Host organisation and role:
Teaching Assistant /Art Technician at a local Secondary School in Oxford.
How did you secure this opportunity?
Prior to choosing a BA in Fine Art, I knew that I had the aim of taking a PGCE course once I had graduated. When the ‘Placement in Creative Industries’ module came up in second year of my course, I took it as a great opportunity to gain some first-hand experience in the Art Department of a local Secondary school. During the summer, I wrote a letter and sent an email to the Head Teacher and Head of Art. As an old student at the school I knew of the staff and explained to them the requirements of the module in terms of work experience and the possibilities of undertaking it with them.
Overview of the role:
The role consisted of a mix of Teaching Assistant jobs but also supporting the Art Technician and taking up some of her jobs on her days off. I was given a timetable of how my weeks would look and these would vary. I had the opportunity to look over lessons from Year 7 – Year 13, with three different Art teachers. During some of the more independent lessons I would oversee and take notes on anything interesting that I could include in my reflective essay e.g lesson plans and tasks that were given. In terms of more practical lessons, I was asked to help students through the printing processes and assist with any support they may have needed. Whilst undertaking the Technician duties, I had to create lesson resources, prepare paint palettes for students and prime boards ready for a painting lesson.
Top three highlights of your Placement?
1. Interacting with the students and finding out what they loved about their Art lessons!
2. Reflecting on the topics I enjoyed in GCSE/A-level Art and on the practical skills that I have gained on my BA.
3. Working independently but also assisting in the smooth running of lessons (e.g preparing resources).
What was the most surprising thing about your experience?
I found that my experience was the same as my expectation, having left school not too long ago. However it was interesting for me to see how in those few years the education system is changing. For example, the GCSE options process is slightly later then it was for me and I noted changes when looking at the current assessment process.
Were there any challenges and how did you overcome them?
Art is a very independent subject and sometimes I found it difficult to find ways to get involved. I found that sometimes I just needed to ask if there was anything in particular I could do to help or I would work my way around the classroom to ask the students how they were getting on with the topic or art process. I would also use the time to see if I could suggest any ideas to them, for example, a class were working on mono printing – from my own experience I suggested different techniques that they could try to create a different outcome, to work out what was successful or maybe unsuccessful.
How beneficial was your experience and how might it help you in the future?
The placement that I undertook was hugely beneficial when it came to confirming to me that teaching in Art was something I wanted to continue to pursue. It was important for me to speak to the other Art teachers and ask what their journey into teaching was like and the routes they took. I initially only knew of university routes to PGCE, but since speaking to the staff I have now looked into other school based PGCE’s. It has also now led me to apply and accept a place on a teacher training course for September that was recommended by a member of staff at the school, having the experience on placement definitely helped my application as well, it really puts you to an advantage. It is great experience to include in your application, but also to discuss during the interview process. Part of my interview process was to create a lesson plan from looking at the national curriculum and due to placement I had already been aware of some of the topics listed as part of my research.
What advice would you give to a student in this position?
Go for it! Go in with a completely open mind, take full advantage of getting stuck in to the roles you are given and use it as an opportunity to really decide on whether the career path could be right for you. Imagine yourself in that setting in the future, taking on those daily tasks – but also speak to the staff to gain an insight on their pathway to teaching as it may open up new ideas for your own journey.
We have protected the anonymity of this student due to the nature of the roles discussed.