Week 3: Professional (27/02/12 - 04/03/12)

It feels strange finally writing about my ‘Professional experience’ in Poznan as it seems like we have been here forever without actually doing any work! This all changed this week as we began our full timetable of classes, including a Saturday class!!!

The old Mental hospital!

Most of our classes are held in an old mental hospital just outside the city centre. I thought this was funny as I have been told in the past that I must be ‘crazy’ to become a primary school teacher! We have enrolled in several classes including; ‘Developing teacher’s critical thinking through educational designing,’ ‘Teaching strategies in early childhood education,’ ‘Education in Poland,’ and an ‘Intercultural workshop.’ I feel that the classes are very different from the ones we experience in Stranmillis as there is a more relaxed classroom atmosphere in Poznan. The lecturers insist on being called by their first name and there seems to be more flexibility in the class schedules. For example, during our first meeting in our ‘teaching strategies’ class, the teacher was going through the syllabus (after she had given us tea and coffee)  and when she was done, she looked at us and said, “No! I’ve changed my mind; there will be no exams or essays for you….. Is that ok?” Needless to say, every pupil in the class nodded their head in agreement. What she wants instead is 100% participation, whether it is in completing tasks or asking questions.

In our class, there are student teachers from all around Europe and it is intriguing to hear about the way their children are taught and the different strategies that are used. Some of these strategies I will definitely be taking home with me and implementing them in my classroom, while others; let’s just say they will not be getting through airport security with me when I go home! We were told by a Turkish student that in her country, if a pupil was talking too much, the teacher would actually take money off them as a punishment. I can’t deny that I didn’t ponder this idea for a split second, but you will happy to hear Laurence that I dismissed the idea just as fast. I don’t feel it would reflect well in my SBW file next year if my evaluation of lessons read; “Lesson went well today, I made a profit of £5.50 from my P.7 class!”

Sharing our teaching strategies!

During one class, we were discussing the advantages and disadvantages of ‘Group work.’ From being taught from the NI curriculum, we are told in the ‘Thinking skills and personal capabilities framework’ that we should encourage the pupils to work together as it in turn leads to problem solving, decision making and being creative. (NI Curriculum, 2007)

However, we were told that in some countries, children are discouraged from working together as they are taught to be more competitive with each other, and that in fact the teachers do not share work or resources with their colleagues as they too are really competitive with each other. This is just one concept that I find strange to comprehend, but I’m sure as the weeks go by, I will learn how take these different opinions (good and bad), and learn how to channel them into effective teaching when I get back home.

We have yet to experience a school first hand, but have been told that we have a meeting with our school teacher this week, so hopefully it won’t be too long before ‘Mr Magee’ enters the building! After doing some research, I have found out that there have been recent reforms in education, and it will be interesting to see first-hand how they work in the classroom.

 The foundations of the National Curriculum reform include the following:

• Compulsory pre-school education for 5-year-olds introduced,

• Pre-school education swiftly followed by school education,

• Lowered schooling age (6-year-olds start primary education),

• 6-year post-primary education combined into one system,

• Minimum 4 years of post-primary school for a complete general education,

• Wide selection of advanced subjects for High School students,      (Herodot.net 2009)

Intercultural workshop...... shame it's on a Saturday though!

Hopefully, the next time I write my professional blog, I will have a lot more information and comparisons to tell you about!

But until then ……. Pá!!!

REFERENCES:

·        www.nicurriculum.org

·        http://www.herodot.net