PGCE - Current Students Thread

Just reading through and I'm wondering if any of you have managed to hold down part time jobs at all? I'm currently working in retail and as much as I want to get out, I think I'll need to carry on working if I get on to my chosen course next year as I'll need the money. I'm just worried I won't be able to juggle it with the course and placements. I'm also starting to volunteer with girl guides and would like to carry on with that if I can, on a casual basis if I need to but would I risk taking on too much?

Speaking of energy...what time do you guys go to sleep and wake up for placement? Just wondering how many hours sleep we get!

Posted from TSR Mobile

My year 7 classes are going really well. I gave them a hit too much freedom yesterday and they got a bit rowdy but they're easily contained so it was easy to handle and I absolutely love teaching their class.

But then there's my year 9 class. I see them once a week in the afternoon on a Friday and it is an utter nightmare. I have one side quietly talking but trying to avoid the work set but they'll do it when they are refocused (standard for a Friday afternoon apparently?), and the other side are trying their hardest to play around with me. The class is almost entirely girls and they're just chatty and a bit disrespectful because the teacher let them know I'm a trainee. One of the girls is the class clown and causes most of the chaos. She's calling me Harry (I have the same initials as Harry Potter) and she was climbing around under the desks when I turned around to talk to others.

The class teacher gives me no backup, feedback or advice and she was so casual with them before I took over that they just walk all over me.

I really hate teaching them They wrote my initials on their workbooks where it asks for teacher name and I just don't feel in control at all.

Posted from TSR Mobile

My year 7 classes are going really well. I gave them a hit too much freedom yesterday and they got a bit rowdy but they're easily contained so it was easy to handle and I absolutely love teaching their class.

But then there's my year 9 class. I see them once a week in the afternoon on a Friday and it is an utter nightmare. I have one side quietly talking but trying to avoid the work set but they'll do it when they are refocused (standard for a Friday afternoon apparently?), and the other side are trying their hardest to play around with me. The class is almost entirely girls and they're just chatty and a bit disrespectful because the teacher let them know I'm a trainee. One of the girls is the class clown and causes most of the chaos. She's calling me Harry (I have the same initials as Harry Potter) and she was climbing around under the desks when I turned around to talk to others.

The class teacher gives me no backup, feedback or advice and she was so casual with them before I took over that they just walk all over me.

I really hate teaching them They wrote my initials on their workbooks where it asks for teacher name and I just don't feel in control at all.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I have two children, 4 and 18 months, it's very hard! I work set times I work at school until 5 pm then start again at 7-10 every night through the week so I can have weekend off. I'm sure it'll get even more difficult in my next placement. I always do work Sunday night aswel. I suppose you just have to be strict with your self and do what ever works best.

I go to bed at 9:30pm, lights off at 10, then I'm up for 6:30. Seems to be working so far.

My year 7 classes are going really well. I gave them a hit too much freedom yesterday and they got a bit rowdy but they're easily contained so it was easy to handle and I absolutely love teaching their class.

But then there's my year 9 class. I see them once a week in the afternoon on a Friday and it is an utter nightmare. I have one side quietly talking but trying to avoid the work set but they'll do it when they are refocused (standard for a Friday afternoon apparently?), and the other side are trying their hardest to play around with me. The class is almost entirely girls and they're just chatty and a bit disrespectful because the teacher let them know I'm a trainee. One of the girls is the class clown and causes most of the chaos. She's calling me Harry (I have the same initials as Harry Potter) and she was climbing around under the desks when I turned around to talk to others.

The class teacher gives me no backup, feedback or advice and she was so casual with them before I took over that they just walk all over me.

I really hate teaching them They wrote my initials on their workbooks where it asks for teacher name and I just don't feel in control at all.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I go to bed about 10 every night and im up at half 6 to be in school for half 7. I generally work from half 7 till 8 in the mornings, then teaching (and more work during free periods) then leave school between 3 and 4 depending on whats happening after school and then ill work till about 8pm (with a short break for dinner) then spend time with my husband before bed!

Looks like we all have similar timings then. I try to be asleep by 10 and get up at 7 which is a lie in for most!

Posted from TSR Mobile

I sleep between 10 and 6 and have to get my train at 6.45am.

I'm really starting to worry that everyone is really stressed and busy and maybe I'm just coasting through. I feel like maybe I'm missing something important or not doing enough :/

I'll reply to my quotes later but thanks for making me feel better. I just think year 9 classes are incredibly hard to work with.

Posted from TSR Mobile

What has worked for me is relating to them.

I sleep between 10 and 6 and have to get my train at 6.45am.

I'm really starting to worry that everyone is really stressed and busy and maybe I'm just coasting through. I feel like maybe I'm missing something important or not doing enough :/

I'll reply to my quotes later but thanks for making me feel better. I just think year 9 classes are incredibly hard to work with.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I sleep between 10 and 6 and have to get my train at 6.45am.

I'm really starting to worry that everyone is really stressed and busy and maybe I'm just coasting through. I feel like maybe I'm missing something important or not doing enough :/

I'll reply to my quotes later but thanks for making me feel better. I just think year 9 classes are incredibly hard to work with.

Posted from TSR Mobile

I feel the same way, but i'm teaching far less than most of the people here. Just finished my first placement block and in my final week I was only teaching one lesson a day.

Yeah I know what you both mean. I feel really irresponsible and whenever I'm at home doing nothing, I feel as if there is something I should be doing, even though I am relatively up to date. This is the first weekend where I may have to plan a couple of lessons but they could probably wait until Monday.

The reason for this free time is that I haven't been teaching much at all yet. I haven't taught more than two lessons a week yet, so obviously I've just been doing my planning for those in my free time at school. Next week I am teaching eight, and that is how it will be until Christmas now. It is a lot more stressful planning for eight, which I feel a bit pathetic for saying considering we will eventually be doing 22+ when we get jobs. Speaking of which I've outright decided not to go into teaching. I still want to complete the course though.

We have another trainee at my school who is from a different uni, and she has a lot of free time at school, and is normally in the same workspace as I am. She literally does nothing apart from chat to people and read (fiction not academic) books in her spare time. She then moans at me how she has to work all night and weekend. If she spent her time at school actually doing the work then she would be able to have some time off at home!