PGCE - Current Students Thread

I think you mean fileS! Get them sorted now while life is easy - i had a lever arch for each class with every lesson plan, resources and evals. 1 x file for data, seating plans. 1 for subject knowledge, 1 for professional studies, 1 for every thing else (assignments, extra curricular, reflective journal, annotated school policied, inset). 12 lever arches altogether, for school direct.

Assuming this is a folder for assessing you, a good way to do it if you have no guidelines is print off the full teaching standards and have a section for each one. As you move through the year add evidence that related to each bit to the relevant section. Then you can easily see that you've got evidence for them all, and which ones are lacking as you move through. Just don't panic as you won't have evidence for some of them until much later in the year.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Random question. Some of my uni choices would allow me to do physics with maths, others are just physics. Is it fine for my to have a personal statement that is entirely related to physics when applying potentially for physics with maths courses. I dont really have space in my personal statement to start mentioning mathematics.

I've managed to catch a cold just from uni before even setting foot in school on Monday

My uni hasn't spoken much about teaching files/evidence for the standards so I've just set up my folder as above with sections for each standard and plastic pockets ready for evidence. Then a separate folder for class lists, seating plans, lesson plans, resources etc. Might go the one folder per class route when I find out how many classes I'm going to have.

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

My tutor hated plastic wallets so on the day before my hand in I had to take allll my evidence out and hole punch it

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

I am also snowed under (already). Uni work is doable but second day into my first placement I am alreasdy shattered by the behaviour of my KS1 class - individually they are all ok but 30 of them together was just chaotic. The teacher kept being interrupted which slowed the pace down and then other children started to misbehave too. For this placement I'm predominately doing 1:1 and helping out in the class 3 days a week, so I wouldn't want to undermine the class teacher. There are a number of children displaying significant challenging behaviour which compound the issue. Children would listen to me and be quiet for a minute or two then they'd start again.

Any tips on how to manage without subverting the class teacher's authority? I do think majority of the kids do want to learn but with the disruption it's hard to see any real learning is taking place.

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Is anyone free to talk to? I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Poly pockets can be a pest as you have to take everything out to read the contents. Also if you need to make notes and changes on them it is annoying too! For that reason I don't use them in my class either.


Posted from TSR Mobile

What's wrong? Feel free to post on here or PM me. Use this thread as a rant base! That's what we all did.

Can I help?

Feel free to drop me a PM

My tutor did too, she said they reminded her of slimy things. I still had everything in them though lol.



Same as others, happy to listen if you want. Hugs!



KS1 can be very like that. They very much bounce off each other and if you have lots of children showing challenging behaviour in the class it's even tougher. I had a KS1 placement in a school with lots of behaviour challenges and I completely empathise with the "while you get one quiet the others start!" thing. The thing is, they're still little so even if they want to learn and enjoy it and know the expectations, if they're bored waiting for another pupil to stop talking they will lose focus and join in, plus they'll feel like, what's the point in waiting when others don't?

I guess clear expectations are key. If you show them what you expect when they work with you that doesn't undermine the teacher. We all know that from remembering how we would know what different teachers expected when we were at school. It's not like they can say "Mrs X let's us talk!" because the teacher doesn't allow it, they just aren't stopping it all the time if that makes sense!

Remember it's still early in the year. Building positive relationships is so so so important, so I'd focus on that, and remember that the teacher will still be working on that. Once you have that you can interact with them better, and you will know them more, allowing you to figure out each child's needs and how to support them in making good choices.

Oh also that. Find out as much as possible about the schools behaviour policy then follow it. If possible I'd recommend using the language "Make a good choice" and praising good choices, and emphasising the positive child and all the good things about them. It really really works if you can do it consistently and also it's nice! Saves you stress, makes them feel positive about themselves.

A lot of challenging behaviour at that age is about either attention, self image or stress and worry at home, and the above works for all those. Make school somewhere safe and happy for all your pupils. Also, always look to the root... What is the behaviour for - it's aim right now - and then what us the deeper cause or reason for this. It's much easier to tackle with that knowledge.

Don't panic, keep calm. If it all goes horribly wrong (and it will) there's always next lesson. They are forgiving and learn quickly, treat it as a clean slate and they will too. Praise them. Keep their learning active and interesting. Use your voice well, if you need to attract attention during a time when they are talking LOWER your tone, don't go higher!

Most of all, don't let anything get to you, and give yourself a break. It's hard but it will get better and better and better! Talk it through, go over strategies in your head or out loud if it helps. And look after yourself.

Hope some of this helps! Good luck.

Posted from TSR Mobile

As with everyone else, if you want a chat I'm available. (Or just post on here with quotes and we'll all see it)

I alternate between loving the teaching and being overwhelmed by the workload and uncertainty of what is required for improvement. I rather think that at this stage, feeling overwhelmed for some, if not most of the time is common to us all........it certainly is amongst the SD trainees in my school!

I'm having a good night tonight after a good observation today.......but from my experience over the past few weeks I'm sure the next cliff to climb will be coming into view tomorrow! .

Thanks everyone. I think the main thing is the timetable. Kpsxx knows that I'm in a slightly different position because I teach TEFL. I feel like people are running rings around me and they get annoyed if I can't give them the time slot they want. Most of them have kids too which complicates matters. I don't want to be working all hours.

Posted from TSR Mobile

How do they organise the lessons - do they book in person with you?

Posted from TSR Mobile

No they go through an academy. I do have my own private students too who do book in person with me. I try to keep to the same day and time every week.


Posted from TSR Mobile

lesson plans, lessons obs, your own obs of other staff, seating plans, worksheets, photocopies of student work to show your marking

Assuming this is a folder for assessing you, a good way to do it if you have no guidelines is print off the full teaching standards and have a section for each one. As you move through the year add evidence that related to each bit to the relevant section. Then you can easily see that you've got evidence for them all, and which ones are lacking as you move through. Just don't panic as you won't have evidence for some of them until much later in the year.

Posted from TSR Mobile

We spent 3 hours talking about the prof standards and we got a chance to look at some graduates' files. While we are in Primary it's possibly similar for secondary. We were told to get 9 sections for each of the standards and subdivide into each sub-section - a plastic pocket for each sub-section, and start collecting evidence as we go along (there'll be a selecting process towards the end to choose the best evidence. We'll write for each sub-section how the evidence show that we meet the standards). Echoing others, evidence can be lesson plans, observation notes, children's work, classroom display, code of conduct, uni's comment on professionalism, etc. We're expected to have something for 8 sub-standards by the end of our first placement (working with one child and groups), then getting 50% by Feb half-term. Some standards say 'consistent' and the evidence for that should be collected over a period of time, etc.

On top of it my uni wants a teaching file with school + class details, personal learning journal, all lesson plans + resources, assessments, medium and LT plans, observation notes etc. for each placement. That is of course in addition to our subject portfolios.

That was a daunting afternoon: one person hasn't returned since it seems. So I'm a bit surprised that your provider hasn't talked about it in depth yet. We do have a book on our list by Achieving QTS series, which explains the standards very well and has some case examples - but I haven't got the time to read it properly!

Those trolleys are excellent, unlessunpopular like me you use the London Underground - proved to be very unpopular and hazardous with my steering skill.

HELP PLEASE!

I am a mixed race trainee teacher and while I am aware that nationally BME teachers are low in numbers I have never felt it was a problem for me.
During a lesson a Y9 pupil asked me where I am from...innocent enough. I responded with my by telling him my hometown and he kept hammering the question - where am i from? I told him that we could talk about that at break but now we'll do the work. From my previous experience this question either leads to two directs: an interest of my family heritage or potential racism.
The next day the same student asked the same questions again except this time he went further and called me a negro. I promptly told him that it was unacceptable language to use and that was the end of that.

The problem is...I found the word deeply offensive and it did upset me, and it made me feel uncomfortable. I know its not PC but I didn't feel i could tell the class teacher because I wasn't sure if she would understand how i feel.

The question is - do you think the word negro is offensive. should i tell the teacher if it happens again? am i making a fuss out of nothing?Do i have a valid point or not. (if you disagree with me - please only civilized responses, no hating!)