PGCE - Current Students Thread

Scroll to see replies

THE END IS NEAR....!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted from TSR Mobile

It's over! And now the job hunt begins.

I have a problem though, I did my training straight out of uni and have never had a job. When applying for positions what do i put in "employment"? Just leave it blank, or do i mention placement here as technically i am a volunteer.

Reply 7922

kpwxx

Original post by S27

I put my PGCE placements under there, the PGCE itself along with undergrad etc under education. Just make sure you are very clear in the name that it's your placement. Something like Unpaid PGCE Placement 1 - Key Stage 2 or similar. Most schools will not care as long as you get the info across clearly. Just make sure there isn't a separate section for PGCE placements, in which case it should of course go there instead.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 7923

Dominique95

Hey

I hope you don't mind me posting this, but I am about to start a PGCE in SEN Primary (school direct route) and would like a bit of advice.
Firstly, I am considering getting a teachers' planner from Pirongs. Do you think it could be useful for a trainee?
Secondly, do you have any advice on how to prepare for the course? Any books you would recommend?
Thanks in advance! Sorry to crash your thread!

Reply 7924

kpwxx

Original post by Dominique95

Hey

Some parts could definitely be useful. Others might not be so much as it's slightly different (for example, you will have more than one class of the same pupils all year, things will change on different placements and they might not have space for the different lots of info). Since you're school direct you could put your main school there and perhaps add other info in a different colour pen though?

For preparing... relax. Enjoy some time with your family and friends. Go do some things you've wanted to do for a while. Play games, watch TV shows, watch films, read books, go on walks. The PGCE is high intensity and you will do yourself a big favour by being at your peak of wellbeing going in to it. You training provider or school may send some assignments or prep soon so you'll have those to do (and they may be along the same lines of the below).

If you really want to prepare some more specific, practical stuff (and I don't blame you for feeling that!) see if your training provider has a reading list.

The number one thing I'd recommend is reading books about children, including ones about disability and SEN, visiting places targeted at children, reading books FOR children (and keeping a book record so that you can go back and find them easily) and watching TV shows, films and documentaries about children. Maybe take a look at the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child http://www.crae.org.uk/media/26693/UNCRC-CRAE-summary.pdf

If you really insist on some more academic stuff, these are books I'd recommend that, hopefully, you should enjoy as well as learn from! Some are based on personal experience, others that friends have enjoyed.

Development of Independent Reading: Guppy and Hughes
Developmental Psychology & Early Childhood Education: David Whitebread
Tell Me Another: storytelling and reading aloud at home, at school and in the community: B Barton

Lastly, if you want you can brush up on some basics. Perhaps read a book like 'Reading Under Control' which will give you a basic overview of synthetic phonics and teaching reading, or just read Letters and Sounds (a now unused government document setting out a full synthetic phonics program, still available online here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/190599/Letters_and_Sounds_-_DFES-00281-2007.pdf), or maybe a maths one (there are several targeted at trainee teachers) or a science one if those are skills you'd like to develop more. EDIT: Just remembered, these documents are good and short, very handing when teaching: Universally Speaking a summary of typical speech and language development at different ages https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/resources/resources/resources-for-practitioners/universally-speaking.aspx

Lastly, if you want a really heavy (and probably depressing, considering current government policy) read but pretty decent summary of a huge amount of research then you could look at the Cambridge Primary Review.

Seriously, the main one is relax, and think about children, as people.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 7925

Dominique95

Original post by kpwxx

Thank you so much!!
You made some very good points. I'll take your advice on board. Thanks for being so detailed in your reponse, I really appreciate it.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 7926

ParadoxSocks

Original post by Dominique95

Thank you so !!
You made some very good points. I'll take your advice on board. Thanks for being so detailed in your reponse, I really appreciate it.

I'm going to second that. Get some rest. It's going to be a massive part of your life soon so make good use of your free time now.

Reply 7927

Trainee_teach74

I had a question at a job interview that threw me off the other day:

What reading/mathematics schemes have you used.

At my school we used talk for writing and the numeracy hour.

I'm wondering what other schemes are there that they are looking for?

Reply 7928

beanbrain

Original post by Trainee_teach74

Some others I've heard of are the BIG WRITE for literacy, where children do an extended piece of writing every week based around a topic they've been studying; Singapore Maths/Maths Mastery programmes. Possibly Hamilton plans, which produce whole schemes of work for a year group for an entire year.

But if I'd had an interview with this question, I would generally have had to say that I had heard of a few, but hadn't had a huge amount of experience using them, as my main placement school prefers to work from a long term plan that is personalised to work for our children, and don't use schemes of work.

Reply 7929

Pierson

Original post by Trainee_teach74

They were probably seeking to find out if you have experience of working with some of the schemes they use, although I doubt this would give a candidate a significant advantage. There are a ton of maths schemes around: Abacus, Maths No Problem, Collins Busy Ants, Broadbent, Cambridge to name just a few, however, some schools use their own schemes of work rather than buying into one. It sounds like this is what your school does. Every school that I have worked in thus far has used a different scheme to the others.

In regards to reading schemes, most schools tie their approach to reading in with whichever phonics scheme they follow: Read, Write Inc, Jolly Phonics etc. A lot of schools buy books from schemes but do not necessarily follow the scheme itself. The Biff, Chip and Kipper books are from the Oxford Reading Tree scheme. The Project X Code books form another scheme for older children. You may also have come across books from Scholastic's PM scheme. Some schools buy into programmes like Accelerated Reader, Oxford Owl or guided reading schemes like Bug Club and Oxford Big Cat.

Essentially, there was no right or wrong answer to that question. You can only honestly outline how you have experienced teaching maths and reading thus far, which may not have involved the use of any commercial schemes. Demonstrating some awareness of the range of approaches and schemes around never hurts though.

Reply 7930

Carnationlilyrose

Original post by alymau

I'm going to be starting my PGCE Primary (School Direct) in September. Thanks for the advice given previously about how to prepare! Can any of you ex-trainees think of anything we should be buying before the course starts, e.g, stationery?! Thanks.

Congratulations to all of you completing your course this year :smile:

Whilst getting the keys to the stationery cupboard is indeed a prime motivation for many in becoming a teacher, you are better off waiting until you start to see what you really need, otherwise you'll waste a lot of money. On the other hand, stationery is a lifelong joy, so you'd probably find a use for what you got eventually.

Reply 7931

tory88

Original post by alymau

Lever Arch files and highlighters are both things I didn't appreciate until beginning my PGCE. You may want a teacher's planner (some training providers will give you one) but I'd hold off until you begin your first placement as there are often some spares floating around.

Reply 7932

username892469

I cant say I needed anything particularly unusual for the pgce. A stapler, a hole punch, pens, paper and a few ringbinders and lever arches was all I used. I love stationery but pgce didn't need much.

A lot of schools ban pupils from using rubbers these days, so I found having my own was handy when they were doing things that really needed them (you can pry that rubber out of my cold dead hands when year ones are drawing times on clock faces).

Reply 7933

daniellerogers.

Hi!

I'm about to start my Primary PGCE year on Monday (eeek!) I'm very nervous (but excited) after spending the best part of today reading through many pages of this thread, which probably hasn't helped the nerves haha! I'm anticipating this year to be extremely hectic, stressful, busy etc so am under no illusion that it will be easy, I just hope that it will be worthwhile and also mainly enjoyable!

So, is anyone else in the same position and about to start their PGCE's? Or does anyone have any advice/tips which would be greatly appreciated! :smile:

Reply 7934

Great444

had a conditional offer which is to pass my GCSE English, I got my result on the 25th Aug but my UCAS status never been updated, does anyone know why?

Reply 7935

tory88

Original post by meme12

had a conditional offer which is to pass my GCSE English, I got my result on the 25th Aug but my UCAS status never been updated, does anyone know why?

Perhaps UCAS or the university haven't seen your result? Drop the admissions department a quick e-mail as they may be waiting on you to send proof.

Reply 7936

Great444

I did and I sent it to them again, could be the reason that I don't have the certificate yet and because I only have provisional statement?

Reply 7937

tory88

Original post by meme12

I did and I sent it to them again, could be the reason that I don't have the certificate yet and because I only have provisional statement?

Unlikely, they'll be aware that certificates don't come through until later. The best advice is to call/e-mail the university and ask what is happening - likely there will be a clerical error somewhere along the line.

Reply 7938

VelmaStaplebot

Loving the stationery chat - as I've got a bit of a habit.
I've invested in a 4-hole punch and ink pens for note taking (much easier on the hand).
I've wanted a 4-hole punch for ages - any excuse. On my prelim attachment I found an A2 paper guillotine - nearly blew my mind!

Reply 7939

Coshy12

Original post by linkdapink

Hope you're alright lol!

I'm doing the MEC at the moment (Maths Enhancement Course), so have all the fun of the PGCE next year!

Good Luck and have a good Christmas!

Am meant to be starting the MEC in January, how are you finding it? What degree did you do? I will be leaving an accounts job to go into teaching and relocating. As well as my bf getting a transfer to come with me. Trying to decide what to do