Bloomsbury Positive Placements: Making the Most of Your Educational Placement

Unsure about where to do your placement? Scared about what might await you? Keen to make the most of every moment?Whether thinking about teaching abroad, working in your local school or supporting learning in an art gallery, this accessible and empowering guide will take you through the placement process and provide all the information you need to make the most of your experience.Case study extracts from past students on a diverse range of placements give a flavour for what its really like to go on placement. Summaries and key points ensure you can find the information youre looking for quickly and reflective questions encourage you to think about and learn from your experiences.The supporting companion website provides links to placement opportunities, ideas to get you started and a complete set of student case studies. A guide for lecturers looking to support students on placement is also available online.The essential guide for all students thinking about going on an educational placement. Review 'Positive Placements is a valuable resource for students considering undertaking a placement as well as those whose placements are already underway. Helpful suggestions for planning and thinking ahead abound in the book, as well as support for keeping on track and workable strategies for on-going and summative reflection and self-evaluation. Reporting on placements in traditional and non-school settings both at home and abroad, the students' voices throughout ensure a lively read. Their honesty is refreshing and their concerns are comforting, showing readers that their worries are understandable, but not insurmountable. The book is practical, with ample constructive guidance, for example, on keeping lively and purposeful journals. All the way through the book, prompts and questions encourage readers to consider the relevant ideas and relate the content to their own situation. This book is recommended for all students who undergo placements and for their support tutors and mentors.' Carrie Winstanley, National Teaching Fellow and Principal Lecturer in Education, Learning and Teaching, Roehampton University, UK 'Positive Placements provides student teachers from whatever background with a comprehensive and highly accessible support tool. It covers an impressively broad range of the subjects and issues that concern those considering and following Initial Teacher Education courses. The use of a simple, easily navigable approach with helpfully illustrative case-studies ensures that readers can find reassuring examples and authoritative guidance to support their own learning as they prepare for the teaching profession.' Simon Asquith, Chair of the Association for Partnership in Teacher Education and Director of School Partnerships, University of Cumbria, UK 'This is a book that is a must for all who are training to be a teacher or, indeed, on any course of study involving substantial placement experience. It is not only full of useful advice and practical guidance, it is also a source of inspiration that reminds us all of the exciting learning processes placement experience support. Its readable and engaging approach to this fascinating subject make it an enjoyable and informative addition to essential reading lists.' Samantha Twiselton, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Cumbria, UK About the Author David Midwinter is an Education Consultant, UK.