concerns that I demonstrated several learning theories, but I think because I am new to them and willing to listen and guide, they all seemed quite open to ask me for help etc. I felt really comfortable with the surrounding and the group but also felt a little worried I would not know what I would do with this group each week. With the previous lecturer having resigned, there was only a skeleton of an assignment brief to go on for this whole unit, (and even this had come back with queries after being IV’d) and no SOW or lesson plan breakdown to work from. So I arranged a meeting with the ST of the dept, and she helped me understand a bit more of what I will be required to do, SOW, assignment brief and assessment records. This all came as a little shock as that meant I would be writing my first SOW, there is a lot to consider when creating a SOW too, as several academia discusses (Armitage, Reece and Petty). I have since contacted the course leader and will be seeing her next week to show her what I have done so far. I have marked several pieces of work and given out feedback to those students who turned in work with me before Xmas. (PS 1, 6, 12, 14)

On Thursday I wrote up the assignment brief based on a skeleton version left, and started to compile the SOW. I have structured the lessons with all the required tasks built in. I spoke to G today and she gave me some feedback and advice on the group I have and how to approach the lessons etc. (PS 6, 10, 19, 20).

There may be some changes to my classes however, as after today it seems the AtN may be moving to a different teaching day and time, so I will lose that group, but I have asked G if I could come in Tuesday pm and pick up hours from another group, if this happens. It would be a level 2 group which is great as I lost that ability group prior to taking over level one, so that would widen my teaching range of ability. I will miss the group on Fridays but I need to adjust to the changes in the department.

My fingers are firmly crossed for a shortlisting opportunity as I am really enjoying the placement and would be gutted to leave at the end of this academic year. I am keeping positive. 

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*The Sea of Change 16/12/16

That’s it! I have officially finished for Christmas and my gosh am I flat out with College/University work?

It has been a random few weeks at college, with the news of two lecturers resigning from their jobs in our department, and then me applying for them. Also after being told I would be taking over the classes and planning for IR from January, only this week, I was emailed to ask if I could cover Level 1s as there is not a teacher available.

I was both disappointed as I was losing my previous group but excited to have the reigns on this group. So only yesterday I met them and started paving the way on this unit. I knew that I needed to make sure they realised they would be taught by someone who knows H&SC. The group was described to me as a tough group with behavioural issues, in Petty’s’ work (2009) he talks about Rosenthal and Jacobsen’s study of the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’. This is an important study, as it looks at how somebody’s spoken opinion of learners can cloud your judgement of them; and how in some cases you could change the way you teach them and treat them thus. This could mean (if taken literally) in the learner and/or class receiving poor teaching and could be detrimental to their learning and development. I did not want to prejudge them, so I went in with no previous expectations, and did my best. There are a lot of positive things to come out of meeting a class for the first time, and you being new to them too. It gives me the chance to right any previous wrongs in my teaching strategies and approaches, and push myself into avenues I may never have tried before (experiential learning) as Kolb suggests. (Packard, 2000)

I cannot say I was surprised to see less than half present for the lesson, and I do feel quite sorry for their situation. I was lucky with it being Christmas week, and decided to have a lesson focused on getting to know my learners (having gone in with no prior group profile or learner knowledge). I also arranged a Christmas quiz to get them all engaged. I was also happy to have received work in from almost the whole class, which I spent hours marking last night. 

This group will give me a real chance of proving myself to the institution but also to build on my experiences and CPD over the course. 

(PS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13) 

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*My 55 minutes of spotlight 15/12/16

So, I did it! The first formal observation was ticked off my list and I could relax. The planning I must say was so much more than I had anticipated. The lesson plan was like an assignment and seemed to go on for hours. I also had a go at making my first set of proper lesson resources, as although over the months I have been giving creative ideas, now I could print out and hand out actual work for the learners.  As Thorndike (1912) suggested (Armitage 2012), a teacher’s resource should complement the lecturer, not hinder them. I am aware by now that every teacher I observed was different and I felt the students were more engaged and able to recap better when they had something to go away with, and/or refer to in lessons. Also, Petty (2009) suggests that students learn most from handouts when they have to do something with them. (PS 1, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14)

For my first lesson observation, I taught level 2 in IR. I thoroughly enjoy teaching this group and over the weeks, I have led a few of their lessons. I will not lie, I was very nervous about being watched but just wanted to make sure I covered as much base as I could. Selecting the professional standards was not an easy task and I did have to call on my critical friend for advice (PS 6) but after deliberation I went with my first 6.

I chose, PS 4, 9, 11, 15, 16 and 17. The lesson was about the rights of service users. It was a fun lesson to plan and I tried to incorporate different methods to meet the needs of the learners (PS 13, 14, 15). “The first stage of planning a teaching lesson is to assemble all the information to the needs of the learners.” (Armitage, A et al, 2016). I feel this was possible through the collaboration with my mentor, who supplied me with all the necessary group profiles ahead of my formal observation (PS 6). Through this institution, I have learnt that GP are created initially through the personal coaches, and then amended as and when additional information or new information is relevant to the teaching of specific learners. Since starting my placement I have been copied into new statement information or with learners who require extra time or support in classes. This is a great way to keep everyone up to date with learners needs. I feel with time this this will be great factor in being able to differentiate the learners correctly and enable effective learning to take place (Armitage (2016), Scales (2008)). Time will be a key factor too, in me getting to know the groups.

Following this 55 minutes of pure adrenaline, I was then asked to start another lesson whilst GM and SM had a quick feedback on my lesson. I felt so relieved and proud, and really took charge of my next class which was EDR introducing the D1 criteria. I felt happy with how I could just adapt and had a great session. I had not taught this class before but had observed, my confidence was souring and they were all engaged and laughed at my jokes. I got them all involved in group work and peer learning and had them writing on the smart board collaboratively. For something I had not planned I felt very able to teach it and make it look as though I knew it all along. (Dix 2010, Armitage, 2012)

There is a lot now in reflection that I would have changed but I know it is a learning curve and was very pleased with the outcome. The areas I felt were a let down on my part, was the behaviour of the learners, as although before the lesson they said they would be star students, they were disengaged, and distracted by phone use, when I was not around them. This was an area discussed with my PDT and mentor. One of the standards looks at my values and beliefs (PS 2), and this is an area I could have worked upon here. By starting the lesson with clear instruction and rules of the classroom, I would have been able to prevent the distraction from occurring, thus creating a sound environment for learning (Armitage et al discuss a lot in this area in chapter 4 (2016). 

 I know my weakness at this stage is differentiation and there are several things to consider. Vygotskys’ work on the zone of proximal development is a great place to start, especially as guidance was an area noticed through observations, whereby I could be clearer with instruction thus creating a better learning environment overall. (Cohen 2004)

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*Rolling in the deep 25/11/16

This week has been a great week again. On Tuesday I met up with SW to go through planning and resources for some sessions coming up (PS 19) and I also chose to stay through the TG session too. I felt this was a valuable experience for me, as I saw the class in a slightly informal environment compared with their normal lecture with me. They were able to open up and talk about bullying and ways to manage it as a facilitator. After the class a student came to me and discussed how certain social media avenues were being abused by some other classmates. This was my first one to one with a student on a professional basis. I felt comfortable and able, when being asked questions about how to deal with certain behaviour. I do feel I handled the situation well. (PS 6, 1, 15.)

Wednesday morning I had prepared a starter activity for TG716 but after late arrivals, it was asked that I present the whole lesson. I said yes, and went on to deliver a very good lesson (as per mentors feedback), and she even commented on my confidence and natural ability. I was very happy with the lessons outcome. The class was only small due to numbers being on placement, and with the GP I had already reviewed, felt they might benefit from a more involved lesson. So I had each student participate in group work and discussion, and with recording their answers on the smart board (that would then be uploaded to Moodle). 

I learnt two main things from this lesson, firstly to use darker pens on the board when writing on LO’s as the picture shows it could have been clearer, and secondly the smart board is easier than it looks. It should also be mentioned that I have made my first ever prezi for this lesson. I think that LOs are vital to a lessons structure, but Lave and Wengar state inductive and Deductive approaches can both be very rewarding. (Reece 2009). 

Armitage et al (2016), discuss the importance of the teaching and the management of learning through learning outcomes and clear aims being outlined to students in all lessons. This is linked with the blooms taxonomy guideline to creating them and thus preparing a coherent cohesive environment and structure for learning to take place, through clear understanding of student expectations and material being covered in each lesson slot. 

(https://prezi.com/ovd9ky8xj-1k/discrimination-what-is-it/#) 

I will continue to use these and I find them very easy to engage with as a trainee in lectures and wanted to show my students the diverse range of technology and ways of teaching them. 

Friday was a group discussion based upon the case studies I had prepared for their Task 2 assignment, I was happy with their feedback on the case studies, and also how as each week passes I am more confident in my knowledge of AtN. 

In reflection, this course is passing very quickly, but I feel I am finding my feet and starting to delve into different ways of learning. When I questioned my philosophy at the beginning of this course, I said I want students to enjoy learning. So far, I think I am doing well in this; not necessarily because of what they are learning but because I am thinking of creative ways to get aims hit. (PS 4, 3, 6, 7, 12, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19)

I hope I am able to keep bringing these ideas to the table.

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*National Anti Bullying Week 18/11/16

This week has been brilliant. On Tuesday I worked with the AtE, and really got involved in their assignment workshop. I was able to teach some students how to Harvard reference, and give them essay tips. It was also a more involved day for me, as they were asking about my experiences of University, and choosing a degree, and location to study. I felt that my own experiences helped them feel more confident about their futures and education. (PS: 3, 4, 6, 11, 13)

On Wednesday, my first group were involved in the college anti-bullying activity, whereby they all had to put a hand print on a canvas that would be placed in the refectory once completed by all TG’s. Then a video on discrimination in HSC was shown, I did struggle emotionally watching this and found it a little difficult to disengage my emotions. Some students did leave after the showing of 25 minutes (as it upset them too). This to me, raised the issues practitioners may or may not have from separating themselves from some of the content covered in HSC modules. I then worked with a group for a 2-hour session, on EDR and felt very much involved in group work tasks and classroom discussions. (I also read my first register, and although nervously I got all the names correctly pronounced, and clapped myself a well done; to my surprise some of the students also congratulated me!) (PS: 6, 13, 18)

This week we had our first specialist subject day at University, this was great timing, especially with how I had felt on Wednesday. We covered a ‘handle with care’ activity-based day. This allowed me to discuss my experiences and gave me ideas to cope with these feelings and emotions, and over time I shall hopefully learn to keep my emotions in the academic mind set. It was also a great CPD as a group we were able to collaborate ideas (PS: 6, 10, 20). 

I feel it is a vital part of my role as a trainee teacher to be aware of how to deal with certain sensitive topics, as in Health and Social care, there are a lot to consider. It gave me ideas on how to approach certain areas of discussion, and I feel through my experience in the role and understanding of the group of learners I teach I will be adapt to how I broach areas in consideration of individuals. The units covered cover a multitude of areas that some might find upsetting (vulnerable adults and children) and it is my responsibility to teach them in the a way required by OCR (to meet the University criteria etc) but also ensure I am delivering the lesson appropriately and only covering topics relevant. 

Finally, I was able to observe the FD, and watch how she demonstrated multiple PS in her session with AtN. There was a recap, an activity that embedded group work, peer assessment, peer critique, group feedback and differentiation. All very easily met with just one worksheet. It was really informative to see someone of a very high level engages and motivates a class. Her classroom persona and way of teaching is something I hope to resonate in my own practice. (Gibbs 1988,  Rogers (1986, 1989), Knowles 1990 and Dix 2010) 

This week for me, has been one of my best yet as I feel more involved in the lessons and the students have started to speak to me as a member of staff, both inside and outside the classroom. “ If you succeed in establishing rapport, your job will be made very much easier, as well as more enjoyable” (Petty, G 2009). 

Next week, I will be creating a starter activity for AtE, and on Wednesday, I will have the opportunity to test my ability to refrain from emotional distress with the second group to watch a discriminatory- based video. 

Wish me luck!

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*When life makes sense... 11/11/16

This week has been my favourite so far, as on Wednesday I lead my first lecture, and although it was only for 55 minutes; it was like finally… my life makes sense! I love teaching!

I taught level 2, in Discrimination. I spent several hours planning the lesson, and found ways to teach them in a way I had not previously observed. Engestrom was a huge influence as I chose an active learning session. I feel this theory worked because of the type of cohort of learners I had. It allows you to engage the learners in a way that standard presentation and note-taking lessons do not allow. I feel that active learning also creates an environment for successful assessment of learning. They are directing their own understanding of the tasks in hand. It allows the learners to develop in confidence and collaboration with learners. I created three activities initially but after my meeting with my mentor, we dropped the last one to give the students more time on the first two. (The best part of my preparation and activity idea, was that my mentor said she would copy the idea as she felt it was very effective!)

I feel the activities were received well, in reflection I could have given them more time to complete them and switch the learners into my own groups, based on learning style and ability to stretch those who appear more passive in lessons (differentiation). There are lots of things I would have included since, but that is thanks to a series of lectures at University this week highlighting other areas to embed more. 

In my presentation, I considered three main roles and responsibilities of a lesson, and reviewed the importance of them. To my surprise, I did not successfully embed all three in my own; in this lesson, it was visible LO, but my research allowed me to look at reasons why this can be a way of learning too. I took an inductive approach so did not list out LO on the board, but instead I introduced the topic and then went into the starter activity. Gestalts’ theory looks at this idea of insight, “when a learner suddenly becomes aware of the significance or relevance of something” (Scales, P pg. 62 2008). This is a strong point when considering the way, I planned the first activity, it was to help the learners work out the reasoning themselves. 

Changes this week have also included a new group in Access. I noted a few similarities as this group are looking to go into teaching and are all completing their level 3 in education in preparation for HE. There was a lot of cross over into my course, which allowed me to get involved and help/advise the students on their coursework.

I feel after this week that I have been able to involve myself more in lessons instead of just observing. I sit with groups when tasks are set and encourage their thinking and communications with each other. I am starting to feel like my presence is being seen more as a teacher, than an observer who looks on and writes notes. I am excited for the lessons that are coming up next week; and the formal observation currently, does not feel as scary just yet. 

 PS: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19,

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*It is not always plain sailing! 6/11/16

What a week!

I observed several classes again this week. Some interesting contrasts were made this time, as I could see one group in two different environments, firstly for a lecture and then for a workshop. It was interesting as the class was a completely different group when in a workshop compared with the lecture. Although they had different lecturers for each class, it was such a contrast. This week also I was noting down different things, it became more about the professional standards, theorists and blooms taxonomy; more like a tick list. I am seeing very different teaching techniques from the variety of lecturers too. 

In a HS class, the LO was clearly written, they had access to the internet (PS 4, 13, and 15). They were also stretched and challenged to work on completing tasks and being set more to continue learning (PS 5, 14, 16, 17 and 18). HSC have what is called a ‘writing frame’ which is given to each learner, to help and explain how to meet the criteria. Blooms taxonomy was also present when explaining the criteria for P2 - Outline and M1 - Describe (the lecturer also checked the understanding of each word too.) There was also a discussion with the students about previous knowledge (assimilated knowledge) gained at high school and in level 2 of HSC and placements (Bruner and Piaget).

On Friday morning, I had my first interactions with an Access class; in this session, they were to present their work via a poster and a group discussion. I was asked by my mentor to peer-mark against a criterion with her as you can see below.

However, the week ended with a little bit of a knock to my confidence, after being informed that some of the lecturers do not want me to observe them as it makes them uncomfortable. I was upset about this, and if I am honest it has made me feel a little unwanted in the placement.

I understand that not everyone is happy about my presence but will do my utmost to continue there for my placement and know I have the support of my mentor.

Next week I will be teaching my first lesson, I am excited to see how my reading and observations will be put into practise for real. When planning for my lesson, I did a lot of wider reading (Scales 2008, Reece 2009, and Armitage 2016) to understand key factors when preparing new content. Even though this is an informal lesson observation, I wanted it to be creative and fresh. It was good to have worked with this class before and helpful to have a GP on the class and already know about any learners with behavioural issues.  My lesson plan has been approved by my mentor and she even said how she will be stealing my ideas. Surely that is something worth smiling for! (PS 6).

There is a lot of emphasis to consider when planning and preparing for lessons in team-teach sessions or informal/formal observations, and these rely heavily on the professional relationships that I build. Through forging collaborations (PS 6) I am able to work with colleagues and create appropriate environments for learning to take place effectively. There is an emphasis on stress for new teachers in literature that suggests the importance of building professional relationships with colleagues to strengthen that connection to prevent negative identities as a teacher (Kyriacou (1989), Cole, M (1989)). I feel through the experiences I have had so far to date, there has been a need for my mentor and me being able to discuss issues that have arisen from other colleagues within the department. (wider reading included Chaplain, 2008, Watts, 2011).

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*What a day! 21/10/16

What a day! 21/10/16

Today was my first day on campus as a member of staff. I expected to feel nervous, but I was strangely quite calm about the day ahead. I observed a total of five different lectures which was very helpful as they were all so different in there approaches and outcomes. My mentor was not available until after lunch so my first observation was a level 3 Year 1 Psychology lecture. This lecture was a stand-out of the day as it was so engaging, not just for the students but for me also. I noticed that the students responded well to LH’s requests throughout. The structure of the lesson was straightforward too, and for a 55-minute lecture, a lot was covered. I was given a breakdown before the class came in, so I knew what stage they were at, and she also explained the students’ confusion over two separate modules being taught back to back in the same room, and how she had changed room for the latter to prevent further confusion. I was told about the ability and of any social issues within the group, and at the end of this lesson I felt very confident that I too, could mirror this approach and receive the same response. They welcomed me once I was introduced and when I saw this particular class around the campus, they said hello and asked if I was enjoying the day so far. This class were behaved and coherent. 

The next lecture was a huge contrast however. this was level 2, Health and Safety with OL. This class seemed to be less engaged, and several were late to class. There was a situation with mobile phones being used persistently, after being asked to put them away, and I was distracted by the behaviour of some students so felt less engaged to the learning outcomes of the class and workshop. Certain strategies used included confiscating a mobile phone, and suggesting that the personal coach would be contacted if behaviour continued; this seemed to work as a discipline and deterrent. Also, the class were held until the room was tidy and then authorised a table at a time, unlike the previous class who all got up and left at the end.

Both classes seemed to have the same number of people in each, and maybe the distraction in the second class was that computers and laptops were being used to start assignments.

The biggest contrast was in my third lecture, functional skills Maths Entry 1 to level 1. This was the smallest class by far and what surprised me was the length of time this class was for, although there were small breaks between this session ran for a total of 3 hours. That is a long time to keep students engaged regardless of their academic ability. The classroom was larger and they seemed to be doing maths related Halloween activities.

My first day highlighted lots of different methods of presenting a lecture. It is vital that you know your group, when planning a lesson; so, that what you choose is relevant to the ability of the group and appropriate for their personality and preferred teaching. Scales has a lot of information and guidance on teaching and learning methods in the lifelong sector, “to be an effective teaching ... you will need to have a repertoire of teaching and learning methods... you should always be prepared to try something new” (Scales, P chapter 5 2008). I feel through our observations as trainees on placement we are given such an abundance of methods and techniques to watch and learn from not only through the lecturers themselves but also from the different cohorts of learners.

Not only are methods an important strand to a teacher trainees’ bow, I should also incorporate learning theorists too, as these make up the broader understanding of student learning, as Armitage discusses in chapter 3, “learning theory in essence is not about the conditions required for effective learning: it is for the practitioner to extract and interpret elements from theories and apply what is perceived relevant to his or her own teaching.” (Armitage, A et al 2016)

“Different people learn in different ways; some may prefer a particular style of learning and teaching. Teachers in lifelong learning needs to understand that people do not all learn in the same way and that they must provide a range of teaching and learning experiences if learners are going to achieve” (Scales, P pg. 57 2008). I feel through the observations I am able to see how different methods work for some and not others, and start to use these strategies when I start team-teaching.

Throughout the day, the lecturers used chalk and talk, PowerPoint, the smart board, YouTube videos, sweets and word search activities, modern examples when explaining difficult content, music, and humour. They were all so different yet all very effective, and although the academic ability varied from class to class, I could see how the lecturers had adapted their way of teaching to meet needs (PS, 4). Not one lecturer was the same, and this has widened my creativity and confidence. The lecturers were all very helpful and gave me great advice throughout the day, and I felt very welcome in their department (PS, 6).

 I was very pleased with my mentor too, as her approach to my placement and understanding of her modules and levels taught was very helpful. I look forward to returning after reading week, and the idea of teaching my own lecture does not seem too scary an idea anymore. I have been given some reading to do over my reading week, to prepare me for each unit, and I have been given the free reign over which unit I choose to prepare and teach when I feel ready (PS, 7, 19, 1, 3).

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*Induction Day 20/10/16

Welcome to my first blog entry. This blog will detail a critical commentary of my experiences in teaching and observing my subject specialism; and show my journey through both personal and professional development.

I have my placement in HC and I am looking forward to working for an institution in the lifelong learning sector. This sector is such a blur in today’s society with the age of compulsory education recently rising to 18 years; but nevertheless, I am proud to be part of such an important underrated sector of education.

“For teachers, lifelong learning enforces a double whammy. It changes not only the content, but also the methodology of their profession. They become transformed into organisers of all the considerable educational and human resources at their disposal in the interests of actively stimulating learning.” Scales, (2010)

I had my induction meeting yesterday, I was very excited to find out what HC had to offer and what I could expect from my placement on this course.

I met with CT and the DSL, HS and my specialist subject department staff too.

We had a brief induction meeting and received the academic year handouts, college campus map and had our photos taken for our staff cards.

We then completed our Safeguarding training with the lead DSL, which was an eye opener with examples given and allowed us as a group to understand in a bit more detail, our responsibilities as a trainee teacher. Then following that we had our Health and Safety training too.

Although I was unable to observe anything on that afternoon, or meet my mentor, I feel I am now well-equipped now I have completed SG and HS training and received the staff code of conduct.

Tomorrow I will undertake my first observation with some of the HSC lecturers, I know they cover a very wide range of teaching levels for this course, so I feel excited and nervous about it.

I am looking forward to meeting the students.

PS: 2, 7, 9, 12, 19, 20