PGCE - Current Students Thread

Original post by smartarse1983

I need placement to just END!

Today, year 10 refused to do any work. I couldn't even get them quiet for long enough to explain what they needed to do. Then, when I went around, at least 8 of them sat there doing nothing. I asked why they hadn't but pen to paper and got told 'I've written the date'. I changed to a speaking task, they wouldn't do it. I changed to a listening task, they just sat and doodled. literally every task, they refused to do. There were so many of them talking I couldn't even spot who it was, but I don't know all of their names yet so couldn't call them out. I can't stand the thought of another 4 weeks of them!

Ouch.

My Year 9s were horrible period 6 today. I'd tried to break things up a bit more into manageable chunks, as last week I'd had a reading activity which was too long and pitched too high, but they just wouldn't shut up. I spent so long waiting for silence and trying to identify who to give warnings/detentions to, but there were too many of them to catch them all and it's hard to know what to do. I've got 4 of them in break detention on Thursday now.

I'm getting rid of some classes at the end of this week when my timetable reduces, but unfortunately the ones I'm keeping 'til mid-June are mostly the ones I've been struggling with. There have definitely been some improvements but every lesson is still a battle.

Not knowing names definitely makes life difficult. How long have you been teaching them? I used a classlist with photos and a seating plan to get to know names when I was observing each class before I started teaching them, and it really helped.

Reply 2085

Original post by smartarse1983

I need placement to just END!

Today, year 10 refused to do any work. I couldn't even get them quiet for long enough to explain what they needed to do. Then, when I went around, at least 8 of them sat there doing nothing. I asked why they hadn't but pen to paper and got told 'I've written the date'. I changed to a speaking task, they wouldn't do it. I changed to a listening task, they just sat and doodled. literally every task, they refused to do. There were so many of them talking I couldn't even spot who it was, but I don't know all of their names yet so couldn't call them out. I can't stand the thought of another 4 weeks of them!

What subject are you teaching? Is it MFL?

Reply 2086

smartarse1983

Original post by myrtille

Ouch.

My Year 9s were horrible period 6 today. I'd tried to break things up a bit more into manageable chunks, as last week I'd had a reading activity which was too long and pitched too high, but they just wouldn't shut up. I spent so long waiting for silence and trying to identify who to give warnings/detentions to, but there were too many of them to catch them all and it's hard to know what to do. I've got 4 of them in break detention on Thursday now.

I'm getting rid of some classes at the end of this week when my timetable reduces, but unfortunately the ones I'm keeping 'til mid-June are mostly the ones I've been struggling with. There have definitely been some improvements but every lesson is still a battle.

Not knowing names definitely makes life difficult. How long have you been teaching them? I used a classlist with photos and a seating plan to get to know names when I was observing each class before I started teaching them, and it really helped.

That is my problem to with my KS3 classes, I cannot see the wood for the trees sometimes. Only mine never turn up for detentions, and by the time you've sent a letter home informing of the second detention it is usually about 2 weeks later!

Year 10 I have only been teaching them since Easter, the rest of my classes I have been teaching since february ( not that behaviour is any better with them either!).

I know the names of all 130 kids I teach in KS3, but only a few of year 10 ( who in turn look nothing like their photos).

Reply 2087

smartarse1983

Original post by sunfowers01

What subject are you teaching? Is it MFL?

Yes - the daily crusade of bringing languages to those who don't care!

Reply 2088

noodles!

14

I've still got a similar issue with year 9, I ended up calling my mentor in today because they just wouldn't settle enough for me to say anything to them, and that's the slightly better of my two y9 classes!

The other group are 1000 times worse, I see them tomorrow and am still none the wiser as to what I should do with them :frown:

dreading it!

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Reply 2089

SuperSam_Fantastiche

Haha, I feel for you guys, I'm finding it hard enough to keep my year 2's quiet, let alone trying it with year 10 :s-smilie:

Reply 2090

Exactly tthe same here :hugs:

Reply 2091

kpwxx

20

Original post by SuperSam_Fantastiche

Haha, I feel for you guys, I'm finding it hard enough to keep my year 2's quiet, let alone trying it with year 10 :s-smilie:

Original post by smartarse1983

I need placement to just END!

Today, year 10 refused to do any work. I couldn't even get them quiet for long enough to explain what they needed to do. Then, when I went around, at least 8 of them sat there doing nothing. I asked why they hadn't but pen to paper and got told 'I've written the date'. I changed to a speaking task, they wouldn't do it. I changed to a listening task, they just sat and doodled. literally every task, they refused to do. There were so many of them talking I couldn't even spot who it was, but I don't know all of their names yet so couldn't call them out. I can't stand the thought of another 4 weeks of them!

I have a similar thing with a year 1/2 class for phonics, and I really really struggle with names as well. I've only seen them for about 3 20 minute sessions and I'm rubbish with names anyway, plus there are more of them than my normal class (more than 30). I just can't follow the schools procedures without names :frown:

I've spoken to peers, a tutor and my teacher about it, next lesson I'm going to start by sitting them down (with calming music, a strategy the school uses) and talking to them about the rules of the school and how they still apply in phonics, even though it's different and I'm a different teacher to who they're used to. Then from then on just be really consistently firm but fair on the rules. We're also doing a phonics game based on names, which will hopefully help a bit!!!

Fingers crossed!

Xxx

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Reply 2092

kpwxx

20

Original post by Feartheunknown

I'm applying for 2014 entry and its so tough to just observe some lessons in schools! Everyone is saying that they're full!!!! I've been emailing and ringing like a mad person! It's difficult to get the experience to get onto the PGCE let alone complete it! Looks like it's going to be tough (and competitive!)

Is there any way you could try Somewhere smaller? I know cities are apparently very hard to get experience in, but when I wanted it in my small home town it was really easy, I just walked in and they said yes! I think there is just much less competition. I stayed with my parents for that.

Xxx

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Reply 2093

Feeling low :frown:

stressed, so much to do and too little time

Reply 2094

StarBabyCat

5

Three more days of placement left then I'm finished! Well 3 and a half weeks at uni and 5000 word essay (and 3 day museum placement), but those are easy compared to being in school!!!!!!! Can't believe I'm almost there! Only the maths left stressing me out!

Reply 2095

Original post by StarBabyCat

Three more days of placement left then I'm finished! Well 3 and a half weeks at uni and 5000 word essay (and 3 day museum placement), but those are easy compared to being in school!!!!!!! Can't believe I'm almost there! Only the maths left stressing me out!

Amazing!

I've got 3 more weeks in school, but yesterday was the day my mentor had to submit my final placement report. I've not seen the finished report because I was at another job interview (with yet another internal candidate who got the job *sigh*), and I don't think my gradings will have particularly improved since my first placement, but it's enough to pass.

So for the next 3 weeks I have 10 lessons per week instead of 17, which will be a nice break and give me the chance to get my stuff organised a bit more. One week of that, then a couple of days in uni at half term, 2 more weeks in school, final week at uni, then freedom! (or massive panicking if I still don't have a job...)

Reply 2096

StarBabyCat

5

Can't believe you haven't got a job yet Myrtille- you seem as though you are such a great teacher and any school would be lucky to have you! Are you limited in terms of geography? Could moving somewhere else help? Although by the sounds of it you are having lots of interviews and must have a great application.

After 31st May teachers can no longer hand in their notice, so it'll just be NQTs after that?

I just can't relax worrying that I won't get QTS because of the maths. I failed by a point on my first try, on my second but I can't help but panic!!

Reply 2097

Original post by StarBabyCat

Can't believe you haven't got a job yet Myrtille- you seem as though you are such a great teacher and any school would be lucky to have you! Are you limited in terms of geography? Could moving somewhere else help? Although by the sounds of it you are having lots of interviews and must have a great application.

After 31st May teachers can no longer hand in their notice, so it'll just be NQTs after that?

I just can't relax worrying that I won't get QTS because of the maths. I failed by a point on my first try, on my second but I can't help but panic!!

I think I've just been really unlucky, to be honest! I've had 6 interviews, and at 3 of them I lost out to internal candidates, so it would have been very surprising if I'd got it. 2 of the others picked Spanish specialists (or someone who had a joint degree in French and Spanish) whereas I'm a French specialist who can offer a bit of Spanish.

I've had good feedback from interviewers every time, but always with one little thing that someone else was better at, or that didn't quite meet their requirements. Yesterday I was told that if they'd had another post available, they'd have gladly employed me, but the other (internal) candidate had more experience.

I've been applying within a 40 mile radius and am prepared to move if necessary. I've been looking further afield too, but definitely don't want to move to London, and am not keen on the idea of moving to the opposite end of the country where I don't know anyone, especially as my partner will have to move with me.

I've been being quite picky, looking at schools I know have a good reputation and checking league tables and Osfted quite a lot, but I think I'm going to have to be less choosy now, really. It's just frustrating to have to settle for a less good school where I might not get the chance to teach GCSE/A-Level, when really successful schools have considered me, and I know my strengths lie in pushing pupils to achieve highly.

But I suppose it's just a case of finding somewhere to get through the induction year and then I can look again next year.

Reply 2098

I cant switch off :frown:

Reply 2099