PGCE - Current Students Thread

Just keep counting down the days.

Soon it will be Easter - take about half the time to have a good break, see friends, do something fun, and the other half to get organised and get ahead so it won't be as tough when you go back.

On my PGCE last year I think I'd only taught 2 weeks before Easter (Easter was much earlier in the year) and then had 7 weeks afterwards, but it was much easier for having had a break and getting on top of things a bit.

Hey all I need some advice, is it sufficient notice for me to change my lesson if I am told today last thing and I need to change my lesson for 2mrw.

The issue is: I have dyslexia and I require specialist software etc and lesson planning takes me longer than normal. I normally have all my lessons planned a week before. Now I am stressed and cannot focus as I was told by the teacher just before the lesson to change my lesson that I was teaching as well as the next lesson for tomorrow.

Is it fair to mark a classes work for a whole unit that I have not really taught apart from the last few lessons. What I mean is to mark pupils work for lessons I have not taught.

This placement has become a nightmare way too many issues to even list.

IMO:

You should be able to change your lesson for tomorrow. You're not at the start of your first placement any more, you are three months away from qualifying, so you need to be able to adapt and be more flexible. However, as it's short notice your mentor shouldn't necessarily expect a full lesson plan typed up on a proper proforma, etc. - a simple list of bullet points/notes (including brief comments on differentiation/extension tasks) should suffice.

Next year you may find that you need to replan lessons the night before because your school gets a phonecall to say Ofsted is coming. Or you may think a class is going to be out on a trip/in an exam, and then find out the day before that there's been a change of plan and you need to teach them afterall. So you have to be prepared to come up with something quickly.

Regarding the marking, I don't think it's fair to expect you to mark stuff you haven't taught as you don't necessarily know what the teacher was aiming for/what the task was.

I would probably find the point at which you started teaching the class and write at the top of the page "[your initials] took over this class on [date]". Then mark everything after that thoroughly. You could just do a quick "tick and flick" mark over the bits you haven't taught, but you can't do it as effectively as you can mark the areas you have actually been teaching them for.

That's not the issue, I've been through OFSTED. I feel as if I am being picked/bullied on, I know the difference between feedback and bullying, this is not like feedback but more trying to belittle me and always knocking me back and trip me up.

I now know when someone is trying to set me up to fail. And this seems it.


Posted from TSR Mobile

Hey all I need some advice, is it sufficient notice for me to change my lesson if I am told today last thing and I need to change my lesson for 2mrw.

The issue is: I have dyslexia and I require specialist software etc and lesson planning takes me longer than normal. I normally have all my lessons planned a week before. Now I am stressed and cannot focus as I was told by the teacher just before the lesson to change my lesson that I was teaching as well as the next lesson for tomorrow.

Is it fair to mark a classes work for a whole unit that I have not really taught apart from the last few lessons. What I mean is to mark pupils work for lessons I have not taught.

This placement has become a nightmare way too many issues to even list.



Posted from TSR Mobile

That's pretty standard. I was asked to mark some books and then plan a feedback lesson at 3pm yesterday for first lesson today. It's just something that happens really!
However, if they asked you to change it because they think it isn't good enough, then you should probably have been given that advice earlier.

They say it wasn't good enough, my lessons are planned well in advance so they have the opportunity to provide feedback so I can adapt. I'm annoyed at the fact that two incidents occurred one changing the lesson as I arrived to teach and then the next day.


Posted from TSR Mobile

I feel your pain. I feel bullied too and blamed for everything, like a scapegoat. I wonder if I should say anything - nothing is going to change for me, but other people could end up in the same situation.

We are stuck I've let the University know but they have said speak to the school. Now if I speak to my mentor and list all the issues it will cause tension and he may fail me. What do I do?


Posted from TSR Mobile

I heard that you would need to speak to the Assistant Head or even the Head to resolve the issue. I'm still rather hesitant about it - should I just keep quiet and get through till I qualify...

Hmm.

3 x year 7 lessons to plan for next week
3 x year 9 lessons to plan for next week
2 and a half year 8 lessons to plan for next week
2 x year 10 lessons to plan for next week
Assignment yet to be started
Marking to do
Evidence gathering/ reflections to be done

Thank Fudge for Easter.

I feel your pain. I feel bullied too and blamed for everything, like a scapegoat. I wonder if I should say anything - nothing is going to change for me, but other people could end up in the same situation.

Whether or not you choose to say anything while on placement I would definitely say something afterwards. The uni will rely on this type of feedback to choose the schools they work with, so like you say you could help someone else.

xxx

Really regretting going out last night...utterly hungover today and haven't planned my lessons for tomorrow yet. I never usually work at night but going to have to tonight I think. God am I looking forward to Easter.