It’s the end of my first full week of ITE (Initial Teacher Education) and I have really enjoyed it. Having signed up to two courses - Mathematics and Computing - there are a few repetitions but that is to be expected.
This week I’ve been re-introduced to “A Curriculum for Excellence” and LT Scotland, having studied them and their resources for my interview way back in March. Both of these have resurfaced across the week in discussions in classes, and will probably continue throughout the year.
As far as the subjects are concerned, we’ve started at the beginning in with 5-14 and Standard Grade Guidelines, even having a go at some sample exam papers. I won’t tell you how successful I was…!
The RE class has been an eye-opener as, having attended a non-denominational school, I was unaware of the true role of RE in Catholic state schools and what is expected of Catholic certified teachers. This may be a challenge for me and my somewhat lapsed faith, but one I am prepared to face up to.
Yesterday I was disappointed - though not surprised - at the standard of PowerPoint presentations. I suppose that, as I had spent four years receiving presentations by IT professionals, I had become accustomed to good PowerPoint practice. Two talks by teachers seconded to government departments highlighted different failings in their presentations.
The first speaker’s slides were all far too busy with background images and picture frames around an overkill of text and bullet points. The second speaker tried too hard with gimmicks like animations; specifically one where four web pages are animated then reduced to all fit on one slide. She also used a wireless remote to change the slides, even though she stood beside the laptop for her entire talk.
These “personal touches” distract the audience from the subject matter and what the speaker is attempting to address. I found the following video on YouTube that highlights the misuse of PowerPoint.
This morning I had an interview at the University of Glasgow for a place on the Postgraduate Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in Secondary Maths. I’m pleased to announce that I was offered a place, pending completion of a top-up course, to join the course in August!
