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Got thrown to the lions a bit today. The year 8s had their assessment week but had normal lessons today so my mentor said because they'll be a bit tired it's best to just do a one off lesson rather than start the next topic. She told me to do this desert island lesson (how would you use such and such an object to survive etc). I knew it would be chaos and it was - had to yell several times, I had to send a girl out, they just wouldn't be quiet and listen to each other or me.

My mentor comes up to me and says 'they were noisy but it was great'...I don't know what to think any more!

Half day tomorrow. Can't wait for the weekend - getting up at 6 this week has been an absolute killer as the weeks before I was catching up on sleep and lie ins.
Got an interview for a job at my home school next week - eek!
Original post by Shelly_x
Got an interview for a job at my home school next week - eek!


Congratulations! Hope it goes well. That is so good.

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Original post by Shelly_x
Got an interview for a job at my home school next week - eek!


Amazing! Congrats! Good luck! (and anything else you can put an exclamation mark behind!)

I found a job to apply for in a perfect location for where I want to live. Off to visit the school next Friday to see what I think. Recently got Outstanding at Ofsted, so a bit worried they won't want me (!) but I did just get my first 1s in some lesson observations this week, so that's something (mostly twos, but just to have had SOME 1s makes me feel better).
Reply 2764
Original post by Steveluis10
Got thrown to the lions a bit today. The year 8s had their assessment week but had normal lessons today so my mentor said because they'll be a bit tired it's best to just do a one off lesson rather than start the next topic. She told me to do this desert island lesson (how would you use such and such an object to survive etc). I knew it would be chaos and it was - had to yell several times, I had to send a girl out, they just wouldn't be quiet and listen to each other or me.

My mentor comes up to me and says 'they were noisy but it was great'...I don't know what to think any more!

Half day tomorrow. Can't wait for the weekend - getting up at 6 this week has been an absolute killer as the weeks before I was catching up on sleep and lie ins.


She probably did it to challenge you as it would be a tough lesson! And I would think that it went great meant you handled it well, visiting the circumstances/have made progress.

Xxx

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Original post by qwerty_mad
Congratulations! Hope it goes well. That is so good.

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Thanks! I don't need to teach anything either as they have already seen me teach. Less pressure!

Original post by TraineeLynsey
Amazing! Congrats! Good luck! (and anything else you can put an exclamation mark behind!)

I found a job to apply for in a perfect location for where I want to live. Off to visit the school next Friday to see what I think. Recently got Outstanding at Ofsted, so a bit worried they won't want me (!) but I did just get my first 1s in some lesson observations this week, so that's something (mostly twos, but just to have had SOME 1s makes me feel better).

Thanks!
I'd kill for a 2 :wink: haha. We don't get graded though.
Good luck :smile:
You don't get graded?! OMG which uni are you under?! Northumbria are paperwork mad!

We get a 1,2,3 or 4 for every relevant teaching standard every time we're observed, plus comments and targets!

On my other school placement all of my obs were a mix of 2s and some 3s (always a majority of 2s), so I was really chuffed today. Perhaps just because I was out of my comfort zone in Y1 (so tiny!) and back where I belong in KS2 now, lol.
Original post by TraineeLynsey
You don't get graded?! OMG which uni are you under?! Northumbria are paperwork mad!

We get a 1,2,3 or 4 for every relevant teaching standard every time we're observed, plus comments and targets!

On my other school placement all of my obs were a mix of 2s and some 3s (always a majority of 2s), so I was really chuffed today. Perhaps just because I was out of my comfort zone in Y1 (so tiny!) and back where I belong in KS2 now, lol.


I was always told student teachers should never be graded using Ofsted criteria.

The purpose of our observations was to gather evidence for each teacher standard. So the form was a fairly blank sheet (just basic information at the top) and the teacher wrote comments about what was going on in the lesson - so anything good got written down and then there was a column to the side to say what teacher standard it helped meet. Then there was room at the bottom for targets and suggested strategies to help achieve those targets another time.

The only time we were graded was in end of placement reports, and they could be E (exceptional), H (high), Q (QTS), P (potential) or L (low). You had to get a minimum of Qs to pass the course (but the odd P in the first placement was acceptable) and most got a mixture of H and Q.
Original post by TraineeLynsey
You don't get graded?! OMG which uni are you under?! Northumbria are paperwork mad!

We get a 1,2,3 or 4 for every relevant teaching standard every time we're observed, plus comments and targets!

On my other school placement all of my obs were a mix of 2s and some 3s (always a majority of 2s), so I was really chuffed today. Perhaps just because I was out of my comfort zone in Y1 (so tiny!) and back where I belong in KS2 now, lol.


Bradford college. We get an overall grade at the end of each assessed block. We're marked as 'requires improvement', 'met' or 'exceeded' for each standard on our observation forms and the feedback is related to the standards and we have targets and strengths, but we're not graded according to ofsted criteria.
Just a quick question - how strict are the timetable percentages we're given as guidance by Unis? Before the Christmas break I was teaching 3 solo lessons a week, from next week I will be doing 6. However some people on my course were doing 6 before the break and are now on around 12 a week...should I be worried? I feel like 6 is enough right now but don't want to get in trouble with Uni?
Original post by Steveluis10
Just a quick question - how strict are the timetable percentages we're given as guidance by Unis? Before the Christmas break I was teaching 3 solo lessons a week, from next week I will be doing 6. However some people on my course were doing 6 before the break and are now on around 12 a week...should I be worried? I feel like 6 is enough right now but don't want to get in trouble with Uni?


Before Christmas I was expected to be doing 40% of my mentor's timetable. Now it's at 70%.

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Reply 2771
Original post by Steveluis10
Just a quick question - how strict are the timetable percentages we're given as guidance by Unis? Before the Christmas break I was teaching 3 solo lessons a week, from next week I will be doing 6. However some people on my course were doing 6 before the break and are now on around 12 a week...should I be worried? I feel like 6 is enough right now but don't want to get in trouble with Uni?


It really depends on the unis policy.

I would expect though that it is a bit flexible. After all, every trainee is different, every school is different, every class is different. You'd need to adapt it based on your workload, your targets etc.

I'd definitely chat to your tutor about it, explaining what you have to do in you're school and why you've chosen to do this amount. They will be able to advise you better on how to increase in a realistic way if needed, and how flexible it is.

Xxx
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Original post by Shelly_x
Got an interview for a job at my home school next week - eek!


Congratulations on your interview Shelly :smile:.

I should be applying for jobs, but I cannot get myself to write an application. Once I get the first application out the way the rest should be easy. I will be on my second placement from mid Feb so better get a move on.

Well done everyone for making it this far, we are almost half way there.


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Aah a job's come up at my autumn placement school and I don't know whether to apply! I was aware a job would be coming up and knew I'd want to apply for it, especially if it was advertised later in the course when I felt more prepared but I didn't expect it to be advertised so soon- deadline's the end of january.. :confused:
Reply 2774
Nothing to lose :-) go for it!
Original post by Aleeece123
Aah a job's come up at my autumn placement school and I don't know whether to apply! I was aware a job would be coming up and knew I'd want to apply for it, especially if it was advertised later in the course when I felt more prepared but I didn't expect it to be advertised so soon- deadline's the end of january.. :confused:


Even if you don't get it, the interview practice will be invaluable :smile:
I'm applying for pools and jobs and for some applications one of the referees needs to be the headteacher from my first placement. Now I can easily get my mentor to be a referee but the headteacher?! She never sat in on any of my lessons and to even locate her will be difficult. What do I do?

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Original post by Aleeece123
Aah a job's come up at my autumn placement school and I don't know whether to apply! I was aware a job would be coming up and knew I'd want to apply for it, especially if it was advertised later in the course when I felt more prepared but I didn't expect it to be advertised so soon- deadline's the end of january.. :confused:


Remember, interviewers have different expectations from potential NQTs at interview (particularly at this stage in the year) than say a teacher with 5 years experience.

Firstly they may WANT an NQT, and secondly you are GOING to be less good than the 5 year teacher (unless they are REALLY crap) but they know you will improve quickly whereas the 5yr teacher will improve much less quickly.
Original post by qwerty_mad
I'm applying for pools and jobs and for some applications one of the referees needs to be the headteacher from my first placement. Now I can easily get my mentor to be a referee but the headteacher?! She never sat in on any of my lessons and to even locate her will be difficult. What do I do?

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Email your last mentor. They should be able to write something up and just get it signed off by the head, speaking as a PGCE mentor myself, that's exactly what i'd do.

You're right, the head probably doesn't know who you are, but the school you are applying to probably requires references to come from heads of school.
Original post by gingerbreadman85
Email your last mentor. They should be able to write something up and just get it signed off by the head, speaking as a PGCE mentor myself, that's exactly what i'd do.

You're right, the head probably doesn't know who you are, but the school you are applying to probably requires references to come from heads of school.


But it's an online application and they require the details of the head. I don't know if they want something written or will just call.

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