PGCE - Current Students Thread

Original post by peony flowers

I do too. How do you feel today? This is the home stretch love. You can do it

I visited my class today. They seem so tiny! But I read them a story and they were hanging on every word :biggrin:

I know. I know I can finish the PGCE, it's just I've known for a while that I don't think I want to go into teaching anymore, and now that the jobs are coming up I get down every time I see an advertisement or people talk about applications, because I don't have a plan...and I feel pressured to apply for them. :/

Reply 4702

Broadhallian

Original post by Airfairy

I know. I know I can finish the PGCE, it's just I've known for a while that I don't think I want to go into teaching anymore, and now that the jobs are coming up I get down every time I see an advertisement or people talk about applications, because I don't have a plan...and I feel pressured to apply for them. :/

Why? It's your life, not anybody else's.

Out of the 25 who started the PGCE with me in 2012, I think around only 15 are still teaching last I heard, and only 13 are teaching within the United Kingdom.

If you are worried about the money government has thrown at you, I don't think its anywhere near to the amount they threw at that cohort.

I always enjoyed the thought of having a day of school to go to interviews, but I could never be bothered to write up an application or plan an interview lesson plan.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4703

Original post by Broadhallian

Why? It's your life, not anybody else's.

Out of the 25 who started the PGCE with me in 2012, I think around only 15 are still teaching last I heard, and only 13 are teaching within the United Kingdom.

If you are worried about the money government has thrown at you, I don't think its anywhere near to the amount they threw at that cohort.

I always enjoyed the thought of having a day of school to go to interviews, but I could never be bothered to write up an application or plan an interview lesson plan.

I know, I know. It's just how my family are being about it :angry:

Interesting stats there. Seems like my whole class of 15 are in love with teaching and it's like I'm Satan when I mention my doubts! Are you still in teaching?

Reply 4704

alabelle

18

Original post by Airfairy

I know. I know I can finish the PGCE, it's just I've known for a while that I don't think I want to go into teaching anymore, and now that the jobs are coming up I get down every time I see an advertisement or people talk about applications, because I don't have a plan...and I feel pressured to apply for them. :/

To echo the person above, you don't have to teach! It's well known that about a massive proportion of PGCEs/NQTs (I forget which) never actually end up teaching beyond a year. You will still have the qualification and plenty of people go on to do well in other fields with their PGCE. You might even end up changing your mind about teaching and put in applications in the summer term. Just don't worry too much now. :smile:

Reply 4705

Broadhallian

Original post by Airfairy

I know, I know. It's just how my family are being about it :angry:

Interesting stats there. Seems like my whole class of 15 are in love with teaching and it's like I'm Satan when I mention my doubts! Are you still in teaching?

My family were slightly sad with me when I said I most definitely won't stay in teaching when I finish as they saw it as a good and stable career for me. They however saw how withdrawn I became as a person and how constantly tired I was and backed my decision.

To put it simply; My family would have been more sad and disappointed with me if I continued doing something that I didn't enjoy (and made me unhappy) just to make them happy.

Yeah most of the people on my course were like yours; until I started to speak to some of them just one on one and quite a few were the same as me. Everybody is different though.

Nah, I was so happy on my final school day of the PGCE as I knew I would never do it again, I ended up failing as well but even if I passed there wouldn't be enough money to convince me to sign away my 20s to teaching.

Reply 4706

ParadoxSocks

22

Well my day of primary has definitely confirmed that it's not for me. They're so needy and touchy feely. Amazed by the number of girls that were really good at programming the beebug! My dissertation is focused on girls in computing so it'd be interesting to see where it all goes wrong for them.

Made me sad that the actual primary school teacher had no idea about computing and was teaching using the wrong terminology. She called the robot a cd rom at one point and my heart just sank :frown:

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Reply 4707

Sam89

Me again with another question this time a bit of overthinking on my part anyway.

I have an assignment for uni based on feedback I give children in my school so I picked out a few girls in year 7 and they were happy to help.

Today after school we did a small focus group and I bought them sweets as a 'thank you for helping me when you didn't really need to'.

Now my question is am I allowed to give them sweets? It's not like I've ever given them sweets and won't in the future either but it just felt normal and the right thing to do that? (I don't wanna debate if it's healthy or the right mind set to have) but as a teacher am I allowed to give them sweets?

Don't know why I feel like theres a possibility a parent will come in and say how dare u etc etc :/ didn't think it through when buying the sweets.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4708

TraineeLynsey

7

I give my class sweets every week. If you read you go in a raffle to win a bag of haribo and if it's your birthday you get a lolly.

Sweets are the lifeblood of many primary schools! Never had a complaint!

Reply 4709

kpwxx

20

Original post by Sam89

Me again with another question this time a bit of overthinking on my part anyway.

I have an assignment for uni based on feedback I give children in my school so I picked out a few girls in year 7 and they were happy to help.

Today after school we did a small focus group and I bought them sweets as a 'thank you for helping me when you didn't really need to'.

Now my question is am I allowed to give them sweets? It's not like I've ever given them sweets and won't in the future either but it just felt normal and the right thing to do that? (I don't wanna debate if it's healthy or the right mind set to have) but as a teacher am I allowed to give them sweets?

Don't know why I feel like theres a possibility a parent will come in and say how dare u etc etc :/ didn't think it through when buying the sweets.

The main thing is to follow the school's policy if they have one. There are three areas you have to be careful with:

--Contradicting any healthy school aims that particular school might have

--Whether it's the right incentive for them to have (not really applicable here because it's more of a thank you)

--Whether it can be considered fair. If you haven't already I'd read "Guidance for Safer Working Practice for Adultswho work with Children and Young People in Education Settings.". It's a government document and although it pretty much seems like common sense to most people if you stick to it you have covered yourself for any questions that could be raised.
Based on what that document says I'd say since sweets are a very low value gift and the reason for giving to those children is quite clear it is fine. I would say though make sure your mentor knows that you have given them and why.

I know that last bit may sound a little absurd but nowadays you kind of have to think of everything like that in order to protect yourself, sadly :frown:

xxx

Reply 4710

Original post by alabelle

To echo the person above, you don't have to teach! It's well known that about a massive proportion of PGCEs/NQTs (I forget which) never actually end up teaching beyond a year. You will still have the qualification and plenty of people go on to do well in other fields with their PGCE. You might even end up changing your mind about teaching and put in applications in the summer term. Just don't worry too much now. :smile:

Original post by Broadhallian

My family were slightly sad with me when I said I most definitely won't stay in teaching when I finish as they saw it as a good and stable career for me. They however saw how withdrawn I became as a person and how constantly tired I was and backed my decision.

To put it simply; My family would have been more sad and disappointed with me if I continued doing something that I didn't enjoy (and made me unhappy) just to make them happy.

Yeah most of the people on my course were like yours; until I started to speak to some of them just one on one and quite a few were the same as me. Everybody is different though.

Nah, I was so happy on my final school day of the PGCE as I knew I would never do it again, I ended up failing as well but even if I passed there wouldn't be enough money to convince me to sign away my 20s to teaching.

Thanks for the input guys. Calms me down a bit. Still keeping an eye on jobs but being really picky!

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Reply 4711

In relation to that, I've seen the first job I'm semi interested in today. Only issue is that it is in a private school which makes me a bit hesitant. Anyone have any experience of the private sector? I'm guessing better behaviour but higher standards. Also unsure if private schools are as likely to hire an NQT, but I may apply anyway.

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Reply 4712

Bobble1987

3

Original post by Airfairy

In relation to that, I've seen the first job I'm semi interested in today. Only issue is that it is in a private school which makes me a bit hesitant. Anyone have any experience of the private sector? I'm guessing better behaviour but higher standards. Also unsure if private schools are as likely to hire an NQT, but I may apply anyway.

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Private schools generally have longer holidays but much more expected of staff and students during term time. My understanding is that the pressure is immense - e.g. If a child is being lazy and not completing work phoning home is far less effective because parents are paying thousands of pounds for YOU to deal with that.

I, personally, will not be touching private education with a barge pole for NQT year. Maybe in the future when established, definitely not now.

Reply 4713

kpwxx

20

Original post by Airfairy

In relation to that, I've seen the first job I'm semi interested in today. Only issue is that it is in a private school which makes me a bit hesitant. Anyone have any experience of the private sector? I'm guessing better behaviour but higher standards. Also unsure if private schools are as likely to hire an NQT, but I may apply anyway.

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I have also heard that workload can be crazy. My union creates extra resources about managing work life balance for those in the private sector... I feel like if its known for being bad, knowing how bad teaching in general is, it must be pretty tough.

Really it's more unpredictable because you don't know what your conditions are going to be, unlike with the maintained sector where you mostly know you've got the same (even many academies just stick to the same conditions). So in theory it could be lovely but it could also be awful!

Xxx

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Reply 4714

Broadhallian

Two of my friends from my first placement were both hired by private schools...........

Which became a joke among us as they both were educated in private schools.

My good friend who I still speak to got sacked last year as the person who use to work at the school returned...........No idea how the other guy got on but they do hire NQTs.

Reply 4715