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Teachers, Trainees and NQT chat thread!

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It's good to know I'm not the only one in this situation.

Original post by bluebeetle
Gosh, that's a bit last minute. But obviously, under the current circumstances, it must be hard for training providers!

Are you feeling ready to start placement, if it does end up happening on Monday?


Not really as my only experience is a few days of lesson observations (coronavirus sunk my attempts as getting more experience earlier in the year). However I'm fully aware that teacher training can be challenging so I'll just have to roll with it.
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Avatar for L-K
L-K
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Original post by Kitten in boots
It's good to know I'm not the only one in this situation.



Not really as my only experience is a few days of lesson observations (coronavirus sunk my attempts as getting more experience earlier in the year). However I'm fully aware that teacher training can be challenging so I'll just have to roll with it.

Your placement will start with lots of meetings with other trainees, mentors and the itt coordinator going through safeguarding and school policies. Then you will get your timetable (if you haven't already) and start observing lessons, getting to know students and working out what is next in the SOW. Then you would start doing starter activities, or take small portions of the lesson, only then you will do full lessons.
That's what would happen at my school anyway.
Don't worry, you won't be thrown into it straight away!
I got my placement confirmed today! So nervous/excited!
Original post by stephanieg1992
I got my placement confirmed today! So nervous/excited!

Very exciting!! When does it start?
Original post by bluebeetle
Haha, wow, really? Have to say I've no experience of uni-based PGCE so maybe it is more normal than I realised

Yeah. I don't think it's abnormal. I think it's partly a strategy to avoid people trying to negotiate swaps between themselves before placement starts, as well as due to being let down by placement providers at the last minute.
Also, they will definitely ease you into placement with meetings, lesson observations etc- they won't throw you in at the deep end straight away!

You'll pick up classes slowly, and start off by just doing partial lessons, normally. So don't worry if it's a sudden start, you'll still be eased into school!
Original post by bluebeetle
Very exciting!! When does it start?



Wednesday. It’s in Year 6 which I have zero experience in (mostly got TA experience in Y3 and lower) so it’s going to be a huge learning curve. But the school is very close to home and it’s got a good local reputation so I’m very happy 😊
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by stephanieg1992
Wednesday. It’s in Year 6 which I have zero experience in (mostly got TA experience in Y3 and lower) so it’s going to be a huge learning curve. But the school is very close to home and it’s got a good local reputation so I’m very happy 😊

A short commute is definitely a good thing during the PGCE, saves so much stress! I hope it goes well for you!
Original post by bluebeetle
A short commute is definitely a good thing during the PGCE, saves so much stress! I hope it goes well for you!

I was so happy when I learned it's only 20 minutes away haha. And it's in a super quiet place so no traffic- result!

And thank you very much :smile:
Original post by L-K
Your placement will start with lots of meetings with other trainees, mentors and the itt coordinator going through safeguarding and school policies. Then you will get your timetable (if you haven't already) and start observing lessons, getting to know students and working out what is next in the SOW. Then you would start doing starter activities, or take small portions of the lesson, only then you will do full lessons.
That's what would happen at my school anyway.
Don't worry, you won't be thrown into it straight away!


Thanks. You are giving me more information than the university has so far.

No placement yet. It may happen after half term.

One guy has been given a placement that is a 2 hour 15 minute bus journey away.
Original post by stephanieg1992
Wednesday. It’s in Year 6 which I have zero experience in (mostly got TA experience in Y3 and lower) so it’s going to be a huge learning curve. But the school is very close to home and it’s got a good local reputation so I’m very happy 😊


Best of luck.
Original post by Kitten in boots
Thanks. You are giving me more information than the university has so far.

No placement yet. It may happen after half term.

One guy has been given a placement that is a 2 hour 15 minute bus journey away.

Honestly, I think at that point, I'd just drop the course and try another year if it were me :') Four and a half hours travelling each day (and reasonably, if it's by bus, there will be delays) just isn't reasonable.
Original post by Kitten in boots
Thanks. You are giving me more information than the university has so far.

No placement yet. It may happen after half term.

One guy has been given a placement that is a 2 hour 15 minute bus journey away.

Has he complained? My course has a limit of 1hr 30 on public transport (and 45 mins by car) and you can reject a placement if it's over that limit.
Original post by stephanieg1992
Has he complained? My course has a limit of 1hr 30 on public transport (and 45 mins by car) and you can reject a placement if it's over that limit.


The course leader has got involved. We've got the same commute limits so it is taking the piss.
Original post by Kitten in boots
Thanks. You are giving me more information than the university has so far.

No placement yet. It may happen after half term.

One guy has been given a placement that is a 2 hour 15 minute bus journey away.

That sounds horrendous, but is the expectation he is able to car-share with somebody?

During my PGCE, there was this expectation that if you had a car you'd be happy to give lifts to everyone at the same school, and so some people were given schools that at first glance seemed impossible to get to.

This does, of course, cause problems when the driver is ill, or if you like to start/leave at separate times, or if someone is consistently late. It did become a real source of stress for some people.

Personally, I think it's a crap attitude, but this year especially when unis are struggling to find placements, it may be that you just have to suck it up!
Original post by Kitten in boots
Thanks. You are giving me more information than the university has so far.

No placement yet. It may happen after half term.

One guy has been given a placement that is a 2 hour 15 minute bus journey away.

I’m hope you hear about a placement soon, that must be stressful :frown:. So many unknowns at the moment.
Forgot my staff ID so I'm a visitor today :frown:
Original post by 04MR17
Forgot my staff ID so I'm a visitor today :frown:

It happens to us all! I forgot mine on an inset day and couldn’t get into the school so had to walk round banging on windows and doors until someone heard and let me in!
Can anyone shed some light on job prospects after having done the training course, especially for the so-called oversubscribed subjects? I know that Scotland guarantees one year of employment via the Teacher Induction Scheme, but what happens after that? Do people get flooded into a job market that has no opportunities for their subject? Do people tend to stay on and continue to teach the classes they've been teaching in the past year?
Is anyone else having to do a virtual placement? Due to the COVID situation worsening so rapidly in my city, placements are all virtual now until (hopefully) after Christmas. Too many schools said they couldn't take on trainees. As an international student who's never been in a UK school before, it's disappointing, and I'm worried how it'll impact my job prospects.

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