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My Children
Over the years, I've worked with many different groups of children and young people. It all began with Sunday School, where for some reason the children liked me, and so I helped run it with my Dad and Sister for a few years (pretty much as a progression from attending it!).
From the age of about 13, since filling out one of those job things at school which bombards you with crazy jobs you're suited to, I wanted to become a primary school teacher. (About a third of the crazy jobs I was suited to were teaching!!) Anyway, I did my A-levels with this in mind, and then embarked upon a BEd Primary Maths course at Newman College in Birmingham. I have many happy memories of the children I taught, and often wonder how they are doing now :)
For my first year teaching practice, I was placed in the reception class (ages 4 and 5) of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Nechells... a rough area! The kids were great though, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Many different issues were covered such as a death in the family of one of the children. There was also a child who had come from a special nursery with speech difficulties. It didn't take long to learn that the longer you spent with him, the easier he became to understand! :)
My second year teaching practice was where it started to go wrong for me. I was placed in the Year 1 class (ages 5 and 6) of Manor Way Primary School in Halesowen. Halesowen is a well-off area, so naturally the kids were brilliant there too, but as hard as I tried, I didn't succeed. The fact that I was without a 'partnership tutor' (who helps you with planning etc.) for the majority of my time there didn't help. Anyway, I left Manor Way in the middle of the teaching practice, with barely a photo of my children :(
I was going to give up teaching right away, but decided I'd wanted it for too long, and so gave it another chance. Easter break arrived, and I helped at St. Mary's Church of England School back in Mildenhall for the time it was open over my holiday. (The head teacher is a friend who goes to my church, and was only too pleased to help.) I worked with one of theYear 2 classes, and found the teacher really helpful towards me. Although I was only there a week, I still have fond memories of the children I taught :)
After Easter, I was placed in another Year 2 class, in Howley Grange Primary School, again in Halesowen. This time I had a partnership tutor to help me get through. I was to have a short practice of 2 or 3 weeks there, which at the time I didn't feel was long enough, but I tried. That practice was cut short too as I couldn't cope with it all. The teacher (who was also the deputy head) whose class I was teaching was worried about me, sat me down, and persuaded me to give teaching a break. I didn't want to, but knew it was for the best. My final farewell was said to the children I loved at their Summer Fete the following day. They were glad to see me, and I was glad to be able to see them for the last time in such a relaxed atmosphere where I gained many happy photos of the children :)
Then followed a period of uncertainty. The first thing I did was sort out all my teaching resources.. not that I was likely to use them again, but I wanted those which could be of use to be in the 'right' order. I had absolutely no idea where my life was headed for about 18 months. I decided to concentrate on gaining my degree, which changed to a BEd Studies Primary Maths (-the same degree without the teaching bit). I also decided to work with Special Needs children, as I believed it to be rewarding and worthwhile.
Whilst my friends did their final teaching practice in the third year, I went into Uffcolme Primary school, which deals mainly with autistic children. I worked with children of all years and ages, before deciding to concentrate on Year 2, so I could compare that environment to the one I had encountered in Year 2 classes in mainstream schooling. (It was the project I chose to do in order to make up for the part of the degree I was lacking.) I enjoyed working with all the children throughout the school. Since giving up teaching, I had learned to relax more around children. This 'relaxation' increased during my time at Uffcolme. If you are stressed, the children can sense that to a greater degree, and it aggitates them. I really did enjoy my time working with the children, and was sad when the time came to leave them :*(
Also during my third year at Newman, I was put on the rota at St. Boniface church (where I attended) to help with creche. I had no intention of working with under 3's (as they were in the main), but they were very accepting of me and I loved it when it was my turn to do creche!!
In the forth year, we were to do a school focused project. I decided, as the time in school was scheduled to begin as soon as the college year did, that I would stay at home for those few extra weeks, and work at Riverwalk Primary School nearby in Bury St. Edmunds. It was another special school dealing with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, but covering a greater range of differences in the children than the autistic spectrum. Again I worked with Year 2 children, but also split my time with Year 6. (I had lost my fear of upper primary school children whilst at Uffcolme!!) This time my project dealt with learning maths through play. Since play is a more central part of special school life than mainstream, I decided I should be able to gather enough evidence during my time there. It proved to be another rewarding experience, as I worked closer with individual children. There are many faces I will never forget :)
With all school experiences completed, and still no certain future, my personnal tutor, Senga, decided it was time to have a chat to me. She pointed out I could never be more than a classroom assistant with special needs children, and although that didn't bother me, I decided to explore my career options once more...
Another computer analysis of my strengths and skills later, and I decided youth work was for me! The careers officer adviced me to get involved with the youth group at St. B's (my church in Birmingham) to gain some experience. I wasn't too keen on this though. (No offence if you're reading this guys!!!) For some strange reason unknown to me, I decided to gain experience working with the YMCA. Senga persuaded me to act fast as the Christmas holidays were approaching, so I called the YMCA in Bury St. Edmunds, and after meeting me, they offered to let me work with them during the holidays :)
Bury St. Edmunds hosts a small YMCA consisting of 23 lodgings. During my time there, I gained general experience working in the office. There was a lot of contact with the young people (who were aged 16 - 29) dealing with everyday issues such as rent payment and the benefits they were intitled to though. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and given the opportunity to meet with some of the residents once more, I would return! :)
When I returned to Birmingham after the Christmas holiday, I contacted Northfield YMCA nearby, where I was put in touch with the youth worker employed there. After inviting me to join them one club evening, he too offered to allow me to gain experience. The young people, mainly 14 year old Afro-Carribean males, were sceptical about me sticking with them. I thought they were brilliant though, and continued to turn up to the growing club evenings twice a week until after my last exam at Newman. I never got to say goodbye to them (as the last club evening was the night of an England football match, and no-one turned up), and never managed to take any photos, but I have many happy memories of working with the young people there :)
I spent five months working with young people between Bury St. Edmunds and Birmingham, and even helped with a holiday club at Northfield YMCA, where I was re-aquainted with working with children. I then worked as Assistant Warden at St Mark's College Youth and Conference Centre where I worked alongside a mixture of children similar to my children from the past, and gained more children and young people to remember :)
I am currently working with excluded children and school refusers through the Attendance and Behavioural Support Service (formerly Visiting Teacher Service) in Norfolk.
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