My
primary school, located in my hometown’s picturesque rural village, was the
perfect start to an intense ITT year in York. Surrounded by a twelfth-century
Church, grazing goats, and lively lambs, my school compelled a feeling of
community and familiarity. As I shook the hands of my previous Year 6 teacher
and my former Year 4 teacher, I immediately felt at home – what a great first
feeling before two weeks of little faces and very, very hard work!
For the
benefit of my PGCE in secondary education, I was placed in the Year 6/5 group –
a class amounting to thirty pupils. I was immediately impressed, albeit shocked,
by their independence and ability to concentrate in their RRR time (Review,
Reflect, Respond), History, and Maths. I deliberated whether this was a result
of class mixing – a method increasingly employed in primary schools – or a
result of the 6 ft 5” teacher dominating the classroom. As I reflected on Mr H’s
excellent classroom management, as well as his positive relationship with each
and every pupil, I came to the conclusion that it was both! I immediately
perceived that the enthusiasm and encouragement projected throughout the
classroom was the reason the children became engaged in learning. Mr H’s clear
and instructive lesson plans and reassurance that each pupil would achieve
something new that day, was the reason the children’s attention was retained. On
the other hand…
…There
was Class 4/3! As I had previously worked in a Year Six classroom for ten weeks,
I decided some experience with younger students would add to my collection of
experience in education – and didn’t it just! Within half a day I had been
promoted from helper and observer to Teaching Assistant. Unlike the older pupils
in the school, the children in lower Key Stage 2 were in desperate need of
guidance and extra support. Personally, I have limited experience with SEN(D)
pupils, so the demand placed on me by pupils working well below average and in
need of constant attention was undoubtedly my greatest lesson from my primary
school placement. I was asked to deliver a lesson to a sub-group in maths and
guided reading, which were really rewarding experiences. The guided reading
group in particular thoroughly enjoyed having the attention they would otherwise
lack without additional classroom support – this taught me a great lesson about
the value of extra support in a classroom. Mrs S had asked me to lead a reading
discussion with the use of questions about their book; however, I realised their
attention was wavering and their motivation was dire. Rather than dictate
questions, I asked the pupils to question one another, using the cue cards I had
been given. Every pupil immediately livened up, learned effectively, and
smothered me with cuddles in excitement as they progressed as learners! The
reading group taught me my greatest transferable skill; pupils of lower
abilities respond positively when they feel responsible for their own learning.
Over
the next week I had numerous flailing arms thrown around my legs as the pupils
burst with pride at their achievements. I think it’s safe to say in those two
weeks I received more cuddles than in all my twenty-two years on this planet –
what an inspiring start!
Alex Barraclough, York PGCE Partnership 2013-14
