Week Ten, My Last Week..

Hey guys, so this week was week ten and my last week of Transition Year work experience. I was so sad to leave after having such a great time at the montessori. Here's what Happened..


I started week ten off at 9:15 am as usual. The staff were to have a meeting so I was put up stairs to help supervise the younger children for 45 minutes until the meeting was over. During this time I played with the children and helped them with small puzzles. I was also given the responsibility of comforting one of the small children when they were upset.

After the meeting I was put back into my regular routine with the older montessori kids. I then did the usual; played with them, helped them with their arts and crafts and supervised as they ate their lunch and played as they weren't allowed outside due to the ice.

I returned at 2:30pm after my lunch break and myself and the two other students gave our supervisors and the staff a thank you card and a massive box of cookies. During the afternoon I helped to weigh out ingredients for baking and helped as everyone chipped into a 460 piece jigsaw puzzle.
My day ends at 4:30/ 5:00pm but after having a party and recieving an unexpected gift of money along with my report sheet I left for home at 5:30pm. I just wanted to say thank you to the montessori for having me even if you never read this!

So that's all from me right now but i'll be back posting about my second work experience in January,
Until then,
Ciara



Week Nine

Hey guys,

Nearly finished my first work experience placement in the Montessori and all in time for the holidays, Here's what I got up to on my second- last day of work experience..

Day nine of work experience began at 9:30am when the children began to arrive. During morning montessori I helped the children put away their bags and coats, and get settled into class. Throughout the day I helped them with jigsaw puzzles, colouring and arts & crafts. I then helped to supervise them as they played outside in the playground and ate their lunch. As the children began to leave, I cleaned the tables and swept the floor before I left for my lunch break at 12:30pm.

I returned at 2:30pm for afterschool creche. Firstly, I cleaned up after the children's meal and set up the upstairs classroom for later. I then went outside for an hour and helped supervise the children as they played. When the children came in they split up and I was put into one of the classrooms. Here, I helped as they baked scones, played with toys, drew pictures, and played with playdough. I was then free to go home at 4:45pm!

Till next week,
Ciara



Week Eight

Hi guys,

Back again to update you on my eighth week in work experience! This is what I got up to..

I started day eight of my work experience at 9:00am in the montessori. I helped my supervisor to set up the classroom by sorting furniture and cutting strips of paper for the children to make shapes with. When the children arrived I chatted to them while they played with the toys and I helped them to draw pictures of robots and trees. They then switched supervisors and I did the same with the second group.

Afterwards, the children tidied their toys and ate their lunch. I helped them if they needed me to open a lunch box or yoghurt. After lunch I swept the floors and cleaned the tables. I then went out to the playground and helped to supervise the children while they played. The children then came inside and listened to a montessori CD until their parents came to collect them.

I returned at 2:30pm for the after school classes. This began by going outside to the playground with the children to play. After a little over an hour outside we came in to begin baking a lemon cake. The children loved this and I was involved in tidy up and supervision. I then went inside to another supervisor and played with the children as they made new artwork. I left the montessori and left for home at 5:00pm.

Till next week,

Ciara

                        

Week Seven

Hi guys,

Today was my seventh day of work experience at the montessori and my day started off bright and early at 9:00am.

This week I was with another new supervisor and a new class of younger children. My morning consisted of interacting with the children; doing jig-saw puzzles and helping them when they needed me, for example to zip up their jacket or open a lunch box. I also helped supervise as the children painted and played with the class toys. After lunch we brought the children outside run about in the playground until it was time to celebrate one of the children's birthdays with a lovely Sponge Bob cake. Although not everybody ate all their cake slice, and some ate theirs in record timing, it was great to see how the class celebrated when it was someone's birthday.Before going home the children got into a semi circle, sang songs and practised their shapes.

I returned to the montessori at the usual time of 2:30pm and got straight to work supervising the afterschool children as they played in the playground. Afterwards we went inside and the children baked some blueberry muffins. The class then began designing their posters for a colouring competition and I was free to go home at 5:00pm.

Till next week,
Ciara
                                           

Week Six

Hey guys,

So this week was week six of my work experience programme and i'm over half way finished working at my first placement, the montessori. So here's what I got up to..

My day started off at 9:00am and I got straight to work helping to set up. This week I was put into a new classroom with a new supervisor. This classroom was full of  a lot more screaming children than the last! The first thing I was put to work on was helping the children draw Christmas pictures for a card that's made every year by the montessori. All the proceeds are given to charity so it's a great idea and the children love seeing their drawings on the finished product! After all the pictures were drawn the children had playtime where they explored the room for toys and drew up their own pictures for their mommys and daddys.

We then went outside onto the playground to let the children scream and run around and have a bit of fun. After that it was lunch time and when everybody had eaten up all of their snacks and sung along to some songs it was time to finish up and go home.

I returned at 2:30pm for the afterschool classes and began by bringing the children out onto the playground. We then went inside and drew our own staff pictures for the Christmas card. After that I went upstairs to help out as the children played with a crazy goo mixture (made of green water and cornflour) and made a big mess for me to help clean up afterward. At 5:00pm when the mess was cleared it was time to finish up and head home for the day.

Till next week,
Ciara

Week Five

Hi Guys,

It's week five, and this is what I got up to.....

On day five of my work experience I started off with something a little different. Today a staff meeting was held for the first 45 minutes of the day. During this time only the smaller children (aged 2-3) came in at 9:30am while montessori classes stayed home for the duration of the meeting. I, along with fellow work experience students helped to look after the younger children for the first 45 minutes along with two new supervisors until the montessori children arrived. It was very different, but I loved it!

When the montessori classes began I helped my usual supervisor by cutting up some crepe paper for our halloween artswork. I was then given the responsibility of calling each child one by one to make halloween-special spiders which was very enjoyable. Throughout the morning I was involved in the daily routine of casually sweeping the floor when needed and cleaning up equipment. I was also given the responsibility of melting chocolate and getting supplies ready for the cupcakes and the mess the children later made!

After lunch I arrived again at 2:05pm, 25 minutes early. I helped my morning supervisor with her afternoon montessori class as they played with toys and carried out the same activities as the morning class. When they went home, at around 4:15, I moved on to the afterschool group where I watched them paint and chatted to them about their halloween costumes (they were very enthusiastic about that). I finished off the day at 4:35pm and headed home!

Till next week,
Ciara


 

Week Four

Hi Guys,

This week was my fourth time going to work experience. I started the day off early, helping my supervisor to set up the class room with paint and glue for the children to make pictures for their up and coming halloween party.

As the children arrived I was given the responsibility of helping them with their arts and crafts. I was also involved in gathering equipment like paint brushes and paint from the arts closet and in getting art sheets photocopied. Throughout the day I also cleaned equipment like brushes, Glue sticks and paint palets. As the children were not allowed out that day because of rain, I helped to supervise them as they played with playdough and continued on with their montessori games.

I was also given responsibility for making sure children we're washing their hands in the bathroom and that they didn't take too long. When the montessori class we're finished and I was back from my break I got to work with my usual supervisor for the afternoon class. Here, I helped supervise the children as they played with their toys and ate their lunches. When this class went home at 4:15pm, I continued to help out by putting up halloween decorations for the montessori. I finished my day at 5:00pm.

Till next week,
Ciara

Week Three

Hi guys,

Back again after my third day of work experience at the local montessori. This week was tiring but that being said I still thoroughly enjoyed my time at the work place. I began my day helping to dry the outside playground and by setting up the classroom for the incoming montessori classes.

We began class by starting the children on painting and picture making. I was given alot more responsibility this week as I became more familliar with the work place and staff. My role was to supervise the children that were painting and to help them paint. We then went on to set up the class room for playdough (they love this). After playing with the playdough for a good half an hour, we then got everybody into their coats and out of the classroom into the playground.

I helped supervise the children here while they ran around playing with the slides and sand pit until it was time to go in for lunch. After lunch we all participated in the daily 'circle time' and this week I was involved in a little bit of CD work with the children. They all really enjoyed it and it was a great way to wrap things up on my third day of work experience.

After my generous two hour work break, I returned for afterschool montessori. Here, I helped wipe down some shelves and continued to help supervise the children. I then went home after a long day of work, already looking forward to week four.

Till next week,
Ciara

Week Two

Hi Guys,

So this week I got up to loads of stuff during my day of work experience, and , despite the fact that I have to wake up at the painfully early hour of 8 o' clock, it's all made up for with the 2 hour break I get.(so no complaining here!)

Starting early Wednesday morning, I got to work setting up the class room for the incoming montessori children. This involved laying out the painting utensils, and the playdough area. The children seemed to have a great time painting out an Autumn tree that will soon be stocked with all the different leaves they've collected themselves. After all of these activities, we took the children outside for a play in the garden (which they looooved) and gave them time for their lunch afterwards.

To round up the morning we then participated in what is known to the children as 'circle time' where they each got a chance to complete a small challenge. It's a really cool idea and gets their brains working in preparation for primary school. After everyone left at 12:30pm, I too went home for lunch before returning for the second round of afterschool children at 2:30pm. During this time I supervised the older kids as they completed their homework and began colouring for a class competition.

My day came to an end at 4:30pm, and although at times it seems tiring, I thoroughly enjoyed working at the Montessori and feel as though i'm constantly learning more and more about the world of work. Can't wait to return next week!

Till next time,
Ciara

Week One

Hi Guys,

This blog was set up by myself to record all of the exciting things I will be getting up to during Work Experience. In Ireland, if you choose to do Transition Year (an extra year of school) one of the great things you must participate in is work experience, which falls on the Wednesday of every week for my whole school year.

It's simple, we were given our work experience dates and told to find local and national businesses that would take us on every wednesday. It was hard work, calling up lots of places and handing in CV's (even going to meetings) but I finally found my 3 required placements.

This week was my first week of work experience, and my destination for the next ten weeks is a great local Montessori. I was nervous about commencing work experience, beacause I simply had no idea what to expect. However, as soon as I stepped foot inside that montessori, I was calmed by the welcoming atmosphere and the super friendly staff. I knew straight away that I would get on just fine there. I was put to work cleaning painting utensils and observing a class of happy children.

It was a wonderful experience and I feel like I have already learnt so much about the world of work. I can't wait to return next week and see what else is in store for me.

I'll be putting up a new post here every week regarding Work Experience, and I also have another blog about Transition Year as a whole if you'd like to learn about that. You'll find a link for it on the top right hand corner of this blog so check that out if you like!

Till next time,
Ciara