As I mentioned previously in the Preparing for Teacher Training post it's a good idea to get some work experience in a classroom environment. This post will detail some of my work experience. For privacy reasons I shall not be disclosing any details that may identify the individuals or schools concerned.
A day in secondary school:
I decided it would be beneficial to spend the day shadowing a secondary science teacher so I rang one of the local schools. I ended up speaking to the head teacher on the phone and explained that I was due to begin a PGCE course shortly and would like to spend the day with one of the science teachers. She took my details and passed them on to one of her science colleagues who rang me back at the end of the school day. The science teacher, also one of the assistant heads, agreed that I could visit the following week. I'll refer to this senior teacher as my mentor for the day.
The day arrived and I turned up at the school reception at about 8.45 am. I introduced myself to the head teacher who happened to be in reception at the time. After a short wait my mentor arrived and I introduced myself. We walked and talked on our way to the yard to let the children in for their first lesson of the day. Being a school close to my home I was aware of some issues affecting the system of education in the area. At the yard I was introduced to a few more teachers and engaged in general chit chat.
The morning session began with registration. I sat at the back of the class as my mentor took the register. Within a few minutes children were queuing outside the lab for the first lesson of the day. I can't remember the exact order of the lessons that day, but I remember that I observed the teaching of pupils in years 7, 8 and 9. During the day I observed my mentor delivering lessons about forces and motion, classification of animals and food chains.
The lesson about classification of animals was quite animated, with my mentor seizing the opportunity afforded by the good weather to disappear outside on a bug hunt. The children had key sheets, which allowed them to classify any insects that they found in the foliage of the school grounds. I gave a hand identifying some of the more unfamiliar insects that the children encountered.
Some of the older children were given the task of designing rockets for Science Week and had a chance to test them on the yard. There was a wide selection of different rocket sizes and shapes - some were doomed to failure by virtue of their sheer bulk whereas others, made with smaller bodies, did temporarily get off the ground.
At lunchtime I took up the offer of a meal in the school dining room. As we walked towards lunch my mentor joked at the quality of the food. The actual meal was very much as I remember school dinners when I was a pupil - stodgy and filling. It didn't actually taste too bad.
The afternoon session arrived and the first activity was assembly, which focused on administration for the upcoming sponsored walk.
The lessons in the afternoon were with pupils from the same year groups as earlier in the day. They were also working slightly off-timetable and making rockets for Science Week.
I left at the end of the school day a little wiser about how a science teacher balances their work, deals with behavioural issues and copes with mixed ability groups. A worthwhile day.
A day in secondary school:
I decided it would be beneficial to spend the day shadowing a secondary science teacher so I rang one of the local schools. I ended up speaking to the head teacher on the phone and explained that I was due to begin a PGCE course shortly and would like to spend the day with one of the science teachers. She took my details and passed them on to one of her science colleagues who rang me back at the end of the school day. The science teacher, also one of the assistant heads, agreed that I could visit the following week. I'll refer to this senior teacher as my mentor for the day.
The day arrived and I turned up at the school reception at about 8.45 am. I introduced myself to the head teacher who happened to be in reception at the time. After a short wait my mentor arrived and I introduced myself. We walked and talked on our way to the yard to let the children in for their first lesson of the day. Being a school close to my home I was aware of some issues affecting the system of education in the area. At the yard I was introduced to a few more teachers and engaged in general chit chat.
The morning session began with registration. I sat at the back of the class as my mentor took the register. Within a few minutes children were queuing outside the lab for the first lesson of the day. I can't remember the exact order of the lessons that day, but I remember that I observed the teaching of pupils in years 7, 8 and 9. During the day I observed my mentor delivering lessons about forces and motion, classification of animals and food chains.
The lesson about classification of animals was quite animated, with my mentor seizing the opportunity afforded by the good weather to disappear outside on a bug hunt. The children had key sheets, which allowed them to classify any insects that they found in the foliage of the school grounds. I gave a hand identifying some of the more unfamiliar insects that the children encountered.
Some of the older children were given the task of designing rockets for Science Week and had a chance to test them on the yard. There was a wide selection of different rocket sizes and shapes - some were doomed to failure by virtue of their sheer bulk whereas others, made with smaller bodies, did temporarily get off the ground.
At lunchtime I took up the offer of a meal in the school dining room. As we walked towards lunch my mentor joked at the quality of the food. The actual meal was very much as I remember school dinners when I was a pupil - stodgy and filling. It didn't actually taste too bad.
The afternoon session arrived and the first activity was assembly, which focused on administration for the upcoming sponsored walk.
The lessons in the afternoon were with pupils from the same year groups as earlier in the day. They were also working slightly off-timetable and making rockets for Science Week.
I left at the end of the school day a little wiser about how a science teacher balances their work, deals with behavioural issues and copes with mixed ability groups. A worthwhile day.