As a trainee at Edge Hill University on our Initial Teacher Education ITE programmes, you will complete professional practice placements as a compulsory element of your studies. You’ll have the highest quality preparation and support, with our connections to over 1500 institutions, there are plenty of opportunities.
Third year BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS student Erin McKenna shares her experience from her recent professional practice placement. Erin tells us what she enjoyed the most about her placement, how she has used techniques to manage classroom behaviour and the things she has found the most rewarding.
My placement experience has been incredible. I have met many different people and have gained so many skills in different aspects of teaching. I have had the opportunity to work with wonderful children with a variety of needs and abilities and have enjoyed every second.
The most enjoyable thing about placement is working with children and helping them to understand and grow. I love watching children develop in their learning and it is so rewarding when you can see them progress.
Placements are a vital aspect of a teacher training programme as you learn something new every day. Placements allow for theory to be put into practice and enables trainees to see what a realistic week will look like as a teacher. I have learnt a lot about myself as a teacher on my placements.
I have built good relationships with the pupils in my class by getting to know them and what they enjoy learning about. My teaching style is calm, caring and supportive but I also have great boundaries with the children that allows for mutual respect. I have made learning fun and engaging for pupils by listening to what they enjoy about their lessons. I have planned a range of different lessons, involving practical and outdoor sessions where possible to try to engage the children. All children in my class have responded well to learning outdoors and it has allowed them to be more creative in their learning.
I have established a positive and inclusive environment by creating a calm and caring classroom that values every child and adult as equal. I plan every lesson with all children’s abilities and needs in mind and this ensures that my classroom environment is a positive and inclusive space. During placement I have used silent signals, which has had a positive impact in the classroom. When I want the children’s attention, I put my hand up and all the children know to put their hands up and to be quiet. This has been great for behaviour management as it eliminates the need to shout over the noise in the classroom.
Throughout each lesson, I am assessing the children to see what they have learnt and retained from the session. Through this assessment and through marking the children’s work, I have been able to see what adaptations I need to make for the children for the next lesson. I always make sure that I have a range of different tasks and challenges available for the children to complete when they have finished their work.
I am handling classroom management and behaviour issues in a calm manner. I have followed the school’s behaviour policy and listened to advice from my class teacher. An example of a positive outcome would be when I had to send a child to sit outside the classroom for repeatedly not following my instructions. This child came back to school the next day with a completely different attitude, and they tried extremely hard behaviour and work wise.
During my placement, my behaviour management has improved the most. It has been challenging but I have been able to find techniques that work for me and my class. The most challenging aspect of my placement has been managing my workload and having a good work/life balance. I have spoken to my mentor and class teacher and they have given me advice on how to tackle this issue. I have tried to overcome this by prioritising tasks and giving myself time to relax and recharge.
I have positive and professional relationships with colleagues and I am building these relationships by being kind and offering to help with anything that I can. I am respectful of my colleagues and treat everyone as equal. I am building good relationships with parents by being present at school drop off and pick up. I have spoken to numerous parents and have listened to any concerns regarding their children. I have also been able to give positive feedback to parents about their children.
The most rewarding thing about placement is watching the children improve in their confidence and their progression in their learning. One child was struggling in their maths and when they understood the lesson, their attitude to their learning completely changed and their confidence shone through. The next day, they were delighted to see that their work had been ‘tickled pink’, which meant that they had achieved the learning objective.
Erin McKenna
BA (Hons) Primary Education with QTS
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November 13, 2024
