PSP

1. MY COMPETENCES AND VOCATIONAL TEACHERHOOD

• What are the starting points in my vocational teacherhood? -Reflect on your previous strengths and your previous competences.

I know the kids and how to deal with them. I enjoy working with them. I think that is a good starting point. 

I work in a vocational college so I am familiar with the world of school as well as the Finnish school system. I have completed 60cr in Educational sciences.

I have been teaching couple of courses and find it challenging but rewarding. I am familiar with the "real" work life, too, and my network is getting better and better. I think my strengths lie in global competence and competence in values integration.

•  How do I want to develop as a vocational teacher? What motivates me?

As a teacher I am still a rookie but I am eager to learn. I think I have a lot to learn in every core competence of a vocational teacher, especially in pedagogical competence. I need more practice in planning the courses / lessons as well as making the lessons more interactive. 

Why do I want to become a teacher? I can build my career around teaching and developing the school. I can be more involved in developing the school as a teacher than as an administration person. The work would be more challenging in the long run. But the most important: I could make a difference in someone's life!

2. FAMILIRIAZING MYSELF WITH THE STUDIES AND PLANNING AHEAD

Read the study plan of the School of Vocational Teacher Education and create yourself the learning outcomes and a study plan.

• What studies support and nurture the development of your core competences?

Practice! But in order to gain the most from it I need to learn different teaching methods before the practice takes place. 

• How do you schedule your studies?

I will do my best to follow the schedule. I have already put the most important dates in my calendar. I will definitely complete the mandatory studies this year. I hope I will find time to do the training and optional studies as well. I guess I have to do most of the studying in the late night when my children are in bed.

• Consider the possibilities teacher practise in your own field of work. In which vocational institute or polytechnic or other institute can I carry out my teacher practise? What core contents shall I concentrate on? Which target audience shall be my students?

I am planning to complete the training partly abroad (maybe UK)and partly in my home institution where the audience will be 15 - 19 years old kids. They study BA in English. 

• What former competences or learning shall I present to be accredited? –Familiarize yourself with the accreditation policies of the school.

Former Educational sciences studies. 

I am also doing MBA studies at the moment and I am writing my thesis in the field of education (developing a studying programme). I will transfer those credits to the optional studies.Unfortunately transferring the credits is not possible.. So I have to do my optional studies year 2013-2014. :/

3. MY FUTURE AS A VOCATIONAL TEACHER

Use three sentences to describe how you see yourself as a vocational teacher in the future?

1. As a teacher I want to be inspiring, understand each student as a whole person and support his/her growth from a teenager to a young adult.

2. I want to be involved in our unit's international activities and develop the (Finnish) school system / our unit.

3. My dream is to do voluntary work as a teacher for one year or so once my children are big enough.