Teachers, Trainees and NQT chat thread!

OP

Original post by misslh

I certainly will. It’s year 2 so luckily the maths etc.. isn’t too difficult. If it was year 5 or 6 I think I would be slightly panicking now.

When I did my 2 weeks in primary- Year 2 were my favourite class! I couldn't teach them though, I don't think!

Don't forget that you've got a lot of secondary teachers on this thread and there's the study help section on TSR, so if there's a particular concept you're struggling with then do feel free to ask on here!

My specialism is science, but I did do Maths A-level and there's lots of maths in the science GCSE now, so do feel free to get in touch if you're struggling with the maths side of things.

Reply 182

Original post by misslh

I certainly will. It’s year 2 so luckily the maths etc.. isn’t too difficult. If it was year 5 or 6 I think I would be slightly panicking now.

I absolutely loved my placement in year 2. With my uni, we have between 8 and 10 weeks placement per academic year and each placement is split, so half we spend in Foundation phase, half in KS2. What I found helped me with my maths, was purchasing some practice Numerical Reasoning books that are usually aimed to be used by children with their parents at home. I go through the tests sometimes (when I have five minutes spare, so rarely!) to check my own understanding. My uni also provides websites to refer to etc. Worth checking whether your uni does? If not, all it takes is a quick Google search :smile:

Reply 183

OP

How's it going everyone?

I had a really good day in school despite my subject mentor/AT being absent! I met my form (Y7) who were lovely, and the sixth form class I will be team teaching after half term. I led a bit of the lesson on protein structure, which was cool!

My AT being absent is potentially likely to cause some issues though if he's not back tomorrow, so I'm a bit worried about that!

Reply 184

airfixfighter

8

Original post by SarcAndSpark

How's it going everyone?

I had a really good day in school despite my subject mentor/AT being absent! I met my form (Y7) who were lovely, and the sixth form class I will be team teaching after half term. I led a bit of the lesson on protein structure, which was cool!

My AT being absent is potentially likely to cause some issues though if he's not back tomorrow, so I'm a bit worried about that!

I actually started my first placement today! Everyone seemed nice and I've had my provisional timetable. I'm not expected to teach (apart from maybe starters etc) until after half term.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much information I got given today, but really looking forward to it now it's here! Have a pupil trail all day tomorrow

Reply 185

Original post by airfixfighter

I actually started my first placement today! Everyone seemed nice and I've had my provisional timetable. I'm not expected to teach (apart from maybe starters etc) until after half term.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much information I got given today, but really looking forward to it now it's here! Have a pupil trail all day tomorrow

I'm glad that you had a good first day!

With our placement we have to teach at the start of our second week, so for 8 out of 9 weeks, and at least 50% of the timetable this year, so that should be interesting! I don't start until after half term though.

There is a lot to take in the first few days, but I am sure you will get used to it all after you process the information :smile:

I hope you enjoy tomorrow just as much!

Original post by SarcAndSpark

How's it going everyone?

I had a really good day in school despite my subject mentor/AT being absent! I met my form (Y7) who were lovely, and the sixth form class I will be team teaching after half term. I led a bit of the lesson on protein structure, which was cool!

My AT being absent is potentially likely to cause some issues though if he's not back tomorrow, so I'm a bit worried about that!

I'm glad you had a good day too! I didn't realise you were secondary! I would imagine it would be a totally different experience to primary...I could never do it!

I hope your AT is back tomorrow (who are you referring to there by the way?) and that no issues arise as a result of absence!

My friend just transferred uni, and she got told today that they can't find a school for her, and if they do, it is likely to be far away. My friend doesn't drive either. As well as that, her house flooded in the storm, so she has it all going at the moment! I couldn't imagine how stressful that situation would be!

Good luck tomorrow! I so wish I was on placement now!

Reply 186

OP

Original post by airfixfighter

I actually started my first placement today! Everyone seemed nice and I've had my provisional timetable. I'm not expected to teach (apart from maybe starters etc) until after half term.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed with how much information I got given today, but really looking forward to it now it's here! Have a pupil trail all day tomorrow

My first day felt really intense too, but you'll soon settle in. It sounds like you are in a great school, so good luck and keep us updated!

Original post by wonderland.16

I'm glad you had a good day too! I didn't realise you were secondary! I would imagine it would be a totally different experience to primary...I could never do it!

I hope your AT is back tomorrow (who are you referring to there by the way?) and that no issues arise as a result of absence!

My friend just transferred uni, and she got told today that they can't find a school for her, and if they do, it is likely to be far away. My friend doesn't drive either. As well as that, her house flooded in the storm, so she has it all going at the moment! I couldn't imagine how stressful that situation would be!

Good luck tomorrow! I so wish I was on placement now!

Yeah, I'm secondary- I was just in a primary school first as we have to do at least a week in primary! I'm the opposite- secondary feels like where I am meant to be and I love my subject so I'm excited to teach it.

My AT is what other unis I think refer to as a subject mentor- i.e. the teacher in my subject who sort of looks after me/is responsible for my day to day. Anyway, mine was back today, so that was good. He's given me a lesson to plan for the week after half term and told me I can also basically take over my Y7 class from then- so exciting but lots to do to get ready!

I hope everything gets sorted for your friend- that sounds mega stressful!

Reply 187

Original post by SarcAndSpark

My first day felt really intense too, but you'll soon settle in. It sounds like you are in a great school, so good luck and keep us updated!

Yeah, I'm secondary- I was just in a primary school first as we have to do at least a week in primary! I'm the opposite- secondary feels like where I am meant to be and I love my subject so I'm excited to teach it.

My AT is what other unis I think refer to as a subject mentor- i.e. the teacher in my subject who sort of looks after me/is responsible for my day to day. Anyway, mine was back today, so that was good. He's given me a lesson to plan for the week after half term and told me I can also basically take over my Y7 class from then- so exciting but lots to do to get ready!

I hope everything gets sorted for your friend- that sounds mega stressful!

Ah lovely! It's good that you know where you want to be :smile:

Ah I see, I'm not used to the PGCE wordings- we don't have subject/aread specialisms until year 3 if at all (I don't entirely know)

Ooh, how exciting! I loved teaching last placement, very much looking forward to it now. I hope you have had a good day today too!

Reply 188

OP

Original post by wonderland.16

Ah lovely! It's good that you know where you want to be :smile:

Ah I see, I'm not used to the PGCE wordings- we don't have subject/aread specialisms until year 3 if at all (I don't entirely know)

Ooh, how exciting! I loved teaching last placement, very much looking forward to it now. I hope you have had a good day today too!

Thank you! I had a uni day today and I was pretty tired- so I was struggling to stay awake!

Half term now though, so I've got 3 whole free days next week to get on top of stuff!

Reply 189

Original post by SarcAndSpark

Thank you! I had a uni day today and I was pretty tired- so I was struggling to stay awake!

Half term now though, so I've got 3 whole free days next week to get on top of stuff!

Ah lovely!
I found out my placement school today, although it is provisional so still might be changed. The school is 50 miles away, takes about 1hr15 to get there. Going to cost around £600 in petrol by the end which is mad! Trying to get additional financial support but who knows if I will actually get any! Hopefully I will. They might just move me yet I'm not sure.
Hopefully it will get sorted soon, as our half term starts a week today, so I have to know by then.

Glad your day was okay though!

Reply 190

kittycat82

7

Hi I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share their interview process? I have three interviews coming up in the next few weeks. I'm applying for school direct biology, and I'm really struggling with the interview lesson ideas. I have to give 30 min lesson to year 7s in the first one about science you use daily! any ideas??? I don't want it to be boring, but are you ok to do a mini practical? I would ask the school but as its half term there is no one there now!anyone who wants to share ideas about their interview lessons, as you would have been successful thanks

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 191

OP

Original post by wonderland.16

Ah lovely!
I found out my placement school today, although it is provisional so still might be changed. The school is 50 miles away, takes about 1hr15 to get there. Going to cost around £600 in petrol by the end which is mad! Trying to get additional financial support but who knows if I will actually get any! Hopefully I will. They might just move me yet I'm not sure.
Hopefully it will get sorted soon, as our half term starts a week today, so I have to know by then.

Glad your day was okay though!

Oooh that is a long trip. We can claim expenses for traveling in some circumstances, but it's a flat fee of £60 with discretionary mileage on top. That's a bit of a joke when I am spending over £30 a week on fuel! But I do have the bursary, so it's not such a hardship for me.

I hope they either sort something out for you or move you!

Original post by kittycat82

Hi I was wondering if anyone would be willing to share their interview process? I have three interviews coming up in the next few weeks. I'm applying for school direct biology, and I'm really struggling with the interview lesson ideas. I have to give 30 min lesson to year 7s in the first one about science you use daily! any ideas??? I don't want it to be boring, but are you ok to do a mini practical? I would ask the school but as its half term there is no one there now!anyone who wants to share ideas about their interview lessons, as you would have been successful thanks

I interviewed for PGCEs, which is a bit different to schools direct- so group task, presentation to other interviewees, written task and individual interviews.
With your interview lesson, I can foresee a few difficulties with doing a practical:

1) Getting equipment ordered through the school system directly after half term. A lot of teachers teaching at the same time will have already put in their orders, so the stuff you want may not be available or may just not turn up on the day- You'd definitely need a strong plan B! The school would probably also need the practical to be risk assessed, which is tricky when you don't know the class!

2) 30 minutes is quite a short amount of time to run a practical, especially with Year 7 who need lots of guidance, and especially with a class you don't know. By the time they have got into the room and settled, you've lost 5 minutes, 5 minutes before the end they probably need to be packing equipment away. Y7 are slow, they won't get much done in 20 minutes, and that's with no explanation time.

3) Relating to the above- practicals, while fun and engaging, aren't always the best way for children to learn things, especially if they aren't backed up by a strong "why are we doing this" intro and a "what did this mean" plenary. In the interview I'd expect you'll need to be able to answer questions like "what did the children learn from your lesson"- if all they've done is a practical task, the answer might well be "nothing" which isn't great.

If you were able to do something that's low/no equipment and very quick to run, it could work- I'm thinking something like "take your pulse at rest, now run for 60 seconds on the spot and take your pulse again". Another alternative might be an engaging/interesting demonstration- where you can draw their attention to things you want them to understand.

I wouldn't worry about your lesson being boring- if the content is interesting it will be interesting. For an interview, I think it's more important that the children learn something, and your lesson "works".

Hope this helps a bit!

Reply 192

kittycat82

7

I interviewed for PGCEs, which is a bit different to schools direct- so group task, presentation to other interviewees, written task and individual interviews.
With your interview lesson, I can foresee a few difficulties with doing a practical:

1) Getting equipment ordered through the school system directly after half term. A lot of teachers teaching at the same time will have already put in their orders, so the stuff you want may not be available or may just not turn up on the day- You'd definitely need a strong plan B! The school would probably also need the practical to be risk assessed, which is tricky when you don't know the class!

2) 30 minutes is quite a short amount of time to run a practical, especially with Year 7 who need lots of guidance, and especially with a class you don't know. By the time they have got into the room and settled, you've lost 5 minutes, 5 minutes before the end they probably need to be packing equipment away. Y7 are slow, they won't get much done in 20 minutes, and that's with no explanation time.

3) Relating to the above- practicals, while fun and engaging, aren't always the best way for children to learn things, especially if they aren't backed up by a strong "why are we doing this" intro and a "what did this mean" plenary. In the interview I'd expect you'll need to be able to answer questions like "what did the children learn from your lesson"- if all they've done is a practical task, the answer might well be "nothing" which isn't great.

If you were able to do something that's low/no equipment and very quick to run, it could work- I'm thinking something like "take your pulse at rest, now run for 60 seconds on the spot and take your pulse again". Another alternative might be an engaging/interesting demonstration- where you can draw their attention to things you want them to understand.

I wouldn't worry about your lesson being boring- if the content is interesting it will be interesting. For an interview, I think it's more important that the children learn something, and your lesson "works".

Hope this helps a bit! Thanks so much for this

Reply 193

OP

How's it all going everyone?

I taught my first Sixth Form lesson today (to Y12) which was awesome and I got surprisingly nice feedback on!

Hope everything is going well for everyone! I'd love to hear some updates.

Reply 194

peppermintsweets

5

Is this the place to ask for advice on specific advice on lesson planning?

Reply 195

airfixfighter

8

Original post by SarcAndSpark

How's it all going everyone?

I taught my first Sixth Form lesson today (to Y12) which was awesome and I got surprisingly nice feedback on!

Hope everything is going well for everyone! I'd love to hear some updates.

So I've been in school for two weeks doing observation and on half term now - so back in uni! I teach my first lesson on the Tuesday next week. It's weird to think that by Xmas, I'll have taught like 100 lessons when I'm so nervous about the first one.

I'm enjoying it but my placement school's in a very affluent area and very different from the schools everyone else on my course is in. There's minimal behaviour issues and seems to be a lot of academic pressure so we'll have to see how I feel my Xmas about it!

Reply 196

OP

Original post by peppermintsweets

Is this the place to ask for advice on specific advice on lesson planning?

If you would like to, I'm sure some of us would love to help. However, if you post on the main teaching sub-forum, you're probably more likely to get a range of input, including from experienced teachers.

Original post by airfixfighter

So I've been in school for two weeks doing observation and on half term now - so back in uni! I teach my first lesson on the Tuesday next week. It's weird to think that by Xmas, I'll have taught like 100 lessons when I'm so nervous about the first one.

I'm enjoying it but my placement school's in a very affluent area and very different from the schools everyone else on my course is in. There's minimal behaviour issues and seems to be a lot of academic pressure so we'll have to see how I feel my Xmas about it!

Aww, I think you'll do great with your first lesson- I'm so nervous for every lesson at the moment and over planning everything to the max! I'm also back in uni for a few days, but my school half term was last week, so I'd much rather be there (my placement school is across the LA line, so holidays are different!).

I get what you are saying about very different schools and sometimes it feels like you are having very different issues to everyone else. Hopefully your course mates are supportive though!

Reply 197

Original post by SarcAndSpark

How's it all going everyone?

I taught my first Sixth Form lesson today (to Y12) which was awesome and I got surprisingly nice feedback on!

Hope everything is going well for everyone! I'd love to hear some updates.

I just wrote a reply to this and it got deleted *eye roll* Only on TSR for some reason my enter button is acting like a space bar. No idea. ANyway, everything is pretty good with me! I found out this week my provisional year group for placement and I know my school. I'm in Reception first, which I'm a little apprehensive about, I must say, but on the whole I am looking forward to it! My school is also a pioneer school for the new curriculum in Wales which could be amazing to see! I go out on Tuesday next week, so very excited now! I'm in the middle of writing an assignment which is due a week into placement, but trying to get it done (as well as writing 2 others due by xmas, a Welsh assessment (continuous) and 3 other assignments gathering data *cringe* )Just a little bit to do! I haven't really had much time to prep for placement yet but I am hoping that majority of this assignment will be done this week so I can have a bit of time to sort myself out by tuesday! Glad to hear all is well with you!!

Original post by airfixfighter

So I've been in school for two weeks doing observation and on half term now - so back in uni! I teach my first lesson on the Tuesday next week. It's weird to think that by Xmas, I'll have taught like 100 lessons when I'm so nervous about the first one.

I'm enjoying it but my placement school's in a very affluent area and very different from the schools everyone else on my course is in. There's minimal behaviour issues and seems to be a lot of academic pressure so we'll have to see how I feel my Xmas about it!

My placement school was the same, but the opposite situ. Mine was very challenging and a total contrast to my peers. Behaviour management was a real challenge. Just PLEASE ask for help if you need it! It is there, ready and waiting. My uni is great, we have a teachers soc, which I am part of the shadow committee for next year for, which is so beneficial. The first lesson is the hardest I reckon (from my exp). You learn so much from it. You will be fine though. My lecturers always say try not to let the kids know you are anxious, they will pick up on it. I find that easier said than done though! I think as long as the children learn something, and it is an effective lesson, you will do well! I wish you all the best for Tuesday! That's the day I start my placement- just observation though for four days. Again- apologies about this whole lack of a functioning enter button- must be a glitch! Good luck :smile:

Any questions, feel free to send them my way and I will be happy to help when I can :smile:

Reply 198

OP

Original post by wonderland.16

I just wrote a reply to this and it got deleted *eye roll* Only on TSR for some reason my enter button is acting like a space bar. No idea. ANyway, everything is pretty good with me! I found out this week my provisional year group for placement and I know my school. I'm in Reception first, which I'm a little apprehensive about, I must say, but on the whole I am looking forward to it! My school is also a pioneer school for the new curriculum in Wales which could be amazing to see! I go out on Tuesday next week, so very excited now! I'm in the middle of writing an assignment which is due a week into placement, but trying to get it done (as well as writing 2 others due by xmas, a Welsh assessment (continuous) and 3 other assignments gathering data *cringe* )Just a little bit to do! I haven't really had much time to prep for placement yet but I am hoping that majority of this assignment will be done this week so I can have a bit of time to sort myself out by tuesday! Glad to hear all is well with you!!

That all sounds really cool- although reception might be quite hard work, but it's all good experience.

I taught Y10 today- went ok, my mentor wanted me to be stricter with their behaviour, so I need to be more assertive next time, but he's letting me teach them again next week, so it can't have been that bad!

Reply 199