PGCE - Current Students Thread

Struggled this afternoon with the class. Nothing major but they are serious fuss pots. I had 6 without PE kits. One of whom waited until everyone else was changed before mentioning it, despite my standing by the box of spare kit handing things out for ages lol. It took them nearly 15 minutes to get changed!

My teacher says I need to 'show my teeth'. That is the goal for tomorrow...

I am finding it a bit odd. I have two TAs some days plus the teacher has been using the time to do some one-to-one sessions with some of the SEN pupils. So, for quite a few mornings, I have three other adults in the classroom. It is a bit of a shock to the system lol.
Tomorrow afternoon I have the class all to myself though, so hopefully it will go well. I feel more relaxed, even though I am probably no different with the kids. I suppose you just feel like you are being judged when other adults are watching lol.

Genius, absolute genius.

Now, how to get away with taking a hammer into school... guess throwing it on the floor and stampting on it would do the trick!

3 is to implement a three strikes, you're out policy for once in my life. I need to put a positive slant on it at some point though, so have ordered some counters- 3 to each student, one gets taken away per warning and can be earned for good work. Each multiple of 3 at end of lesson gets a sticker.

Are you actually going to give them the counters? I can see that being a big sticking point and something that could escalate problems, if they refuse to give them to you....

I really, really, really hate writing job application letters. It's due in at 1pm tomorrow (because I cocked up remembering when the closing date was). Grrr. I started applying for this job at half five today.... and I've not quite finished. </rant>

Are you actually going to give them the counters? I can see that being a big sticking point and something that could escalate problems, if they refuse to give them to you....

Yeah the teacher is quite laissez-faire. It's a girls' grammar (!) so they are all either privileged enough to have phones/mp3 players, and just share with their friends who haven't. There were no issues in that respect.

I have them tomorrow- I have some stuff to try out/enforce, lesson content is much less important (lesson is based on a differentiated worksheet so most of the time the good ones can be independent)

1 is the phone ban of course, though this wasn't an issue in the normal classroom. And along those lines I need to make sure I don't seem intimidated in any way!

2 is a new positive strategy to get them to shut up when I want (I can't stand being spoken over either)- 1-3 on the board, these are three chances to be quiet in time when I ask for quiet and count down from five. If they aren't, I cross one out. If I haven't crossed all three out by the end of the lesson (ie. if they've responded quickly enough), I note that down and after three lessons where that happens they all get a small reward.

3 is to implement a three strikes, you're out policy for once in my life. I need to put a positive slant on it at some point though, so have ordered some counters- 3 to each student, one gets taken away per warning and can be earned for good work. Each multiple of 3 at end of lesson gets a sticker.

I am at my lowest point since starting the course. I'm just so stressed about my last placement. I'm starting to doubt that I can do it. I'm having crazy thoughts/fantasies about quitting the course and am dreading the next 6 weeks. I've never been so anxious.

I am at my lowest point since starting the course. I'm just so stressed about my last placement. I'm starting to doubt that I can do it. I'm having crazy thoughts/fantasies about quitting the course and am dreading the next 6 weeks. I've never been so anxious.

You can do it! 6 weeks is nothing, 30 days! Keep going. If you couldn't do it you wouldn't have got in! Keep going! Let us know if we can help!

I honestly think I slipped through the net somehow!

Don't be silly! What's the major source of your stress? How can that be resolved?

I don't know really. I started my placement last Mon and this massive cloud of self doubt just descended for no reason in particular. Last placement was in KS1 & now in EYFS and it's so different I feel a bit lost.

It takes some getting used to doesn't it! My first two placements were in EYFS so I have some experience of it! Don't doubt yourself though, just grit your teeth and keep going!

Same. I've been fine throughout the course, and then last Sunday I just broke; it came from nowhere. I've been a crying shaking wreck all week and hardly able to eat because of stomach ache.. I have 23 teaching days left and that's all I'm focussing on tight now.