PGCE - Current Students Thread
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Original post by Airfairy
I had to work up to 7-8 hours by the end of the placement. I built up quite slowly because I had little confidence. It depends on your mentor too. The uni might have a general guide of hours but it should be up to you and your mentor as to how fast you build those up.
Yes, short detentions do work well, but I only have them before lunch for one lesson, and the rest of the time it is end of the day and I'm not allowed to keep them because of buses, which is really annoying! My mentor pretty much said what you said and told me to treat them as a test class and try something new each lesson until I find something they respond to. It does test my patience (and voice volume) though!
Aww, well I may end up being with you on that one if I have to make up all my absences (which could potentially add three weeks on!!)
Yes, short detentions do work well, but I only have them before lunch for one lesson, and the rest of the time it is end of the day and I'm not allowed to keep them because of buses, which is really annoying! My mentor pretty much said what you said and told me to treat them as a test class and try something new each lesson until I find something they respond to. It does test my patience (and voice volume) though!
Aww, well I may end up being with you on that one if I have to make up all my absences (which could potentially add three weeks on!!)
With your voice, one of the best quick behaviour tips I've been given is, when you want to get attention cut UNDER lowering your voice, rather than getting higher and louder trying to cut over them.
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Original post by Veggiechic6
How much teaching did people have to do at the start of their first school based training? I'm only 1 week into my BP1. I'm meant to start the assessed part of it after half term but the guide booklet that the school has received from the Uni lists specific percentages of teaching from the get go, rising to 60% by half term. I'm emailing my Uni for clarification but I'm wondering how it was for other people. I know things have to move quickly but I didn't think it was this quick!
In both placements I built up slowly. By the end of the first block (November, course started in September) I think I was teaching 10 hours? By the second block, which was just before Easter I think it was 15 and then the final block in summer was 20.
Xxx
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Original post by Airfairy
I have just started teaching a new class of set 2 (out of 3) year 8s and wow...they are so hard work. I've just had a double lesson with them and it was one of those lessons where you know it's going so badly and you just feel a mixture of embarrassment and total devastation! I have no idea how to control them. They will not listen to anything I say, they just talk through the whole lesson. My mentor tends to leave me alone with them to establish my authority but they don't see me as their teacher and don't listen to me at all. I'm at a total loss :/
I'm an NQT and have a y8 class like that. I always have them period 5 on a Friday so it used to be a complete nightmare and we'd get nothing done.
I started using raffle tickets with them - hand them out for good behaviour and following instructions and then have a bag of cheap stationery prizes/sometimes sweets. It really got to the naughty kids because other kids were getting prizes and they weren't. So they really started trying their hardest to get a raffle ticket and it has stopped all the low level disruption because everyone wants a raffle ticket.
It's amazing - most of the stuff I have as prizes is like cheap rubbers, pens, packs of colouring pens, novelty stationery etc... Give it a try - they really responded to that rather than constant detentions etc.
Original post by kpwxx
With your voice, one of the best quick behaviour tips I've been given is, when you want to get attention cut UNDER lowering your voice, rather than getting higher and louder trying to cut over them.
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So you mean instead of raising my voice, I just ask for attention using my normal volume? I have no idea how that would work but I will try it. I'm sure they would just carry on talking. You're not the first person I've heard say that though, so I will try it out. Thanks for the advice.
Original post by outlaw-torn
I'm an NQT and have a y8 class like that. I always have them period 5 on a Friday so it used to be a complete nightmare and we'd get nothing done.
I started using raffle tickets with them - hand them out for good behaviour and following instructions and then have a bag of cheap stationery prizes/sometimes sweets. It really got to the naughty kids because other kids were getting prizes and they weren't. So they really started trying their hardest to get a raffle ticket and it has stopped all the low level disruption because everyone wants a raffle ticket.
It's amazing - most of the stuff I have as prizes is like cheap rubbers, pens, packs of colouring pens, novelty stationery etc... Give it a try - they really responded to that rather than constant detentions etc.
I started using raffle tickets with them - hand them out for good behaviour and following instructions and then have a bag of cheap stationery prizes/sometimes sweets. It really got to the naughty kids because other kids were getting prizes and they weren't. So they really started trying their hardest to get a raffle ticket and it has stopped all the low level disruption because everyone wants a raffle ticket.
It's amazing - most of the stuff I have as prizes is like cheap rubbers, pens, packs of colouring pens, novelty stationery etc... Give it a try - they really responded to that rather than constant detentions etc.
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes
thanks!
Original post by Airfairy
So you mean instead of raising my voice, I just ask for attention using my normal volume? I have no idea how that would work but I will try it. I'm sure they would just carry on talking. You're not the first person I've heard say that though, so I will try it out. Thanks for the advice.
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes thanks!
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes
thanks!
Thanks for the feedback. I've checked the guidelines more closely and I'm supposed to teach up to 25% by half term, with 50% shared teaching and 25% observing. So it's not as harsh as I thought. There's another student on my course in the same class as me so we're sorting things between us.
Original post by Airfairy
So you mean instead of raising my voice, I just ask for attention using my normal volume? I have no idea how that would work but I will try it. I'm sure they would just carry on talking. You're not the first person I've heard say that though, so I will try it out. Thanks for the advice.
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes thanks!
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes
thanks!It's all a lot about pitch. If they're all noisy and you get louder and higher (which I tend to do) to try to speak over them, not only does it say that its OK to just shout louder over people (what you're asking them not to do) but you sound sort of panicked which makes them think they needn't bother listening.
Whereas if you make your voice lower in pitch than normal it attracts their attention more for some reason. I guess it's something hard wired in to us to pay more attention to lower tones.
Xxx
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Original post by Airfairy
So you mean instead of raising my voice, I just ask for attention using my normal volume? I have no idea how that would work but I will try it. I'm sure they would just carry on talking. You're not the first person I've heard say that though, so I will try it out. Thanks for the advice.
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes thanks!
I LOVE this idea. Definitely going shopping for prizes and raffle tickets this weekend! Definitely worth a try. I'll let you know how it goes
thanks!Like Carnationlilyrose and Kpwxx have already said, it's all about your tone. Don't get louder, get lower or quieter or just stop talking and give the death glare, lol.
Sounds silly, but I worked with a teacher with excellent class control who told me to literally walk around the house practising different tones of voice. Excellent advice. Have you had any sessions on use of voice at uni? I did school direct, so was hardly at university, but that was one very useful session !
Also, stand in front of a mirror and perfect a raised eyebrow, wide eye glare, etc etc. See what looks scariest and use it. I've been told mine is terrifying.... I perhaps ought to tone it down a little actually... If I ask a child to explain their misbehaviour they just stare at me in terrified silence!
I think pitch is more important than volume, definitely.
I have to admit to being a bit of a shouter. But it's not an angry/high pitched/losing-it shout, more of a low bellow.
It's not something I'd use to try and get the whole class silent - standing and waiting, looking unimpressed, writing names on the board for detentions and rewards for those who are sitting properly waiting for you to speak, works much better. But if you've got a few idiots messing around while you're talking, and ruining it for everyone else, I find a sharp, low pitched shout in their direction, which makes your authority clear (ie: I am speaking now.) can be effective.
I think it's also important that if you do shout, you don't continue doing it at length. I find it can be useful to shout briefly (and glare at the few who are misbehaving), then turn back, completely change your tone, smile, and continue giving your instructions to the class calmly and quietly. So they understand you're not shouting because you're angry, you're just making a point.
I think it partly depends on your natural voice though. I've always been loud and also have quite a low-pitched voice for a woman.
I have to admit to being a bit of a shouter. But it's not an angry/high pitched/losing-it shout, more of a low bellow.
It's not something I'd use to try and get the whole class silent - standing and waiting, looking unimpressed, writing names on the board for detentions and rewards for those who are sitting properly waiting for you to speak, works much better. But if you've got a few idiots messing around while you're talking, and ruining it for everyone else, I find a sharp, low pitched shout in their direction, which makes your authority clear (ie: I am speaking now.) can be effective.
I think it's also important that if you do shout, you don't continue doing it at length. I find it can be useful to shout briefly (and glare at the few who are misbehaving), then turn back, completely change your tone, smile, and continue giving your instructions to the class calmly and quietly. So they understand you're not shouting because you're angry, you're just making a point.
I think it partly depends on your natural voice though. I've always been loud and also have quite a low-pitched voice for a woman.
Original post by Airfairy
I have just started teaching a new class of set 2 (out of 3) year 8s and wow...they are so hard work. I've just had a double lesson with them and it was one of those lessons where you know it's going so badly and you just feel a mixture of embarrassment and total devastation! I have no idea how to control them. They will not listen to anything I say, they just talk through the whole lesson. My mentor tends to leave me alone with them to establish my authority but they don't see me as their teacher and don't listen to me at all. I'm at a total loss :/
Behaviour management was something I really struggled with in the beginning but it's one of my best areas now.
I would avoid shouting, I don't think it really works - shouting should be an absolute last resort.
A few tricks:
the bomb - so, once you've set a task, draw a bomb on the board with a fuse - explain to the pupils that if the noise level gets too loud, you will rub some of the fuse out. When the fuse ends and the bomb 'goes off' that means silent work for X amount of minutes - if someone talks during that time, the minutes will restart.
For year 7 and 8 (I even do it with year 10!) 5,4,3,2,1 works really well. I don't ever get down to zero now because by 2, pupils are silent and ready to listen.
Whole class detentions - simply having a minute added on to the board, they waste your time, you'll waste theirs!
Warnings box - Depending on what your schools behaviour policy is, have a box on the board every lesson where you can just write down names (I use a seating plan to put names on the board rather than asking the boys to tell me) and then if their name goes on the board, that's a warning - if they get a tick next to their name, that's a strike. I don't tell them if I'm putting their name on the board and there's no arguments. It's a clear system.
Class contracts can be quite useful.
I get my classes to line up at before the lesson quietly and always have a 'do now' task on the board so when they come in, there's a task ready to do.
My classes also know that I do not let them leave until the class is silent and standing behind their chairs.
I also sometimes send the pupils back out if they come in to the classroom noisily.
Hello 
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
Original post by JosephineE
Hello
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
Yeah they will expect you to use the usual format even if it is a short lesson. Some people also recommend telling them what else you would do to extend the lesson if it was longer, or possible next steps.
Sorry I don't have much other advice to give, I've only had mock interviews so far. Apparently the questions are fairly generic - e.g. there will always be a safeguarding question, a 'what is an outstanding teacher' type question, etc.
Original post by alabelle
Yeah they will expect you to use the usual format even if it is a short lesson. Some people also recommend telling them what else you would do to extend the lesson if it was longer, or possible next steps.
Sorry I don't have much other advice to give, I've only had mock interviews so far. Apparently the questions are fairly generic - e.g. there will always be a safeguarding question, a 'what is an outstanding teacher' type question, etc.
Sorry I don't have much other advice to give, I've only had mock interviews so far. Apparently the questions are fairly generic - e.g. there will always be a safeguarding question, a 'what is an outstanding teacher' type question, etc.
No thank you! I didn't think of that ! So just put it at the end of the lesson plan?
There's a written task also, any ideas what that's for? Would it be about a topical issue to see your knowledge or just looking at your written ability?
Original post by JosephineE
Hello
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
Long time reading here of this thread - it has been super useful!
Just wondering if anyone can give me some advice please. I've been offered my first NQT interview and I'm very nervous. I have to teach a lesson for 30 minutes, I'm guessing they'll expect starter/explanation/activity/plenary set up even within this time?
Any advice about interview lessons and general tips for the interview would be fantastic, as I really want to get this job xx
I didn't actually do a lesson plan for either of my interviews and they were both successful. But, they will almost definitely ask you to reflect on how the lesson went and then that is your chance to say what you would do in a full lesson etc.
I'd follow the usual format - starter, main, plenary - in both of my interviews, my starter and plenary were the same to show what pupils had learned in the 30 minutes.
Get to know the school through the website - why do you want to work at that school? Is it the strong pastoral care, the wide range of extra curricular etc?
Can you offer a second subject?
Read the most recent OFSTED report - what does it tell you about the school? How can you fit in?
I didn't have a safeguarding question.
Be prepared to answer some form of 'if we were to offer you the job, what would you say?'
Original post by Samus2
I didn't actually do a lesson plan for either of my interviews and they were both successful. But, they will almost definitely ask you to reflect on how the lesson went and then that is your chance to say what you would do in a full lesson etc.
I'd follow the usual format - starter, main, plenary - in both of my interviews, my starter and plenary were the same to show what pupils had learned in the 30 minutes.
Get to know the school through the website - why do you want to work at that school? Is it the strong pastoral care, the wide range of extra curricular etc?
Can you offer a second subject?
Read the most recent OFSTED report - what does it tell you about the school? How can you fit in?
I didn't have a safeguarding question.
Be prepared to answer some form of 'if we were to offer you the job, what would you say?'
I'd follow the usual format - starter, main, plenary - in both of my interviews, my starter and plenary were the same to show what pupils had learned in the 30 minutes.
Get to know the school through the website - why do you want to work at that school? Is it the strong pastoral care, the wide range of extra curricular etc?
Can you offer a second subject?
Read the most recent OFSTED report - what does it tell you about the school? How can you fit in?
I didn't have a safeguarding question.
Be prepared to answer some form of 'if we were to offer you the job, what would you say?'
Thanks for the reply !
Yeah I've been looking on their website its not too helpful. The 30 minutes lesson is concerning me how you'll have time to teach them and have something to reply on in the plenary. I'm considering asking them one thing they have learnt and something they'd like to know more about?
With the responses, do they tend to tell you there and then if you have the job? or a couple of days later?
Original post by JosephineE
Thanks for the reply !
Yeah I've been looking on their website its not too helpful. The 30 minutes lesson is concerning me how you'll have time to teach them and have something to reply on in the plenary. I'm considering asking them one thing they have learnt and something they'd like to know more about?
With the responses, do they tend to tell you there and then if you have the job? or a couple of days later?
Yeah I've been looking on their website its not too helpful. The 30 minutes lesson is concerning me how you'll have time to teach them and have something to reply on in the plenary. I'm considering asking them one thing they have learnt and something they'd like to know more about?
With the responses, do they tend to tell you there and then if you have the job? or a couple of days later?
Then take the interview as an opportunity to ask them about the extra curricular side of things.
Just consider why you want to work at that school and then you'll probably be given a tour of the school by pupils
Erm, I personally am not a fan of that as a plenary and I don't really like using it. What subject are you?
I also didn't use powerpoint in either of my interview lessons.
It depends on how many candidates will be there really. But generally, they'll deliberate after they've seen everyone and get back to you pretty quickly.
My first interview, I found out at 7pm on the same day
and my second interview, I had a phone call about 3 hours after I left the school
Original post by Samus2
Then take the interview as an opportunity to ask them about the extra curricular side of things.
Just consider why you want to work at that school and then you'll probably be given a tour of the school by pupils
Erm, I personally am not a fan of that as a plenary and I don't really like using it. What subject are you?
I also didn't use powerpoint in either of my interview lessons.
It depends on how many candidates will be there really. But generally, they'll deliberate after they've seen everyone and get back to you pretty quickly.
My first interview, I found out at 7pm on the same day
and my second interview, I had a phone call about 3 hours after I left the school
Just consider why you want to work at that school and then you'll probably be given a tour of the school by pupils
Erm, I personally am not a fan of that as a plenary and I don't really like using it. What subject are you?
I also didn't use powerpoint in either of my interview lessons.
It depends on how many candidates will be there really. But generally, they'll deliberate after they've seen everyone and get back to you pretty quickly.
My first interview, I found out at 7pm on the same day
and my second interview, I had a phone call about 3 hours after I left the school
RE
I don't really like that idea but between the starter and plenary i'm kind of stuck on how to fit it all in! I'm considering not going into detail. The topic I have is detailed, I'm think about just doing an overview and then saying that if I had longer I would have let them work through the steps. I dunno mind is frazzled!
That's pretty fast then!
Original post by JosephineE
RE
I don't really like that idea but between the starter and plenary i'm kind of stuck on how to fit it all in! I'm considering not going into detail. The topic I have is detailed, I'm think about just doing an overview and then saying that if I had longer I would have let them work through the steps. I dunno mind is frazzled!
That's pretty fast then!
I don't really like that idea but between the starter and plenary i'm kind of stuck on how to fit it all in! I'm considering not going into detail. The topic I have is detailed, I'm think about just doing an overview and then saying that if I had longer I would have let them work through the steps. I dunno mind is frazzled!
That's pretty fast then!
I used a song for my second interview lesson - asked pupils to talk about what they think the song is about etc and then at the plenary, we revisited the song and looked at whether or not they thought it was fair
What is the topic they want you to teach?
Yeah, this won't be the only lesson that the pupils will get on the topic but it'll be more to see how you cope with a limited amount of time etc.
Yeah, from what I've heard, things move pretty quickly in the teacher recruiting world!
Original post by Samus2
I used a song for my second interview lesson - asked pupils to talk about what they think the song is about etc and then at the plenary, we revisited the song and looked at whether or not they thought it was fair
What is the topic they want you to teach?
Yeah, this won't be the only lesson that the pupils will get on the topic but it'll be more to see how you cope with a limited amount of time etc.
Yeah, from what I've heard, things move pretty quickly in the teacher recruiting world!
What is the topic they want you to teach?
Yeah, this won't be the only lesson that the pupils will get on the topic but it'll be more to see how you cope with a limited amount of time etc.
Yeah, from what I've heard, things move pretty quickly in the teacher recruiting world!
Ohh that's such a good idea! what subject are you?
It's on Muslim pilgrimage. So I need to explain pilgrimage and what that means and why it's important to Muslims. But I'm not sure whether to go into depth about each day of pilgrimage and each group could look at a and feedback to the class but i'd only really have 15 mins for that.
Original post by JosephineE
Ohh that's such a good idea! what subject are you?
It's on Muslim pilgrimage. So I need to explain pilgrimage and what that means and why it's important to Muslims. But I'm not sure whether to go into depth about each day of pilgrimage and each group could look at a and feedback to the class but i'd only really have 15 mins for that.
It's on Muslim pilgrimage. So I need to explain pilgrimage and what that means and why it's important to Muslims. But I'm not sure whether to go into depth about each day of pilgrimage and each group could look at a and feedback to the class but i'd only really have 15 mins for that.
Ahh a fellow r.e. trainee. Is Muslim Pilgrimage the same as Hajj?
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