My PGCE experience

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.

Everything was back to normal again today as bike ability had finished and all the pupils passed :) so they were all over the moon ! I went in assembly to observe the behaviour in that ! The pupils had a warning about behaviour in assemblies yesterday and as Y6 went to leave they ran out ! So i made them practising leaving assembly quietly in their break ( how mean am i ) !! We also did another test so more marking for me ! Then we did art this afternoon , Art was always a subject i loved so it was really nice to help the students with it and some of them produced some really nice pieces and were really grateful to me for helping them, which made me smile ! I also ran a street dance class after school, loads of pupils came from the classes i taught PE on Tuesday , which must have meant they enjoyed it, and the head teacher wants me to continue to do the class every week. Quite sad that tomorrow is my last day though !!

1. House teams - The school had 4 house teams which combined different children from different years. If a child achieved a special achievement they would get one team point.

2. A set of school rules were in place as well as each class having a pledge which they decided together.

Whilst working in a Y6 class. i have noticed some important strategies.

1. The class has a raffle ticket system - Any one who deserves praise recieves a raffle ticket. They write their name on the back and place it in a box on the teachers desk. At the end of every week the raffle tickets are counted and the pupil with the most raffle tickets takes home a huge bar of dairy milk.

2. Table of the week - Every Friday Mrs. Oxley chose the table which had behaved the best throughout the week to be table of the week- this meant that the whole week after the pupil recieved a trophy which they kept on their desk and got to go out to playtime and dinner before the rest of the class.

3. When entering and before leaving the classroom the pupils had to stand behind their chairs until Mrs. Oxley said they could either sit down or leave the room.

4. Any pupils that were doing as they were asked not to stayed in at playtime - no negotiation

5. When the class were doing subjects which involed physical movement (e.g. P.E or art) if the pupils messed around they would pack the equipment up and have a lesson on the importance of listening.

6. When the pupils were not directly learning (e.g. register) they had a book in their draw to read and at the end of the week in literacy they would review the book.

Today i took a maths lesson. As the class were in two halfs i watched Mrs.Oxley take the class in session 1 then i delivered the session in session 2 , it was all about ordering decimals, which consited of an activity on the board then working from a book to answer questions. Most of the pupils were struggling at the start but at the end of the session were all pretty confident with them which was such a nice feeling. In the afternoon they were taking maths tests so whilst monitoring them i got to do some marking. At first i found it quite fun but after marking 29 papers, had kind of had enough of it !!

Today i ran 3 P.E sessions, i took Y4, 5 and 6 sessions. I was kind of dreading it as i didn't know if the pupils would be very well behaved as i know how giddy they can get during PE but they were really enthusiastic and seemed to really enjoy it. I used warm up and cool down tasks that i have learnt through my dance training and they got really into them. I've also been asked to run an after school street dance class on Thursday which should be fun. Y6 were especially well behaved as they got sent back from their PE lesson yesterday for not behaving, so i guess i got an easy job of it. I think what i learnt most today was how to control the pupils after an energetic activity. I found the best way wasn't too shout. My class teacher told me to blow the PE whitsle and count to 3 out loud, this really worked and the class were silent before i got to 3.

Today was a really interesting first day. The class 6 pupils are taking part in bike ability which means we have the class in two half's. Today i got to take half of the class in a science lesson. We learnt about healthy eating and made 2 restaurant menus, one healthy and one unhealthy. I couldn't resist getting the pupils to do these on a computer as the computer suite was free. I taught them how to make a leaflet in publisher rather than on an A4 sheet and they all really loved it and were really proud of what they had done.
             Another interesting part of the day was a PE class. As the pupils are new to their Y6 teacher she is trying to prepare them for High School, and majorly discipline them. We got up to the hall to start and she had to ask them three times to line up against the wall, on her third attempt she made them pack away the stuff, get changed into their school uniform and go back to the classroom to write an A4 page on how important it is to listen to the teacher. This was a really effective managment technique as they know know not to mess around in PE for the whole year or else they will pack away.

I am carrying out my primary school placement at Todwick Primary School. The school has around 208 pupils and i will be working with a Y6 class which has 29 pupils for the week. During this time i hope to gain a greater understanding of what knowledge of ICT the pupils will already have before i will begin to teach them in Y7. As well as understand the way primary schools work and the routine that the pupils will already be in.