ANTICIPATIONS FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE

WHAT IS EXPECT WHEN I GO OUT INTO THE SCHOOL IN SEMESTER TWO

In semester two of year one I will be visiting a primary school.  During my visit I expect that I will be observing, participating and reflecting on what is being done in the classroom by the professional teacher and the students.  I hope to make a connection with theory and practice by exploring how readings and discussions done in the course relate to the classroom and school environment.  I will like to understand school cultures and communities, with a focus on diversity within these settings.  I will also like to establish professional relationships with teachers in the school.  

Community of Learners

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT FOSTER ENGAGED LEARNING

Curriculum and assessment work hand in hand within the school community.  Presently, standardized testing is used to assess the progress of learners.  this method of assessment is not always fair to the learner and thus, the curriculum should be structured to facilitate students better.

Assessment must consider engaged learning, therefore, self assessment is vital and it is a normal part of life Assessment is valid when it is meaningful to the participants and assessors.  It should be a reflection of what was learnt.  Education must pertain to individuals and add significant contribution to the learning experience.  

WORKING WITH DIGITAL DATABASES

WORKING WITH DIGITAL DATABASES

The role of research in my teacher education is of utmost importance for me to produce quality work.  Tertiary Level Institutions invest in Digital Databases because it is important for students to access library facilities at any location.  A Digital Database is an electronic library that has books and other resources stored electronically and are accessible via computers.  It is of value to me because it is convenient, free and makes my researching tasks simple.   Before today, I had been trying to access the e-library, but was not entering the correct key words and refining the searches for articles and books.  While working with my colleagues I felt that it was simpler to perform the tasks of researching since we all had valuable inputs.  The experience has made me think about the phrase: "Two heads are better than one".  Working in groups on a focused, problem-solving activity has the benefit of everyone co-operating and sharing ideas and views on a subject.  I recognized that my weakness was being impatient when using the Digital Database.  I believe I am growing stronger in the area of team work and accepting suggestions from my peers.

MY GROUP WORK EXPERIENCE

In my last Practicum class I had an opportunity to work with a group of six people.  We discussed various teaching strategies, chose three and created scenarios to demonstrate each chosen strategy.  In my group there were in-service and pre-service teachers.  I discovered that the pre-service teachers were quite timid and lacked confidence when put on the spot.  However, the in-service teachers were outgoing.  Whilst in the group, the in-service teachers assisted the pre-service teachers in delivering the teaching strategies through drama.  The in-service teachers gave the pre-service teachers wise words of advice and believed in them. When the pre-service teachers stood in front of our class they actually did a really good job.  All in all, it was an interesting and learning experience for both the in-service and pre-service teachers.

MY PEDAGOGICAL CREED

MY PEDAGOGICAL CREED

As a teacher I believe that I need to continuously reflect on what is my purpose and what it is I am doing.   I believe that I should review and action plan for future success.  My view is that everyone deserves a quality education.  Education should be structured in a way so as to educate within the culture, morals and values of a society. The curriculum should be constantly updated to account for change and improvement in society.  I think that to be an effective teacher I have to be open to the fact that children learn in different ways.   Therefore, both academic and arts should be a focus in education.  Children should be encouraged to cooperate and work in teams to assist one another.  In today’s technological world, technology should be an integral part of education.  It should be used to deliver content in the classrooms and the usage of it should also be taught.  Learning should always be enjoyable and fun.  

REFLECTION 2

The purpose of this journal is to look back on learning experiences, make sense of it and identify what to do in the future. Drew and Bingham (2001) pg. 221.  As a reflective practitioner I understand that I am expected to analyse, reconsider and question my experiences based on theories explored in the practicum class.  To me this process seems vital and beneficial because it enhances my self- awareness, my problem solving skills and my ability to evaluate my observations and action plan for success.  My current opinion of my abilities and skills as a teacher is that I am somewhat at an acceptable standard, however, through the duration of this Practicum course and the B.Ed. programme I desire to become a professional teacher.

REFLECTION 1

I selected the word ABUSIVE.  This is due to a past primary school experience where I did not understand a math problem.  I explained to the teacher that I simply did not understand how to compute and solve the problem after several attempts.  I was scolded for this.  It affected my ability to do any such problems in the future.  I felt incapable and lost confidence.  I would have preferred that the teacher tried another teaching strategy to show me how to do the math problem.  As I have matured over the years I recognize that each child has different ways and rates of learning. If I had been in the teacher’s shoe at that time I would have been understanding and open to trying another strategy to help solve the math problem and boost the child’s confidence.