Semester Two - Reflections:

Artifact One: Placement Folder.

The artifact that I have chosen is my placement folder as it symbolizes for me my journey of becoming a teacher. I have put a lot of effort into my placement folder to ensure that it is at its highest standard which I feel mirrors my attitude and commitment to becoming a teacher.

This folder is very important to me as it is not only a crucial part of my assessment for this course but it also serves as a form of archive where I can store my lessons and also reflect and see what worked and what didn’t that particular day which as a result enables me to improve and grow as a teacher.

As I continue my journey as a teacher I will continue to put my all into every aspect of this course and continue to reflect and progress towards my goals.

Artifact Two: Sketch of our Ideal Classroom.

The artifact that I have chosen is the sketch of a classroom that we did in our reflective module. In this task, we designed what our ideal classroom would look like and what it would hold.

I really enjoyed this activity because as a student teacher you dream of having and designing your own classroom so to actually map out your dream classroom on paper was very exciting and also motivating as it reminds you how much you want to become a teacher. Also, it reminds you of the things you have to consider when designing a class such as possible safety hazards and assessability to resources.

During the next few years, I feel that my view of my dream classroom will change, however, I am going to keep all of my sketches and hopefully, make them a reality by taking the best aspects of each sketch and apply them to my future classroom.

Artifact Three: Mick's words.

The artifact that I have chosen is a picture of the words Mick created with magnetic letters. During one of my observation days whilst on placement, the teacher asked me would I take Mick to go over his reading and sight words as the resource teacher was absent.

I really enjoyed the time I spent working with Mick that day as I got to practice my literacy skills by helping him with his reading and after that, I isolated a sight word from his book and ask him to read it and then spell it on the whiteboard with the letters.

This was a very beneficial experience for me as I got to know the student and how he works a lot better and now as I plan I can differentiate certain activities to ensure that the learning is tailored to his needs also.

Artifact Four: Literacy Games.

The artifact that I have chosen for this week is an image of a game used to teach/revise connectives with the children in a fun manner.

I really liked this idea as it is a very hands-on way to teach literacy and I feel that it would grasp the children's interests and attention. It is also a very creative and manageable resource that doesn’t require a lot of hassle or room in a classroom which results in easy and effective learner as time would not be lost setting up the room or distributing the resource.

I look forward to using these games in the future and possibly taking some of these ideas and 

adapting them into my own or in different subject fields.

Artifact Five: Special Education Task.

The artifact that I have chosen is the special education task that we did in our Friday workshop. In this workshop, we learned about diagnostic assessment and how to analyze and spot patterns in students work.

This workshop was really beneficial as it demonstrated how easily certain things can glance over and also how specific you must be when observing and commenting on a child's work. I also really enjoyed this workshop as we got to analysis and comment on students work.

This workshop was really effective as it highlighted key aspects of diagnostic assessment and also demonstrated how to use these assessments to then set suitable learning outcomes for those students.

Artifact Six: Life The cycle of a Frog Lesson.

The Artefact that I have chosen is the activity that the children did as a part of my lesson on the life cycle of a frog.

I chose this lesson as it was the lesson that I got my first visit on. I was very nervous at the beginning of the lesson however that quickly went away when I saw how much the children were excited to participate. Overall, I was very happy with how the visit went and the feedback that I gained was all positive.

As I continue with plenty more visits on my path to becoming a teacher I have realized to not be so nervous and also to apply the feedback that has been given to ensure further progress in terms of teaching and learning.

Artifact Seven: Picture of homework.

The artifact that I have chosen is the picture I posted of me working from home as I feel it illustrates the level of commitment required for this course.

I chose this image as it shows how much work is involved in this course and that it doesn’t just end when the college day is over. I took this picture as a representation of the stress we face sometimes on this course and if it wasn’t for our passion that it would be a very difficult course to complete. I also took this picture as a representation of how hard teachers work as sometimes I receive comments that our course is just a “doss” or it's just “childminding”.

Going forward I would like to improve on how I manage the workload and also to make sure to manage the stress of the course a little better.

Artifact Eight: Gaeltacht Trip.

The artifact that I have chosen is a picture of our view when we were in the Dun Lewy Co.Donegal as apart of our Gaeltacht trip.

I really enjoyed our trip to the Gaeltacht as it not only provided a break from our busy schedules but also allowed us to improve and deepen our understanding of the Irish language. This trip also provided the opportunity to get to know new people and gain new friendships which were one of the best parts of the trips as it makes our huge course seem that little bit smaller and less intimidating.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time in the Gaeltacht as I made new friends and got to relax a little but I also feel I have improved my irish and have finally grasped certain grammar rules that I once struggled with.

Artifact Nine: A Card from a Pupil.

The artifact I have chosen is a card that one of the pupils from placement made for me.

I chose this artifact as I feel that sometimes we can forget the impact we can have on the children that we teach. When I received this card it made my year as it was a nice reminder that I was doing a good job and that the children enjoyed my presence in the classroom.

Going forward, my aim is to take a moment in each day on placement and really take in what is going on as I feel sometimes we get caught up in the lessons, we miss the little things that the children say or do.

Artifact Ten: My Exam Timetable.

The artifact that I have chosen is a picture of my exam timetable. I have six exams and they will be starting on the 13^th of May.

I chose my exam timetable as an artifact as this set of exams will be my first set of exams that I will sit in college. I am a bit nervous as I am unsure of what is expected however our lecturers have been quite helpful and have guided us in the right direction.

I am hoping that my exams will go well and that I will learn from this first experience and improve as time goes on.

End of Semester Reflection: My Reflective Journey and How my vision of myself as a teacher has progressed.

It is safe to say that I have had a wonderful year as a student of the B.Ed. programme and have made a huge transition from a secondary school student to not only a college student but to a student teacher working in a professional environment all in the space of a couple of months. 

In this reflection, I will discuss my initial feelings with regards to reflection at the beginning of the academic year and how they have evolved over the course of the academic year. I will also discuss my feelings towards teaching at the beginning of the year and how they have developed throughout this academic year.

Before entering the B.Ed. course, I had never been exposed to reflection in such a way that takes place on this course. I remember being introduced to the idea of “Artifacts” and feeling completely overwhelmed because I didn’t really understand what it was truly like to reflect and form an opinion about something. In the first few sessions of our reflective tutorials, I can recall the words that seemed to greet the air when we were asked to share our thoughts and opinions about something, these words were “I’m not sure if this is right but..”. Looking back now I realise how hard it must have been for us coming from a system where we were given all the answers and it was up to us to remember and rewrite them down on the day to now having to form your own thoughts and opinions on things.

However, it goes without saying that as I am writing this meta-reflection now, I am no longer scared of reflecting or forming my own opinion. I find it truly remarkable how much I have transformed into a self-efficient and reflective college student/teacher who can form her own opinions. When I am evaluating my lessons or forming my artifacts I no longer worry if I am reflecting in the “right way” or wonder if what I am saying is wrong because, during the course of this academic year, I have learned that reflecting is completely personal and unique to you. I have learned that it is not some structure that you must follow but rather stepping stones that allow you to access and evaluate your situation in order to reach your desired goals.

In addition, I have also made remarkable progress in achieving my goal of becoming a teacher. I can recall at the beginning of the year being full of excitement and passion for the journey I was about to embark on. However, I also remember finding certain aspects very daunting such as lesson planning and coping in a professional environment surrounded by very experienced teachers.

With that in mind, I am thrilled to say that at the end of this academic year that excitement and passion that was present in my heart still exists and that I am so glad that I have chosen this profession. In terms of lesson planning, I am no longer overwhelmed with the idea of planning anymore and I have found a structure/style that works for me and I now look forward to teaching the children what I have planned. Furthermore, with regards to coping in a professional environment, I have learned that everyone is happy to help and to pass on what they have learned and any tips they have onto you. 

In conclusion, I feel that I have found my feet with regards to being a Bachelor of Education Student. I also feel my vision of myself as a teacher as progressed as I can now confidently plan and teach my class with ease and be a productive, enthusiastic and professional member of the staff.