Shaking…no trembling. Fidgeting with my fingers as I made my way to the desk. Mouse in hand, I opened the slides. 30 Curious eyes engulfing me.

“Miss? Are you teaching us today?” A Year 9 student asked, her eyes filled with curiosity.

“Yes!” I quipped, plunged back to reality. Feeling a newfound confidence and determination, I began my first lesson as an effective English Teacher at St. Mary’s Grammar School Magherafelt. (See Fig. 1).

Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (See Fig. 2) I will be reflecting on my experience at St. Mary’s Grammar School Magherafelt, consolidating my knowledge and learning how to develop my teaching career further.

Just like any other Tuesday afternoon, the children were tired from a long day of learning and became increasingly unsettled. “Okay boys and girls…” I mustered. Letting out only a whisper. My voice deceived me, but the children didn’t notice. I was the only ‘Teacher’ in the room, so it was up to me to settle the class and squash the chatter. I rose from my desk and stood eagerly in front of the class.

“Everybody…today we are going to learn about spelling, punctuation and grammar…” I tried a second time, but to no avail. So, I decided to use an old trick I had learned on previous placements: The Silence Technique.

I sat at my desk, quiet as a mouse, staring sternly at the back of the room, hands clasped together. One by one, the children hushed and nudged each other, pointing out my actions. When the class became focused, I introduced myself and set out the plan of action for the lesson, using Learning Objectives (LOs).

The Silence Technique enabled me to gain the attention of the students respectfully and quickly without having to raise my voice and alter the classroom environment. This strategy helps students become independent, and allows them to be observant of their surroundings, whilst bolstering self-discipline. I permitted the students finish their thoughts, this cleared their heads and shifted their focus onto me.

I prepared an active-learning exercise for the class: Revision Blockbusters. I knew this would change the fatigued atmosphere. This exercise was a fun take on English language techniques. The children had to get from one side of the board to the other to win, the prize was a packet of sweets each. (See Fig. 3)

Does anyone else remember those lazy Sunday afternoons relaxing and watching Blockbusters on the TV? Watching two teams attempt to make their way across the hexagonal board for the grand prize? Those were the days.

The children became excited when I presented the active-learning activity, many recognised the game show. The lesson was strictly on spelling, punctuation, and grammar techniques. I divided the classroom into two teams, boys (blue team) vs. girls (purple team).

Like the game show, behind each of the Letters, was a question. However, the children had a hint. For example, if a child chose ‘P’, then the answer to the question would begin with the letter ‘P’. (See Fig. 4)

The answer here is Parenthesis. This is a word or phrase inserted as an explanation or afterthought and is usually defined by brackets, dashes, or commas. The children went across the board and answered questions, taking turns. They seemed to really enjoy themselves and became very competitive. I had to ask the class to settle down a few times! The lesson lasted a total of 50 minutes. The boys won; however, the girls were very close. The children thanked me for the lesson, and a few children came to me after the class and apologised for their disrespect at the beginning of the lesson…I couldn’t believe it.

I had never taught a classroom full of children before. Let alone a class full of teenagers! In retrospect, I was incredibly naïve going into my placement. I had only assisted children aged 5-11. I ignorantly thought, how could teenagers be any different? WELL… for one, their attitudes. As lovely as they were, we all know that we used to be a bit temperamental ourselves as teenagers!

I knew there would be a few things that were very unfamiliar to me. It was my first job in a post-primary school. It was initially very nerve-wracking; I had no connections within the school. However, I was and eager to progress my teaching career. The more time I spent with my colleagues and the students, the more welcomed and embraced I felt. I am incredibly proud of myself, as I was able to control the atmosphere of the classroom and be respected by the children. I am only 10 years older than them, their looks of disbelief when I walked into the classroom were understandable. I could maybe pass as their older sister!

If I could, I would go back and change my first impression with the class. My voice breaking when I attempted to introduce the lesson was quite embarrassing and felt unprofessional. However, it was just nerves. Going forward, I will continue to conduct successful lessons with classes, and will compose myself and not allow the nerves to take over.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher and shape young minds. I asked my previous teachers how to go about it and researched the best path to take. I ultimately settled on pursuing an undergraduate degree in English and History and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). In his book, Teacher, Bennett deploys case studies, anecdotes, and humorous illustrations to help teachers reflect on what it means to be a teacher, and why it is the most rewarding profession there is.

Every time I say, “I want to be a teacher,” the response is “they get good holidays!” But that’s not why! I personally believe that teachers are the key to influencing and fostering the next generations, without my teachers I wouldn’t be where I am today. Teaching requires you to think on your feet and make quick difficult decisions. No guidebook can prepare you for that!

During the placement, I quickly realised that teaching is not a typical 9-5 job. You take the work home with you and continue working after set working-hours. At home and during free classes, I would prepare lesson plans, like Revision Blockbusters, so that I was fully prepared to teach and assist students. I understand the pressure and workload placed upon teachers and recognise how hard it is to maintain a work-life balance. However, I found the placement thoroughly rewarding.

As a teacher or teacher-in-training you are a role model to hundreds of children. How you communicate with them will greatly impact them. Even if its positively or negatively. I still remember teachers who told me that I was going to fail. If nothing else, I aspire to do better than them. Students need to know that they are important and cared for, even the smallest gestures make a difference.  Children are so impressionable; teachers can consolidate a child’s learning and better their lives.

My degree in English and History provides a solid academic foundation, with which I tackled the placement with confidence. The course has greatly strengthened my confidence, rhetoric, and presentation skills. My time at St. Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt encouraged me to ponder how I could deliver my chosen subjects in new, exciting, and creative ways. I believe that the Revision Blockbuster presentation did just that. The children were extremely engaged and learned new English language techniques. Securing and completing the placement within the school has bolstered my desire and determination to become a post-primary teacher in Northern Ireland.

The thing is, no two days are the same in teaching. The career is so diverse. Since this lesson, I have taught various other lessons. However, I always think about this one because I was so new to teaching. From now on, I assert confidence when I am conducting a lesson and always know to use The Silence Technique if I need to.

This placement provided me with the confidence to wholeheartedly pursue a career in post-primary teaching. As a result of the Placement, I secured another job as a 1-2-1 Classroom Assistant in St. Patricks College Maghera. I would not have been able to achieve this without the experience I gained at St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt.