The following questions are based on an interview I held with my cooperating teachers reflecting on my experience I had within the school during my placement. Looking back over your school placement, what have you learnt about yourself as a person? Overall, school placement was a thoroughly invaluable and enjoyable experience that has taught me many things about myself as both a person and as an educator. The first thing I learnt about myself is that I am a very approachable and friendly individual that can establish positive relationships very well. This was also noted by my tutors who acknowledged the good rapport I had with my students. “Rapport requires that you develop the respect of your students. You will achieve this by being professional about preparation, timekeeping, dress, and so on, and by showing that you respect your students as individuals” (Petty, 2009). Although I may seem a confident individual, this is not always the case. Before starting placement, I was still somewhat nervous about having to stand up in front of a senior cycle group as I am not that much older than them. However now that school placement is over, this previously daunting task would no longer phase me. Teaching practice has really contributed to and enhanced confidence within my teaching. Another thing I learnt about myself is that I thrive under pressure. There were numerous occasions on school placement which I did experience a certain degree of pressure. It was during these periods that I found out what I am capable of as I seemed to work much more efficiently whilst under pressure. Now that I am aware of this new level of work, I am capable of, my next goal is to try and work with that efficiency even when I am not under as much pressure. There are many other things I have learnt about myself which I would only love to continue writing about if I could. What was your biggest challenge and why? What have you learnt from this about yourself as a teacher and about teaching and learning? As stated in previous reflections, my biggest challenge was probably trying to find the correct mix between being nice and caring towards the students yet strict and assertive. I have learnt that it is important not to get too bogged down worrying about whether students like you or not, at the end of the day, a teacher’s primary job is to facilitate learning, not to make friends. I felt it was important however to get this balance right, if I was to come across as too strict, the students would be afraid to ask questions during the class whereas being too nice tended to lead to students thinking they could get away with being disruptive. The process of getting the balance right was a matter of trial and error, however it was important to start placement as being very strict in order to get discipline in order from the start, it would have been a lot harder to get back on track otherwise. Before my final year school placement, I was still somewhat unsure if teaching was the path I still wanted to take in life. It honestly was a truly eye-opening experience. It did not only give me a chance to gain experience teaching, but it gave me a real opportunity to see and reinforce why this is the career choice I want to take. I learnt that yes, this is most certainly the direction I want to be going with my life and it has inspired me to keep working hard over the next few months to achieve this goal. At the end of school placement, what are you most proud of and why? With placement, I am probably most proud of the fact that I was able to improve my whole school experience from SP3. I feel this is a satisfactory reward for all the time and hard work that was put into making each class a success and worthwhile learning experience for the students. I am also proud of the fact that other staff members found me a pleasure to work and the feedback I got from students which was all very positive as mentioned in countless exit cards and student post lesson reflections What have you learnt from this about yourself as a teacher and about teaching and learning? Personally, I feel that school placement has taught me far more about teaching and learning than all the education lectures I’ve had over the past three and a half years. I have learnt that there is far more to teaching than one might initially think. If I had to describe it to someone, I would compare it to a concert, you must think about all the behind the scenes work that was done which made the show a success. “Teachers must create rich educational experiences that challenge students’ ideas and stretch them as far as they can go” (Zepke, 2010). Teaching is the same, preparation is key. I also learned that teaching requires you not only to look the part but also to play the part, if a teacher is not interested, how will the students be? “Asking a question with interest conveyed in your tone of voice and facial expression, as opposed to sounding tired and bored, makes a world of difference to the type of response you will get” (Kyriacou, 2007). My best teaching probably took place within my DCG classes, as this is a subject where I believe my greatest strength lies. In what areas do you need to develop as a teacher? Nobody is perfect, I do not consider myself as a know it all now that I have completed placement. I’ve been told it takes years to perfect your art. Even though I do feel more competent with certain aspects of my teaching I can still always improve, learning is a continuous process, it does not stop. However, there are some areas that I would like to focus on for development. Such areas would include assertiveness in the classroom and portraying enthusiasm for all subject areas. I have a strong voice which I need to keep building the confidence for using as this will improve both areas I particularly need to develop. “An audible voice level is best as it encourages listening, discourages background noise, and makes varying the tone and volume of your delivery easier.” (Kyriacou, 2007) As School Placement 4 comes to a closure, I will think of the hard work and dedication it took. But most of all I will remember the joyous experiences that I got to be a part of. The relationships I developed with staff, the learning I facilitated and the growth from beginning as a student teacher to developing into something much more. I will always be reminded that “the pursuit of our dreams is not without any difficulty. Those who triumphs have learnt to overcome the difficulty.” (Lailah, 2015) Bibliography Zepke. (2010). Improving Student Engagement: 10 Proposals for Action. New Zealand: Sage Productions. Kyriacou, C., 2007. Essential Teaching Skills. 3rd ed: Nelson Thornes Ltd. Petty, G. (2009). Teaching today. 4th ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Lailah Gifty Akita (2015). Pearls of Wisdom: Great mind.
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With the introduction of the new junior cycle reforms it brings with it a suite of revised subjects and short courses, a focus on literacy, numeracy and key skills, and new approaches of assessment and reporting. Schools will have more freedom to design junior cycle programmes that meet the learning needs of all students. The framework for this Junior Cycle (2015), “sets out a clear vision of how teaching, learning and assessment practices will evolve in the first three years of post-primary education” (DES, 2015). For students, the new junior cycle will mean that the curriculum available in their schools will be a mix of subjects and short courses as well as other learning experiences.
The technology subjects will be introduced in 2019 as part of phase five of the Framework for Junior Cycle implementation. As a result, preparing students for learning in the technology subjects is not just about teaching towards the technology but towards the skills that are fundamental to the technology subjects and are transferable into other areas of their learning. Skills that encourage the student to problem-solve through creation, innovation, communication, collaboration and exploration, all of which are developed in an active learning environment where students can advance their ideas from conception to realisation. Learning in these subjects will be active and student centred, with learners collaborating in the pursuit of knowledge and in the safe management of the technology classroom environment. Through the challenges posed by the design-based philosophy of the subject, students will develop the relevant knowledge, skills and values to bring ideas from conception to reality in a way that will allow them to be expressive, creative and innovative. With the technology subjects they want to “foster creative problem solving and design along with developing the necessary manipulative skillset for the subject area” (NCCA, 2018). Junior Certificate Materials Technology (Wood) provides students in the junior cycle of post-primary education with an opportunity to explore their role in making and shaping their environment. It involves the use of a design process, which is a central feature of the subject, through which students undertake tasks that require the use of practical problem-solving skills and the application of scientific and technological knowledge. Materials Technology (Wood) is assessed at two levels, Ordinary level and Higher level, by means of a written examination paper and a student project. The most integral aspect of the new junior cycle reform for me personally was the emphasis of formative feedback. During my time we were almost taught in a manner of ‘teaching to the test’. A form of rote learning. “Research shows that the greatest benefits for students’ learning occur when teachers provide effective feedback to students that helps them to understand how their learning can be improved” (Department of Education and Skills, 2015). Bibliography Department of Education and Skills, 2015. Framework for Junior Cycle. [Online] Available at: http://www.juniorcycle.ie/NCCA_JuniorCycle/media/NCCA/Documents/Framework-forJunior-Cycle-2015-2.pdf [Accessed 10 Feb 2019 ]. Department of Education and Skills, D., 2015. Framework for Junior Cycle, Dublin: DES. NCCA, 2018. Junior Cycle Reform - Technology Subjects. [Online] Available at: https://www.curriculumonline.ie/Junior-cycle/Junior-Cycle-Subjects/Technology [Accessed 10 February 2019]. During the completion of our 8th week of placement I found myself being disillusioned with the standard of retention I was observing with follow up classes within my students. This is perhaps a reflection of the standards I set within my own teaching parameters. It can be easy to subconsciously assume that because you yourself are happy with your teaching performance that in correlation the students have performed equally as effective with their learning. This has led me to reflect on my closures and consider introducing a flipped classroom approach to enhance the learning environment.
Reflecting on my closures and its effectiveness towards the end of class I will always implement a quick recap to ensure that the students have effectively digested what I, the teacher had intended for them to learn. Elizabeth Perrott writes that “the objective of closure is to help the pupils retain important points presented in the lesson, thus increasing the possibility that they will be able to recall and use that information” (Perrott, 1982). In my opinion a recap during the end of the lesson is vitally important at cementing the new learning. A closure can allow a student to refresh their memory or reinforce it. So why were my students struggling to retain the new learning transitioning into the next class? Dialoguing with my cooperating teacher he encouraged me to reflect on my own ability to retain new information and effectively apply it the next day. I didn’t always understand what was being thought or maybe in another situation that I would forget things after class as my attention was now focused on the next class. Would the students be better off spending time exploring learning at home? I have concluded that “Teachers must create rich educational experiences that challenge students’ ideas and stretch them as far as they can go” (Zepke, 2010). A flipped classroom is where “Students gain control of the learning process through studying course material outside of class / instructors facilitate the learning process by helping students work through course material individually and in groups” (Washington, 2019). My main objective with this strategy is to a class is to develop improved learning experiences for the student. The success of this will hinge on my ability to distribute information and provide students with an accessible toolkit for independent learning. Introducing the learning material before class will allow me to dedicate classroom time to deepen understanding through discussion with peers and problem-solving activities facilitated by me. In Portlaoise College we employ the use of Google Classroom via the students iPad. This perhaps will lay the foundation as the perfect platform to develop a flipped classroom approach. Thus having thoroughly reflected on the topic I have come to the conclusion that I will consider employing a flipped classroom approach to facilitate an increased positive learning environment. Bibliography Perrott, E. (1982). Effective Teaching a practical guide to improving your teaching . Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited . Zepke. (2010). Improving Student Engagement: 10 Proposals for Action. New Zealand: Sage Productions. Washington, U. o. (2019, February 03). Center for Teaching and Learning: Flipping the Classroom. Retrieved from University of Washington: https://www.washington.edu/teaching/teaching-resources/engaging-students-in-learning/flipping-the-classroom/ With the ushering in of teachers who have grown up as millennials with certainty the one thing we have brought with us is the ever-advancing age of technological advances. It was only a matter of time before these technological feats transitioned into the world of education. When I was a primary school student it was unlikely the teacher utilised a projector. Out came a tv rolled in on a trolley to watch an educational video. That was about as technological as it got. Moving into Secondary school technology was far more prominent. However fast forward almost 10 years and educational technology is an integral aspect of my teaching. Teachers are eager to employ technology to enhance the learning environment. According to a study conducted by Lynne Schrum it was founded that “most educators will expend the effort needed to integrate technology into instruction when, and only when, they are convinced that there will be significant payoffs in terms of student learning outcomes” (Schrum, 2011). But in other instances, is educational technology a hindrance? What if somehow your technology failed during a class where it was central to the lesson. How do you adapt to a setback like that? Do we rely too much on technology and not on traditional methods of teaching? A situation arose for me personally where technology failed me. I now recall a time when technology had failed me. During my inspection for SP3, the visualiser decided to disconnect from the computer on three occasions. I was aware that the wire connecting the visualiser to the computer was faulty prior to even beginning my teaching practice. However, it had only disconnected on one occasion to me prior to this inspection. It really put technology into perspective. The topic of Education Technology is one I am currently considering for the Creativity and Innovation Seminar in February. I believe that this is a worthy topic as “advancements in educational technology are not only improving the learning process through experimentation and data analysis” (Educational Technology Courses, n.d.). I am proposing using social media as a platform to deliver technical graphics in an exciting and innovative fashion. It can be widely agreed that many of our students use a form of social media in their everyday lives. It has become so influential I can describe it as an integral part of their daily routines. Why not exploit this addiction to social media to create a learning environment that can provide a host of advantages? With the best of intentions teachers can use “technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.” (Morphew, 2012). However, in conclusion I can only describe educational technology as a metaphor for a double-edged sword. Something that can have both favourable and unfavourable consequences. Bibliography Morphew, V. N. (2012). A Constructivist Approach to theNational Educational Technology Standards for Teachers. Eugene, Oregan: A Constructivist ApproachforTeachersNational Educational Technology Standardsto theInternational Society for Technology in Education Educational Technology Courses. (n.d.). Retrieved from EdX: https://www.edx.org/learn/educational-technology Schrum, L. (2011). Considerations on Educational Technology Integration: The Best of JRTE. Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education. Friday was an especially eventful day for me. I witnessed an incident where a student physically assaulted another student in my very own classroom. The conflict ended as quickly as it started. I isolated both students, one in the machine room and the other inside the office adjacent to the woodworking room. I got both students to write an account from their perspective as to what happened as did I and various other witnesses in the classroom. Both students received green cards from me and are on report for the full week. I believe that “Harshly disciplining an aggressive student might fuel his anger and make him more determined to continue the aggressive behaviour.” (Shore, n.d.) so, I just let the class roll on as normal with one student returning to the class and the other getting solitary confinement. To fully comprehend how a student can resort to physical violence you must consider external influences. As a teacher, you have a responsibility to cater for student’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally. The students within this school come from a vast variety of backgrounds, some being far less well off than others. I was chatting to the school liaison officer in the staffroom about the attendance of some students yesterday and he happened to give me a very serious insight into the life of some of these students. He stated that although some of them may be late regularly or miss a few days, he gave them tremendous amounts of credit for getting to school at all. There are a select number of students who must get up in the mornings on their own accord and make their own lunch as their parents will do neither for them. I found this quite upsetting, but it is a sad reality for some of the students. You can never be sure as to what they’re going through in the homeplace and this must be considered. I always try to build a professional relationship with all my students as I feel it is important to build a positive relationship with them in order to build mutual respect and rapport for one another. As a result of this misbehaviour I felt let down. It was a slightly disheartening experience that made me question my teaching. What made these students misbehave; was it because they believed that in this classroom, they can get away with things like that? Was it because they were angry? Was it because they were going through mental health problems? Or was it simply due to an attitude problem? I will think deeply before entering my next class with them. By reflecting on the class, I hope to be able to come up with solutions and strategies to prevent student misbehaviour from occurring in future classes. I need to work on being active “preventing violence is your goal, you must learn to predict trouble so you can stop disputes before they happen” (Vrouvas, 2017). Some of the things I feel I could do better to pre-empt such behaviour include scanning the classroom more often, prevent turning my back on them as much as possible, as well as circulating myself around the room more often and targeting questions towards those who look to be losing involvement. It is important to keep in mind that “every situation is different, but if you are assertive and proactive, you can comfortably deal with the majority of physical confrontations in your school” (Catapano, n.d.). I hope the fact that I dealt with this misbehaviour in a reasonable fashion will prevent these students as well as others from doing so again. If such problems are to persist, I will strongly consider taking further action as I will not tolerate behaviour that takes away from the classes overall learning experience. Bibliography Catapano, J. (n.d.). How to Stop a Fight. Retrieved from Teach Hub: http://www.teachhub.com/how-stop-fight Shore, D. K. (n.d.). Dealing With Student Aggression. Retrieved from Education World: https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/shore/shore040.shtml Vrouvas, M. (2017, May). How to Best Deal with Violence or Fights in the Classroom. Retrieved from STUDY.COM: https://study.com/blog/how-to-best-deal-with-violence-or-fights-in-the-classroom.html It was good to be back teaching again after the Christmas break. I resettled smoothly by starting off new topics with each class, this gave us a fresh slate for the final 6 weeks ahead. As this is our last stint of placement before graduating hopefully, I must make the most of these last 6 weeks, taking every opportunity to learn as much as possible about myself and the profession. For this week’s reflection, I will be focusing on the topic of special educational needs. Specifically, a challenge and solution that relates to my class group. There is no such thing as a perfect class, everyone has their own set of strengths and weaknesses to offer making all classes unique from one another. Some students happen to have more severe or specific special educational needs than others, which can have a heavy impact on their ability to learn. Special needs can come in many different forms, both physically and mentally. However, these individuals have the right to learn in the same way as everyone else. As student teachers it is imperative that we practice an array of skills for handling a wide range of student needs in the classroom to ensure they are all catered for and included within the lesson. Inclusion refers to the way in which teaching and learning in a school is organised in a way that enables the school to cater for pupils with a broad range of ability and needs (Kyriacou, 2007). One of my students suffers from selective mutism. Speaking with my cooperating teacher 6 weeks ago I was told that the student “just won’t talk to you”. Selective mutism can be defined as “a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child’s inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school. These children are able to speak and communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed” (SHIPON-BLUM, 2019). In class this student has a blank facial expression and never seems to smile. The student has stiff and awkward body language when in a social setting and seems very uncomfortable or unhappy. How do I deal with this in the classroom? It is important for me to understand that the physical and behavioural symptoms are due to anxiety. To positively influence the students learning, I need to focus on helping the student learn the coping skills to combat anxious feelings. Over the past four weeks I have specifically been trying to build a relationship with this student. One in which they can feel comfortable to speak freely. I had to build trust and be patient taking tentative steps each class and building upon that each day. Week one it would be a simple hello as they entered the classroom. On week two I would ask the student one to one if they were okay with the topic. With week 3 I would specifically target them with a simple yes or no question during the lesson. Each week I was extremely observant to see if I could progress. When week 4 came around I started to push the boundary. I asked them questions that would require a sentence for an answer. Having seen this student open freely to me I feel a sense of accomplishment. Of course, the student won’t engage in a full-on conversation but they’re making small advancements to becoming less restricted. For that, it is commendable. In recent years the Irish educational system has undergone considerable review and changes in response to international demands for an educational system that recognises diversity and prevents students with special needs from being marginalised (Rose et al., 2010). Evidence of this can be seen within a lot of the classes that I have thought, where factors that aid special needs inclusion are present such as Special Needs Assistants (SNA’s). By becoming aware of the barriers that may hold those with special needs back, I can do my best to accommodate them with the tools to prevent their disability impacting their capability Bibliography Kyriacou, C., 2007. Essential Teaching Skills. 3rd ed. s.l.:Nelson Thornes Ltd.. Rose, R., Shevlin, M., Winter, E. and O’Raw, P. (2010). Special and inclusive education in the Republic of Ireland: reviewing the literature from 2000 to 2009. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25(4), pp.359-373. SHIPON-BLUM, D. E. (2019, January 13). WHAT IS SELECTIVE MUTISM? Retrieved from SMART CENTER: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/whatisselectivemutism/ Last week was a very special week within the school environment, Mental Health Week. The school and many members of staff went to tremendous efforts to ensure the week was enjoyable with a valuable message for all. It consisted of a wide variety of activities taking place throughout the week in many different forms. At the start of the week I found myself questioning the reasoning behind such an event which led me to do some research. After looking online, I found some worrying statistics. I discovered that Ireland’s teenage suicide rate is the fourth highest among high-income countries, while one in five Irish children aged 11-15 years say they experience two or more psychological symptoms, such as feeling low, irritable or nervous, or having sleeping difficulties, more than once a week (Cullen, 2017). The most disturbing stat of all was that one in 10,000 Irish 15- to 19-year-olds will die by suicide. Ireland has the highest suicide rate for female children in the EU, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI). With this newly found knowledge I was eager to play my part and bring awareness to mental health and wellbeing. Just thinking that a student in my very own classroom could be going through the hardest time of their lives in silence was both distressing and alarming. Speaking to my colleagues in the staff room they reminisced on last year’s mental health week. They recall a memorable activity in which they partook in a lip sync video which was put together by all members of staff. The idea of this was that it would be shown to students and put everyone in a good mood which it certainly did. The video was also posted on YouTube where it received a wonderful response from parents and the wider local community. Some of the activities that took place across the week included, a breakfast morning, guest speakers and music at break time. My cooperating teacher highlighted to me the impact that we can have on our students. He said to imagine a situation where a student in your class is suffering from poor mental health. If something happened? What did you do to promote mental health? Could you have implemented strategies to promote mental health? This was an eye opener. It is important to keep in mind that all students within the school fall into the adolescence category. The adolescence category is a very important period for both social and emotional development for young people. Having good physical and mental health enables the youth to manage whatever challenges they may come across during their development. I decided to implement an ‘inspirational quote of the day’ into my class introduction. These quotes could range from words of inspiration from the likes of Socrates and even influential sports stars like Conor McGregor. The class welcomed this with a positive reaction and even seemed to implement a positive attitude to the start of class. At the end of the week, it became clear to me that schools can play an important role in the mental health and well-being of their students and staff. It should certainly be a feature of all school health initiatives as it contributes to a better quality of life in students (Schools-for-health.eu, 2017). For the week to be effective, important strategies had to be implemented. It was well designed and organised, it linked to school, home and community, it developed respectful and supportive relationships amongst staff and students as well as addressing the school ecology and environment itself. At the end of the week, I certainly came out through the school doors with a satisfactory smile on my face and I am sure everyone else in the school environment did too. I will be carrying what I have learned into the future as catering for a child’s mental wellbeing is a daily task, not just a once off event. Bibliography Cullen, P. (2017). Too many Irish teenagers have mental health issues, UNICEF says. [online] The Irish Times. Available at: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/too-many-irish-teenagers-have-mental-health-issues-unicef-says-1.3125710 [Accessed 23 Dec. 2018]. Schools-for-health.eu. (2017). Mental health in schools. [online] Available at: http://www.schools-for-health.eu/she-network/health-promoting-schools/health-themes/mental-health [Accessed 23 Dec. 2018]. Whilst on placement, I’ve witnessed many teachers having to undergo some form of continued professional development (CPD). This is something that all teachers and professionals alike can benefit from. Before I ever entered third level I always assumed once I completed my degree, I would be an expert in my field of education and finished learning for good. This is evidently not the case and has thought me that “teaching is a continual learning experience, and that’s what keeps it fresh and interesting” (Petty, 2009). I can now see that CPD is an essential part of teacher education for a wide variety of reasons, the main one being that it ensures that there is a high standard of expertise and that it allows teachers to keep their knowledge and skills up to date.
After undertaking a variety of education modules throughout my time in college so far where we have studied the history of education, I know that pedagogical approaches to teaching have changed dramatically over the past number of years. Since the dawn of the 21st century, there has been many new pedagogical approaches developed due to advances in technology, extensive research and a growing diverse population. As the technical subjects are my subject area, CPD will be particularly important throughout my career. You should “Always be a first-rate version of yourself” (Tichio, 2012). DCG is the type of subject that will always require CPD, as computer aided design is constantly progressing at an accelerated pace. Also, recent updates and changes with regards to the Junior Cert reform are a true reflection of the extensive emphasis to further developing one’s knowledge in their subject areas. From enquiring about CPD courses with various teachers over the last few weeks in the staff room I can tell you that there was a mixed bag of opinions on offer. Some teachers tended to evaluate that it is an inconvenience having to do them whilst others would grab any opportunity they could. Interestingly it tended to be the younger staff members who viewed CPD in a positive manner as they looked at it as a chance to develop professionally and add to their CV. This would be essential if they seek to be ambitious in a future where they could potentially see themselves as being head of their subject areas in school. The older staff members were a bit more negative towards CPD practice as they seemed to be happy with current practice and were more reluctant to change. This could be viewed as being too comfortable in one’s environment. Do they fear change and what it could bring about? Do they sense that their skills are being outdated by much younger and enthusiastic teachers who are currently being trained with the Junior Cert Reform in mind? This for me was an interesting aspect of seeing different opinions towards CPD by different age demographics. To conclude it is vital to have an open mind with regards to CPD. After all, “A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a certain set of attitudes” (Millerick, 2015). For me personally I would welcome adding further knowledge in my subject areas. The more employable you are the better chances you have of securing a full-time job. By partaking in various CPD courses you are adding essential tools to your toolkit. Bibliography Petty, G. (2009). Teaching today. 4th ed. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Tichio, D. J. (2012). Greatest Inpirational Quotes. New York: Create Space Independent Publishing Platform. Millerick, K. (2015). You are doing a freaking great job. 225 Varick steet, New York: Workman Publishing Company. The topic I have chosen for this reflection was sparked from staffroom dialogue and a radio talk I happened to be listening to on my way home from school during the week. The topic I have chosen is gender and sexuality. The main topic discussion I will be addressing is ‘gender neutral’ bathroom facilities. From personal experience we can look to our very own GMIT main campus. This is the institutes way of showing that diversity is not only embraced but is supported and respected. I was not surprised to hear that my cooperating teacher, a graduate of UL has said that they have recently implemented the same facilities on UL campus. It is only a matter of time before this is implemented amongst all 3rd level institutions. I could not help but think to myself, are the same kind of measures going to start taking place in 2nd level facilities also? Is there a need for a step this far? Would it even be of any benefit to the school? From my own personal and previous experiences of growing up in a small rural area, such ideas would have been ludicrous only a short few years ago. The schools I attended would have been traditionally characterised as “Catholic, White and Gaelic”’ (Parker-Jenkins and Masterson, 2013). It wasn’t until I attended GMIT main campus that I began to become exposed to various sexualities and trans-genders. It took some getting used to, but it is now a concept I fully accept and support. Luckily, so far from my teaching practice experience, I haven’t had to deal with any homophobic bullying or heteronormativity problems face to face. However, I am aware that there are many gay students and as well as trans students in the school from listening to conversations in the staffroom environment. There is a level of concern to be raised as to what bathrooms these students can/can’t use and it is an issue that has become more and more common in recent years. An interesting point was made by a school colleague in the staffroom as to what would happen if a student were to switch gender in a single sexed school. Do they stay put? Or must they move school? There are a variety of issues that can arise from these matters and it is something that many schools themselves must be feeling the need to implement future provisions to address these issues. One such plan, could be the implementation of gender-neutral bathrooms as witnessed in universities throughout the country. I read that “the field of education is committed to equity and social justice, then teacher education programs must prepare educators to teach gender in more complex ways that take into consideration the existence and needs of transgender people” (Rands, 2009). Such facilities would have to be approved, possibly through a wide range of people. Ones that would come to mind is the Board of management, Teaching staff, students and the parent’s association. Very recently the Department of Education have released guidelines on dealing with transgender students. I urge you to read this recent report from The Irish Times. https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/schools-get-guidelines-on-uniforms-and-toilets-for-transgender-pupils-34406188.html Having discussions and debates like these in with fellow staff members has been an enjoyable experience as part of my placement. Something of which I felt I lacked on last years placement. I hope to further develop my knowledge and interpersonal skills to explore controversial topics with my fellow colleagues and peers. Bibliography Parker-Jenkins, M. and Masterson, M. (2013). No longer ‘Catholic, White and Gaelic’: schools in Ireland coming to terms with cultural diversity. Irish Educational Studies, 32(4), pp.477-492. Rands, K. (2009). Considering Transgender People in Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 60(4), pp.419-431. Most people would agree that the whole purpose of a parent teacher meeting is for the parent/guardian to see how their child is progressing in school. However, in my own opinion, a parent teacher meeting goes above and beyond that. This week as scheduled on Wednesday, we held our parent teacher meetings for our 3rd and 6th year students in Portlaoise College. As I have an affiliation with both year groups (team teaching) I felt a duty to provide input for my cooperating teacher in preparation for the parent teacher meetings.
Meeting with your student’s teacher in a one on one setting is an essential beneficiary for any parent wanting valuable information on how their son/daughter is getting on in that subject area. According to the School Days website they describe it as “a chance for your teacher to learn more about your child in order that you can work together for your child’s success” (SchoolDays.ie, 2018). This presents an opportunity where we the teachers can relay to the parents where their child’s strengths and weaknesses lie, how they are socially integrating with their peers and how to reach their full potential. Often with schools they will not permit student teachers to partake in the parent teacher meetings. With parent teacher meetings the teacher represents the school, it is important that the teacher can represent the school to the best of their ability. Hence it is our duty as student teachers to assist our cooperating teachers with information on how a student is fairing. Thus, it is important to be aware that it is essential to have a summative assessment of a student so that the cooperating teacher can use that grade to gauge the student. Apart from that some teachers may request a short note on the student’s attendance, behaviour and engagement with the content. Often in the staffroom teachers have discussed how important these meetings are with the parents/guardians. Aside from giving feedback to the parents it is also beneficial from a teacher’s standpoint to get a glimpse of the student’s background. What do we do for a student who comes in and never has any homework done and is constantly disruptive? Could it be considered human nature that “teachers are (more) willing to help when they come across a supportive parent.” (Alabi, 2017). With the parent teacher meetings, we can assess whether the parent is supportive of the child’s education at home. Parent teacher meetings can be daunting for new teachers in the field. Thus, it is imperative that you come prepared and keep in mind that both parties are here for the sole purpose of the child’s benefit. Bibliography Alabi, S. (2017, October). Benefits of Parent Teacher Meetings. Retrieved from Shola Alabi: http://www.sholaalabi.com/benefits-of-parents-teachers-meeting/ SchoolDays.ie. (n.d.). Making the Most of Parent Teacher Meetings. Retrieved from SchoolDays.ie: http://www.schooldays.ie/articles/Making-the-Most-of-Parent-Teacher-Meetings |