Palwasha Shahid

To further explore the teaching role and environment, I have undertaken a variety of placements in different year groups. Completing a full school year placement as a Home Room Teacher at Beacon House School System Main Canal Campus, I was responsible for a range of in-class activities, such as reading, writing, lesson planning ,creative play and one-to-one mentoring. Here I developed my communication skills with children who were just entering education. The reception age group presented a wide range of personalities, levels of structure, obedience and social skills. This highlighted my ability to effectively communicate with children from diverse backgrounds, encouraging positive social skills, and showing reward for achievement required for the next year of learning. Being patient and understanding, was essential to providing effective guidance through tasks children were finding difficult. This long term placement allowed me to evaluate the pupil’s and class progress over a long period of time. Completing this placement confirmed my passion for teaching, feeling a sense of achievement in my role.



Contrasting to reception age, I volunteered for four weeks in year five. This age group presented a myriad of challenges which required alternative communication and creative skills. This experience allowed me to immerse myself in a classroom containing a range of behaviours, levels of intellect and underlying issues which contributed to the learning environment. English as a second language also presented another learning dynamic which reflected the cultural diverse country we live in. I was fortunate enough to observe lesson plans, which requires a high level of understanding of the age group and creativity to best present new ideas and concepts in an interesting way. This experience developed my interpersonal skills, broadened my teaching styles and class management.



During these experiences, I developed and enhanced skills which are important for becoming an effective teacher. My genuine enthusiasm throughout my experience was reflected in my teaching style, where I feel pupils are more likely to learn from those who have a passion for what they are imparting. I have also honed my communication skills with pupils, co-workers and parents, all important figures in the child’s development. Creativity, initiative and organisation are skills which I believe are critical to successful management groups of children. I believe these are core skills to help children develop their confidence and ability, both academically and socially. I thoroughly enjoyed these placements, providing great insight and reinforced my desire to teach.



With my experience of teaching I have gained a deeper understanding of child development and psychology, which has supported my communication skills with challenging classroom behaviours. My knowledge of families, communities and culture allows me to explore different approaches to learning, where I will be able to adapt teaching styles to suit the class learning process. Group projects and presentations have highlighted my teamwork and leadership skills, as well as presenting information in a clear and articulate manner.