Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
e-clark... im putting my personal tutor at uni down as my primary reference (as thats what the TDA website says you should put if you are still in education or recently left)... and then my boss at work down as a secondary reference i think as she knows me really well and would give me a brill reference! I was wondering whether that would be ok or if having a referee from a school would be better for the second one... i volunteered in a school for a year last year once a week.... but unfortunatly (in terms of a reference) i ended up working with 3 diff teachers plus supply teachers for one class ... so i wouldnt know how to get in touch with any of them! I could maybe ask the head teacher if people think it would def be a better option..! Annoyingly my nursery volunteering was for my mums nursery...so i cant use her as a reference :P
Also...im applying for early years... and I have a reasonably good grasp with EYFS (my mum is a nursery teacher and has been filling me in!)... and i volunteered last year with year 1's... but im not sure what exactly I would need to know about key stage one (early years is more generalised kinda.. like the 6 stages you work around)... but key stage one branches into more subjects... so maybe just a good grasp of what subjects are taught...and delve a bit deeper into maths/literacy?
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by ~CAROLINE~
I have been having the same dilemma so I was speaking to the head teacher at the school I volunteer at and she told me an Early Years specialism allows you to be more employable in regard to Early Years and that they prefer someone with this specialism. But she then told me to think that if I do a simple primary I am more flexible in regard to long term employment as many school like to keep their staff on their toes by moving them around, and there are never as many Early Years vacancies as other years and therefore an Early Years specialism could be picked up part time to aid the general primary.
All rather confusing but I found it interesting to think about.
I've decided to go for normal primary after speaking to some teachers and headteachers etc in the end! Pure primary allows you more employment choices in the future and allows you to teach older classes, so with regards to doing supply etc, more doors are open to you! And apparently if you want to do early years later, you can go on courses to learn about it - all the early years teachers at the schools i've been at have had normal primary and gone on further courses, so I don't think its a requirement for early years jobs to have the specific pgce for it. The head also said hes finding a bit of a surplus of early years vacancies atm, so if you wanted a job in that area, even without the specialism you should be ok! I'm a bit more interested in the early years course, but want to keep as many doors open as possible when jobs are sparce anyways!
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Do they contact both referees or just your principal one?
As I've got to have my uni tutor as my first because they say you have to, but I'm putting the class teacher at the school where I did my work experience as the 2nd, and I'd really like them to contact him as he actually knows something about me as a person (ie: he has met me).
I'm applying to Edinburgh and Aberdeen for PGDE Primary... this PS lark is hard work though, I can't work out if I'm writing what they want to see
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
Do they contact both referees or just your principal one?
As I've got to have my uni tutor as my first because they say you have to, but I'm putting the class teacher at the school where I did my work experience as the 2nd, and I'd really like them to contact him as he actually knows something about me as a person (ie: he has met me).
I'm applying to Edinburgh and Aberdeen for PGDE Primary... this PS lark is hard work though, I can't work out if I'm writing what they want to see
I've done the same as you. Unfortunately, the institutions you're applying to may not necessarily contact your second referee unless they feel it is necessary to do so.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by hannahradford
I've done the same as you. Unfortunately, the institutions you're applying to may not necessarily contact your second referee unless they feel it is necessary to do so.
That is rubbish. I'm meeting my tutor tomorrow and it is the first time she will ever have met me - how is she more qualified than someone I've actually worked in a school with to make assertions on how I'd be as a teacher? I hope she gives a bad reference then they actually have to call him.... although that also might get me rejected.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
Do they contact both referees or just your principal one?
As I've got to have my uni tutor as my first because they say you have to, but I'm putting the class teacher at the school where I did my work experience as the 2nd, and I'd really like them to contact him as he actually knows something about me as a person (ie: he has met me).
I'm applying to Edinburgh and Aberdeen for PGDE Primary... this PS lark is hard work though, I can't work out if I'm writing what they want to see
My uni contacted both my referees. Like you, I had put down the head of my course as the first one (who I also only had for one module, so he didn't really know me, think he just made a near enough generic reference for all the students) and the assistant head of a school where I did my placement at, and who knew what I was like within a school environment.
Anyway, good luck to all those who are applying. I can remember the nervy wait last year. Now I'm just stressed at all the work I've to do on the PGCE!
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
I have another question:
In the 2nd part about work experience, how have people set it out? Is it supposed to be CV like with dates, titles etc and that is it, or can we write another couple of paragraphs on our different experiences? I don't know if it is just supposed to be like:
May 2009 - 3 weeks at X primary school with Mr Brown in year four.
March 2009 - 1 week at D primary school with Mr Green. Year Two.
Or another "In May, I went to X primary school and did X, Y and Z in with Mr Browns class. I was given responsibility for X and this meant X" type thing... as that could take up several paragraphs as I've done a fair amount of stuff.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
I have another question:
In the 2nd part about work experience, how have people set it out? Is it supposed to be CV like with dates, titles etc and that is it, or can we write another couple of paragraphs on our different experiences? I don't know if it is just supposed to be like:
May 2009 - 3 weeks at X primary school with Mr Brown in year four.
March 2009 - 1 week at D primary school with Mr Green. Year Two.
Or another "In May, I went to X primary school and did X, Y and Z in with Mr Browns class. I was given responsibility for X and this meant X" type thing... as that could take up several paragraphs as I've done a fair amount of stuff.
You only get 20 lines to fit it all in! I had to cut mine right down. Put where and what, the date(s) and then like one line about what I did.
e.g "Assisting in a Secondary Science (and English) class at [NAME OF SCHOOL] every Wednesday morning from February to April 2006. Within a year 7 science class and a year 10 English class. I aided students with [XYX].
Mentoring a first year disabled student for the academic year 2008/2009. (Continuing for the academic year 2009/2010). My role was [INSERT JOB DESC]. My duties included; [XYZ]
Assisting and observation in various Secondary Science classes at [SCHOOL NAME] for five full school days from 6th to 10th July 2009. I observed six different science teachers with their classes, year groups 7 to 10 including special needs classes. I also [DID XYZ WHILE THERE]."
It was a push but I managed to squeeze in about 75% of what I wanted to say. Luckily, I mentioned most of my work exp in my PS.
And yep, it is a bit lame about referees...I've only met my tutor twice, but I've sent her my PS and CV and she has a record of all my academic achievements so I spose she will be best to ask from that perspective. I'm applying for secondary science, which I don't think is as competitive, so not sure if I'll be asked for my second ref - I've given my secondary school science teacher (who taught me for 3 years, inc triple science after school) and who I completed work experience under. Oh well...We'll just have to see...
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
Intresting - where did you apply to? Do you know how common practise it is for them to do that? Good luck with this year!
And I've nearly finished my PS
Bishop Grosseteste in Lincoln (teacher training uni/college). I don't know how common it is to ask for the second reference but with me, I also did my undergrad degree at BG and quite a few other people on my course also opted to stay on for their PGCE so I imagine that quite a few of us had similar first references so that's perhaps why they asked for the second. Although having said that, I don't know if any of my friends' second referees were consulted so really I'm speaking from my own personal experience, so not much use to you!
As for the work experience section, I just listed the schools and dates and went into more detail in the PS section.
Well done on nearly finishing your PS, I found that a nightmare to do!
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by hannahradford
xxx
Did you rewrite some of the things you'd talked about in your PS, or just leave them out if they're already in it? In my PS, I talk about my most recent time in school, but in the experience thing I need to put various other involvement with children like summer camp work, and my previous employment in a primary school, as I didn't talk about them in my PS.
This is the only bit I need to do now and then it's over to my referee.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
Did you rewrite some of the things you'd talked about in your PS, or just leave them out if they're already in it? In my PS, I talk about my most recent time in school, but in the experience thing I need to put various other involvement with children like summer camp work, and my previous employment in a primary school, as I didn't talk about them in my PS.
This is the only bit I need to do now and then it's over to my referee.
Same, I finished mine this morning - finished my PS a few days ago but had no idea what to write in the work exp section.
I included everything relevant from the time I went to 6th form - I did some stuff in school helping yr7 pupils, but didn't think they'd be interested. I included what I also wrote about in my PS so they had extra info like the school name, the dates, and more of a list of things I did. If in doubt - include it, but if it's in your PS; I don't think you need any detail.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by Ally Kat
x
I really hope that happens with my reference, my first choice is Edinburgh where I'm currently finishing my undergrad so hopefully the admissions people will know what a joke our personal tutor system is and decide to contact my real referee instead
I've been to BCC with a friend when we were looking at undergrad primary courses then I opted to do a non vocational degree, it's really nice - they seem so education focused.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by hannahradford
xx
Hmm okay, I think I will do that too. It's currently longer than my PS, so there is going to have to be some editing in order. I guess its more important to talk about things I haven't already mentioned than ones than one I have.... did you happen to have much experience outside of the main school setting? did you stress that much? as I've put the school stuff in my PS, but nothing about the outside of school things.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
Hmm okay, I think I will do that too. It's currently longer than my PS, so there is going to have to be some editing in order. I guess its more important to talk about things I haven't already mentioned than ones than one I have.... did you happen to have much experience outside of the main school setting? did you stress that much? as I've put the school stuff in my PS, but nothing about the outside of school things.
To be honest I don't really have a huge amount of experience, as I've only decided that I seriously want to be a teacher in the last few months or so, so I had room to write about nearly everything I've done in my PS. Your best bet would be to include stuff you haven't got in your PS - to show you've got an interest in children by working with them in a range of settings, and you gain other skills by volunteering etc.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by hannahradford
To be honest I don't really have a huge amount of experience, as I've only decided that I seriously want to be a teacher in the last few months or so, so I had room to write about nearly everything I've done in my PS. Your best bet would be to include stuff you haven't got in your PS - to show you've got an interest in children by working with them in a range of settings, and you gain other skills by volunteering etc.
Me neither to be honest, in classroom terms anyway... I also decided that maybe teaching was a good idea for next year in July, which hasn't really given me much time to do anything really recent!
Done it now and sent it to referee, this is scary! Thank you for your help, that was exactly what I was needing to find out before I sent it off.
Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
Originally Posted by oxymoronic
I really hope that happens with my reference, my first choice is Edinburgh where I'm currently finishing my undergrad so hopefully the admissions people will know what a joke our personal tutor system is and decide to contact my real referee instead
I've been to BCC with a friend when we were looking at undergrad primary courses then I opted to do a non vocational degree, it's really nice - they seem so education focused.
Yes, it's very education based but I like it, small and friendly and all that. My partner did his masters at Edinburgh, and so I went up there for his graduation. Didn't see much of the uni but really liked the city, though I made the mistake of wearing high heels, wasn't much fun crossing the cobbled roads when you're not used to it!
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Re: The "Where are you applying to do a PGCE?" 2010 thread.
