Contents

Developing myself.....................................................................................................................1

Support roles in primary schools................................................................................................2

Key theories and concepts about learning..................................................................................3

My study plan.............................................................................................................................4

TMA self-assessment checklist..................................................................................................6

References..................................................................................................................................7

Developing myself
Any journey in developing oneself for a career starts with basic skills and knowledge of the
field we aspire to go on. These skills are shaped better with experience and time. Learning the
right skills helps to be more productive and efficient leading us to a successful path (Rogers,
2018).

My pathway to my current situation has been very helpful in developing skills and qualities.
The journey or the pathway is of utmost importance in leading you to a good career
development. The journey might not be the same but every experience provides a good
handful of skill and knowledge for further learning and working. Luckily, I have worked
earlier with schools and children who provide a good platform for teaching and getting into
primary education as a career choice. The basic skill in this field requires leadership quality
to maintain a healthy relationship as a teacher with the children. So far, with all the
experiences I have had it is important to have good critical thinking skills for maintaining a
good balance and in teaching it is required to meet the expectations of the people around. For
developing critical thinking skills, one must have self-awareness at all times by knowing your
preferences, strength and weakness. Then there is need of patience, and can be developed by
monitoring impulsive behaviour consciously. Good communication skills and knowledge
about what is going on around helps to stand tall and improvise the situation. There should be
general knowledge of all the matters going on around you and in the world, provides
confidence to communicate. Communication skills can be improvised by reading and writing
regularly. Self-confidence along with postures and mannerisms are basic pillars for
developing oneself for any role in life. Primary education needs creative thinking all the time
to incorporate ideas in little minds and even in their parent’s minds. Creative thinking must
be included in all terms of life and roles to make it happen well and it definitely helps all
career faculties. Practicing artistic hobby, be it any, helps in developing good creative mind
and provides innovative ideas to work with. In the field of primary education, time
management skills are a boon. Time management helps in maintaining work and life balance
and provides you enough time to focus on every aspect of career and personal life. Learning
something new every day for a future role makes life easy in every aspect.

Support roles in primary schools

Supporting staff in primary school play an important role from managing the school and
working towards the safe learning environment for the children (ONG’OLA & Otieno, 2019).
Their contribution and support is at different levels depending on their ability and
qualification. Schools are complex organizations and other than good teaching staff require a
good skilled team of supporting staff to keep the smooth functioning of this organization
(Flint, 2017). Skilled staff provides a good atmosphere for students to excel and provide a
good school experience for kids. These staffs include supporting teachers, librarians, IT
technicians, classroom assistants, managing team, lab technicians, and food assistants,
learning support assistants, examination officers, admin assistants, finance officers and
secretaries (Javier & Deligero, 2014). All these people along with the functional teaching
staff with teamwork provide a supportive environment for a child to learn and grow and a
reliable environment for parents to let their children develop and learn from school (Beynon,
2019).

Staff supporting in teaching manage a lot of tasks including helping the teacher in assigning
work to the children. Maintain lists of all the topics assigned with dates and details and also
information of all the students from their absentees to their attendance and involvement in
school (Javier & Deligero, 2014). They help in creating lesson plans and assist teachers in
lessons and learning developed for the students on all the levels. Not just the teachers, but
they assist and help students with their lessons and learning’s and guides them on behalf of
teachers. Conducting and planning meetings with other staff people and parents, supervising
students and their needs as teaching support (ONG’OLA & Otieno, 2019).
High performing schools require a good curriculum through studies and physical and mental
activities and they use research based programmes, strategies and materials for better learning
and development (ONG’OLA & Otieno, 2019). Trained staff is present at such institutes for
planning of an enhancing curriculum for the betterment of the children (Flint, 2017). It is
maintained by the staff that what is to be applied when in teaching and non-teaching areas of
school where children can learn through very activity they are involved in. Single teaching
staff assigned to any class generally is unable to focus on every student. Supporting staff and
teachers together help in closely monitoring the activity of each and every child (Hanley,
Winter, & Burrell, 2017).

The rest of the staff like technicians, admin assistants, food assistants and others make the
school a fully smooth working organization towards children welfare and development.
Managing the record of each and every student, maintaining constant contact with their
parents to know their well-being and progress are managed by the supporting staff (Hanley,
Winter, & Burrell, 2017). All the financial and statistical work is performed by the finance
officers and managers. The welfare of the school including the developmental, infrastructural
and standards are maintained with the help of the supporting staff (Beynon, 2019). There are
staffs to maintain communication and collaboration with other education societies and
schools for better enhancement of the school. There is communication between the school
and the parents for the updated information regarding each and every child for records and
functional preferences. Parents can look up to school authorities and supportive staff in terms
of need and help in any circumstances (ONG’OLA & Otieno, 2019).

Key theories and concepts about learning

Learning is a relative change in behaviour that is brought about by experience or practice.
Learning can be irrespective of age, environment, and activity and provides new knowledge
and intellectual skills and is named as Cognitive learning. Some learning provides physical
and manual skills and is known as Psychomotor learning. Affective learning provides new
emotional responses, attitudes and values (Gopalan, 2017). There are few theories of
learning- Behaviorism by John Watson, Cognitivism by Wolfgang Kohler (1920),
Constructivism by Jean Piaget, and Social Cognitive Theory by Bandura (1986).

Social cognitive theory as stated by Bandura (1986), says that people learn by observing
others and learning from their experiences. In this theory reflection is an important
component and the observant determines whether they are willing to reflect the action or the
learning in their act and thoughts. There are four concepts of this theory- attention, retention,
motivation and reproduction (Gopalan, 2017). The learner keenly or sometimes
unconsciously observes the actions of the other performer. The idea or thought is then
retained in the observer’s mind. Now, to act on it or not is a self-desired thought and depends
completely on the efficacy of the individual (McInerney & Green-Thompson, 2020). How far
is the observer motivated and how much determined is it to enact and reproduce the idea
learnt depends on individual person. This theory also states that human are always invested in
their development at all times and pro-actively learn from different individuals (Jacobson,
2018). For example, a student in a primary school, in a class tests scores better than its group
of friends. The other children in the group seeing the first child automatically develops the
idea of scoring better in the next test and get motivated to study harder (Crook & Sutherland,
2017) .

Behaviourism by John Watson and the concept of operant conditioning by B.F.Skinner states
that behaviours are gained through association between stimuli and responses. Here the
learner is viewed as a blank paper and learn through change in behaviour associated with
stimuli and responses and its acquisition (Clark, 2018). The change in the behaviour becomes
permanent when the act is behaved repeatedly. The change in the behaviour of the learner
indicates that the learning has taken place. The act of rewarding or punishing a student’s
behaviour by teachers is behaviourism (Tytler, Ferguson & White, 2020). Other example is, a
father with his daughter, in a store during hot summers, are shopping together and both are
tired and thirsty. The girl follows her father without complaining and in turn father
appreciates the girl by saying ‘good girl’ and rewards her with a cold drink. With this
experience, the girl is more likely to follow her father quietly in future. A good feedback and
appreciation brings about great changes in behaviour amongst children (Jarvis, 2018). Use of
certain words like ‘good girl’ in the above scenario gives an impact and the reward brings a
behavioural response to the stimuli of reward and appreciation. Such changes become
permanent if they are repeated through such acts and make a place in the child’s mind and
they act or behave in a certain way (Raiola, 2017). This theory is now used mostly in
classrooms as a mode of behaviour management through rewards and punishments.
According to Skinner, rewarding in any act increases the chances of the repetition of the act
where as punishment decreases the possibility of repetition. That is anything given to the
environment like rewarding a child, yields a positive outcome and punishing is like taking
something away and gives a negative outcome (Raiola, 2017).

My study plan
Study planning

Short and Action required Constraints Resources - who Target

medium term or what can dates
goals help me? for
actions

Understand my Use post it notes I sometimes Comprehensive 1

topic and make Use to-do lists end up materials and month
practical and focussing on read books and
handy notes not so articles for the
important same
topics.

Complete all Type up my notes Time Tough 2

TMAs/CMAs at the end of each management, assignments to months
week and keep up with work and be completed
with the dates other personal first with
Have a draft matters
version ready
about a week
before the
deadline

Assignment Review the Reviewing Refer PDP site 1 week

feedback for assignments with takes up my lot for ideas for
improvement tutor’s comments of time and assignment
and attention assistance
improvements
with time
management to
 focus on new
work as well

Tutorials for Online tutorials Distractions- Use the tutorial 3 weeks

better with breaks for family outings finder if I can't
academic family and and functions get to my local
performance professional work one

Group Check regularly Difficult to gain A good leader 1 week

discussions with other group similitude for discipline
members for and homogeneity
information, new
tutorials and
assignment tasks

Stay in contact Could use email I might cause

with tutor for to contact tutor nuisance to the
doubts and tutor or might
help on understand
certain issues
resolution over
email

Other ideas? Stay updated

through other
students and
group members

Career planning

Short and Action Constraints Resources - who or Target

medium term required what can help me? dates for
goals actions

Exploring Acquire Networking and Educational 2 weeks

 training options knowledge and funding requirements
skills Contact careers
counsellors

Field research in Speak to Miscommunication People in teaching 3 weeks

primary someone profession
teaching already in this
profession

Determine job Look for places Location Speak to local scout 2 week
target with vacancies Travelling distance group
and their
requirements

Build Go for teaching Cost Schools providing 3 months

credentials and seminars and Time availability internships for
resume internships supporting staff

TMA self-assessment checklist

Reflection 1 2 3 4

Fully Not
confident at
all
sure

1. I have addressed the targets from my previous TMA

2. I have included each element of the TMA according to TMA

guidance and an ethical statement in line with BERA Guidance
(see 6.3 of the Assessment Guide) Criterion 1

3. I have used Cite them Right to ensure that in-text citations and
 reference list are presented correctly Criterion 1

4. I have kept to the required word count and included it at the

end of each section of the assignment Criterion 1

5. I have discussed and evaluated the main points of the

assignment Criterion 2

6. I have used key vocabulary from the module to demonstrate my

understanding Criterion 2

7. I have selected relevant information from the module materials

to support my discussion Criterion 3

8. I have supported my discussion with examples of practice

where appropriate Criterion 3

9. I have always cited the source when summarizing, paraphrasing

or quoting from other people’s words. Criterion 3

10. I have maintained a formal written style throughout my

assignment Criterion 4

11. I have presented my work in a series of coherent paragraphs

Criterion 4

12. I have used a range of proof-reading strategies to ensure my

assignment makes sense Criterion 4

References

Beynon, C. (2019). Supporting the mental wellbeing of children and young people in the
school environment: A qualitative study. The Lancet, 394, S25.
Clark, K. R. (2018). Learning theories: behaviorism.

Crook, C., & Sutherland, R. (2017). Technology and theories of learning. In Technology
enhanced learning (pp. 11-27). Springer, Cham.

Flint, L. M. (2017). Exploring the lived experiences of pastoral staff identifying and
supporting pupil mental health needs in mainstream secondary schools (Doctoral dissertation,
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust/University of Essex).

Gopalan, V., Bakar, J. A. A., Zulkifli, A. N., Alwi, A., & Mat, R. C. (2017, October). A
review of the motivation theories in learning. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1891, No.
1, p. 020043). AIP Publishing LLC.

Hanley, T., Winter, L. A., & Burrell, K. (2017). Supporting emotional wellbeing in schools in
the context of austerity.

Jacobson, M. J., Reimann, P., Kapur, M., Ludvigsen, S. R., Vosniadou, S., Barab, S., ... &
Chinn, C. (2018). Rising above? Implications of complexity for theories of learning. In
Proceedings (International Conference of the Learning Sciences) (Vol. 2, No. 2018-June, pp.
1328-1333).

Jarvis, P. (2018). Learning to be a person in society: Learning to be me. In Contemporary

theories of learning (pp. 15-28). Routledge.

Javier, E. R., & Deligero, J. C. L. (2014). Job satisfaction of the teaching and non-teaching
staff of the Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas. International Journal of
Information, Business and Management, 6(4), 1.

Johnson, A. P. (2019). Essential learning theories: Applications to authentic teaching

situations. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

McInerney, P., & Green-Thompson, L. P. (2020). Theories of learning and teaching methods
used in postgraduate education in the health sciences: a scoping review. JBI Evidence
Synthesis, 18(1), 1-29.

ONG’OLA, A., & Otieno, J. (2019). Challenges and Strategies for Non-Teaching Staff in
Enhancing Management of Public Secondary Schools (Doctoral dissertation, Maseno
University).
Raiola, G. (2017). Motor learning and teaching method. Journal of Physical Education and
Sport, 17, 2239-2243.

Rogers, M. P., Jacobson, E., Allen, J., Borowski, R., & Roy, R. (2018). Walking a fine line:
Teaching others about self-study while developing myself as a self-study researcher. Pushing
boundaries and crossing borders: Self-study as a means for researching pedagogy, 75-81.

Tytler, R., Ferguson, J., & White, P. (2020). Constructivist and sociocultural theories of
learning. In The Art of Teaching Science (pp. 35-49). Routledge.