Teach First OFFICIAL Application / Assessment Centre thread

Thanks r31, that helps. I was thinking of asking quite a few questions and then getting them to spend about a minute doing a paired activity - hopefully that's OK - I'm not sure what I should be doing while they do the activity though, and if I'd look a bit weird just standing there?
It's encouraging to know there were a few different approaches that people took etc, thanks :smile:

You don't just stand there, you listen to them and guide them and ask them more questions :smile:

Reply 881

Georgia gEoRg

Original post by alfi101

Hey guys, I'm new here.

I have my AC on 1st October for primary- does that seem really far away or is that just me?! I'm so nervous... anyone have any tips for the lesson? I don't know if I'll be able to keep a straight face 'teaching' 2 adults acting like children!

I applied for primary too at the beginning of August and my AC date is 19th September, so also a long wait. Someone mentioned on here that they may just have a backlog of people to get through the assessment centre. Good luck! :smile:

Reply 882

sable.kaede

Hey, I just submitted my application for primary. Can anyone tell me how long it was before you head back from Teach First? Thanks :smile:

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 883

misseckleburg

4

Original post by sable.kaede

Hey, I just submitted my application for primary. Can anyone tell me how long it was before you head back from Teach First? Thanks :smile:

They say a maximum of ten working days, but normally you'll hear within a week :smile:

Reply 884

sable.kaede

Thanks

. I've been reading a lot of the posts on here and you all seem to be really experienced... I just hope that I've done well enough to be offered the a/c. Hope everyone else is doing well - I feel like saying good luck!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 885

katiecocopops

I sent off my application for Primary on Tuesday night and I'm freaking out with the waiting! How long did other people wait? I've seen anything from a few days to a few weeks :frown:

Reply 886

florence91

OK, I think I'm beginning to understand a bit better - thank you Becca!

Reply 887

florence91

katiecocopops, for me it was about 12 hours. I assume it was just a slow day in the office!

Becca, I know it must be important to include some kind of activity for the "kids" but can that be something as simple as me asking them a few questions and getting them to respond/choose between possible answers etc? Or do I have to actually prepare some kind of worksheet or something...?

Sorry if I'm being a bit slow... I have taught before but never had to teach adults pretending to be kids before!

Reply 888

rainbow drops

17

Original post by katiecocopops

I sent off my application for Primary on Tuesday night and I'm freaking out with the waiting! How long did other people wait? I've seen anything from a few days to a few weeks :frown:

Are you sure you didn't see people waiting for a few weeks for their SKA result, not the assessment centre decision? The maximum waiting period between sending your application and receiving the decision re. whether you've made it to the AC or not is ten days, but more often than not, it all seems to happen in less time than that. I only waited for four or five days, including a weekend. They're very efficient, so don't worry about having to wait for too long, and good luck!

Reply 889

Piggsil

16

Original post by florence91

katiecocopops, for me it was about 12 hours. I assume it was just a slow day in the office!

Becca, I know it must be important to include some kind of activity for the "kids" but can that be something as simple as me asking them a few questions and getting them to respond/choose between possible answers etc? Or do I have to actually prepare some kind of worksheet or something...?

Sorry if I'm being a bit slow... I have taught before but never had to teach adults pretending to be kids before!

Think back to the lessons you enjoyed most at school...they probably weren't just the teacher talking and they probably weren't just a worksheet. Not saying there's anything wrong with worksheets, but could you be even more creative? Could you give them something kinaesthetic to work together on?
Think about what you want them to be able to do by the end of the lesson and build all your activities (realistically probs only 1 in a 7-min lesson) round that. You don't want it to be you talking all the time. What is your lesson objective?

Reply 890

coco1546

Hi all,

I've got stuck into my SKA (english secondary), but I'm struggling a bit with Q2, the role of language development in the classroom.

Can anyone give me any advice?! Thanks

Reply 891

racheldancin

Hey everyone!

Found out today I got through to the assessment centre stage! Is anyone else going to the 4th October one? I was surprised at how quickly they got back, I only applied Wednesday evening. Now I just have the next month to worry about the a/c.

Reply 892

florence91

Becca, thanks. The lesson objective is 'by the end of the lesson pupils should be able to choose words that will have an impact on the reader'.... I am just really stuck trying to think of a kinaesthetic activity for it that isn't a worksheet! I appreciate that makes me sound really dull and uninspired I think I'm just having a bit of a mental block on it... argghh.

Reply 893

Piggsil

16

Original post by florence91

Becca, thanks. The lesson objective is 'by the end of the lesson pupils should be able to choose words that will have an impact on the reader'.... I am just really stuck trying to think of a kinaesthetic activity for it that isn't a worksheet! I appreciate that makes me sound really dull and uninspired I think I'm just having a bit of a mental block on it... argghh.

How about sentences with cut out bits and different words they can put in the gaps? They could do something like order the words in order of impact and explain why they think certain words have more impact?

Reply 894

florence91

That's a really good idea, thanks! That's the sort of thing I was thinking earlier today but then I thought perhaps it would still be too worksheet-y. But I suppose if I avoid the pupils actually having to write anything and they use their hands, that will be all right. Thanks a lot for your help.

Have you already gone through Teach First? Are you a teacher?

Reply 895

katiecocopops

It was earlier in this thread - people were waiting like three weeks to hear back about their application because all of the assessors were busy at the Summer Institute.

Anyway, I got my invitation to the Assessment Centre in London today! :biggrin:

5th October, 9.20am!

Now to freak out about that :P

Reply 896

Piggsil

16

Original post by florence91

That's a really good idea, thanks! That's the sort of thing I was thinking earlier today but then I thought perhaps it would still be too worksheet-y. But I suppose if I avoid the pupils actually having to write anything and they use their hands, that will be all right. Thanks a lot for your help.

Have you already gone through Teach First? Are you a teacher?

Yeah I am an ambassador from the '08 cohort. I now live and work in Norway. I did secondary MFL with TF, but I'm now working in primary.

Reply 897

Nasher and Basher

2

I am pretty sure I will be applying for the Science route, but I have more experience with Primary children- so could it be possible to switch after submitting your application ?

Reply 898

Nasher and Basher

2

Original post by Becca

Hi, I'm really sorry you were rejected. What I will say is that academics don't play as big a part in TF as people often think. There were at least 3 people in my Midlands cohort who had less than a 2.1.
It could be that you were too vague at relating your experiences to the questions on the application form. I don't know. Like you said, onwards and upwards!! A PGCE is still a great and challenging route into teaching (you can still be placed in TF schools as a PGCE student) and you can choose where you want to live and work :smile:

Really ? Does it play apart in what region your allocated ?