Work Experience

From Monday the 14th of November to Friday the 18th, I was on work experience in Small World Playschool in Lucan. I started work 9 until half 12. The reason I chose to work in the playschool was because I love children. I have always thought about being a primary school teacher or working with younger children because I just love everything about them. They see everything so differently and it's very entertaining! I have three younger siblings anyways so I am very use to younger children so I wasn't surprised by anything when I got there.

The three ladies I was working with were Sinéad, Diane & Barbara (the best auntie ever). Sinéad owns the Play School so I saw her as the 'boss' or 'the lady in charge'. I was  very nervous at first to meet her because I had no idea what way the play school worked and I was afraid of doing something wrong or getting in her way but she welcomed me with open arms and was very kind which took all the pressure off me so I felt very comfortable there which was a great relief.

The main thing all my friends and myself were most worried about was what we were going to wear, which is no surprise coming from a bunch of girls! Fortunately the uniform Sinéad, Diane and Barbara wore was black trousers with a blue or white polo top so they suggested I wear my school polo top which I wear to PE & tracksuit bottoms. This was great because it took all the pressure off me to decide what to wear & I was very comfortable going around all morning!

I learned a lot of things during the week which surprised me. They have to record everything, and I mean absolutely EVERYTHING! What they do, what they clean, what the children say, the children's behaviour, any incidents that happen, supplies they used, supplies they need to get and so much more. Health and safety is a big thing in the playschool I was in and I'm sure it is in many other ones. There was a big notice bored in the hall outside the room which contained about all there is a parent needs to know about keeping their child well and healthy. This was a great idea considering how fast germs spread between young children. I was also told a lot of information about the course that one would do to get their degree in child care. Unfortunately I forget most of the words used (long fancy words) but I know what they meant.. there was an assignment you would have to do on one child. This child would be your 'case study child'. You would record everything he/she does and says and comment on it and research it collecting facts and history about it. Very confusing stuff!

Last but not least the children! There were about 15 little dotes in the playschool and I wanted to bring them all home with me! I was seen as 'the new girl' for the week and Barbara warned me that they would be fighting over me and by god she was right! They weren't a bit shy at all and wanted me to play, sing, dance and clean everything  with them and I LOVED IT!
In the morning they would come in, hang their jackets up, put their lunches in the fridge, sit in their seat with their hands on the table waiting for the role to be called and once that was done they were off like lightening to choose their favourite toy and play all morning. At 11 we had toilet break and I was in charge of washing their hands with them which was very cute because most of them couldn't reach the sink and got up on the chair to lean across. Then we had lunch until half 11. After lunch we did an activity which was planned that morning before play school started. Monday we made play dough, which was very messy & fun! Tuesday we cut the play dough to make shapes and this made the children practice their 'siccor skills', Wednesday we practised a fire drill, Thursday we coloured pictures to stick on a giant window that we painted & Friday we did 'Friday boxes', this was two giant boxes on the top self waiting until Friday to be used & one was filled with Polly Pockets for the girls and the other with Soldiers for the boys. The children absolutely loved these and I loved looking back at the toys I use to have when I was younger which was an awful lot of them. Many of the Bratz & Barbies & accessories they played with I had & alot of the story books I read to them I remembered from when I was younger such as' The Bear Hunt!' One little boy was terrified of this book when we read it and it was very cute as all the other children would be going crazy with excitement. There were two little girls who were only about 2 years old & we called them 'our babies' but just between Barbara, Sinéad ,Diane and myself because you wouldn't dare say it to them, they were always 'Big girls' .

Over all it was a fantastic week and I enjoyed it very much! I am very grateful to Sinéad for allowing me to work in the play school but it wouldn't have been the same without my auntie Barbara who is just brilliant & who I learned a lot from.