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PGCE - Current Students Thread

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Original post by peony flowers
I'm looking forward to mine but I'm really nervous. I have no idea how to control them :eek:

I have Yr 1, what about you?




Not sure yet, will find out very soon, but having to hope for year 2 i think!
First out of three assessments due tomorrow and I think it's the worst essay I have ever written.
Original post by peony flowers
Absolutely furious today. We've got to do a EYFS workshop to cover early years transitions, assessment, literacy and so on. Not a problem, we need to cover it.

But it's to be ran by BA students. Seriously? Postgrads to be taught crucial parts of the primary experience by BA students? I am so annoyed. I am paying £9,000 for this crap.

:angry:


If they're third years, I really don't see the problem
Original post by Samus2
First out of three assessments due tomorrow and I think it's the worst essay I have ever written.


Mine is horrific. It's all about progression and it's just awkward as all hell. And everyone is faking their evidence so now I feel daft for keeping mine honest.
I'm just in the library doing my assignment now (I feel your pain guys...mines terrible too!).

Question: How many references do you think I should have for a 3000 word essay? At undergraduate my typical rule was 5 per 1000, so that would be 15, but I don't know if I'd be expected to have more because it is masters level?

I'm so worried about failing it, seeing as I failed the formative piece for this module :frown:
I have 20 references in a 2500 word essay.

Original post by Samus2
If they're third years, I really don't see the problem


I think it's so unprofessional- a Masters course being taught by undergrads!
Original post by Airfairy
I'm just in the library doing my assignment now (I feel your pain guys...mines terrible too!).

Question: How many references do you think I should have for a 3000 word essay? At undergraduate my typical rule was 5 per 1000, so that would be 15, but I don't know if I'd be expected to have more because it is masters level?

I'm so worried about failing it, seeing as I failed the formative piece for this module :frown:


Masters level doesn't mean you should automatically bump up the number of references. Really it's all about quality.

At masters they're looking for you to really analyse what you've read more and give more of a view, bringing it all together, so less just summarising what other people have already said. So with that in mind I'd even perhaps say less references at masters? But I am no masters expert here! This is just based on what my uni reiterated that the difference was at masters. And obviously using less doesn't really apply if you don't take the time to critically combine the information you've gathered.

xxx
Original post by Airfairy
I'm just in the library doing my assignment now (I feel your pain guys...mines terrible too!).

Question: How many references do you think I should have for a 3000 word essay? At undergraduate my typical rule was 5 per 1000, so that would be 15, but I don't know if I'd be expected to have more because it is masters level?

I'm so worried about failing it, seeing as I failed the formative piece for this module :frown:


We've been advised 20-25 for a 5,000 word essay.
Original post by peony flowers
I have 20 references in a 2500 word essay.



I think it's so unprofessional- a Masters course being taught by undergrads!



Original post by kpwxx
Masters level doesn't mean you should automatically bump up the number of references. Really it's all about quality.

At masters they're looking for you to really analyse what you've read more and give more of a view, bringing it all together, so less just summarising what other people have already said. So with that in mind I'd even perhaps say less references at masters? But I am no masters expert here! This is just based on what my uni reiterated that the difference was at masters. And obviously using less doesn't really apply if you don't take the time to critically combine the information you've gathered.

xxx

Great, thanks for the indication. I struggle to understand how to show my own view because in my first essay I basically described the behaviourist learning theory with references to literature and then the second half was how I've used it in teaching practice (it was supposed to be that way). I got criticised for being too descriptive and told it wouldn't pass but I did include my own opinion heavily, and he recognised that but said I can't just state my own opinion without reference to literature. So I was confused because how am I supposed to talk about my own opinion if it has to be referenced?! It's not my own opinion then!

For this essay I have to evaluate two learning theories so I'm doing behaviourism and cognitivism, and at the moment my attempt to make it an analysis is basically doing things like "an advantage of behaviourism is X (annoying academic 1, 2008), however annoying academic 2 (2001) disagreed with this as...". But it still feels descriptive! I don't know how to avoid it and be analytical. All I want is 50 so I can pass :lol: .
Original post by Airfairy
I'm just in the library doing my assignment now (I feel your pain guys...mines terrible too!).

Question: How many references do you think I should have for a 3000 word essay? At undergraduate my typical rule was 5 per 1000, so that would be 15, but I don't know if I'd be expected to have more because it is masters level?

I'm so worried about failing it, seeing as I failed the formative piece for this module :frown:


I was surprised when I came to uni and we had a lecture on how to write an essay. For a 4,000 word essay, we were told the average amount of work used within the essay was between 4-6 pieces and about 10-20 references within the text
I'm seriously worried about not passing this essay, I've never before thought that an essay might genuinely fail but eurgh, stress. At least I can resubmit.

Original post by ParadoxSocks
Mine is horrific. It's all about progression and it's just awkward as all hell. And everyone is faking their evidence so now I feel daft for keeping mine honest.

Hah, yeah, a few people I know are making theirs up too.
Original post by Airfairy
Great, thanks for the indication. I struggle to understand how to show my own view because in my first essay I basically described the behaviourist learning theory with references to literature and then the second half was how I've used it in teaching practice (it was supposed to be that way). I got criticised for being too descriptive and told it wouldn't pass but I did include my own opinion heavily, and he recognised that but said I can't just state my own opinion without reference to literature. So I was confused because how am I supposed to talk about my own opinion if it has to be referenced?! It's not my own opinion then!

For this essay I have to evaluate two learning theories so I'm doing behaviourism and cognitivism, and at the moment my attempt to make it an analysis is basically doing things like "an advantage of behaviourism is X (annoying academic 1, 2008), however annoying academic 2 (2001) disagreed with this as...". But it still feels descriptive! I don't know how to avoid it and be analytical. All I want is 50 so I can pass :lol: .


I did pretty well with this stuff last year, without giving over too much time.

For the assignment you describe I would do:

The bahviourist view of x is blah blah (references). the constructivist view is blah (references ). In my own obersevations and practice i have found (ideally stating here that one or the other approach has worked better for you). My experiences would suggest that xxx is because (and here you will reflect on why things have worked or not worked, how you will move forward, what you might adapt etc. Give specific examples of occasions when you have used aspects of particular theories and how/why they worked out for you).

Obviously I haven't seen your full brief, but I did an assignment reflecting on different teaching and learning theories in this way and got a very high level 7.
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Avatar for Sam89
Sam89
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Hiya guys,

Seeking a little advise here as usual.

I went to see my school for placement 2 recently and I have personally been to an all girls school and my first placement was also at an all girls school.

Now I observed at my second school (mixed), boys can generally be more cheeky - and say the oddest things - can anyone give me tips on how to make this transition smoothly and not be so 'overwhelmed'/'taken aback'. Especially in terms of behaviour.

I wish we didn't need to move schools - this school is so hospital like and clinical left me thinking where is that ''school'' feeling I feel in my current school!
Original post by Sam89
Hiya guys,

Seeking a little advise here as usual.

I went to see my school for placement 2 recently and I have personally been to an all girls school and my first placement was also at an all girls school.

Now I observed at my second school (mixed), boys can generally be more cheeky - and say the oddest things - can anyone give me tips on how to make this transition smoothly and not be so 'overwhelmed'/'taken aback'. Especially in terms of behaviour.

I wish we didn't need to move schools - this school is so hospital like and clinical left me thinking where is that ''school'' feeling I feel in my current school!


The key is to not show that any of it bothers you. Laugh it off, or make a quick joke; alternatively, "we can talk about that after school if you wish, but right now you should be doing xxx" works really well.

I prefer teaching boys, as their disruption tends to be more in-your-face and if they fall out they have a fight then go and play football. The feuds among girls is much less straightforward to deal with, in my opinion.
Original post by tory88
The key is to not show that any of it bothers you. Laugh it off, or make a quick joke; alternatively, "we can talk about that after school if you wish, but right now you should be doing xxx" works really well.

I prefer teaching boys, as their disruption tends to be more in-your-face and if they fall out they have a fight then go and play football. The feuds among girls is much less straightforward to deal with, in my opinion.


I agree. In primary all it takes is 'you hurt her feeling. Please look at her and say sorry.' After that, all is forgotten.


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Original post by Sam89
Hiya guys,

Seeking a little advise here as usual.

I went to see my school for placement 2 recently and I have personally been to an all girls school and my first placement was also at an all girls school.

Now I observed at my second school (mixed), boys can generally be more cheeky - and say the oddest things - can anyone give me tips on how to make this transition smoothly and not be so 'overwhelmed'/'taken aback'. Especially in terms of behaviour.

I wish we didn't need to move schools - this school is so hospital like and clinical left me thinking where is that ''school'' feeling I feel in my current school!


Having just had my first placement in an all-girls and my next placement being all boys, I kinda sympathise with you!

My plan is to just go in stern - certainly sterner than I did in placement 1.
Set out your expectations in your first lessons with them and be consistent from the offset.
The most effective thing I've found is making sure they all have their planners on their desks so that if I need to know their name/don't have my seating plan/they're misbehaving, it's easy for me to get their planner without an argument.
Following on from that, depending on the time period, keeping the entire class in works as does having a 'warning' box on the whiteboard and simply writing names in their - their name is the warning, if they get a tick next to their name, they've got a detention.
Original post by Sam89
Hiya guys,

Seeking a little advise here as usual.

I went to see my school for placement 2 recently and I have personally been to an all girls school and my first placement was also at an all girls school.

Now I observed at my second school (mixed), boys can generally be more cheeky - and say the oddest things - can anyone give me tips on how to make this transition smoothly and not be so 'overwhelmed'/'taken aback'. Especially in terms of behaviour.

I wish we didn't need to move schools - this school is so hospital like and clinical left me thinking where is that ''school'' feeling I feel in my current school!


Be prepared for silliness and laziness, but those are probably going to be the main two battles (less of the girls who just ignore you/look at you like you're dirt/smile sweetly at you then do the exact opposite of what you asked them to). I teach an all-boys class in Year 11 (my school is mixed, but Y11 is very imbalanced) and they're hard work but I absolutely love them.

They really can say the oddest things!You have to absolutely take a "water off a duck's back" approach to some of the stuff they come out with too. Play the "I'm the adult, I've seen it all before, and nothing shocks me anymore" role, unless it's something really bad.

If they are saying things that are treally inappropriate, I would say you're going to have to go in quite strict and make an example of some of them. I would initially come down on it like a tonne of bricks - "Get OUT of my classroom", etc., make them stand outside for a couple of minutes before you talk to them. Depending on your school's behaviour system you may also need to issue a sanction.

A line I sometimes take with pupils I'm new to teaching is to send them into the corridor, have a right go at them, tell them it should be a "remove" (highest sanction available to me in my school - kicked out of the lesson, phonecall home and after school detention) but that as perhaps they did not know my expectations yet, on this one occasion it will only be a [lesser sanction - 10 minutes detention with me and warning logged on SIMS]. That way I've made my point that it's unacceptable and told them what the consequences will be next time, but also been generous to them, hopefully contributing to a positive relationship.

As you get to know them more (and get used to teenage boys' humour!) you can start to resolve things through banter, which can lead to less conflict in the classroom whilst still calming behaviour down (so long as you clamp down on other pupils constantly joining in the banter). For example, a Y8 pupil of mine seemed to enjoy making what he thought were sex/orgasm noises at random intervals. I knew this pupil pretty well having taught him since Y7, so on one occasion I responded "I had no idea you found past tense verbs so exciting", and he shut right up!

Banter/piss-taking works really well with certain groups, once you get to know them. I have a particular Year 11 pupil who is extremely volatile (SEBD) and really can't handle being in the wrong. When I use the behaviour system (even just a warning/name on the board) it generally escalates pretty badly, whereas with humour I can normally get him back on task.

It can be hard work, but teaching boys can be great fun too, so enjoy the opportunity.
Original post by Airfairy
Great, thanks for the indication. I struggle to understand how to show my own view because in my first essay I basically described the behaviourist learning theory with references to literature and then the second half was how I've used it in teaching practice (it was supposed to be that way). I got criticised for being too descriptive and told it wouldn't pass but I did include my own opinion heavily, and he recognised that but said I can't just state my own opinion without reference to literature. So I was confused because how am I supposed to talk about my own opinion if it has to be referenced?! It's not my own opinion then!

For this essay I have to evaluate two learning theories so I'm doing behaviourism and cognitivism, and at the moment my attempt to make it an analysis is basically doing things like "an advantage of behaviourism is X (annoying academic 1, 2008), however annoying academic 2 (2001) disagreed with this as...". But it still feels descriptive! I don't know how to avoid it and be analytical. All I want is 50 so I can pass :lol: .


Original post by TraineeLynsey
I did pretty well with this stuff last year, without giving over too much time.

For the assignment you describe I would do:

The bahviourist view of x is blah blah (references). the constructivist view is blah (references ). In my own obersevations and practice i have found (ideally stating here that one or the other approach has worked better for you). My experiences would suggest that xxx is because (and here you will reflect on why things have worked or not worked, how you will move forward, what you might adapt etc. Give specific examples of occasions when you have used aspects of particular theories and how/why they worked out for you).

Obviously I haven't seen your full brief, but I did an assignment reflecting on different teaching and learning theories in this way and got a very high level 7.


Very good answer :smile:

It's about finding that formula and using it.

I always think of it in terms of links. The way you're not just describing but still using references is by making links between what the references say and your own practice, or between the different references... Not just saying they both say this/think the opposite, but maybe one theory could be applied to something another person said.

It's a pain to describe/wrap your head around I know. Try not to become preoccupied with how many references you use because the acceptable range is quite big. When the idea of referencing was first explained to me (in 6th form) it was done so terribly, I was told every sentence must be referenced (down to the introduction and conclusion) and given half a referencing system, and not told anything about how to use the references.

Xxx

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Original post by alabelle
We've been advised 20-25 for a 5,000 word essay.



Original post by Samus2
I was surprised when I came to uni and we had a lecture on how to write an essay. For a 4,000 word essay, we were told the average amount of work used within the essay was between 4-6 pieces and about 10-20 references within the text
I'm seriously worried about not passing this essay, I've never before thought that an essay might genuinely fail but eurgh, stress. At least I can resubmit.


Hah, yeah, a few people I know are making theirs up too.



Original post by TraineeLynsey
I did pretty well with this stuff last year, without giving over too much time.

For the assignment you describe I would do:

The bahviourist view of x is blah blah (references). the constructivist view is blah (references ). In my own obersevations and practice i have found (ideally stating here that one or the other approach has worked better for you). My experiences would suggest that xxx is because (and here you will reflect on why things have worked or not worked, how you will move forward, what you might adapt etc. Give specific examples of occasions when you have used aspects of particular theories and how/why they worked out for you).

Obviously I haven't seen your full brief, but I did an assignment reflecting on different teaching and learning theories in this way and got a very high level 7.

Original post by kpwxx
Very good answer :smile:

It's about finding that formula and using it.

I always think of it in terms of links. The way you're not just describing but still using references is by making links between what the references say and your own practice, or between the different references... Not just saying they both say this/think the opposite, but maybe one theory could be applied to something another person said.

It's a pain to describe/wrap your head around I know. Try not to become preoccupied with how many references you use because the acceptable range is quite big. When the idea of referencing was first explained to me (in 6th form) it was done so terribly, I was told every sentence must be referenced (down to the introduction and conclusion) and given half a referencing system, and not told anything about how to use the references.

Xxx

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Thanks for all your help! Seems to be a big range of answers here so I guess it depends on who is marking it. I think I'm going to aim for 20 :dontknow: . And thanks Lynsey and kpwxx, helps a lot. I've written the first half and got my boyfriend to read it last night and he said it reads analytically, and he has a PhD so I'd like to think he knows if it's okay for not :lol: .

hoping to finish the bulk of the essay today! Loaded with energy drinks and snacks.


Original post by Sam89
Hiya guys,

Seeking a little advise here as usual.

I went to see my school for placement 2 recently and I have personally been to an all girls school and my first placement was also at an all girls school.

Now I observed at my second school (mixed), boys can generally be more cheeky - and say the oddest things - can anyone give me tips on how to make this transition smoothly and not be so 'overwhelmed'/'taken aback'. Especially in terms of behaviour.

I wish we didn't need to move schools - this school is so hospital like and clinical left me thinking where is that ''school'' feeling I feel in my current school!

I can imagine how scary this must be! To be honest, there are pros and cons for teaching boys or girls. Boys may be cheeky but girls can be bitchy and just outright drama queens. I think I preferred the boys in my classes as the girls just whined all the time and annoyed me haha. I can't give you much advice, but try not to view gender as a massive transition you have to get used to. They are all kids at the end of the day, and what one boy says by being cheeky, another girl may also say. You've also got to remember that this is a totally new school, so all the kids may be a little different.

You'll get used to it fast, I'm sure. Within a month you'll forget that boys were presenting a barrier for you. Plus, even though you might have wanted to stay at your old school, the experience of teaching mixed will help a lot, as I'm sure you know.
I honestly haven't found boys to be that bad. The girls in my last placement were horrendous! They knew exactly how to wind each other up :rolleyes:
Original post by ParadoxSocks
I've somehow decided to add to the tiredness and stress of a PGCE by proposing to my girlfriend yesterday. I think I might have to put the main wedding plans off for a while...



I have a one day primary placement next week focusing on tasks that will get girls into computing (as though we magically know the answers?) and I'm absolutely terrified!



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Congratulations!!!! And don't worry, I had a two day primary placement back in September. I had an absolute blast! I got to know the pupils and had a chat with the teachers who were so lovely and supportive, I even was considering teaching primary for a moment as I really loved my time in primary school.


Oh and by the way, I had to shadow one pupil at lunch time as one of my tasks set by my uni. I ended up playing a game of football :-)

Good luck and enjoy yourself, you're not there forever!!

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