PSP

Reflections on my study path:

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've been working as a teacher in a vocational school full time for the last 6 years and before that I worked in a folk high school (kansanopisto) for three-and-a-half years, teaching English. The strengths I had when I first started the vocational teaching were a willingness to learn more and more about the subjects I was teaching and use the teaching environments as a platform for group learning. From the start, working methods have been as important to me as the technical vocational knowledge, so that at all times everyone's skills and competences are being maximized.

How do I want to develop as a vocational teacher?

I would like to develop in a number of ways. Firstly, I want to make more space for myself to work in the field I am teaching in, so that I have better foundations for my teaching. For example, I want to continue making documentaries more, so that experience can be passed on to the students.

Secondly, I want to focus my strengths more. I often find that I am learning the basics of different programmes and theories, but I really feel that I would do better to be more concentrated on fewer areas. For me, documentary and scriptwriting are the things that I have always focused on but I want to focus even more on those.

Lastly, I am keenly aware that I am missing some technical competences with certain things. I want to get to know a few programmes much better, such as those used in game design (like Unity) and Photoshop.

What motivates me?

That's a challenging question to answer. I think I get real encouragement from seeing students getting motivated by my classes. When they are enjoying themselves, learning and getting excited about the subject, then I feel content and am myself motivated to continue improving and becoming a better teacher.

2.  FAMILIRIAZING MYSELF WITH THE STUDIES AND PLANNING AHEAD

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

For me, the key thing that I can see is going to be the teaching observation and teaching practice period. Whilst I have teaching practice almost every day in my job, it is not within the framework of peer evaluation, so I'm genuinely looking forward to that. I always enjoy working with other teachers, so I'm also looking forward to the teaching observation, to see others at work.  

How do you schedule your studies?

I am planning on having this whole course completed in one year. That's the aim, at least. However, as my work timetable is only known to me a short time in advance, I mostly have to plan each week as it comes. So far I have been able to attend the sessions (except when we were in Nepal) so I'm not too worried about future ones. Otherwise, given my hectic schedule, I put in the work in the evenings and try to keep weekends free.

Consider the possibilities teaching 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? Or shall I go abroad for Teaching Practise?

The plan at this stage is to carry out the teaching practice in India, hopefully at a similar level of school as Finland's vocational level. Best would be to work with Film students, looking at scriptwriting or directing actors as those are two areas in which that I can see a major cultural difference between India and the west. It would be really fascinating to explore that.

 

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

At this stage, it looks like I am unable to accredit any of my former studies, even though I recently completed my Masters in Visual Culture from Aalto, with, if I remember, a total of 126 credits. I was under the impression that at least some of them would carry over, but after initial inquiries, I'm not so sure. 

3     MY FUTURE AS A VOCATIONAL TEACHER

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

In the future,

...I see myself as a teacher who is focused on and retains deep knowledge of just two or three key subjects

...I see myself as a teacher who is approachable, always maintaining a positive attitude towards students.

...I see myself as a teacher who is equipped with tools for getting the best out of the students in terms of their learning and best practice in transferable skills for any work.