My first school observation

Hi everyone

In yesterday's blog I shared my own school going experience, it will help you to understand the things I will write about now. In our course this year it was a requirement to do school observation for two weeks before university starts. We had to arrange with a school ourselves and it was suggested to go to a school different from the one we attended. 

When I was grade 10 we moved from Town 1 to Town 2 which is within driving distance from my high school and university. Reading the requirements, I decided I would try to go do my school observation at a school close to my house. These is a school very close to my house that is very different from the one I attended. The school has about 1260 learners, where I am used to 650. The school was both English and Afrikaans. The learners are coloured and black and travel to school, either by taxis or train. The school doesn't have a hostel like the school I attended, but has different sports that I'm not familiar with. And I also heard that the teachers were mostly white. I decided to go to this school because it was completely different from what I'm use to and it was in a different town so I didn't have a particular stereotype towards the school. It is different, but also not so different as I felt completely comfortable and safe going there. It helped me to get out of my comfort zone.

The school accepted my request to do my observation there and I was very excited for it to start all holiday. But some people had some prejudice towards the school and even asked me if I'm really sure I want to go there. Apparently, this school is a former white school that has change to a coloured and black school over the years. I decided not to listen to these people and do what I want to. 

I didn't know of anyone else who might be doing their observation at that school as well. I was there early on the Monday, the first day of school for the teachers and the learners would arrive on Wednesday. I was the only student there at first. The vice principle came to greet me and took me to the staff room and introduced me to a few teachers. I was told where to sit and that the first two days would be very boring as it was meetings only. I am so glad I saw the first two days as we often forget how much admin goes into teaching. 

The staff made me feel very welcome and answered any questions I had. I was quiet and only observed asking minimal questions. This gave the chance to see which teachers fit where socially and how the staff worked together as a team. I was really impressed and felt comfortable being there every day. There were three other student teachers doing their observation there, but they went about things a bit differently. 

As I became more comfortable with the school and staff, I asked questions and for things to do. We were cutting plastic which would be handed out to learners for them to cover their books with. This school is government funded, meaning many parents can't afford to pay school fees. The school also has a feeding scheme for learners who can't afford food. 

By asking for things to do and asking the right questions at the right time I was quickly given more responsibility. I was asked to give my fellow students things to do, I had to do admin for a register class when the teacher was sick and even later given a class for the day as the teacher was absent.

As a young, white woman the learners watched me. They were very curious about me, but accepted me and talked to me. I found it hard to pronounce their names reading it from a class list which made me feel so bad, but I kept trying and non of them ever laughed at me. 

Disciplining learners were done is some interesting and sometimes unusual ways. Many teachers shouted at learners and had to do it every now and then to keep them quiet and to be listened to. It wasn't very efficient. Other teachers used a little bit of humiliation, giving learners earbuds to clean their ears if they didn't listen. Another young male teacher, would discipline up unto a point and then just couldn't care less if learners were paying attention or not. 

The teacher who had the biggest effect on me, was Mr ML. Learners had to stand in line outside of the class, he would greet them and then they could walk into the class. Learners have to stand until they were told to be seated. The class was arranged in an interesting and practical way. Some tables were grouped together in twos at the side of the class and in the middle of the class the tables were facing each other. The teacher's desk was at the back of the class which makes it possible for the teacher to see exactly what the learners where doing if he sat at his desk and they have work to do. The learners were disciplined carelessly and he never shouted at them. The learners knew never to step out of line but are also not afraid to participate in class discussions. He is the kind of teacher that I aspire to be. 

The worst experience I had at the school was a particular young, white male teacher who unfairly judged me before he got to know me. I never observed his class and he doesn't teach my subjects, but he still thought he could judge me. He told me I'm too soft and won't be able to be a teacher. Reading this, you might think to yourself that might just be constructive criticism. But he continued to tell me that he would actually pay me not to become a teacher. He also shared with me that teaching wasn't what he wanted to be in life. This to me is sad, because people like that shouldn't be in teaching and definitely shouldn't judge people who actually want to be teachers. It bugged me a bit, but I know myself and I'm emotionally old enough to know what I can and cannot do. Mr ML and another teacher kept telling me what a great teacher I will be after spending several hours with me. Moral of this story: Don't let other people's opinion of you define who you really are. 

I am fully aware of the things I'm good with, with regards to teaching, and the things I need to work on. I'm sure I'll become aware of many more things I need to work on and I'm ready for the challenge.

Every day I got home and my parents asked me about my day, I never had anything bad to say about the teachers, learners or school. I enjoyed it so much that I've asked to be placed at this school for my school practical.

I will be going to this school for my school practical in the third term.

Have a great day