work placement

Name: Jessica Corcoran
Student No: 20066099
Course: B. A. in Early Childhood Studies Year 1 - Semester 1
Module: Personal and Professional Development
Essay: Discuss the following in relation to choosing your work placement:
Rationale for choice of placement
Personal attitudes & beliefs and how they may impact on your placement
Challenges you may encounter

Lecturer: Siobhan Fogarty
Word Count: 1056
While the job market is becoming more and more competitive it is in my best interest to do an unpaid work placement that will give me a head start looking for a paid job when I have completed my 3 year degree programme. Employers nowadays are looking for people with experience as well as 3rd level certificates or degrees. The work placement will give me a chance to gain beneficial experience in working in the Early Childhood sector that I would like to work in. The skills and information gained whilst on a work placement can be as important as anything that we have learned in education and it can be invaluable to entering and progressing into the childcare workplace environment.
When it comes to choosing a Childcare facility to complete my work experience, I would like to obtain it in a setting where I can work with and learn from working with children who have special needs or a learning disability and working in an experienced Team. I believe that children are our future, whether they have a learning disability or not, and knowing that the children deserve the best help to develop them as an individual and they have every equal right to gain an education and developing themselves for their future. The facility that I would like to gain work experience is Scoil Chormaic, Golden Road, Cashel Co. Tipperary, and working as a Special Needs Assistant.
According to the Department of Education and Skills (asiam, 2014) defines the role of an SNA are:
“Preparation and tidying up of classroom(s) in which the pupil(s) with special needs is /are being taught.
Assisting children to board and alight from school buses. Where neccesary travel as escort on school buses may be required.
Special assistance as necessary for pupils with particular difficulties e.g. helping physically disabled pupils with typing or writing.
Assistance with clothing, feeling, toileting and general hygiene.
Assisting on out-of-school visits, walks and similar activities
Assisting teachers in the supervision of children with special needs during assembly, recreational and dispersal periods.
Accompanying individuals or small groups who may have withdrawn temporarily from the classroom.
General assistance to the class teachers, under the direction of the Principal, with duties of a non-teaching nature. (Special Needs Assistants may not act as either substitute or temporary teachers. In no circumstances may they be left in sole charge of a class).
Where a Special Needs Assistant have been appointed to assist a school, in catering for a specific pupil, duties should be modified to support the particular needs of the pupil concerned.”
While the above duties are broad, according to ASIAM.ie (2014) SNA’s go above the call of duty in supporting the children. They do not get any recognition for over performing in their role. In researching this information is has not put me off in going forward for this role. From previous employment in another sector, I know that any role that is defined on paper, does not actually portray what actually happens in a job role in reality.
In the work place, I would like to get a broader understanding in Child development, education and play, awareness of the social environment and health and hygiene nutrition and safety. While we learn the theory behind this in our lecturers, in practice it will be somewhat different and more challenging. From learning about the frameworks; Aistear and Siolta, in class, it will be good to see it in practise. To see these major topics being worked on in the school and to see how they are used during an inspection from an inspector. And to see how Aistear is being delivered to children via games, delivery of educational material and how the school utilises them to boost the children’s learning capabilities.
My beliefs going into the placement are to treat all people as how they would like to be treated. Every child and fellow colleague will be treated as to how I would like to be treated. I feel that I am a good listener, a patient person and above all, a caring person. In the placement setting I am not too sure as to how my beliefs are going to impact me, as I have always had an open mind about situations and I don’t get attached. But I know, that I will go through an emotional cycle of change, I will be apprehensive going in, finding my feet, getting to know the staff members and the children, enjoying the work and then reflecting on my learnings to understand how I can better myself every week as I progress through the placement.

The challenges that I will encounter during placement is if a child requires First Aid. I am not qualified in First Aid, but I am pursuing to see if I can get a First Aid Course completed prior to starting the placement in September 2015. Also, I have no formal or informal training in working with children. The other issues that pose a challenge to me is how to deal with parents in relation to issues that may arise in the workplace in relation to their children. I also need to learn how to keep control of the environment that I am in, keeping children calm and relaxed. Another challenge that I may come across is finding myself being taken advantage of, I know we have to start somewhere, but I will be there to learn and gain experience and don’t want my time wasted on doing things that I will not learn from.
In conclusion, the role of an SNA in a special needs school is important and it is an area that I would like to work in. I would like to develop more skills that are not covered in our course. First Aid training is paramount to know when working with children. Dealing with issues on a daily basis in the placement would benefit me in my career progression as an SNA or childcare assistant. I am looking forward to the placement but also apprehensive as I have worked in one sector for 14 years. It is going to be a whole new experience and something that I am looking forward to.

Bibliography: asiam, (2014). The Role of SNAs - asiam. [online] Available at: http://www.asiam.ie/working-with-autism/teachers-and-snas/the-role-of-snas [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].
Educationmatters.ie, (2014). Education Matters | Can schools do without Special Needs Assistants?. [online] Available at: http://www.educationmatters.ie/em_news/can-schools-do-without-special-needs-assistants/ [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].