Teach First OFFICIAL Application / Assessment Centre thread

Hey Sasa,

I am in the exact same position as you. GTP is so hard to get onto, and I'm giving up a well paying career to teach. I have a 9 year old to think about too, so PGCE would be a nightmare.

Luckily for me though I would like to defer to 2013 if I get an offer because I still have 18 months on my current contract.

I think it may be best to hang out till 2013...28 isn't old!!

Laura

I'll cross my fingers for you then!
I finished my placement in 2010, I'm from the '08 cohort

oh cool! are you still teaching? how did you find it? did you have lots of behavioural issues in your school? sorry lots of questions!!

The commute was awful! 1.5hours one way on the bus! I moved to Great Barr in my 2nd year and cut that down to 30mins so that was much better. Wouldn't recommend living in Brum and working in Walsall unless you have a car!
The best part...probably came in my 2nd year when I was delivering lessons rated outstanding by the same people who rated me unsatisfactory the previous year! Seems a bit egotistical, but as cheesy as it sounds, the 2 years were a massive personal journey for me. The worts bits...feeling like a failure until about March/April in my first year. Crying all the time, the lack of sleep...I could go on!
I'm still teaching (I love it) but I work in a primary school in Norway now, so it's a little different from secondary in Walsall!

Thanks Laura! It's hard isnt it? I'll be giving up a well paid job too and with a baby due in december our little one will only be very small when I'm re-training so definitely can't afford so do anything unpaid!

and don't worry if you havent heard yet - I only heard today and my AC was last week - still plenty of time for you to hear back! Fingers crossed for you xx

Is this you: http://www.teachfirst.org.uk/TFNews/BlogpostcomparingtheeducationsystemsintheUKandNorwaybyTeachFirstambassadorRebeccaTiffin28180.aspx ?? Like the massive geek that I am, I read all the news bulletins before my interview... I found that one particularly interesting, especially as I am currently working at a Swiss school (for autistic children and young adults).

The first year sounds scary!! It must be hard being thrown in at the deep end... Do the mentors and LDO give you a lot of feedback? I originally applied for English and was initially upset that it had filled up, but now I'm thinking that the fact I got Primary might be for the best - if only because, as others have mentioned, younger/smaller children *might* be less daunting... But also because I quite like the idea of catching them while they're young - especially after reading on the Teach First website about how the odds of children improving their literacy and numeracy levels worsen as they get further beyond age 7.

Hi Laura, Sasa

Im deferring to 2013 too!! Got a place on the 2012 programme & then very unexpectedly myself & my husband fell pregnant with our first child who is due in March! Its nice to know that there are others on the programme with young children too. Which subject areas are you hoping to teach & also which areas of the country would you prefer?

Kim xxx

Hi Laura, Sasa

Im deferring to 2013 too!! Got a place on the 2012 programme & then very unexpectedly myself & my husband fell pregnant with our first child who is due in March! Its nice to know that there are others on the programme with young children too. Which subject areas are you hoping to teach & also which areas of the country would you prefer?

Kim xxx

oo congratulations Kim! I'm pregnant now due in dec would still prefer to do 2012 though as baby will be 6 months by then and I'll need to get back into work. We live in London so I would really need to stay here - they said that should be fine though as we have special circumstances so are more likely to get first choice. where would you want to go regionally?? It is really good to know there are others doing this who have families and are making career changes too! xx

Hey Kim,

My daughter is 9, but she will be 11 and about to start secondary school herself if I get onto the programme for 2013! I spoke to recruitment about my situation, because obviously I will have to buy a new house and find her a school so I will need good notice of my region and they said in the circumstances it shouldn't be an issue (no promises though!).

I want to teach RE and they only place in London and the W.Mids at the moment, and as the W.Mids in my first choice, fingers crossed that'll be ok!

What about you?

Laura

Well if you get on then definitely fingers crossed for the West Mids then, its looking in your favour if there are only two areas which offer that subject. I want to be doing primary in the East Mids & again because Id be relocating from Manchester when the baby is born to be closer to where my family are, Id like quite a bit of notice too.
I hope you get on, we're likely to meet at the Summer Institute in that case! xxx

it's hard juggling full time work and motherhood with no family nearby

Kim - just out of interest - what is your degree in? I wanted to do primary but they said I cn't with an English degree

Yeah fingers crossed...not enjoying the waiting!! If i didn't get it this time I will apply again next June, so hopefully I will still end up at the 2013 SI. It would be nice to know some people beforehand, especially as we will be away from our kids for the 6 weeks.

My family are in the W.Mids which is exactly why I would like to be placed there...the extra support would be a huge help. I'm in Cumbria at the moment and it's hard juggling full time work and motherhood with no family nearby

Wow lol yeah that's me! Had no idea that was even up yet! The lady said she'd email me when she added it. It's a bit crap, was hard to say everything I wanted to in 250 words lol! Glad you found it a bit interesting at least!

I got a LOT of feedback. Actually too much for me personally to process. It was probably a negative for me that my professional mentor was also my HoD so both my mentors were in my dept. I reckon if I could go back I'd do primary instead, in hindsight. I LOVE my job working with small kids now. It's definitely a lot more joyful!

I imagine it must have been tricky compressing it all into 250 words but I didn't think it was crap at all - made for a very interesting read! How long do you plan to stay in Norway for? & what exact age group are you working with? I'm glad you're enjoying it so much!

It definitely sounds like a difficult time. I guess I'll just have to spend the first year continually reminding myself that it's the same for everyone!

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So, my SKA has arrived. Hoping that if it does go wrong they'll let me try for English 2013 instead... There's so much to watch and read, especially as I need to read up on every single subject offered at Primary level On the up side, at least I've got the weekend, and having just watched the recommended videos for question 1 I feel so inspired - Ken Robinson is a god...