Emily Briody
Evaluations and Assessment strategies that I used while I was out on my Teaching placement
My Experience in Cnoc Mhuire, Granard
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Overall, I had a lovely experience in Cnoc Mhuire, and I gained plenty of knowledge. This being my second block placement, I came into this school with experience and confidence that I gained from my previous block placement Kylemore. I got on very well with staff in Granard, having observed 10 classes between single and doubles, theory and practical, I got to pick up different teaching strategies that I felt would work well in the art room. A well-established woodwork and construction teacher Mr Dawson who has been teaching for nearly 40 years, told me after I observed his class that it teaching should all start off with “building a relationship with the student first”, being a practical teacher, he was saying that the woodwork room like the art room should also be a place for the students to be able to “socialise with each other and problem solve”. This class gives students a chance to excel in the subject who may be weaker in other areas. I felt very privileged to be able to observe his class as he has had nearly four decades of experience teaching.
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I got on very well with my host teacher. She was very good to me and so grateful to have me as she never had a student teacher in taking most of her classes, she used to love hearing my ideas and what I would do instead when it came to planning. I brought in a new energy into the classroom that she found gave the students new ways of seeing. I was able to get the students to open up to new ideas such as stop motion etc. I wanted to make my lessons interactive that involved group activities. Every Friday my host teacher would come back to me at break time after I had a double first year class with a takeaway coffee (mocha) from the local coffee truck, I used to appreciate this so much as I would always have a busy double class which could involve clay, painting, stop motion etc. The art teacher knows I love coffee as well as herself and it was a nice way to end the week on a Friday.
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I’m going to miss Granard a lot, as it was a lovely community and I started to feel very comfortable as the weeks went on as I grew as a teacher. I was asked by my host teacher to come back to do the Creative Engagement programme with the 5th years in February as an artist, so I’m planning on doing puppetry with them as I absolutely enjoyed making puppets last year in Kylemore College. This programme encourages students’ creativity, initiative and expression so it was a pleasure to be asked to come back as an artist to do puppetry with the 5th years as part of the Creative Engagement Programme in February.
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I also got to make friends with other final year and PME students who are on placement too. I got to go on staff evenings out, lunches and parties so I really felt like I fitted in and I know I’ve made a close bond with one of the student teachers Olivia, who I know I will be lifelong friends with. We share an awful lot in common such a failing our driving test numerous times and have the same way of going on. I’m going to really miss my lunch time chats with the people I got on best with.
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Overall, I had an enjoyable ten weeks in Granard and have learned lots and have definitely gained a lot of new skills that will stand to me in the next school I go into.
My Experience in Kylemore College
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I had a very enjoyable time in Kylemore College, I am so happy there that I haven’t left it yet, I’m working with students who need extra help with their learning and handwriting for the last few weeks. I always have a smile on my face leaving that school each day and its rare that I wouldn’t. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
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My host teacher Sandra Demsey is an amazing tutor, giving me all the help and support I needed throughout my placement, I taught lessons that I never thought I would get through such as puppetry. She was a phenomenal mentor, giving me plenty of advice on the use of ceramics as she studied ceramics in college, this opened me to be able to give it a try and experiment with it. I have gained so much experience during my 11 weeks, working with students from all year groups, working with students who need extra help with their learning and I even have a handwriting club every Friday morning.
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Supervising classes has definitely given me much more confidence, when walking into classes that I have not taught in before, I feel much more competent in myself as I have to prepare work for the classes that I am given.
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I was also given the opportunity to go to the Creative Launch at the National Gallery with the camera club in the school, the students were extremely chuffed to meet and take pictures of ministers such as Norma Foley. It was a very special day with the students, I felt I got to build a lovely rapport with them throughout the day.
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I feel walking out of the school, I have made friends for life, the teachers are so lovely, it almost feels like a family, I’ve been brought on nights out with them a couple of times throughout my placement. The staff in general are so wholesome, walking into the staff room for my lunch and tea, I never feel odd, I feel I can sit anywhere, I can be myself and chat away to any of the staff members. I’ve been included from the very start.
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Since the school that I’m in is a music school, it is open until 9pm during the week, I found this great, as I could spend time working on my visual aids in the art room and I could use the computers in the prep room to work on my planning, I would be in the school till around 7:30pm the majority of the time. The music teachers used to laugh at how dedicated I was, sure I was like part of the furniture. I got to know a lovely girl the same age as myself, who teaches music part time, now we’re buddies!!
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The students there are very special, they are all so talented in their own way. I felt that the students have put in their best effort no matter what, although there were times I found it challenging to get work out of certain year groups, but they managed to make up for it at the end. In general, the students in the school are very helpful, “Miss is there anything you want me to do for you?” I think it's very sweet of them. One of my first years on my last day of teaching gave me a gift bag with a drawing of me, a box of Lindt and a lovely card saying how thankful he is that I taught lino to him. I actually got emotional when I saw him coming with the lovely gift, I was not expecting it. I never thought that some of the students would be very appreciative of what I teach. I just thought to myself, “This is how I know I’m doing something that I love”.
My Experience in St David, Artane
School Placement
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All of the students were very well-behaved and enthusiastic. They were very eager to learn and ask questions.
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As the weeks went on, Ciara and I grew in confidence. We both developed our own unique way of teaching.
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Collage was a great process for the whole class to partake in, students with low technical drawing skills were of the same standard of work than more confident art students in the class.
EBI
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We could have used the observational and tonal drawings for the student’s final collage, which would have linked all lessons together more efficiently.
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Introducing the concept of a notebook would of develop student’s critical awareness more, rather than individual evaluation sheets each week.
Mentoring
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Each class we covered a different lesson, but they all connected very well
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We made sure that the class was extremely interactive. Students with additional needs in the class responded well to this. Overall, it helped keep attendance regular each week.
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Adapting stations in the class worked well. Team teaching worked really well with this, and students enjoyed having choice to choose which activity they wanted to do that day.
EBI
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It would have been better if we had more time to do art club, as I felt we were tight on time when it came to clean up.
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Introducing embroidery or printing to decorate the accordion book covers would have allowed students to have more personal outcomes.