EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

Assessment Task 2: Reflecting on the Experience
Name of Pre-Service Teacher: Jessica McQueen
Student ID: S00144107
Community Engagement Placement(s): Vermont South Special School (22 30 Livingstone Road Vermont
South)
Your Understanding of Engaging with Community
To what extent has your
placement (s)
Assisted you to understand and value
diversity in its many forms therefore
enabling you to cater for diversity
more effectively

1
X

Enhanced the development of your

understanding of the contextual
factors that impact on the way in
which people live their lives

Enhanced your critical examination,

promoted reflective practices and
challenged established beliefs

Explanatory comment
At the school each student is valued as
an individual with their own individual
needs. These individual needs were
always catered for. Diversity was never
seen as a negative thing. From this
experience I have learnt many ways to
cater for a wide range of diversity in a
school setting.
I learnt a great deal about the impact
of having a child with special needs on
a family and how a family goes about
their daily lives.
This placement highlighted to me that
there are many different ways for
students to learn. These ways do not
have to be the same ways which

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107

Encouraged open and flexible

thinking, and responsiveness to
change

Enabled you to listen to the voices of

marginalised people and, through
reflection, allow such experiences to
impact on your personal and
professional lives as engaged citizens

Provided opportunities for you to

contribute to the life of the
community through the sharing of
personal expertise and time

learning occurs in mainstream schools.

The placement demonstrated the
multiple ways of how to teach students
who are at different levels, but in a way
which allows everyone to feel included
and be a member of the class. I also
learnt that teachers at a special school
need to be able to just go with the
flow as things with these students can
change very quickly and teachers need
to be flexible and adjust things.
During my time at Vermont South
Special School I was able to spend time
with students who have special needs
and are often marginalised. Through
these experiences I have gained a lot
of experience in how to teach students
who struggle academically but to be
able to teach them in a way which is
age appropriate. As a teacher I will
ensure that all my students regardless
if they have a disability or not feel
included and as though they can be
successful.
I was able to share my own personal
expertise and time through helping the
students with their learning and
activities in the classrooms as well as
in their specialist classes. I was also

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107
able to teach a middle years classroom
for a lesson.

Your Development as a Teacher

My views about
(identify the
issue or aspect
of teaching and
learning)
1. The ability of
students with
special needs

Before my
involvement in
this Community
Engagement
Placement I
thought
Before my
involvement in this
Community
Engagement
Placement I
thought that
students with
special needs are
just as able to
learn and be just
as successful as
students in
mainstream
schools are.

Give evidence and

indicate from
After my
which source (e.g.
involvement I
wiki posting,
think
reflective journal
entry)
After my
I discussed this idea
involvement I
of the ability of
think students are students with special
just as capable of needs in my fifth wiki
learning and
post which was
being successful
based on a quote.
as students in
The quote I selected
mainstream
to represent my
schools are.
Community
However students Engagement
with special
Placement was
needs often
every child is gifted.
require more time They just unwrap
and guidance to
their packages at
be successful.
different times. This
Vermont South
is evident at Vermont

Significance of
outcome/achieveme
nt for you
I feel as though
acknowledging that all
students are capable
of learning and being
successful is an
important
achievement as I head
towards becoming a
teacher. As a teacher I
need to ensure that I
am allowing all my
students to learn and
be successful by
providing them with
the guidance and
support they require.

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107

2. The
commitment of

Before my
involvement in this

Special School is
a strong believer
that every
student is gifted
and has the
ability and
capacity to be
successful.
However they
recognise that
students develop
in their own way
and time and
they need to be
supported
through their
development.
Therefore all
students
including those
with special
needs are gifted
and have the
capacity to learn
and be
successful.

South Special School

as they believe all
students can be
successful some just
need a bit of extra
support and
guidance.

After my
involvement I

I discussed this deep

level of commitment

I feel as though even

though I may not end

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107

teachers of
students with
special needs

Community
Engagement I
thought teachers
at special schools
are just as
committed as
teachers at
mainstream
schools.

think the
teachers at
special schools,
particularly
Vermont South
Special School,
are just as if not
more committed
to their students.
When I was on
placement I saw
these teachers go
well and beyond
the normal
teaching and
learning within
the classroom as
these students
often required
extra scaffolding
and these
teachers were
always doing this.
However, this
extended beyond
the classroom as I
often saw
teachers outside
at break times

of the teachers at
Vermont South
Special School
throughout my wiki
posts and reflective
journal entries.

up teaching in a
special school I can
use this level of
commitment I have
seen in my own
teaching practice. This
will include going
beyond the classroom
and helping students
who may require extra
support and guidance
outside of the
classroom.

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107
playing with and
helping students
to initiate play as
this is something
which these
students struggle
with.

Summing Up the Experience

I would describe my experience of Community Engagement as a success because I feel as though this opportunity
has resulted in me learning a great deal which I can use in upcoming placements and in the future when I am a
teacher. Originally I was a bit hesitant towards the whole experience as I did not know how I was going to fit in an
additional 70 hours of university requirements on top of an already busy schedule, however now that I have
completed the hours I feel as though the commitment was not as intense as I originally had thought.
A major highlight at Homework Club was receiving an award from my student. This is because prior to this I was
not sure if I was doing the right thing or was helping him because I felt as though my student did not really need
tutoring but instead just needed someone to help keep him focused. However his award to me recognized that I
was very helpful with his homework especially the parts he struggled in. At my independent Community
Engagement at Vermont South Special School the major highlight was being given the opportunity to teach a
middle years class. Having this opportunity given to me made me feel as though the teachers at the school felt
that I had the skills and ability to teach a class of students with special needs. The lesson was already planned and
so I just had to take the class and ensure they were all working and help them complete the tasks. The lesson went
really well and I received lots of positive feedback from the teacher and teacher aides. A challenge that I was faced
with in my first few days at Vermont South was knowing how much I should help the students with their work.
However, I quickly was able to determine this and felt that I had the right balance in helping students but also
letting them do it for themselves.

EDFX 207: Community Engagement

McQueen

Jessica
S00144107

My advice for others undertaking Community Engagement Placements in the future is to select a place to do your
independent hours at a place which interests you. Therefore if you are interested in it you are more likely going to
take things about from the experience which you can use in future placements and as a teacher. I feel as though I
have learnt so much from my time at Vermont South Special School and know I will be able to use this in future
placements and in my own classroom in the future.