School Placement 2

The School Placement 2 module prepares student teachers for their school placement in year 2. It is based upon the three pillars of lesson planning and preparation, classroom delivery, and reflective practice. As part of this school placement students are required to spend three weeks in a school. The module addresses such areas as professionalism, child care, lesson planning and preparation, the proper use of teacher resources and aids, and teaching and assessment skills and methods. It facilitates reflective practice and critical thinking. It promotes design-led, innovative and creative teaching, which is student-centred and employs active learning teaching and assessment strategies. It promotes advanced and skilful use of ICT and Educational Technology. These skills are developed through a combination of in-class training, online training, and school-based application which work together to form a consistent approach. As such students are required to participate in all elements and display competencies linking the theoretical knowledge and how to apply it to the practical classroom.

 A significant amount of independent, inquiry-based research, and practical lesson planning, takes place outside the module contact hours.  Students produce a professional teaching e-portfolio detailing lesson plans and critical reflections. Learners will also develop a range of teaching aids and resources to showcase on their portfolio. They will provide evidence of critical reflection in relation to peer teaching and mainstream second-level education.

1. Ethically and professionally collate evidence of practice.

2. Engage in social constructivist, collaborative learning, and problem-based learning through: active learning activities, participation in online fora, and peer reviews and discussions.

3. Critically reflect on peer teaching and school-based performances by means of structured self/peer/tutor rubric feedback and an online forum.

4. Present a professional teaching e-Portfolio incorporating: high-quality lesson plans, teaching resources and critical reflections, to Junior Cycle level.

5. Demonstrate competence in the use of ICT and educational technology in teaching.

6. Apply and evaluate theories of teaching and learning to the context of collaborative, problem-based, design-led, innovative and creative lesson planning.

7. Describe and implement good practice in the field of classroom management, including child protection, rules and routines, positive discipline and motivation strategies.