PGCE - Current Students Thread

Seek help from your mentor for all the lessons, she should be able to liaise with the HOD to find out what you need support with. Is this tour final placement? I would expect you to be quite independent by now so if you need help they should be there for you..


Posted from TSR Mobile

hi yes it is my final placement - I know I SHOULD be independent but since all my classes are shared between the teachers and I don't teach any KS4 classes for all of their timetable I'm dependent on getting the info from the teachers as to how far they have got and what needs to be done next - this sometimes (often) only happens the day before and it's still taking ages for me to plan and make materials....

I jsut feel so useless and as if this has been a huge waste of time and money - i just figure i may as well stick it out and fail - at least I won't have to put 'I gave up' on my CV...

I've seen a support job that sounds pretty good. Pay isn't amazing but it's workable for the first year or so. I want to apply, but at the same time I am worried that once I go down the support route then I won't be able to turn back to teaching. If I do supply, I would have been getting constant teaching experience, but if I do this support role then I won't have any teaching exp for the year.

I know I have had my doubts about teaching but I don't know if I'm ready to jump ship yet. Yet the support role is exactly what I'd want to do in a support job. Gah, I don't know.

I've seen a support job that sounds pretty good. Pay isn't amazing but it's workable for the first year or so. I want to apply, but at the same time I am worried that once I go down the support route then I won't be able to turn back to teaching. If I do supply, I would have been getting constant teaching experience, but if I do this support role then I won't have any teaching exp for the year.

I know I have had my doubts about teaching but I don't know if I'm ready to jump ship yet. Yet the support role is exactly what I'd want to do in a support job. Gah, I don't know.

Guys I have an interview tomorrow the school is literally 5 mins away from me, I have been preparing for it all weekend but I'm so nervous to an extent that I want to make an excuse not to go last minute

Good luck. If it helps lots of people feel that way with interviews, you'll be fine let us know how you get on.

Thank you I really regret going to the interview now.. I spent most of my weekend and all of last night planning my lesson and giving it everything. I got in and my nerves got the better of me, stuttered a lot - all over the place.

They didn't take me past the interview stage and I really did feel like crying and angry at the same time because I tried so hard for this. My pace was slow I agree - he said something like you need to move on because we did that 5 years ago which was kind of harsh and a tad rude.. And then said but you'll make a good teacher I'm sure and was like thanks for your half empty compliment.

I didn't know I could feel this down trodden after an interview sat her in my car for literally the past hour just staring into thin space.. Wondering if this is the right career for me..

Feeling a bit rough today. Just a little like I've stalled and I need to pick myself up again. Working too hard and ignoring uni work too and my tutor is in in two weeks time for my final uni observation and my folders are looking a bit... empty.

Just had to call in sick to school today. Hardly slept last night for being ill and tummy being really unhappy, feel so bad when im hardly in this week because of bank holiday, university and an interview but not in a state to be anything but the biggest cow in the universe if i was teaching today

I would say go for it if it's something you think you'll like. You could easily explain a year in a support role... You just didn't find a position that was just right for you this year. Plenty of trainees don't start NQT for a year or so.

Having said that what could be more of a barrier is the worry/stress if it. If it was me having doubts like yours and I went in to the support position I feel like I'd perhaps be too nervous to apply for a teaching position afterwards when I was already 'comfortable'.

I can imagine it's really hard to decide, especially since you had a negative first placement experience so are slightly behind on the positive feelings, only recently starting to see how you've developed so much etc. But no harm can come from applying and it will give you more experience/info about the support area, as well as giving you thinking time.

Xxx

Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you I really regret going to the interview now.. I spent most of my weekend and all of last night planning my lesson and giving it everything. I got in and my nerves got the better of me, stuttered a lot - all over the place.

They didn't take me past the interview stage and I really did feel like crying and angry at the same time because I tried so hard for this. My pace was slow I agree - he said something like you need to move on because we did that 5 years ago which was kind of harsh and a tad rude.. And then said but you'll make a good teacher I'm sure and was like thanks for your half empty compliment.

I didn't know I could feel this down trodden after an interview sat her in my car for literally the past hour just staring into thin space.. Wondering if this is the right career for me..

Hi guys,

I'm starting my PGCE primary at Chester in September and I've just been sent a precourse reading list with 19 books on!

I've ordered one from each category and Im just wondering whether this will be enough for now?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Lots of schools organise set pre visits after school hours which can be useful if they're within around half an hour of your placement, or they might let you visit then anyway. Obviously not ideal as there aren't children there, but you sometimes see after school clubs and can still get a good feel for what's important to them. You also get to see the school lots on interview day so you can reinforce the visit and if you change your mind just say so and leave.

Other than that, I arranged all my visits in my PPA time. Again not perfect but at least you won't miss teaching hours!

Also, I empathise with the feeling, it is very overwhelming and often feels easier to just put it off. So don't feel bad about that. You made the choice before because it felt right for you. That's all you can do. But the more you apply the less scary it gets... You already have a good PS/application since you got an interview, so that's one big step passed!

Xxx

Posted from TSR Mobile

Oh I'm so sorry to hear you feel this way. PLEASE don't let it put you off going to more interviews. I know that it can scar you, but you built on these things and pick yourself back up. I was majorly nervous for my interview. My hands were shaking when I was giving out my resources. I think most people feel that way.

What did he mean by you need to move on because we did that 5 years ago? He meant your lesson was outdated or something? If that's what he meant then that's certainly a rude way to put it, BUT it is helpful feedback for the future if it's true.

We all have doubts about this career. I know that for sure! If you were having doubts anyway then that's fine, but if they have only appeared because of this interview then they are not real doubts. You are just feeling low in confidence. My friend who is an NQT now had nine interviews before she got her job. I don't know how she managed because like you, I feel pretty hopeless after one! You just need to keep going. If you are lacking in confidence then it won't be the worst thing in the world if you do supply for a bit in September because I've heard it's excellent for confidence and experience.

Keep going. Talk to your mentor about it. Mine made me feel a lot better.


..

Sorry to hear this that interviewer sounds so rude, there is no need to speak to you like that. Take some time for yourself (not easy, I know) and try and put it behind you. There will be other jobs, and they'll be there if you want to keep applying.

Hi all, does anyone have children here? I have a three year old about to embark on a Primary PGCE. It would be nice to hear from any current PGCE students juggling children!! Thanks x


Posted from TSR Mobile

Thank you I really regret going to the interview now.. I spent most of my weekend and all of last night planning my lesson and giving it everything. I got in and my nerves got the better of me, stuttered a lot - all over the place.

They didn't take me past the interview stage and I really did feel like crying and angry at the same time because I tried so hard for this. My pace was slow I agree - he said something like you need to move on because we did that 5 years ago which was kind of harsh and a tad rude.. And then said but you'll make a good teacher I'm sure and was like thanks for your half empty compliment.

I didn't know I could feel this down trodden after an interview sat her in my car for literally the past hour just staring into thin space.. Wondering if this is the right career for me..

Hi guys,

I'm starting my PGCE primary at Chester in September and I've just been sent a precourse reading list with 19 books on!

I've ordered one from each category and Im just wondering whether this will be enough for now?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Thanks. The whole visiting schools during PPA sounds ideal especially if I try and squeeze it towards the end of the day. I do think the way the headteachers show you around the school does have an impact on the level of comfort and everything.

Just curious with regards to the application process. Have most people started completely from scratch when writing new applications to different schools? I understand the need to personalise however it does seem like some examples would be relevant in both applications.