Some areas of further development that you identify for yourself?

Over this past year and during my placement, I realised I have a few areas that I need to develop over the next couple of years. Noting that I need to work on the following areas; Patience. Confidence. Loud Voice.

It is so important having patience with children because they all learn at different paces. I noticed during my two placements over this year, there were a lot of impatient teachers, not just my associate teacher. I do not want to be that teacher that gives up when a child is seen struggling and not improving. I believe it’s my job to make sure it’s understood even if it means changing the kaupapa in order for that child to comprehend.

Confidence is another huge area that I need to work on. Confidence to stand up in front of people and talk and confidence in knowing that what I will be teaching is good. I’m the type of person to undermine my abilities when it’s not that same as everyone else. I recognised that I am not like every other person and every other person is not like me. This is something that I need to work on if I understand ideas differently to other people, I still need to be confident in my capabilities.

Another thing that I have been told over the past few years is to “Use your loud voice,” “You need to be loud,” “They (the children) won’t listen to you if you are quiet,” “You need to be assertive so they (the children) know you’re not their friend, but their teacher.” Generally, I am a softly spoken person. I don’t have to yell, I just need to be assertive in my commands and what I want them (the children) to do.