Within the training session, Catherine and her team were excellent. They made me feel very prepared showing us the objects, worksheets and crib notes used. Catherine was also great at letting us all know our sections of the workshop before the required date so that I was able to prepare it in my own way.<\/p>\n
Despite feeling somewhat overly prepared, (I read and read over my part until I could read no more), whilst on the journey to the school, I felt very nervous and apprehensive. Although I have been on a placement in a school before, I never got the chance to actually prepare and deliver a lesson. This is what is great about SHARE with Schools, although they provide you with the activities, you can shape and mould the crib sheets any way you wish.<\/p>\n
We delivered 4 back-to-back, \u2018Romans in Wales\u2019 workshops to Woodlands High School in Ely. Prior to arrival I was unaware that this school was actually for children who had moderate to severe learning difficulties or special needs. Throughout the day, we met with year 7 to 11 and it was great to see how each year group engaged with the workshop. I thought that due to it being a special needs school, we would need to adapt some parts of the workshop. However, due to the workshop being designed so that it is very much \u2018hands on\u2019 for the pupils, object handling and discussing what it may be, the children thrived off this, allowing them to express and draw Roman artefacts.<\/p>\n
Throughout the sessions I definitely became more relaxed and comfortable with the children. I began to realise that they were not there to challenge me, or tell me I had explained or done something wrong. Instead, they were inquisitive, engaged and excited. Before attending this school, I had not thought about teaching within a special needs department. However, the pupils here were an absolute credit to Woodlands, I have never worked with a group of pupils who were so happy to work with people who they\u2019re not familiar with. The respect and manners shown to visitors outside of school was exceptional.<\/p>\n
Despite wanting to apply for a Primary PGCE, SHARE with Schools has allowed me to gain valuable and transferrable skills that can be used during my career in teaching. Not only have I gained confidence in being able to deliver information and tasks to a group of children, but have done so in an \u2018unknown\u2019 environment, which really pushed me out of my comfort zone. I have now completed 6 workshops and each one has been entirely different, but in a good way. There is always a new question from a pupil, or a new way in which the workshop is delivered.<\/p>\n
The most rewarding aspect of SHARE with Schools for me, was a year 9 student, who did not want to engage at all when he first entered the classroom due to history being \u2018boring\u2019. However, during \u2018question time\u2019, his hand was the first to shoot up and provide me with an answer. Perhaps this goes to show that the workshops are tailored in such a way in which any child, of any ability is able to participate.<\/p>\n
Please find [below]\u00a0some images that show the work of the pupils at Woodlands High School. They were kind enough to give these to us at the end of their session.<\/p>\n![\"Vexillum](\"http:\/\/sites.cardiff.ac.uk\/share-with-schools\/files\/2015\/04\/burdett-blog-1.png\")
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