The Value of Placements
Primary Education student Chloe talks about how invaluable she found her placements during her degree, and a couple of tips on making the most of them.
As I start my third year of the Primary Education course, I’m already preparing myself for my last ever placement as a trainee teacher. Placement is the time I look forward to most in the academic year, as I can apply all the theories and wonderful teaching ideas that I have discovered throughout the year into the classroom. It is my opportunity to build new professional relationships and to grow as a teacher. Through my teaching experiences, I have built a bank of support and resources that have been provided by my mentors and other teaching staff that I have worked with during placements. The time spent in school is vital to becoming a good teacher because it supports you with your own professional development and enables you to reach your personal teaching targets, as well as building lovely relationships with the children and staff.
I have always found placement a demanding and testing time of the academic year, but without it I wouldn’t be prepared for my future career as a teacher. I have been placed in varying ages including, year 6, year 4 and reception. Whilst on placement, you are allocated a set class and mentor, but it is always useful to be resourceful and explore other year groups whilst in the school. For example; during one placement I was allocated year 6, but I also spent time teaching phonics in reception and helping with an art project in year 2 and 3. These opportunities will offer you new experiences and ideas that can be used for future teaching and support your assessment against the Teacher Standards (these are very important).
During our second year, we were given the opportunity to complete a placement in a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school, where we carried out a class, key stage or whole school project. I was lucky enough to be selected as a student to attend a SEND school, and it was the best and most valuable placement I have been on. During this time, I learnt about varying disabilities, some of which I had never heard of, and I developed an understanding of the learning and curriculum that the children work towards. For the project element of the placement, I worked with another student to create a maths and art themed Christmas display (it was December). We created various activities, for a range of abilities, that linked these concepts together, for example making a mathematical pattern using painted sponges, to create wrapping paper for presents. Many of our activities, helped the improvement of some of the children’s personal targets, such as accepting mess or touching different textures. We aimed to make our activity inclusive for all the children as our Christmas work was displayed in the entrance to the school (see pictures below).
As I begin to think about finishing university and starting my career as a teacher, I know that I can continue to grow as a teacher and have the right skills and experience that will support me through my first year as a newly qualified teacher and for the rest of my career.
