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.
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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 |