So today was the day. My first real “teaching episode” being observed by a real teacher and being written up to put in my file. I was so, so scared. But it turned out OK. I knew I talked too quickly – I always do when I’m nervous because I worry I’ll run out of time!
One of our first lectures at university was about pupil assessment. The one thing I remember from that lecture is to never ask pupils who have their hands up. They’re the ones who know the answers – you know it and they know it. You need to find the pupils who (think they) don’t know the answer and prise it out of them. But I had to resort to the “hands up” approach half way through my starter because the whole class just started shouting answers at me! But then the same people kept putting their hands up, and I couldn’t select individuals to answer questions because I didn’t know their names and it’s rude to point.
Nothing awful happened, I didn’t teach them any rubbish and it all went OK-ish. Apart from me being too short to reach the top of the interactive whiteboard! But I guess that was always going to be the case. I don’t think even six-inch heels could help me!
I spoke to David after the lesson and he said he was impressed – it was good for a first ever teaching spell! He picked up on the “hands up” thing and said that whilst he could understand I didn’t want to keep asking the same pupils for the answers, I have to do whatever it is my tutors want me to do to get QTS!
I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I really enjoyed it. I also like telling people off in a really sarcastic manner too, I discovered. Yesterday, a group of Year 12 boys weren’t working and I said to them, “Wow, that’s incredible – you can answer questions from the textbook without having it open!” They sheepishly opened their books after that.
On a different note, I’d like to congratulate my boyfriend on the birth of his niece. Love to all the family, especially the new parents 
Posted by penglet 