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PGCE - Current Students Thread

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Original post by *Darcie*
I have only just started applying for jobs and have found out today that I have been shortlisted for the two I have applied for so far. Problem is, they are on the same day. I'm not going to be able to make both. Course leader has told me to ask both how many applicants they have shortlisted then try reschedule the one I want least. I feel really cheeky doing this. Obviously I will have to give the reason why and it feels like they will see it as a lack of commitment.

You'll have to give A reason why, not necessarily THE reason why.
Original post by carnationlilyrose
You'll have to give A reason why, not necessarily THE reason why.


I suppose. We are always being told that honesty is the best policy with these things, they understand you have to keep your options open etc but I do wonder.
Original post by *Darcie*
I suppose. We are always being told that honesty is the best policy with these things, they understand you have to keep your options open etc but I do wonder.


You can still be honest. :smile:

Eg. You could inform one that you have had a change of circumstances and cannot make the given interview date, but that you are very keen on the position and think you can bring a lot to the role. Thus, you would like to know if they could move the interview date to allow you to attend.

Obviously, that sort of reason won't tell you have many have been shortlisted, but it could help you move the date of one of the interviews. :smile:



I have contacted the school to tell them I am withdrawing my application. They were out yesterday - at a training session off site - so I emailed [the head and the admin/secretary]. I haven't had a confirmation/acknowledgement of my email. :s-smilie: Not been in myself today, so didn't have chance to call. Same tomorrow.... I don't know. At least I am sure I have made the right decision. When I have thought about it [and I have thought about it a lot], I know I made the right choice. That job [and that school] are not for me [and I am not right for them]. :redface:
Original post by *Darcie*
I suppose. We are always being told that honesty is the best policy with these things, they understand you have to keep your options open etc but I do wonder.

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth are three options you can choose between. Nobody expects you to be honest enough to say 'I have a more interesting job offer at the same time as yours' - indeed, an employee that disarmingly honest would be a bit of a liability in a job requiring as much tact and diplomacy as teaching. Tell them you have a prior engagement you can't break and then, and only then if they ask, say you have to attend an important meeting.
Original post by Suzanathema
Wow - I can't imagine how difficult it is to teach such small children! It must be incredibly tiring...



I love early years! I think it gets more difficult the older they get! :tongue:

What about a summer club? Or do you only want to work with secondary aged children?

carnationlilyrose

I hate paperwork, Ofsted and all it stands for. That's all.


Me too, but I don't want to get blamed for poor standards and then not kept on! It's a toughie! :s-smilie:

*Darcie*
...
- I think Affinity has got it spot on really! If it's in the same cluster they may also know each other. It's really tricky, have you emailed your course leaders to ask their opinion? Good luck!
Original post by balloon_parade
x


Your paperwork dilemma sounds like a good opportunity to get stuck in and make a difference straight away. Like carnationlilyrose, I also despise paperwork and Ofsted etc (thank god I now work in a country where Ofsted/inspections don't exist!). However it's an evil that is there and if you can do something that has an impact on the school's report straight away then that will look good on you :smile:
Original post by Becca
Your paperwork dilemma sounds like a good opportunity to get stuck in and make a difference straight away. Like carnationlilyrose, I also despise paperwork and Ofsted etc (thank god I now work in a country where Ofsted/inspections don't exist!). However it's an evil that is there and if you can do something that has an impact on the school's report straight away then that will look good on you :smile:


That's what the deputy said, she said she was fully behind me and agreed with all my ideas and thoughts in the classroom, she suggested I just go in and make all the changes I need to make it work better. So that's very encouraging. The head is hoodwinked I think and because he doesn't really understand the EYFS he thinks everything is great when it really isn't! I'm looking forward to going in and making my mark! :tongue:
Reply 1467
hello there! im so glad i have read this thread as i know the pgce is a lot of work, and its nice to read different peoples experiences. I am off to my first open day today for primary pgce, I have wanted to teach all my life so very excited. I wanted to ask do you advise doing the course part-time? I am such a worrier, i am a very hard worker but i am thinking of pehaps doing the course part time

:s-smilie:
Original post by paz_zaz
hello there! im so glad i have read this thread as i know the pgce is a lot of work, and its nice to read different peoples experiences. I am off to my first open day today for primary pgce, I have wanted to teach all my life so very excited. I wanted to ask do you advise doing the course part-time? I am such a worrier, i am a very hard worker but i am thinking of pehaps doing the course part time

:s-smilie:


Why do it part time, as far as I am aware the placements still have to be done in blocks so that's probably the toughest part!

I would say just get it done, it's 9 months of stress and hard work but it's doable, look we've all managed it! I thought about doing part-time as I have a family but I thought I'd rather have it done quicker than have it drag on over x amount of years. You've done your undergrad if you have no work commitments (which is the main reason for part time PGCEs) then just do it! This time next year you'll be qualified! :smile:
Original post by paz_zaz
hello there! im so glad i have read this thread as i know the pgce is a lot of work, and its nice to read different peoples experiences. I am off to my first open day today for primary pgce, I have wanted to teach all my life so very excited. I wanted to ask do you advise doing the course part-time? I am such a worrier, i am a very hard worker but i am thinking of pehaps doing the course part time

:s-smilie:


Yes I agree with baloon_parade, just get it done in the one year. It is tough but if people with children can do it so can you.
Original post by balloon_parade


- I think Affinity has got it spot on really! If it's in the same cluster they may also know each other. It's really tricky, have you emailed your course leaders to ask their opinion? Good luck!


My course leader said ask your least favourite if there's a chance to reshedule, which I did this morning. The deputy said it may be a possibility. Waiting for the head to ring me to confirm.
Reply 1471
Hello everyone! I officially finished the course last week, and went into my new school for the day on Monday. Very overwhelmed with all the work I need to do for Sept but the department seem really nice. Plus there are two other NQT's starting in the dept and another new teacher who has been teaching a few years. I'll be working with her a lot so it will be good not being the only new one! They took me into the stationary "cupboard" (room!) and told me to pick anything I wanted! I came away with loads of highlighters, pens for marking, some folders and a couple of other bits. Aaaahh! I do just want to get started now and get the first term over so I know what I'm doing.


Has everyone else joined the pension scheme? I have joined but not sure how much of my salary will be taken, does anyone know? Also joined a union!
Just got back from university to find that I've been shortlisted for a job. Out of the four applications I have sent now, two have shortlisted me, one has not and one has yet to announce its shortlist. Eeck.

The school resembles my placement schools a little more than the first. And, I will be in the area for the interview - hence the problems with the one tomorrow don't exist.

I think I will go for it, although it is an hour long lesson this time. Not taught properly since last week. Eck.
Original post by affinity89
Just got back from university to find that I've been shortlisted for a job. Out of the four applications I have sent now, two have shortlisted me, one has not and one has yet to announce its shortlist. Eeck.

The school resembles my placement schools a little more than the first. And, I will be in the area for the interview - hence the problems with the one tomorrow don't exist.

I think I will go for it, although it is an hour long lesson this time. Not taught properly since last week. Eck.


You must be a strong candidate or what! :biggrin: Good luck, I'm sure you'll really smash it! x
Sorry in advance for long post. I need to admit to something very stupid, it's eating away at me. As it's all 'last lessons' at the minute I've been giving out chocolate and sweets to the students. My year 9s got these little chocolates that have a hazelnut filling, so I was very loud and clear about them containing nuts. All was fine, one girl was allergic so didn't have one.

Yet I'd planned to give my year 7s little bags of Haribo, and my loud one piped up several times during the lesson saying "miss, if you've got us sweets I hope they're vegetarian!". By the end of the lesson (last lesson of the day) I was pretty tired anyway and sad to see them go, so I made the point about veggies to shut this girl up, and offered those chocolates as an alternative, WITHOUT mentioning that they contained nuts. They took them on their way out. Most had Haribo but a few took chocolates. How so very stupid of me.

One girl came back in after a minute or so and said "miss, sorry but I noticed this had nuts in it as I was going to eat it and I'm allergic, can I have something else?" - cue me freaking out asking her about 500 times if she was OK, how sorry I was, etc. I can't believe I was so stupid. She was absolutely fine, she skipped out with a gelatine free sweet I happened to have on me too.

But what if another of them took their chocolate with them and sat and ate it on the bus with nobody to help them if they had a reaction?? I am so paranoid now. I presume that if something serious had happened between after school and around 5pm I would have already been contacted with a demand to see my headmistress/course manager/somebody as irate parents would have phoned the school, surely. But what if this girl tells her parents that I hadn't warned her about the nuts and they report me to the school tomorrow or something?

I think that to some extent by the age of 12 children (and these are grammar school students so I do think this should be the case at my school) would be able to take some responsibility to check what they are eating, especially chocolates which so often contain nuts. At the same time I know they are still children and were probably liable to be excited by me giving them chocolate but I'm trying to find something to comfort me a little bit! Obviously if anything awful has happened it IS my fault that I didn't warn them so whatever happens, happens. I just hope that there isn't more than one vegetarian/Haribo disliker who is also allergic to nuts in that class, surely the odds are in my favour?

(if anybody was very seriously allergic to nuts to the point where contact is an issue, I would have been informed, yes? Nobody has ever mentioned Epipen locations to me, or whether anyone in my classes carry one, either.)

All of this on the eve of my final day at the school! As a result I am nowhere near ready- nearly 10.30pm and I haven't dug out any of the stuff I need to return. Argh, such an idiot!

Please either comfort me or be honest with me about the reality of my situation!!

Harsh lesson well-learned, best lesson of the entire year, unfortunately. I will be taking no such chances ever again (even going to dispose of the rest of those chocolates again- I never want to see them again!!)
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by noodles!
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From my experience in primary, children who are seriously allergic know that they are seriously allergic and check ingredients from a very young age. 6 year olds ask if marshmallows are halal, for example. I highly doubt that any of the kids who took a chocolate would have done so without checking if they were seriously allergic.

I wouldn't worry.
Nobody's hauled me into an office yet and the girl who came back is still fine, I apologised to her profusely again this morning!
Thanks for the reassurance :smile:
First interview today and I got the job! Nursery teacher, I must be mad!
Original post by *Darcie*
First interview today and I got the job! Nursery teacher, I must be mad!


Congrats! :biggrin:
Whereabouts?

The jobs seem to have dried up in Manchester now. :redface:
Original post by affinity89
Congrats! :biggrin:
Whereabouts?

The jobs seem to have dried up in Manchester now. :redface:


Thanks :smile:

It's in Liverpool.

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