PGCE - Current Students Thread

Reply 1900

Well hopefully the provider will let me do it anyway. I have heard of others doing it on pgce courses so I don't see why I can't do that. It would be better for the uni as well as it would look better than another drop out

Yeah, before I started the PGCE I knew a student at the school I was working in who was at risk of failing her placement - her tutor had been in several times and discussed it and even though there were a lot of problems with her organisation and teaching, they offered her the chance to withdraw and defer to next year instead of officially failing. So hopefully it should be possible.

Reply 1901

Sarang_assa

Found out my second and final placement this morning. Year 4 in a huge school with a high proportion of EAL kids. Really nervous but excited too. Going for my visit next Friday eeek!!!

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

Reply 1902

Lexi99

11

For this module have to do some work on curriculum and how it's designed in my area. Trouble is, my tutor isn't clear on what kind of curriculum we should have and the teachers I work with aren't really sure what I mean.... Ggrrrrrrr

Reply 1903

sunfowers01

16

Do any of you work with year 2? I could do with some advice on suitable activities. I'm teaching TEFL.

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Reply 1904

Sarang_assa

Original post by sunfowers01

Do any of you work with year 2? I could do with some advice on suitable activities. I'm teaching TEFL.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hiya, I've worked with Year 2, not in EFL but I have done EFL teaching in a different capacity so may be able to help?

Reply 1905

SHABANA

16

Original post by John Mullen

See above post. What would you say is a correct expectation then? 1 hour? 2 hours? It certainly takes me at least two hours to sort out what I will do and write everything up. But becuase my planning is apparently not thorough enough, I am told I need to do more in depth planning, so in that case it will be pushing 3 or 4 hours.

There are not enough hours in the day to do this so it has become impossible to finish this dreadful course.

I did my PGCE last year and sometimes would spend up to 3 hours planning a lesson. As an NQT, I sometimes spend less than 20 minutes planning a lesson. I spend time planning a week/2 weeks of what the pupils need to learn, and the rest is just resources and activities. You WILL get faster at planning.

Reply 1906

sunfowers01

16

Original post by Sarang_assa

Hiya, I've worked with Year 2, not in EFL but I have done EFL teaching in a different capacity so may be able to help?

Thanks. I think my main problem is communicating with the kids when they start to misbehave or are noisy. I'm not that confident at telling them off in Spanish. There are also some kids who are really slow to finish tasks

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Reply 1907

SuperSam_Fantastiche

16

Original post by sunfowers01

Thanks. I think my main problem is communicating with the kids when they start to misbehave or are noisy. I'm not that confident at telling them off in Spanish. There are also some kids who are really slow to finish tasks

Posted from TSR Mobile

Have you tried using visuals to aid communication?

Try this website http://www.mayer-johnson.co.uk/boardmaker-software/ you can have a 30 day free trial in which you can make all the stuff you need - save screenshots of your symbols for after the trial finishes so you can continue to use them :wink:

They used this software when I was just in SEN, with children who have severe communication difficulties. If you make some of the basic symbols like "sit down" "stand up" "quiet" and things that you know they might need help with, it might help with your behaviour management.

Reply 1908

Sarang_assa

Original post by sunfowers01

Thanks. I think my main problem is communicating with the kids when they start to misbehave or are noisy. I'm not that confident at telling them off in Spanish. There are also some kids who are really slow to finish tasks

Posted from TSR Mobile

I've not used it myself yet but I found this a while ago and thought it was a good idea http://neave.com/bouncy-balls/ you can set it up so it detects noise, when the class are noisy the balls all bounce and then settles as it gets quieter, gives me them something to focus on whilst you're settling them down too.

Reply 1909

John Mullen

3

Pleased to say that I have now left my Secondary Maths PGCE. Would have liked to have finished the year and at least got the qualification but it became impossible to continue. The main reason was the workload on placement 2. Working late into the night, every night, and working all weekend as well was not sustainable for me, and I think you really have to be in love with what you are doing to force yourself to do those hours - I wasn't!

I hated the lack of freedom in the teaching. The 'starter, main, plenary' format did not agree with me, and the strong focus on objectives, grades, targets was dreadful. I don't want to be referring to objectives all the time in a lesson - It is so wooden and not my style at all! Was also frustrated at being banned from using certain resources that I wanted to use.

The final thing that influenced my decision was poor behaviour from a lot of students. I struggled to manage it, and it made it so demoralising and took the focus away from the teaching. I realised that managing behaviour and the pastoral side of teaching are not things I want to be doing all the time.

Reply 1910

SuperSam_Fantastiche

16

Original post by Sarang_assa

I've not used it myself yet but I found this a while ago and thought it was a good idea http://neave.com/bouncy-balls/ you can set it up so it detects noise, when the class are noisy the balls all bounce and then settles as it gets quieter, gives me them something to focus on whilst you're settling them down too.

That's amazing, I'm currently playing with it xD hope I can work this into some of my lesson plans!

Reply 1911

SuperSam_Fantastiche

16

So I start a new placement tomorrow and I've got my knobhead mentor's comments stuck in my head from when I left the last placement. I've got the perfect smart outfit that will tick all the "personal appearance" boxes despite having been told the dress code for the school is casual, but I can't find the shoes I want to wear and it's doing my head in :frown:

Reply 1912

xxmijxx

Original post by John Mullen

Pleased to say that I have now left my Secondary Maths PGCE. Would have liked to have finished the year and at least got the qualification but it became impossible to continue. The main reason was the workload on placement 2. Working late into the night, every night, and working all weekend as well was not sustainable for me, and I think you really have to be in love with what you are doing to force yourself to do those hours - I wasn't!

I hated the lack of freedom in the teaching. The 'starter, main, plenary' format did not agree with me, and the strong focus on objectives, grades, targets was dreadful. I don't want to be referring to objectives all the time in a lesson - It is so wooden and not my style at all! Was also frustrated at being banned from using certain resources that I wanted to use.

The final thing that influenced my decision was poor behaviour from a lot of students. I struggled to manage it, and it made it so demoralising and took the focus away from the teaching. I realised that managing behaviour and the pastoral side of teaching are not things I want to be doing all the time.

I'm glad you figured out what you wanted to do, now just try and keep an eye out for what you really wanna get into and enjoy all the relaxing time!!!!

Reply 1913

Sarang_assa

Original post by John Mullen

Pleased to say that I have now left my Secondary Maths PGCE. Would have liked to have finished the year and at least got the qualification but it became impossible to continue. The main reason was the workload on placement 2. Working late into the night, every night, and working all weekend as well was not sustainable for me, and I think you really have to be in love with what you are doing to force yourself to do those hours - I wasn't!

I hated the lack of freedom in the teaching. The 'starter, main, plenary' format did not agree with me, and the strong focus on objectives, grades, targets was dreadful. I don't want to be referring to objectives all the time in a lesson - It is so wooden and not my style at all! Was also frustrated at being banned from using certain resources that I wanted to use.

The final thing that influenced my decision was poor behaviour from a lot of students. I struggled to manage it, and it made it so demoralising and took the focus away from the teaching. I realised that managing behaviour and the pastoral side of teaching are not things I want to be doing all the time.

I'm glad you've done what you feel is best :smile:

I hope things work out for you xx

Reply 1914

John Mullen

3

Original post by Sarang_assa

I'm glad you've done what you feel is best :smile:

I hope things work out for you xx

Thanks. I hope so too but really at a loss at the moment about what I am going to do next. Loved the A-level side of things, and wished I could just teach that but It was never going to happen. teaching the lower years didn't agree with me e.g. behaviour, pastoral side of things.

Interested in tutoring, but don't know where to start, how much work I would get, and whether I could make a career out of it.

Reply 1915

John Mullen

3

Original post by xxmijxx

I'm glad you figured out what you wanted to do, now just try and keep an eye out for what you really wanna get into and enjoy all the relaxing time!!!!

I'm too worried about what is going to happen next to be able to sit relaxing - although it is good to get rid of all that rubbish I was having to put up with on placement and dreading going in each day.

Reply 1916

xxmijxx

Original post by John Mullen

I'm too worried about what is going to happen next to be able to sit relaxing - although it is good to get rid of all that rubbish I was having to put up with on placement and dreading going in each day.

It is scary but you will find something! Plus the amount you did put into our PGCE will have to count for something!!!!

Reply 1917

username812758

Original post by John Mullen

Thanks. I hope so too but really at a loss at the moment about what I am going to do next. Loved the A-level side of things, and wished I could just teach that but It was never going to happen. teaching the lower years didn't agree with me e.g. behaviour, pastoral side of things.

Interested in tutoring, but don't know where to start, how much work I would get, and whether I could make a career out of it.

I don't know whether this is exactly what you're after, but maybe see if you can get some work in an adult education centre or a college or something? You said you enjoyed A-levels and that kind of age range, so maybe see how that goes? Hope you find something anyway :smile:

Reply 1918

myrtille

15

Teaching a whole 5 lessons tomorrow - eek!