is there time to join a society whilst doing a PGCE?

I'll be uni-based, and on placement for about 60% of the time.

But that still leaves 40%, and we were advised that we're typically timetabled for 16hrs of contact time.

I get that the rest of the time will prove valuable to getting on top of work, reading and getting things done, but... Will there be time for a bit of leisure for the on-campus weeks?

Reply 1

TheRealAfsan

6

There will always be time for leisure, however the PGCE will keep you extremely busy, you will spend a lot of your free hours honing your craft and practicing new techniques for delivery, lesson plans, marking, uni assignments etc.

When I did my PGCE 2 years ago, I had time to go out on weekends still and enjoy my holidays just fine, every weekend or so I did go out. A society can be possible if your time management is strong. But in my opinion I would advise against it.

When I did my interview at uni to do the PGCE, the lecturer asked me if I had a current job. I told him yes, I work part time at Tesco on weekends. He said quit. I said I can handle it. He said you can't trust me. I listened to what he had to say. I quit my job a few days later and put my focus into the PGCE. I can definitely say the lecturer was 120% correct. The PGCE was extremely enjoyable for me, however you will need to sacrifice a few things in order to succeed.

I hope this helps and all the best on your journey.

(do the PGCE for 2 months I say, then make a call if you think it's worth it)

Reply 2

MrsDeWinter

OP

4

Original post by TheRealAfsan

There will always be time for leisure, however the PGCE will keep you extremely busy, you will spend a lot of your free hours honing your craft and practicing new techniques for delivery, lesson plans, marking, uni assignments etc.

When I did my PGCE 2 years ago, I had time to go out on weekends still and enjoy my holidays just fine, every weekend or so I did go out. A society can be possible if your time management is strong. But in my opinion I would advise against it.

When I did my interview at uni to do the PGCE, the lecturer asked me if I had a current job. I told him yes, I work part time at Tesco on weekends. He said quit. I said I can handle it. He said you can't trust me. I listened to what he had to say. I quit my job a few days later and put my focus into the PGCE. I can definitely say the lecturer was 120% correct. The PGCE was extremely enjoyable for me, however you will need to sacrifice a few things in order to succeed.

I hope this helps and all the best on your journey.

(do the PGCE for 2 months I say, then make a call if you think it's worth it)

I'll follow this, it sounds like sound advice :smile:

Do you remember how much time you spent in classes each week? (as in, uni classes. Not on placement)

Reply 3

TheRealAfsan

6

Original post by MrsDeWinter

I'll follow this, it sounds like sound advice :smile:

Do you remember how much time you spent in classes each week? (as in, uni classes. Not on placement)

Yeah sure.

•

So it was 10-12 days of uni for me in first month of September

•

Then 1 week as a uni class in a school to observe and take notes

•

Then 1 week back in uni

•

Now it's pretty much near the end of September

•

1st attachment begins. You're in your first school.

•

1st weeks is observations then your slowly put into more and more lesson per week until you do 33% of a school timetable

Example: Week 1 - observations
Week 2 - 5% of a timetable you'll do plus observations
Week 3 - 15%
Week 4 - 25 etc.

As a note, during the whole first attachment I did not spend my Fridays at school but they were university led days.

This will continue to increase until MID November, by then you should be doing 33% of a teaching timetable. You'll do this till Christmas and you would have complete the first attachment. If you made it this far, you should be good enough for the course, I remember watching so many students drop out during this phase .

•

It's January now, I returned back to uni for 1 week of lectures, they are now speaking of a primary school placement

•

2nd week of January is a 1 week in a primary school placement and purely observations, I taught a lesson luckily and got more experience

•

You come back do a few more days in uni

•

Then the beginning of the 2nd and last attachment will start, which will stretch to either June/Jul.

•

1st weeks is observations then your slowly put into more and more lessons per week until you do 66% of a school timetable
This time you start out at 33% of a timetable and work your way up to 66% of a full teaching timetableExample: Week 1 - observations Week 2 - 33% of a timetable you'll do plus observations Week 3 - 45% Week 4 - 50% etc.Note during the 2nd phase you work all 5 days a week at school. There may be an odd 2 or 3 days at uni sprinkled here and there, but its all school led time now.I remember I was at a full 66% timetable on the last week before the Easter Holidays, but I didn't work the Friday since I had it off. I then worked from after Easter with a full time table from April to the end of the attachment. In the last week I took up a few extra lessons pushing my timetable to 70%. I did this just for experience.I returned to uni finished some last pieces of work and I was done. Also remember between all of this you will be doing University assignments which there will be a lot of. Be warned. I hope this helps

Reply 4

MrsDeWinter

OP

4

This is incredibly thorough @TheRealAfsan - thank you immensely! I understand my uni may have it a little differently (I think our initial observations occur for a day a week, for instance, rather than a week straight) but this is useful to refer to and have a decent idea about.

It makes me feel much better :biggrin:

Reply 5

TheRealAfsan

6

Original post by MrsDeWinter

This is incredibly thorough @TheRealAfsan - thank you immensely! I understand my uni may have it a little differently (I think our initial observations occur for a day a week, for instance, rather than a week straight) but this is useful to refer to and have a decent idea about.

It makes me feel much better :biggrin:

no worries :smile:

Reply 6

FormerTeacher

6

Original post by MrsDeWinter

I'll be uni-based, and on placement for about 60% of the time.

But that still leaves 40%, and we were advised that we're typically timetabled for 16hrs of contact time.

I get that the rest of the time will prove valuable to getting on top of work, reading and getting things done, but... Will there be time for a bit of leisure for the on-campus weeks?

Probably a good idea to wait until you start, complete a term and take it from there. Probably not a good idea to commit to anything until you understand the time constraints and time available to you. It will be different for each person, and some people are great at time management, others less so. Don't put yourself under any undue pressure, the programme will take a lot out of you possibly!

Reply 7

zafreenfarooque

10

no way

is there time to join a society whilst doing a PGCE?

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