I have decided that I will ask the class to analyse a range of drinks holders/bottles, here is the selection I have been and purchased for the task.

I feel this is a fair example of the market, ranging from very cheap, to expensive, the most simple function and form to examples of bottles with filters and infusers, or thermal technology. In some cases ergonomics have been considered as a priority, where others have prioritised a sleek or aesthetic preference. The bottles here are geared toward a variety of buyers and users, such as in the bottles for children, to the filter function bottles.
I will create a set of worksheets/ a booklet, A3 size with brief notes on product analysis, their mind-map template, a sheet of existing products like theirs, and two design sheets to draw on using a range of materials.
I will provide a set of A4 versions for the teaching staff in the room, containing a section of, if we were to continue this project we would create models etc and cover measured drawing, specs etc.

My Idea is to use my half an hour teaching task session as follows:

5 minutes or less:
Introduce myself, and explain a set of objectives I would like for them to meet within the session;
- to understand what product analysis is, do they already know? (hold up an example of their mind map or sheet and go through the points quickly if they dont know what product analysis is)
- to discuss and understand why it is so important to conduct analysis, why do we need to understand existing products (their successes and failures etc) when going on to design our own products
- to develop a range of ideas and concepts for new bottles.
-brief evaluation.

5 minutes:
 in pairs with 1 bottle between those pairs. To fill in a mind map or research sheet that I have created with points leading toward Aesthetics, Cost, Customer, Ergonomics, Safety, Size, Function and Materials. 
This will engage them with a fellow student, and as a small team they will consider design elements of the existing product they have been designated. writing down their opinions following conversation reinforces their learning and gives them something to refer back to.

5 minutes:
"now that we have, in our pairs, considered our bottles based on the points provided, I want us to look at the wider range of products provided here and establish an understanding of how products are perceived by the greater market/public/user"
- Ask them to hold up their individual bottles.

- Encourage the whole group to point toward the bottle they feel is the most expensive
- Pull up individual pupils and ask them why they feel this way - discuss
-**** the cheapest
-**** the most ergonomically considered
-**** the least
-**** The most aesthetically pleasing/the most attractive/ their favourite (This is a question that should create a divide... can discuss this based on the fact that each bottle potentially has a different target market, I would therefore expect the girls to lean toward the sleek/bold/feminine/pink bottles, where the boys I would expect to prefer the metal thermal cup.
I can ask them why they like each one and this engages them in their understanding of aesthetics, do they like the texture/colour or the function etc. Are their any improvements they would like to see?
-**** Their least favourite as a group, the least aesthetically pleasing etc.

-Ask them WHY this task was so vital, why do we need to conduct product analysis

- Set out the next task, to design or redesign bottles based on the bottle they looked at in more detail, so those pairs that had a childrens bottle, I would like them to redesign a child's bottle considering the elements we considered in existing products.
- Provide a range of drawing materials and possibly some putty so that they can explore ergonomics/hand shape? create a texture? etc black paper, white pencils, coloured textured papers that they can pop in their book for reference?

10 minutes on this task:
- design a range of bottles
-Give the pupils a few minutes to get stuck in and then begin going round and approaching individuals and their work, note some more successful or innovative/creative ideas that I see to pull out at the end of the session.

5 minutes at the end:
Is anyone super proud of their Ideas, or does anyone feel that their partner had some really good ideas?
If so, discuss their Ideas, and remember the ones who were noted and pull them out. Explain that this is a brief evaluation, that they would later on, develop these initial Ideas and asses them in a similar way to how we did earlier.
Thank the class for their concentration, explain that If we had had more time perhaps we could have gone on to create Styrofoam models from measured drawings etc.
explain that they should keep these sheets as I hope this exercise has deepened their understanding of product analysis and design processes at the early stages etc.


OR

rather than 10 sets of 2,  I do one bottle per table of 4, and as groups get them to consider the bottles they have in-front of them, all have a feel etc. as a group task
between them fill out the sheet provided for analysis? one person write them down.
give them 5 minutes to form opinions about the product, what they like what they dont also. more opinions can be formed as a larger group.

5 minutes
same task as before in the sense that i get them to hold up their bottles and everyone point to the one they thinks the cheapest/expensive/aesthetic/unnatractive etc... why? did the team holding that bottle have any other opinions? etc

why was all this so important?
explain next task

group design sheets, a larger sheet? a box of textures etc for inspiration and images, this way four minds can consider one set of objectives. include rulers etc
perhaps this time we gear the product toward teenagers, because they know what they like, they can see the ergonomics of their hands, Make it a little competetion, who can design the most innovative, creative probkem solving and attractive bottle? or do we redesign the bottle we have?

afterward we can evaluate better because we would only have 5 product design sheets, someone can say a few things about their design they like best etc  ask all the groups as individuals to point toward the table they feel has the most interesting design. award that table with a set of their own bottles to take home?

Research into career options based on my personal interests and qualities

Before the module began I knew that I was very interested in teaching. Both career assesments, and my basic knowldge of the roles of a teacher, alongside personal experiences in eductaion helped establish this. However, It was not until I began researching the facts that I truly believed I would excel in this profession. I believe I posses all of the appropriate values and skills needed to enter the teaching profession such as Organisational skills, confidence, design technology and Art subject knowledge,the ability to plan, manage and evaluate a practice and time for lesson planning purposes etc, empathy, compassion, passion.
I am stimulated and engaged by a challenge, something that I feel teachers face every day, across lesson planning, conducting a class and in behaviour management. Without a real challenge I believe I would grow bored in a position. I enjoy the Idea that as a teacher you are met with fresh faces every year, new challeneges, new learning oppurtunities, in that all those students are unique and their Ideas and value will be unique with its own merit and value. I look forward to the constant growth within schools ever changing anf adapting approaches and drive to better themselves as an establishment. Something I would find greatly rewarding to nurture and develop with them. In addition, my passion for the right education pushed me to attempt to be the best provider of that education I could be or offer to pupils. I would find it sincerely and deeply rewarding to watch individuals find their passion and work on their skills, developing themselves into confident talented students, under my wing. I believe my empathy and emotional intelligence gives me the base skills to communicate with young people in a constructive and positive way, providing positive reinforcement and an understanding of their strengths and areas for improvement. In addition to all of the above, I feel that the terms are in line with the way that I hope to live my life as I intend to travel and conduct carity work over the coming ten years. The school holidays etc would allow me to contine to develop my relationship with my own family and cater to their needs alongside my personal and career development.





What ive discovered? a conclusion followed by a summary of my proposal

I have discovered through research all of the immediate expectations of someone in a teaching role and feel that I fit the bill certainly. My ability to maintain good grades, alongside running a home, raising a child, managing a netball team, and other responsibilities is tribute to my time keeping and organisational skills aswell as my drive to succeed. Being a slightly older than average student and applicant gives me the certainty and drive needed in a career that I feel most 21 year olds fail to have. I have the extra passion that comes from having responsibilities and a need to succeed in what I do.

Searching for the right school

I began by searching for local schools that could take me on as a volunteer on worl placement. initially this was purely for primary schools, and later expanded to high schools. There was one in my area that stood out to me as being the place I would like to get my experience and that was Russells Hall primary. This was because of the creative curiculum. My Aunt works in the school and had informed me of their sprawling murals and value in the arts. So i knew that my efforts would be appreciated in a school like this. When I visited the site It excelled my expectations. The hallways are extensively filled with murals in tribute to paintings such as Van Goghs starry night. The school is immediately engaging for young creative minds and their is a new stimuli around every corner. Images are painted on almost every wall, with art displays abundently layed out in every classroom. The school obviously values its creative skills.
I met with the Headteacher, who  sat with me and arranged a further meeting with the art co-ordinator Miss Pestridge. We discussed what I wanted to achieve from being in the school on placement and what I could bring to the childrens eductaion during that time. We realised that there were some issues in what I wanted to do at this point, as I was not fully aware of the extent of involvement I could have with the children. I initially considered only observing and learning about the roles of a primary teacher, rather than expecting to learn for myself! later on, before meeting the co-ordinator I developed a proposal outlinging a range of workshops to complete with small groups of children alongside the core subjects. The children every term have a new book, which acts as a theme for the term. The first term or winter term, that boook was all about history, So my workshop plans outlined clay activities creating stone age artifacts. As I needed a full term in schoool however, It happened that I would need to create a new set for the coming spring term so that they could be incorporated into the overall plans for that term in class.
The new book and theme was a midsummer nights dream , a play by Shakespeare.
I evaluated my skills and practices, considering where I have appropriate skills that could translate to this theme and the primary environment. coming up with a new range of possibilities such as cameraless photography, light and shadow drawing, and theatrical or elizabethan mask making. Miss pestridge decided from here that the mask making would be most appropriate for years 3, 4 and 5. In addition the materials needed for other tasks may have been too expensive for the schools budget.


Beginning at russells hall school

I had some issues with my DBS check that resulted in a long delay in starting my placement. I had applied on time and received confirmation that my check was clear around 3 months before actually receiving the certificate back. This resulted in a delay to my starting, and a chenge in the structure of my course at university. In future I will apply for DBS with a much larger window to cater for such an extensive delay. Despite the effect being detrimental, I have gained an experience that will contribute to my better time keeping later down the line.

a summary of how I feel about primary environment including my decisions to move on to high school and why

During my time at Russells Hall school, I developed classroom skills such as clarity of speech, confidence and behaviour management, enjoyed the rewarding relationship built between myself and the pupils and staff there, gained insight into design technology practices and proposals in line with the curiculum and in school policies/formats, and made valuable conclusions about my future career.

I spoke with teaching staff openly and honestly about their choice to teach primary, therefore building a sincere understanding of the pro's and cons of teaching this age group.
This helped me make my decision to gain experience and potentially teach a higher age group at secondary/high school. This decision was also greatly impacted by my experiences during the proposals for tasks and the conducting of activities.

Primary age children havent developed the motor skills needed to teach a more diverse and challenging range of art and making skills.
This age range do not have the capacity to talk at length regarding more challenging tasks therefore not able to comprehend them in the planning stage.
Classroom behaviour management can be too challenging when the children are faced with something taxing, as they become easily frustrated etc forming large numbers of queries and queues to gain some help, therefore more challenging tasks become overwhelming not only for the students but in the number of issues arrising for teaching staff. This massively effects the positive development and outcome of work.
Teaching across subjects, that are not in my knowledge pool adds a great deal of pressure to lesson planning. Something that I would personally like to avoid due to the fact I have my own small child and many other commitments in life that could be greatly effected by this. After talking to other teaching staff this was something that cropped up often as an issue, especially in teachers who were also mothers to young children.
My own interest suggest that an older age range would be more suitable, as I would like to engage children/pupils in activities that they would find challenging, a real task that they can apply to the understanding of their own passions and future careers. Although children in primary school are already discovering their passions etc I dont believe that this is as established as with high school pupils. In addition the level of skill I could be teaching with the upper age range would be more engaging for me. I believe that it would be incredibly rewarding.

In order to establish if this I will apply for experience at a high school.



feedback from June


June Pestridge, My mentor during the primary school placement completed an assessment of my performance.
She scored me perfect "5's" throughout all criteria with the exception of one, where I scored a "4/5" this, she said, was for having to miss two days due to my little boy being very poorly. She later informed me that I went around the issue well by catching up on anything I had missed in my own time, Informing the school in a timely manner and through my best attempts to rectify any issues arising in school caused by my absence. In the written notes section she said the following,
"During the time Roxanne worked alongside/with me in the classroom (spring term 2016) I found her to be a great assett, a first class 'creative colleague'. Her work covered two main areas... (1) Group Mask making with years 3, 4 and 5 and (2) supporting years 3, 4 and 5 with purse and bag making.
(1) Mask making
Roxanne worked with groups of approximately 6 children from each year band. She followed schools format and produced planning and evaluation booklets for the children to use. She was very organised throughout and the children were really proud of the masks they produced.
(2) Design technology support
Roxanne showed great initiative here, she always seemed to know where to be and what to do... not once did I need to direct her.

I feel that Roxanne would excel as an Art teacher in a primary school. Her love and knowledge of all forms of creative work would i'm sure be a great inspiration to children of all ages.







The application process

UCAS apply 21: three applications ready for March 01.

discussions with bianka and what this led to, the pros and cons of buikding this relationship and the new situation that has ensued, what happened next

I attended a meeting with Bianka, deputy head of Redhill High school, discussing with her my experience in primary, my desire to move on to high school and an older age group and the reasons for this. We also discussed my degree, and practical skills that could translate to teaching. She made me feel welcome and valued from the get go by engaging me in extensive conversation regarding my degree experience and showing interest in my practices. She took me for a tour of the school and the appropriate departments, and left me to observe an art lesson where the students were doing their GCSE work. The teacher prompted pupils to discuss their work with me and I went around the classroom at my leisure discussing their work and what artists they had been inspired by during their course so far. This enabled me to asses the level of sklll and understanding expected from the age group and gave me a basic grasp of how to approach them in terms of conversation.


meeting with Haybridge

UCAS apply 2: second stage applications, decline of intiitial applications viea the changes page.







planning for interview, research on haybridge, what will be happening in the coming days includnig day in the school meeting staff and pupils,





interview technique overviews and plan

REsearched the school through offsted reports, looking at what the report advises they need to improve on. This way when they ask how I could contribute to the school I can focus on how my skills will enable those improvements




developing my portfolio to suit 3d design practices etc.

preparing for interview

To prepare for the interview I will;

• Research the school, and some history regarding the programme etc. 
• Prepare for lesson observation and my teaching task which is a product analysis on a product or range of products of my choosing. plus getting the students to design their own concepts and Ideas.
• re-read personal statement as they will pick up on key elements to discuss 
• Prepare or consider interview techniques and answers to common questions
• refresh myself on roles of a teacher in secondary school

http://www.teachwithhaybridge.co.uk/

Video link and Info on training to teach with Haybridge

During the Video, one of the trainees does state that Questions such as "What is your school experience?" comes up frequently, alongside others such as "what did you think or feel of that experience?" do you have any other experience? etc.

Preparation is everything

Prepare yourself; know the job description inside out, research the school by looking at their Ofsted reports, their school results, their CVA score, the school website and prospectus. If you are offered the opportunity to visit the school beforehand, do. This will give you a chance to experience the school's dynamics, speak to the children and staff and get an idea of the sort of candidate the school is looking for.

Make sure you are up to date with current affairs in the sector by reading The TES, BBC education news site, the Department for Education's news and by doing some general research on the internet.

Ask someone to give you a practice interview; your tutor, a mentor or senior manager at your placement school will probably be all too willing to help. Ask them to be blunt about bad habits, including body language.

Write out bullet points of your strengths and the questions that you would like to ask and are likely to be asked at interview. These may be on topics such as classroom management, discipline, strategy etc, so ensure you have thought about these things and formed set ideas about what you would talk about if asked.

And finally, re-read your application form, plan your journey and on the night before the interview, ensure that you get a good night's sleep!

Make the first impression count

You already know you are the best NQT anybody could hope to hire, but how are you going to persuade the interview panel of that? Unfortunately, knowing your stuff is not always going to be enough and, with the outcome of 90 per cent of interviews decided in the first two minutes, first impressions count. No matter how superficial it may seem, it's important you look the part.

Be polite and friendly to all the school staff that you met throughout your interview day. Although the majority of staff will not be involved in the interview, you are likely to meet many of them throughout the day and their views are often canvassed. So watch out for that 'informal' chat in the staffroom. Tours by pupils are a common feature. You can relax a little here and use the tour as an ideal opportunity to understand what the children think about the school.

Teaching a lesson or leading a pupil activity is very common. You should have had the details of what is expected and time to prepare. Don't be afraid to ask for help and stick with your normal style of teaching that works well for you but be aware of how to make your lesson outstanding.

When answering questions, always include points from your application, and expand on them, ensuring that you draw on your own experience. Give examples of times you have had to deal with the situation they are asking about, how you handled it, how successful you were, what you learnt from it, and if necessary, what you would do differently if dealing with it again.

Be sure this is the job you want. Accepting one at the wrong school can be as disastrous as marrying the wrong person! If you are not sure, you can ask for 24 hours to consider. This is reasonable, although the culture in education is still to offer a position and expect an immediate answer. This far in the process you should have a fairly clear view of whether or not this is the place for you.

Once you have got the job, take every opportunity you can to spend time in the school before you start officially. That way, you will feel part of the team before the hard work really begins.

What not to do: the common mistakes

• Don't be unprepared for your interview - make sure you have thoroughly researched the school and that you understand the job specification.
• Don't wear novelty clothes - dress appropriately.
• Don't talk too much - make sure you listen to the questions and answer them concisely.
• Don't be negative - you may have already have had some negative experiences, but don't focus on them. Focus on the positive ones, or talk about what you have learned from the negative ones.
• Don't try to be a comedian - many have tried and many have failed. By all means, don't be serious the whole time, but you're not starring in Mock the Week.
• Don't make things up - you are likely to be asked to give practical examples of what you have stated on your application form.
• Don't fall at the finish - if all of your questions have already been answered during the interview, take the opportunity to stress how interested you are in the position rather than say you don't have any questions.

Be prepared: questions you could be asked

• Why did you apply for the position?
• Describe a lesson that went well for you?
• Describe a lesson that did not go well for you and what you did about it, or would do about it in the future?
• What would you do to develop positive relationships with pupils?
• Describe your classroom after two months of starting your new job?
• How would you contribute to the school as a whole?
• What qualities do you think make a good teacher?
• What are your main strengths and weaknesses as a teacher?
• What strategies do you implement in the classroom to manage behaviour?
• How do you plan and structure lessons?
• What are your career aspirations?
• How do you envisage working with parents?

If asked questions such as the above, I can obviously discuss the work conducted at Russells Hall Primary  as part of this module. but I have listed answers I fell are appropriate in preparing me for the interview.

Questions I want to ask:
How exactly is the training provided?
How extensive is the support? What sort of support is offered?
When will I be expected to start teaching and in what form? Small time brackets alongside another teacher?



What the school should do to improve further ■ Develop students' individual qualities, special gifts and unique talents to the full in order to flourish as a 'world class' school.

developing a portfolio for 3D application

Below, I have listed some Images of work that I will include in my portfolio to show during my interview at Haybridge High School, Hagley.

independent study video link

open event and apply 2

After attending an open event at Haybridge, and meeting some of the staff, I now have contact details for a Miss Sally H, who I will discuss the rest of my application with later on.
I met with the Head of the DT department, Keith Merrick who explained to me that The D.T department at Haybridge is split into two key areas, one being essentially made up of graphic design, wood work, resistant materials and electronics, the other being home economics food and textiles. He explained to me after I expressed my concerns (That although I work 3-dimensionally often in my practice, that I have no D.T specialism) that in actual fact they look more for people who are comfortable thinking practically and using those approaches rather than someone who has a lot of experience. Obviously that would be ideal for them so I need to re-evaluate my practice and consider how I will stand out as someone they want on their teaching team. Perhaps my Art background will lend itself to new ways of thinking 3-dimensionally.
 The D.T block is extensive and well equipped which is appealing, and over all the school is really pleasant, based in an affluent area and only a few minutes away from my home. All of these factors contribute to my positive decision to apply through Apply 2 on UCAS.

Emails and considerations

INFO RE BIANKA and relay of issues... new proposal for haybridge

UCAS apply1 and prep for interviews

Preperation for interviews

Worcester University interview

National curiculum 2014 check for design technology.
complete the task that relates to subject specialism

impressionism and water

research into basic impressionism and approaches in school materials etc.

discuss the issues faced later on??

All applications to UCAS have been sent and received. References sent etc.
Interview dates have been confirmed for two of three choices. Primary entry has been declined, but this hasn't or wont cause issues as I changed my mind about primary teaching.
In the mean time Bianka (Deputy Redhill) and I have been emailing regarding the course appropriateness, as the school led teacher training is governed by worcester Uni and a D.T course. The interview information states that the course is in food and textiles, two subjects I know very little about. 
I have emailed the University regarding this issue to see if i am eligible for a place, or not before I go through an interview process.

After hearing back from the university and speaking with several members of staff, we have come to the conclusion that I am not eligible for the course. Bianka now understands the issues, having established that I suit mostly three dimensional design and Art, rather than home economics. She is now attempting to set up a SCITT route into the school for me.

I finally heard back from Bianka who has been unsuccessful in setting up a direct training route at Redhill. She has, instead arranged for me to speak with and interview with Haybridge high school in Hagley.
Haybridge School alliance SCITT runs teacher training across a variety of subjects, I am interested in Art or Design technology. However I feel that having a degree in Art, alongside teacher training n DT might make it easier for me to be flexible and teach across the board later down the line, also leaving more room for employment as DT teachers are in higher demand with DT being a core subject. Bursaries are offered to graduates with a 2:1 or higher who want to train to teach in DT also.