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PGCE - Current Students Thread

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Original post by gemmam
I only have until Friday.

Is this the deadline they have imposed on you? What are they going to do if you decide to stay? Can they find you enough hours to qualify? If they can't, there doesn't seem any point in your carrying on.

What will you do if you give up?
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
Is this the deadline they have imposed on you? What are they going to do if you decide to stay? Can they find you enough hours to qualify? If they can't, there doesn't seem any point in your carrying on.

What will you do if you give up?


Yes (I'm wondering if its because my bursary payment is due in on the Monday? :rolleyes:) . If I give up I'm just going to find a job, I'm also considering starting somewhere else in September
Original post by gemmam
Yes (I'm wondering if its because my bursary payment is due in on the Monday? :rolleyes:) . If I give up I'm just going to find a job, I'm also considering starting somewhere else in September

Cynically, maybe. Only you can make up your mind, I'm afraid, whatever we might suggest on here. I think it's pretty good that you are still even considering it after the awful experience you have had.
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
Cynically, maybe. Only you can make up your mind, I'm afraid, whatever we might suggest on here. I think it's pretty good that you are still even considering it after the awful experience you have had.


Tbh I'm not really sure if I want to do it again (not yet anyway) its just even though I was having a few doubts I didn't want to give up. I did another course when I was younger what was awful (more so than this one; at least the tutors on this course haven't asked me inappropriate questions about my sex life) and restarted it again somewhere else in September as I thought dropping out looked bad.
Original post by gemmam
Tbh I'm not really sure if I want to do it again (not yet anyway) its just even though I was having a few doubts I didn't want to give up. I did another course when I was younger what was awful (more so than this one; at least the tutors on this course haven't asked me inappropriate questions about my sex life) and restarted it again somewhere else in September as I thought dropping out looked bad.

Sometimes just walking away is the best way to fix things.
Original post by Airfairy
Hmm, yeah it is teaching in general. It is hard to keep it to myself but whenever someone at school is talking to me about jobs or something I have to put on such an act, and I get such weird looks when people find out I've only applied for one job :lol: .

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I wouldn't worry too much about the job application aspect... although maybe I'm too relaxed in that regard.

There's a couple of people on my course that haven't really even begun to look at jobs yet. My personal tutor mentioned at one point, that there's no need to rush the process since many schools only start opening up at a later stage. You don't really get the choice of which school you'd like to be during your PGCE year. Your NQT is something you have a lot more freedom to choose with.
How many jobs have people applied to before they get an interview...?! I have only applied for 3 (:tongue:) but it takes so long to do each one and I have heard nothing.
I'm really annoyed. I have a lovely year 7 class, butvyesterday we got a newcomer who has moved over from a challenging school as his parents divorced. He is an absolute pain in the behind. He doesn't distract the class or anything but having one awkward kid puts me off my lesson and I end up having to spend a lot of time getting him to behave. He is clearly bored out of his mind, so he fidgets excessively and moves around a lot. Not sure what to do with him. I wanted to give him a ball of blu tack like I did with my adhd kids in first placement, but my mentor told me it would encourage him to fidget and she would rather I trained him out of it. He has just ruined the one class I enjoyed teaching.
Original post by Tombola
I wouldn't worry too much about the job application aspect... although maybe I'm too relaxed in that regard.

There's a couple of people on my course that haven't really even begun to look at jobs yet. My personal tutor mentioned at one point, that there's no need to rush the process since many schools only start opening up at a later stage. You don't really get the choice of which school you'd like to be during your PGCE year. Your NQT is something you have a lot more freedom to choose with.


Yeah...that freedom is sort of my problem. Some could say I'm being too picky :tongue:

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Original post by Airfairy


Yeah...that freedom is sort of my problem. Some could say I'm being too picky :tongue:

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I'd be more than happy to join you with the attitude of being picky. :tongue:

It's pretty crazy how much the school atmosphere can make or break teaching for people. I'm almost too afraid to apply when I have no idea where I'm applying to.

Some people jokingly suggested marking policies as one way of looking at the school. :colondollar:
Original post by Tombola


It's pretty crazy how much the school atmosphere can make or break teaching for people. I'm almost too afraid to apply when I have no idea where I'm applying to.


Totally agree with this. I mean, I have general doubts about teaching without being tainted by the school, but the fact that my NQT will be in a place where I have no idea if I'll settle in scares me, and puts me off. I've applied for three jobs so far. I know I definitely didn't get one, don't know about the other two. I'm not as upset as I should be about not getting anywhere though... :rolleyes: .

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Original post by diamondsky89
How many jobs have people applied to before they get an interview...?! I have only applied for 3 (:tongue:) but it takes so long to do each one and I have heard nothing.


I only applied for one and got interviews at two schools and a job from the one application...I think I'm in the minority though!
Original post by Tombola
I'd be more than happy to join you with the attitude of being picky. :tongue:

It's pretty crazy how much the school atmosphere can make or break teaching for people. I'm almost too afraid to apply when I have no idea where I'm applying to.

Some people jokingly suggested marking policies as one way of looking at the school. :colondollar:



Original post by Airfairy
Totally agree with this. I mean, I have general doubts about teaching without being tainted by the school, but the fact that my NQT will be in a place where I have no idea if I'll settle in scares me, and puts me off. I've applied for three jobs so far. I know I definitely didn't get one, don't know about the other two. I'm not as upset as I should be about not getting anywhere though... :rolleyes: .

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I kinda feel like you 'know' when you're in the right school. I was gutted when I didn't get the first job I interviewed for but I also remember thinking on the day 'what if a better job comes up.' At my second interview, I felt so at home! I had break time with the department before my lesson and I was so at ease in the office - just having a cup of tea and a joke with the other teachers there!

I also received an email the other day asking me how I was finding the PGCE since interview and inviting me to contact them if I start doubting myself! They've also said that they're beginning to sketch out ideas of who is teaching what next year and they didn't want me to be left out. I've not regretted my decision to accept the job at this school in the slightest.
We're in the home stretch now. 6 months has now passed since starting our PGCE. I can't help but feel exhausted already. I have got my hardest class tomorrow and half of them did not even do the homework I have set them, Its a shame now cos I have to follow it up and that makes me even more tired :frown:

Its been a great ride so far and I am glad that I have picked the right profession. No days are the same and you always learn something new everyday!
Original post by Airfairy
I'm really annoyed. I have a lovely year 7 class, butvyesterday we got a newcomer who has moved over from a challenging school as his parents divorced. He is an absolute pain in the behind. He doesn't distract the class or anything but having one awkward kid puts me off my lesson and I end up having to spend a lot of time getting him to behave. He is clearly bored out of his mind, so he fidgets excessively and moves around a lot. Not sure what to do with him. I wanted to give him a ball of blu tack like I did with my adhd kids in first placement, but my mentor told me it would encourage him to fidget and she would rather I trained him out of it. He has just ruined the one class I enjoyed teaching.

Yeah...that freedom is sort of my problem. Some could say I'm being too picky :tongue:

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Give him a responsibility? Like book monitor, pen monitor etc. I've found that really helps with fidgety kids. Also tangible rewards work like raffle tickets that could lead to a prize at the end.

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Had my first little pgde cry. Two awful back to back lessons. It's a reduced time day so lessons have gone from 60 minutes to 40 minutes and it was just hell. I had issues teaching the same lesson to a year 9 group yesterday and I had to repeat the lesson (with what I thought were adjustments) but in a shorter amount of time.

Really finding year 9 to be my bad year group again but I also think I'm making it harder on myself by being stuck in that mindset.
Does anyone have any experience with support/pastoral roles at schools? I am thinking of applying for those, if I don't have a job come September, but I realise I don't really know much about what it entails. I am 100% certain I want to work in education, just not as a teacher :dontknow: /
Original post by ParadoxSocks
Had my first little pgde cry. Two awful back to back lessons. It's a reduced time day so lessons have gone from 60 minutes to 40 minutes and it was just hell. I had issues teaching the same lesson to a year 9 group yesterday and I had to repeat the lesson (with what I thought were adjustments) but in a shorter amount of time.

Really finding year 9 to be my bad year group again but I also think I'm making it harder on myself by being stuck in that mindset.


Don't worry, I have a hard year 9 class too:hugs:.You're doing a great job, keep persevering and you will get your reward.
Original post by Red Lightning
Don't worry, I have a hard year 9 class too:hugs:.You're doing a great job, keep persevering and you will get your reward.


I think it just really hit me and then I took that negativity into my next lesson. I think I almost cried during my second lesson and my mentor spotted it happening. Embarrassing that I felt like I was losing control in front of one of my favourite classes.

I've stayed in a hotel near my school this evening to get all of my documentation in order so that I can at least start feeling a bit more in control. It definitely beats my usual 45 minute commute and it means I get to have a proper night of sleep tonight. No teaching tomorrow so I just need to breathe and realise I'm still just a trainee. I'm still learning.
Original post by ParadoxSocks
I think it just really hit me and then I took that negativity into my next lesson. I think I almost cried during my second lesson and my mentor spotted it happening. Embarrassing that I felt like I was losing control in front of one of my favourite classes.

I've stayed in a hotel near my school this evening to get all of my documentation in order so that I can at least start feeling a bit more in control. It definitely beats my usual 45 minute commute and it means I get to have a proper night of sleep tonight. No teaching tomorrow so I just need to breathe and realise I'm still just a trainee. I'm still learning.

Year 9 is traditionally the most difficult year, although there are signs that it's filtering down into year 8 these days, what with earlier puberty and the like. It's the time when there is the maximum gap between the sexes, developmentally. Girls are much more mature and the boys can still be little boys, and they don't gel together well sometimes. It isn't just you!
This week has definately been the worst of my pgce. Ive had two truly terrible lessons, a 4A and a 4B (and the 4B was generous) ive totally lost confidence in myself and just feel utterly miserable.

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