Throughout my process of participating within Professional Studies as a teaching assistant, I could actually envisage myself in a classroom teaching Post Compulsory Education environment. The whole experience has been thoroughly exciting and worthwhile, I have realised that this is the career path I would love to follow after my degree.  The reason I have chosen to work with post 16’s is because I find the students have chosen Art & Design as something they would like to progress into as part of their future, I want to be the person to inspire them within their work and teach them different techniques and approaches to their work.

As a parent I have the ability to be patient and also realising the importance of learning, so with these I think this brings an important focus to my teaching placement.  I have also got many responsibilities which has similarities to experience being a teaching assistant in many respects.  I see myself as the person who can hope to inspire and build confidence with the student’s aspirations and artwork. I also need to be an authoritative figure where I am able to gain trust and respect of the students.

Within my placement I had to: -

• Support Students

• Support Staff

• Encourage their skills and abilities;

• Explain the activities

• Prepare lesson before class arrives

I have always been a confident person when speaking, but I was asked by the tutor Sian Thomas in Session four to speak about my own work from my AP3 Final Project from Year 1, as it related to the theme of ‘Identity’.  When discussing my work with the class I found I did become rather nervous, as the subject of my final project was a reflection of the abuse I had suffered from an ex-partner.  This was a very delicate topic and quite difficult to talk about.  Once I had spoken for around a minute or two I gathered more confidence and shared everything about my work and the symbolic elements that were entailed within the paintings.  It is important as a tutor I feel to try and relate to the students and try and help and inspire them with their work I feel for this you need to be: -

• Confident

• Authoritative

• Understanding of needs

• Inspire the students

• Organise skills

Overall my experience of my being a volunteer at Merthyr College has been one that has been enjoyable as well as successful.  I have really loved helping the students with research and their journals, I felt I brought inspiration and help to each student especially when bringing in books of different artists they could use within their work.  I will definitely be applying for PGCE Post Compulsory Teaching after my degree in Art Practice.  One of my aims in life is to bring enthusiasm to each student that attends a lesson of mine in the future, so I can be a positive influence in what career path they intend to take in Art & Design. I would like to give a message of encouragement in that ‘The World is Your Oyster’ and ‘You can do anything you put your mind to it!’