My PGCE experience

Back to University for 3 weeks, I'm quite excited to see everyone on the course again and see if everyone else had the same problems/ experiences as me !! It's been really nice to have a break over xmas although I have been really Ill for most of it. At least i wasn't that Ill whilst I was on placement.

I found my second week much more relaxing. Last week I was worried about the situation of the school e.g. not wearing a uniform etc. The school works in it's own way, and the pupils have respect for the teachers becuase the teachers have respect for them. Trying to figure out how i will fit into this will be hard but i think will come when i start teaching my own lessons and will be really beneficial to developing my classroom management and teacher persona. This week i have been observing the classes i will be teaching. I feel as if i have settled into the school and now can't wait to start getting teaching. The ICT teachers are all pretty up-to-date with the latest ICT, and teach lessons in web-design and flash which are both passions of mine so it's great that I'll be able to teach them. I also did a web design starter this week on web design which worked really well, the only problem i had was timing. I am team-teaching with my mentor this week for the same class so in my starter and plenary i will be working on my timing.

I started my first day of placement today, theres me in the ICT department then 5 other PGCE students in the school, which will be nice to share my experience and gain support from them. In the ICT dept. there are 4 other teachers, one of them being my mentor Richard. The school is a little different to most schools I've ever been to, the children don't wear uniform,  call teachers by their first name, have no school bell, no staff room and pupils are allowed off premises during dinner time. I didn't get to do any observing today as I had a tour of the school in the morning and there were no ICT lesson going on during the afternoon.

After our mind mapping session with Helen on Monday. I looked into using this software as i think its a really good way to develop not only the pupils but also my idea's. I used a software called CMap to develop my skills . I used the software to plan one of my EPS sessions, i found it really useful as it was an easy way to record and develop my idea's as well as being an organised method of displaying my idea's to other group members. I also think this would be a really useful tool for the pupils to record and develop their ideas or a good class task to use as a starter to a lesson.

 Computers per pupil - 1 PC per 5 pupils
Total number of computers 45 - 5 in each classroom
                                              - 15 in PC suite

All 45 computers are networked and maintained by the ICT co-coordinator, Mrs. Fisher, who is also a classroom teacher.

Hardware available to pupils
- Computers - 45
- Printers- 7
- Scanners - 3
- Smart boards - 8
- Digital camera's - 6
- Laptops available for hire - 5

Software available to pupils

All year groups - complete Microsoft office package
- Audacity
- Paint shop pro - photo X2

Teacher training
Most of the training that the teachers receive is delivered to them by the ICT co-ordinate in staff meetings. NOF training, and CPD training is delivered in these sessions, but all training is done inside school. No outside courses have been attended.

ICT in lessons
The pupils of each year group have a one hour lesson of ICT a week, where they learn basic databases, spreadsheets etc. ICT is also integrated into other subject area's.

Technical support
The school uses the local secondary school ICT technician who assists any problems that the school have, and makes a visit to the school once a month, as well as any additional visits needed to solve any problems.

KS2 National Curriculum implementation
The system has been implemented although some problems have arose from it. The main problem that the ICT coordinator had was not having enough resources to deliver the sessions.

Links with secondary schools
At the moment the school does not have many links with other secondary schools in ICT apart from the ICT technician who come in once a month. They are however looking into making a link with Wales High School, a local secondary school which most of the pupils attend after Y6.

VLE?
The school does not yet have a VLE in place, however they are currently in the process of setting one up. Each pupil does have a personal account to log onto the PCs and the school has a website.

http://www.todwickjandi.org/

Preparation for secondary school
As well as preparing the pupils for the behaviour levels at secondary school, the school also has to make sure that the pupils have a substantial level of ICT knowledge at the end of Y6. The pupils are taught all the basic ICT skills, as well as explaining more complex database and spreadsheet systems. The pupils are also taught how to use multimedia equipment which may be needed in further education.







 

Today was my last day , and i must admitt im really sad. The children bought me some flowers to say thankyou though, which was really nice ! I must admitt it has been a hard week but i've really enojyed it. Today we have done R.E, and two maths assessments this morning. I feel like i have learnt a great deal from this experience and have gained an understanding of what levels the pupils will be at when they get to me in Y7.

Today was the second assembly that i have observed. Yesterday i sat in a news assembly. The pupils watched a video highlighting recent news issues and then answered an interactive quiz online together using the interactive whiteboard. I thought this was a really good way to engage the pupils with current affairs.