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PGCE - Current Students Thread

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Original post by Squoosh25
I'm a firm believer that phrases like "what's meant to be" are nothing more than wishful thinking designed to comfort people by imagining there is meaning in meaninglessness. Stuff passes us by all the time, though obviously, by its very nature, we are only consciously aware of the stuff that doesn't pass us by. There's no governing 'meaning' outside of any we make: the universe is indifferent to us.

I want to be a source of comfort to my future students, but I'll never resort to the false comfort of wishful thinking.


What a silly and obnoxious post. Even if there is no 'outside meaning' then it is just something nice to say! (And I happen to think that there is some truth to it... after all, if you want something badly enough it will happen). It's not that different to things my uni tutors have said.
Original post by Carnationlilyrose
I profoundly apologise for the sin of wishing to be comforting to someone I can't help but wished to express fellow feeling to. I assure you, it will never happen again now you have shown me the error of my ways. Forgive me for my faults.


It's not comforting someone I object to, it's misinforming them (however well-intentioned).
Original post by alabelle
What a silly and obnoxious post. Even if there is no 'outside meaning' then it is just something nice to say!
I don't think it's nice to give false hope.
Original post by alabelle
(And I happen to think that there is some truth to it... after all, if you want something badly enough it will happen)
If you want something badly enough, yes, it's more likely to happen than if you don't want it, but that's very different to ideas about there being some kind of mystical force of providence shaping our lives.
Original post by Squoosh25
It's not comforting someone I object to, it's misinforming them (however well-intentioned).
I don't think it's nice to give false hope.If you want something badly enough, yes, it's more likely to happen than if you don't want it, but that's very different to ideas about there being some kind of mystical force of providence shaping our lives.


The OP didn't say anything about a mystical force... she simply said that 'what's meant to be won't pass you by'. That can be interpreted in more than one way... it wasn't a malicious comment.

As for false hope... I can't help but chuckle at that. If I fail, no matter what is said to me before then, I'll be gutted. A bit of positivity is helpful :redface:
Original post by Squoosh25
It's not comforting someone I object to, it's misinforming them (however well-intentioned).
I don't think it's nice to give false hope.If you want something badly enough, yes, it's more likely to happen than if you don't want it, but that's very different to ideas about there being some kind of mystical force of providence shaping our lives.


Stop trying to derail the thread, it's just something people say, a perfectly common expression. Why you're making a mountain out of it and jumping down people's throats is beyond me.
Original post by alabelle
The OP didn't say anything about a mystical force... she simply said that 'what's meant to be won't pass you by'. That can be interpreted in more than one way... it wasn't a malicious comment.
I've never heard anyone use it other than to allude to some vague notion of "fate".

Original post by Veggiechic6
Stop trying to derail the thread, it's just something people say, a perfectly common expression. Why you're making a mountain out of it and jumping down people's throats is beyond me.


Hey, easy with the mixed metaphors there. It's you who seems to be taking offence to my criticism of the expression. We're educationalists here. If I shouldn't care about 'truth' then what should I care about? (Don't say 'students'. I do care about students, and I care that they develop a good understanding of the nature of reality).
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Squoosh25
I've never heard anyone use it other than to allude to some vague notion of "fate".



Hey, easy with the mixed metaphors there. It's you who seems to be taking offence to my criticism of the expression. We're educationalists here. If I shouldn't care about 'truth' then what should I care about?


I took offence because it seemed such a silly little thing to pick up on and it was like you were deliberately trying to start an argument and send off-topic a perfectly good thread about teaching. I'll say no more on the matter so the thread can continue as if uninterrupted.
What I meant was 'Something will turn up, because it usually does,' If this is controversial, then I think people will have to make up their own minds about what they think I mean, because I am not in the least mystical or flat earthy or superstitious and all I intended was to give the OP some sense that it isn't the end of the world. If people want to make something peculiar out of that, other people have the right to decide who they think is right and who isn't. I meant a simple word of support, nothing more or nothing less, and this seems like a ridiculous argument for adult people to be having.
Trying to write my research project is killing me. I'm so tired. What the worst that can happen if I don't submit? I already have lots of masters credits from my other two essays. This one just seems like a spare.
So yeah I've been told that if I don't pass this 10 credit essay the next time then I don't get anything apart from QTS. I don't even get a level 6 qualification. I honestly feel so sick about this. Obviously it's easy to just say 'well make sure you pass it next time then', but the idea that if I don't I don't get anything that I've worked towards makes me feel ill. This is despite the fact that I've got 60+ in the other 50 credits out of 60. I don't understand how that is fair at all.

I know you only need QTS to teach, but for one thing I don't want to teach and for another there's no way to put that on an application form and make it sound good that you have QTS but no PGCE.

I wish I never did this whole thing. I've tried so hard on this course and then I may not even come out with everything I've studied for anyway despite already having 50 masters credits from the course.
Original post by Airfairy
So yeah I've been told that if I don't pass this 10 credit essay the next time then I don't get anything apart from QTS. I don't even get a level 6 qualification. I honestly feel so sick about this. Obviously it's easy to just say 'well make sure you pass it next time then', but the idea that if I don't I don't get anything that I've worked towards makes me feel ill. This is despite the fact that I've got 60+ in the other 50 credits out of 60. I don't understand how that is fair at all.

I know you only need QTS to teach, but for one thing I don't want to teach and for another there's no way to put that on an application form and make it sound good that you have QTS but no PGCE.

I wish I never did this whole thing. I've tried so hard on this course and then I may not even come out with everything I've studied for anyway despite already having 50 masters credits from the course.


I'm sorry Airfairy, you don't seem to have had much luck really- at least you have stayed strong and seen it through until the end. The PGCE can be so petty sometimes in many different ways. This year has bought back many unpleasant memories of being in school myself - both from acutally being back in a school enviroment and also from the way you are sometimes treated on the course by the superiors.
Original post by ParadoxSocks
Trying to write my research project is killing me. I'm so tired. What the worst that can happen if I don't submit? I already have lots of masters credits from my other two essays. This one just seems like a spare.


I think you need to pass everything. If you don't submit that'll count as a fail?

Original post by Airfairy
So yeah I've been told that if I don't pass this 10 credit essay the next time then I don't get anything apart from QTS. I don't even get a level 6 qualification. I honestly feel so sick about this. Obviously it's easy to just say 'well make sure you pass it next time then', but the idea that if I don't I don't get anything that I've worked towards makes me feel ill. This is despite the fact that I've got 60+ in the other 50 credits out of 60. I don't understand how that is fair at all.

I know you only need QTS to teach, but for one thing I don't want to teach and for another there's no way to put that on an application form and make it sound good that you have QTS but no PGCE.

I wish I never did this whole thing. I've tried so hard on this course and then I may not even come out with everything I've studied for anyway despite already having 50 masters credits from the course.


Oh, I'm so so sorry to hear this! I can't believe that you won't even get a PCE... that's ridiculous.
Original post by Samus2
I think you need to pass everything. If you don't submit that'll count as a fail?



Oh, I'm so so sorry to hear this! I can't believe that you won't even get a PCE... that's ridiculous.


I agree. My uni did vivas for people who didn't pass essays. They asked questions and people had to present etc and show they met the criteria, and if they did it they passed. Also I can't even comprehend the idea of a uni being so vague about what someone had done wrong... they should be making it very clear. If a student who has passed two other essays at masters level doesn't get how they 'haven't answered the question' the uni is doing something wrong.

Also I didn't have set questions! So the whole thing sounds very bizarre to me.

Original post by Airfairy
So yeah I've been told that if I don't pass this 10 credit essay the next time then I don't get anything apart from QTS. I don't even get a level 6 qualification. I honestly feel so sick about this. Obviously it's easy to just say 'well make sure you pass it next time then', but the idea that if I don't I don't get anything that I've worked towards makes me feel ill. This is despite the fact that I've got 60+ in the other 50 credits out of 60. I don't understand how that is fair at all.

I know you only need QTS to teach, but for one thing I don't want to teach and for another there's no way to put that on an application form and make it sound good that you have QTS but no PGCE.

I wish I never did this whole thing. I've tried so hard on this course and then I may not even come out with everything I've studied for anyway despite already having 50 masters credits from the course.
Original post by kpwxx
I agree. My uni did vivas for people who didn't pass essays. They asked questions and people had to present etc and show they met the criteria, and if they did it they passed. Also I can't even comprehend the idea of a uni being so vague about what someone had done wrong... they should be making it very clear. If a student who has passed two other essays at masters level doesn't get how they 'haven't answered the question' the uni is doing something wrong.

Also I didn't have set questions! So the whole thing sounds very bizarre to me.


If it looks like I won't get my pgce because of this essay I am going to make a formal complaint I think, because they haven't marked it according to the brief I've been looking at. It's like they've just made one up. I'm not missing out on my qualification for the sake of 10 credits and not even getting a level 6.

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Original post by Airfairy
If it looks like I won't get my pgce because of this essay I am going to make a formal complaint I think, because they haven't marked it according to the brief I've been looking at. It's like they've just made one up. I'm not missing out on my qualification for the sake of 10 credits and not even getting a level 6.

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That strikes me as very unreasonable - I'm really sorry to hear this is happening. I agree you should raise a complaint, and probably also speak with your SU (they can submit a complaint too, which might carry a bit more weight). I guess the saving grace if the worst does happen is that most employers out of the profession probably won't know that QTS means anything other than passing the year... And besides, it's not the essays that demonstrate the resilience, ingenuity and determination needed to get through the year - those employers who know the difference between a PGCE and QTS should also recognise that.

But most importantly, focus on getting some feedback for the essay, submitting a complaint and speaking with your SU. Hopefully, this will all seem like a big fuss over nothing in a couple of weeks.
I have an interview for a pastoral academic support role helping with progress in a sixth form college and we have an interview and also an 'unseen task'. Any ideas what this will be? I hate not knowing what I'm going to be given!
Original post by Airfairy
I have an interview for a pastoral academic support role helping with progress in a sixth form college and we have an interview and also an 'unseen task'. Any ideas what this will be? I hate not knowing what I'm going to be given!


Could be a data task or maybe a role play? Go in feeling positive and ready for anything and you'll be fine. They don't make unseen tasks difficult because they want to see your reaction rather than your preparations.

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Original post by ParadoxSocks
Could be a data task or maybe a role play? Go in feeling positive and ready for anything and you'll be fine. They don't make unseen tasks difficult because they want to see your reaction rather than your preparations.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Yes, I guess that is true. I have already had an interview at this college for a teaching role and it went so badly that I don't think it's possible for me to humiliate myself even more :awesome:

They are interviewing ten people though, which makes me pessimistic because I've never been interview with more than two people for teaching posts!
I've been in to mark coursework today for my BTEC pupils but now I'm home I have no energy to do my own coursework due on Friday. The credits I'm chasing feel useless. I can't transfer them to another institution and they aren't compatible with the masters I would take if I stay to complete so it seems like unnecessary pain for nothing at all.

4 more weeks and all of this is over but right now I can barely stop to think. Writing 5k tomorrow I'd going to be like pulling teeth. Very tiring, boring teeth.
Yeah, this writing thing isn't going very well at all :frown: It's very quiet in here. Is everyone having a nice half term?
Original post by ParadoxSocks
Yeah, this writing thing isn't going very well at all :frown: It's very quiet in here. Is everyone having a nice half term?


It is quiet isn't it! I'm having a nice half term. It's busy...I'm trying to balance exam marking with PGCE work. On a side note, I highly recommend exam marking to anyone if they are after extra money and development. The training I went to was useful on it's own and I feel like I could teach GCSE more confidently now. Plus it's not taking as long as I thought and so the pay isn't as bad as I thought.

But yes, it's okay! How are you getting on? When is your essay due?

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