PGCE - Current Students Thread

As a student member to a union you're not actually entitled to strike. I would say if your school is open to anyone you should be in, even if you're just doing desk work all day.

Why have we been getting emails from unions telling us to take action? I'm totally confused by the whole situation.

It's irritating though, not all the teachers are in, it's just a few TAs because they won't get paid if they don't go in. I haven't got much work for placement to do, it's my last week and I have everything planned already. I have a few bits and bobs I could be doing but not enough to fill a whole day, I'd much rather spend it in the library preparing for my assignment and back to uni tasks. It seems like it's the showing of willing rather than the work done.

I know I have to earn my stripes but I know I'll go in and end up doing 'jobs' all day. It's a waste of a day I suppose. Ah well, anything for QTS!

It's probably a blanket email sent out to everyone on their mailing lists. This is what I've been told by my course:

"just to clarify the position re strike action - the unions have confirmed that student membership does not permit students to vote in union ballots or to participate in strike action."

2 (not full! ) weeks left and I'm starting to think about my goodbyes already- but falling short when it comes to ideas for presents for teachers! Obviously there's the obligatory box of chocs in the staffroom but beyond that for the department, not a clue. It's a small department- I work with my mentor, 2 other teachers and there's my professional tutor- so want to get them all something but have no idea what! I would do wine but I know nothing about wine at all, and I suppose boxes of chocs would be another idea. I've got 2 women and 2 men to buy for, if anyone has any ideas they would be most appreciated!

Also I'm a little bit nervous on the whole about leaving- I'm rubbish at saying goodbye and generally sharing my feelings, but want my mentor to know exactly how much her help and support has meant to me, because I don't think I've ever really shown it. And I've always been useless at this kind of thing- when I left school I wrote cards with really heartfelt messages in to the three teachers who'd always helped me along the way even if they didn't realise it, but chickened out of giving them to them!

Awww that's sad you never gave the cards, they would have meant so much. Our office is full of cards from students, they're absolutely lovely!!

I don't know what to get mine either. I want to get my mentor something nice and the other teachers who's classes I take something smaller. But then every teacher has been nice and helpful to me I don't know what to do. I'm thinking just an epicly big cake and a bottle of something for my mentor.

Awww that's sad you never gave the cards, they would have meant so much. Our office is full of cards from students, they're absolutely lovely!!

I don't know what to get mine either. I want to get my mentor something nice and the other teachers who's classes I take something smaller. But then every teacher has been nice and helpful to me I don't know what to do. I'm thinking just an epicly big cake and a bottle of something for my mentor.

Most teachers get into teaching just so they can get hold of the key to the stationery cupboard, so nice pens/cards etc are always appreciated.

I dunno, mine was aimed at students. My uni also said that we have a right to strike and sent an email to all our mentors that told them that.

I have decided not to strike though, not because I don't agree, but because I was never balloted in the first place.

Fair enough, it's weird that different unis are telling their students different things. I guess then as long as everyone stays within the guidelines of their own unis then they'll be ok.

Hmm.

My own uni's saying that we can't strike, which is fair enough- I'm planning a very productive day in the library to catch up on some of those 45 articles and books (nearer 50 now, I just kept finding more and more!) before Christmas is spent writing up the damn essay.

Edit to add: ATL are quite bloodthirsty, but actually didn't say "strike":

My course is feeling rather stressful at the moment.
Two days next term [in January] are the bane of my life at the moment. On our timetable, they say 'independent planning days', which we took to mean days at home/library. However, our placement schools believe we are going to them [which does make sense]. Yet, our STCC thinks we are going to him. Whilst our PE tutor has scheduled a four hour PE class on one of the afternoons! And now our Geography tutor wants us all to go and teach a random geography at his school, taking up at least half of one of the two days. :/
I just wish they could make up their mind! Unnecessary timetabling pressures are not welcome, I can tell you, as there is enough going on as it is!

Just to remind you all -- if your school is open tomorrow and you're going in, you can't be expected/asked to cover for teachers who are on strike.

I'm just mentioning it as people from my PGCE had issues last year as they went into school on the strike day to do some planning/other things as the school was open anyway, and then they were asked to cover classes that had a striking teacher.