Development & CPD in Term 1

Having now completed my first term at Stewart's Melville, I felt it a good time to take stock of what I have accomplished during this time.

Wrote the Intermediate 2 Business Management Prelim paper

This was something I hadn't yet done and I felt it was an important experience to get. As I had several years experience teaching Business Management and I was teaching the only class at this level, I felt writing the Int 2 paper would be a good starting point.

Under-15 B's Hockey Team

I have been given responsibility for the above team which involves taking training every Tuesday during games period. I work closely with a colleague, a science technician, who has a number of years hockey experience. We established a routine whereby I take the group for a warm up and then we split the group in two - my colleague does the more specialised routines and I run basic skill routines. We then finish with a game. I am trying to hand more responsibility to the pupils e.g. taking the register, organising teams and resources for the game etc. We are scheduled to play a number of friendly matches in Term 2 and I am hoping this extra responsibility will develop a greater team spirit between the players.

Young Enterprise

Initially I expected to take over the running of the YE club from a colleague and organise it on my own. However, the colleague who has run the club for a number of years has chosen to stay on which has been a great support to myself. This year the decision was made to run the group with Sixth Year pupils as there was a feeling that it was too difficult for Fourth Years to balance a full timetable of subjects and prelims. It has been a difficult year as I have got used to some of the issues involved in running a YE club at SMC. The pupils have many competing extra -curricular activities, pressure to achieve good academic results in S6 and the stress of applying for university. As a result, the YE group have not always been able to fully commit to the project and this is something my colleague and I have discussed to try and work on for next year. In Term 2, the YE group will be putting together a final report and attending the final which will be held at SMC.

Cross Country Club

I work with a colleague in helping to run the above club. The role is mainly administrative and providing transport and support for the pupils. There are approximately 12-14 boys in the group and during the first term, they represented SMC at a variety of events throughout Edinburgh. We also took them to the Scottish Schools Cross Country championships at Falkirk. During the second term, there may be the opportunity of taking the boys to an event in Glasgow. I am also looking into the possibility of setting up a Cross Country club on a Friday after school.

Sixth Year Study Room Supervision

I was given responsibility for supervising the Sixth Year Study Room two periods a week which involves ensuring that all the pupils using the Study Room are provided with a quiet, calm environment to use.

Lunchtime Supervision

I also do lunchtime supervision once a week which involves monitoring an area of the grounds and ensuring there are no issues.

Provision of lunchtime revision sessions for NAB resits

I have organised and delivered revision sessions for any pupils who need support for NAB resits. This has been done during my lunch breaks and for both Business Management and Economics pupils.

Participation in National Poetry Day

I was asked by an English teacher to read a poetry in the library as part of National Poetry Day. This was to be read in front of pupils to encourage them to read. I read "Prophets at Home" by Rudyard Kipling.

Provided support for Physics department trip to Camera Obscura