Hi all, hope everything is going well for everyone!
I now have been given my timetable for next year which details when my school days are, uni days (both at the uni, and locally - my uni is nearly 2.5 hours drive away so for our alliance they come to us to do most of the lectures - infact I only visit the uni itself 4 times in the whole year. The rest of the lectures are held in a conference room in my local town). The timetable also shows our (TBC) assignment dates, when we can expect to be observed (within a 2 week period), and exactly when our second placement will be.
It feels good t be so organised, but also scary as it makes it really real?!
When offered my school placement, I was also offered to move across to the school to begin working there this term in order to get a better feel for the school and get my head in with all the procedures and methods and what not that they use. I will be in a SEN school and will be salaried so will need to really hit the ground running when I come in in September!
I started there on Monday, which was an inset day, so was a bit daunting and a bit over my head, but yesterday I spent the day in a classroom with children aged 5-8, and today I was actually in a Year 9 only class - classes are often mixed year groups due to the needs of the children. It looks like I may spend a few weeks in Year 9 to temporarily cover for an experienced TA who is leaving. I also experienced my first 'incident' today. As the children all have a form of ASD, behaviour meltdowns/explosions can occur frequently. I am recieveing training in the half term of how to physically intervene!! Today one of the Y9 boys had an episode where he got frustrated and couldn't handle it and ended up pinning the teacher in her chair threatening her, threw numerous chairs across the class and tipped tables etc etc. Luckily the staff were amazing and dealt with it so well, and I picked up on so much and even played a valuable role in diffusing the situation. It was scary, but also realistic of whats to come and puts me in a good place knowing what to expect at times.
Anyway, I am waffling on! Hope you are all having a lovely evening x