PGCE - Current Students Thread

Has anyone considered being a private tutor after your PGCE? Thinking of tutoring + Masters.

Reply 7562

hana&feather

2

Original post by bioroo

Struggling massively with the workload... Don't know if it feels more so having to teach all non specialism subjects in science so far.... I'm finding the uni work, Lesson planning, practical run throughs, after school meetings, marking etc utterly exhausting....

My placement started 5 weeks ago, and I had 5 lessons in my first official 'observation' week... I was just straight in with full classes... I think I've been lucky if I get 3-4 hours sleep weeknights, then working all day Sat and Sunday...Friday night is my only breathing space I get in a week...

Anyone else feel the same? The only pgcers at my school are 3 PE blokes, who are stressed, yes, but can't believe the amount of stuff I have to do for science, particularly having to go through physics and chem knowledge to plug gaps...

My OH is concerned I'm going to snap... I'm certain he's right 😭

Oh dear - I'm primary so can't compare, but that sort of workload in school doesn't sound normal at this stage, how many lessons do you have each week? Are you planning all lessons from scratch?

You really need to rest. Talk to your mentor/ tutor to see if there's anything you can drop.

Reply 7563

Student Michelle

Hi there, I am in my first placement of teacher training and it has been really difficult. Did you manage to get through the year?

Reply 7564

tory88

Original post by Student Michelle

Hi there, I am in my first placement of teacher training and it has been really difficult. Did you manage to get through the year?

Most people on this thread will be in the same position as you. If you're looking for success stories visit the NQT thread (although you'll still find a lot of complaining...). The PGCE is an incredibly tough year, and the stretch to Christmas is the toughest time for all teachers. What particularly are you finding tough?

Reply 7565

Rachel147

Anyone else feel like their school is trying to take advantage? I'm on 50% timetable like I'm supposed to be but they seem to expect more and I think they see me as a slacker 😑

Reply 7566

Most of the schools my friends and I are at are taking advantage for cover when staff are off. I've done three days by myself (I happened to have a one to one TA for one of my kids but otherwise would have been alone). All of my friends have been used to cover their school Tutor at least once if not more. And we're only in the fifth week of our first placement now, so this was us being left in weeks 2-4 of our first ever teaching experience.

It's nerve wracking behaviour wise even if the regular teacher leaves planning, but quite a few of us have been left teaching our own lessons and not having that backup if our lessons go wrong.

It's never turned out badly or been unduly stressful, but it seems unfair to me.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7567

Samus2

17

Original post by JoannaMilano

Most of the schools my friends and I are at are taking advantage for cover when staff are off. I've done three days by myself (I happened to have a one to one TA for one of my kids but otherwise would have been alone). All of my friends have been used to cover their school Tutor at least once if not more. And we're only in the fifth week of our first placement now, so this was us being left in weeks 2-4 of our first ever teaching experience.

It's nerve wracking behaviour wise even if the regular teacher leaves planning, but quite a few of us have been left teaching our own lessons and not having that backup if our lessons go wrong.

It's never turned out badly or been unduly stressful, but it seems unfair to me.

Tell your training provider. This is NOT allowed. You're not even supposed to be left on your own during your PGCE year let alone being made to cover lessons.

Reply 7568

Original post by Samus2

Tell your training provider. This is NOT allowed. You're not even supposed to be left on your own during your PGCE year let alone being made to cover lessons.

Quite right. The unions would go ape****.

Reply 7569

Original post by Samus2

Tell your training provider. This is NOT allowed. You're not even supposed to be left on your own during your PGCE year let alone being made to cover lessons.

It is allowed, my uni have no issues with it (or at least, not to the point of stepping in). They say it's bad practice and they tell the schools off for it, but there aren't any rules against it. And it's so common, even if it isn't allowed it's too endemic to change it.

I don't think it's right, but unfortunately it is allowed.

If you google 'leaving pgce students alone with class' you find official university documents advocating for school mentors to do it! Birmingham Uni (not my uni btw) have this in their FAQ for mentors:

Q: Can I leave a trainee alone with a group of students?
A: Yes, although trainees will need closer supervision at the start of their placement, once they are up and running and have earned your trust we hope that apart from observations and any other checks you might need to make that you can soon start to let trainees get on with their teaching independently where possible. Initially you might be at the back of the class, but soon you might prefer to be in a room nearby but be on-hand if needed. Being left in charge will help the trainees to learn more rapidly and effectively. Of course trainees should know who to contact and what to do in the event of any problems or an emergency.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 7570

Original post by JoannaMilano

It is allowed, my uni have no issues with it (or at least, not to the point of stepping in). They say it's bad practice and they tell the schools off for it, but there aren't any rules against it. And it's so common, even if it isn't allowed it's too endemic to change it.

I don't think it's right, but unfortunately it is allowed.

If you google 'leaving pgce students alone with class' you find official university documents advocating for school mentors to do it! Birmingham Uni (not my uni btw) have this in their FAQ for mentors:

Q: Can I leave a trainee alone with a group of students?
A: Yes, although trainees will need closer supervision at the start of their placement, once they are up and running and have earned your trust we hope that apart from observations and any other checks you might need to make that you can soon start to let trainees get on with their teaching independently where possible. Initially you might be at the back of the class, but soon you might prefer to be in a room nearby but be on-hand if needed. Being left in charge will help the trainees to learn more rapidly and effectively. Of course trainees should know who to contact and what to do in the event of any problems or an emergency.

That is not the same as being put on cover. That refers to the mentor not being in the classroom all the time when the trainee is taking the mentor's class. Being used for cover is being put on someone else's class, which may not even be your subject, when the normal teacher is absent.

Reply 7571

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

That is not the same as being put on cover. That refers to the mentor not being in the classroom all the time when the trainee is taking the mentor's class. Being used for cover is being put on someone else's class, which may not even be your subject, when the normal teacher is absent.

Oh fair enough. My school have always called it cover when asking me to do it so I guess I've got mixed up. I'm talking being left with our own class but alone for a whole day or two at a time while our mentors are absent. Which seems like taking advantage when we're so new at this.

Reply 7572

Original post by JoannaMilano

Oh fair enough. My school have always called it cover when asking me to do it so I guess I've got mixed up. I'm talking being left with our own class but alone for a whole day or two at a time while our mentors are absent. Which seems like taking advantage when we're so new at this.

Well, they shouldn't be doing that either, since it's technically cover, really, but as you say it's very widespread. If you ever get asked to cover a class that you do not normally teach, that is an absolute no. I'm a bit rusty on the legalities now, but I suspect insurance would be the stumbling block here. You wouldn't be legally covered. Even the normal (state school) staff are not expected to cover unless it's an emergency. It's different at an independent school, but even there a student teacher wouldn't be used for cover, certainly not in my experience anyway.

Reply 7573

redmel1621

12

Hello

I can't believe how long it has been since I have been on here... I literally have no hours spare ever and am on the go from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed, usually early hours of the morning.

I'm still currently doing 4 days in school and 1 day in uni, so I have no idea if I will be able to stick this course once I am in a school 5 days and planning more lessons.

I am about to catch up an a few weeks of lesson evaluations for my year 9 class as I never seem to have time to do them. I also need to set up a new teaching file as mine is bursting at the seams.

Hope you are all doing ok :smile:

Reply 7574

magic_box

Original post by redmel1621

Hello

I can't believe how long it has been since I have been on here... I literally have no hours spare ever and am on the go from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed, usually early hours of the morning.

Hope you are all doing ok :smile:

Hey

Are you primary or secondary and PGCE or Schools Direct? Just wondering how workloads vary and what is in particular taking you a long time, is it lesson planning or have you been given additional tasks? Just curious!

I can't believe it's only 2 weeks until Christmas! It's going so crazily fast. Anyone else think that?

Also, was hoping to get some advice ... marking students' books I noticed one girl had written underneath one lessons work "I really hate this teacher". Now, I'm just not sure how to approach her with this - what kind of punishment would be suitable, or would it just need a 1-1 chat?
I'm going to mention it to my mentor on Monday but wondered if anyone had any ideas...
The reason she "hates" me, btw, is that I repeatedly told her not to talk over others and gave her a warning for this....

Reply 7575

Original post by magic_box

Hey

Are you primary or secondary and PGCE or Schools Direct? Just wondering how workloads vary and what is in particular taking you a long time, is it lesson planning or have you been given additional tasks? Just curious!

I can't believe it's only 2 weeks until Christmas! It's going so crazily fast. Anyone else think that?

Also, was hoping to get some advice ... marking students' books I noticed one girl had written underneath one lessons work "I really hate this teacher". Now, I'm just not sure how to approach her with this - what kind of punishment would be suitable, or would it just need a 1-1 chat?
I'm going to mention it to my mentor on Monday but wondered if anyone had any ideas...
The reason she "hates" me, btw, is that I repeatedly told her not to talk over others and gave her a warning for this....

Firstly, don't take it personally. It's the kind of thing that happens to all teachers and it's a sign you are making her do stuff she doesn't want to do, which she won't like but which is part of what being a teacher is about, I'm afraid! You need to speak to the normal class teacher about this, but then tackle her on her own about it. Don't do it in front of her peers - you're giving her an audience to play up to. Few of them are brass-necked enough to stick it out and pick an argument with you face to face. As for the punishment, tear the page out of the book and make her write it up again without the comment.

Reply 7576

magic_box

Original post by Carnationlilyrose

Firstly, don't take it personally. It's the kind of thing that happens to all teachers and it's a sign you are making her do stuff she doesn't want to do, which she won't like but which is part of what being a teacher is about, I'm afraid! You need to speak to the normal class teacher about this, but then tackle her on her own about it. Don't do it in front of her peers - you're giving her an audience to play up to. Few of them are brass-necked enough to stick it out and pick an argument with you face to face. As for the punishment, tear the page out of the book and make her write it up again without the comment.

Thanks Carnationlilyrose! I'm definitely not taking in personaly, if anything I find it amusing. Obviously I'd prefer to be liked but with some students, that would involve not making them do anything at all!

I will definitely speak to the class teacher and keep the girl behind to talk to her. Very curious about what she will say (I'm used to outright denial of behaviour but she can't really do that with the proof right there!)
Thank you again, you're always the voice of reason in these threads :smile:

Reply 7577

Original post by magic_box

Thanks Carnationlilyrose! I'm definitely not taking in personaly, if anything I find it amusing. Obviously I'd prefer to be liked but with some students, that would involve not making them do anything at all!

I will definitely speak to the class teacher and keep the girl behind to talk to her. Very curious about what she will say (I'm used to outright denial of behaviour but she can't really do that with the proof right there!)
Thank you again, you're always the voice of reason in these threads :smile:

No prob. Just been there, done that, bought the T shirt and now given it away to Oxfam.

Reply 7578

If it makes you feel better, magic_box, I've ben called a "big fat slug" and another girl told her table that I "do her head in".

It's a good job that I don't get my self-esteem from the opinions of stroppy 9 year olds haha.

Reply 7579

tory88