Log Twenty Six: Task 4A – Professional Inquiry Questions (Part Two)

Q1. "How does a special education needs learning support assistant (SEN LSA) impact a child’s learning development inside and outside the classroom?"

Q2. "Why is it important to identify a child going through a transition? And how does it affect their development?"

Q3.  "How does praising a child’s effort and success help others focus on what they are good at?

Q4. "Why is it important to be consistent about classroom rules when promoting positive behaviour?"

Log Twenty Five: Task 6D – Delicious

http://www.delicious.com/mpicard1990

Log Twenty Four: Task 5A - Codes of Practice

Having read Reader 5 on Professional Ethics I found this to be an interesting task. I found it easier to brainstorm the codes of practice I saw at my place of work.

My initial thoughts, having evaluated my own performance on a random day, I considered how I could improve certain aspects such as ensuring children do not think that their need is greater than others. As I have mentioned  in Log Twenty Four: Transitions  the child I work with has a lot of behavioral ‘obstacles’ and sometimes would interrupt the whole class just to be heard. I will develop this thought process and expand on it in my professional inquiry proposal. Thanks for reading.

Log Twenty Three: Transitions

As an SEN LSA in a primary school I am working one to one with a child who has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and for me I always go through everyday transitions. I go through a state of mind where I know that I have to slow down my speech for SEN children that will take what you say literally. When a child starts at a new school midway through term, it’s teacher and LSA’s responsibility to identify the transition of moving schools because of a special circumstance e.g. bullying in old school, parents being divorced, new family member. Recently, I have been able to identify numerous children going through different transitions that could affect their educational development so to counter this we encourage a child going through a transition to build positive relationships with their peers. I hope to touch more on this in my inquiry proposal. Thanks for reading. 

Log Twenty Two: Independent Learning

In my primary school we work very hard to develop independent thinkers through teaching. Within my role as an SEN LSA I have been able to identify independent learning in the classroom. The class teacher has given every child a ‘job’. We have jobs for the following:

·         Answering the telephone

·         Sharpening pencils

·         Register monitors

·         To count how many children are in after the register is taken

·         To turn on the lights

·         To turn off the lights

·         Handing out books

I believe this encourages the children learn independently as well as taking ownership and responsibility with something within the classroom. I feel that providing children with opportunities develops their independent learning helps build their self confidence and positive relationships with their peers. This video clip shows the ‘the ethos of independence’ at a primary school. Thanks for reading & watching.

http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Independent-Learners-A-Classroom-Approach-Primary-6084061/

Log Twenty One: Task 4D – Award Title

I have acknowledged that due to my strong passion of working with children at my primary school I have been able to learn about different teaching styles and how children react to them. I have identified the area of ‘inclusive teaching and learning in primary education’ to be my main focus. In the capacity of a special education needs learning support assistant (SEN LSA) I am able to maintain and support the inclusive teaching in school. The valuable experience I am gaining will help me with my chosen career path as a primary teacher. Therefore I am proposing my award title to be the following:

BA (Hons) Professional Practice (Arts) of Inclusive Teaching and Learning in Primary Education

Thanks for reading.

Log Twenty: Task 4A – Professional Inquiry Questions (Part One)

Having reflected on issues which have emerged in school has led me to question how a professional in the education sector would analyse their own performance. I plan to ask, record and critically reflect upon and share my thoughts through blogging. The following questions are ones I have decided to ask professionals inside my education network:

Q1. "How does a special education needs learning support assistant (SEN LSA) impact a child’s learning development inside and outside the classroom?"

Q2. "Why is it important to identify a child going through a transition? And how does it affect their development?"

Q3.  "How does praising a child’s effort and success help others focus on what they are good at?

Q4. "Why is it important to be consistent about classroom rules when promoting positive behaviour?"

Thanks for reading.

Log Nineteen: Protocol Education

As I mentioned in Module Two – Principles of Professional Inquiry I am currently working for Protocol Education. Protocol Education is a teaching recruitment agency for which schools across the UK use as a resource and increasing their networks. Within my role at Protocol Education I am placed with a consultant whose role is to help me find work at a primary school. I am currently working at a primary school in Essex within the role of a Special Educational Learning Support Assistant (SEN LSA).

As part of my role as a SEN LSA I am tasked with looking after a child who finds it difficult to follow instructions. At the end of each day I am constantly evaluating my own performance of what I could have done differently and how I can improve. Many questions have started to emerge during my time there. 

Thanks for reading.

Log Eighteen: Module Two – Principles of Professional Inquiry

After taking a break from my studies and having read Reader 4 on Developing Lines of Professional Inquiry I am interested in developing my critical thinking and understanding the thought process of how a teacher plans, adapts and reflects upon their lesson planning and use of teaching/learning support assistants through my work with Protocol Education. Through different methods of observing, actively taking part and recording I will be able to start my professional inquiry. 

Thanks for reading.