PGCE - Current Students Thread

I have choir, and bed time! I watch all the stuff my b/f won't usually let me watch in bed, as above it is all pretty much rubbish hah! Just been told by my professional mentor that I still work too much though! The choir thing seems to work though, it's something that's just for me and the breathing excersizes and warm ups don't half help you unwind! I imagine something like running dancing aerobics would be equally effective.

I'm part of a dancing school and attend 5 classes (ballet, tap, modern, acrobatics and singing) on a Saturday afternoon, so that makes sure I get a good break from thinking about work.

I always at least take a break from work whilst eating my dinner (normally we watch something on iPlayer for half an hour), and make sure I'm in bed by 11 at the latest so I'm well rested and can cope with the work.

Other than that, I cope by putting off anything non-urgent until the holidays. My house is an absolute tip at the moment (my boyfriend does things like washing the pots, but is powerless against the heaps of paper I leave all over the house!). The downside is that it leaves me with a lot to do in the holidays - this coming week I have 2 job interviews, a 5,000 word university assignment, and cleaning the house ready for an inspection by the estate agents...

Oh and I'm so knackered I go to bed at 9! On Fridays I sometimes go to bed at 8!!

You can't do that unfortunately! At the end of an interview you will be asked "Are you a firm candidate?" If you say yes you are entering a verbal contract so basically, if they offer you the job you will say yes. If you say yes and then decline the job it is massively frowned upon and they will not be happy, especially as even getting short-listed is so hard at the moment.

It is a massive dilemma, especially if you have a couple of interviews near each other and the one you like best is second!

Here is TES thread with expert advice on this very topic: http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/650798.aspx

Sometimes you can ask the school to change the date - I went to a couple of interviews last year where some candidates had an interview the day before the set date as they had another one the next day.

I would be very careful with this and only change the date if it was on the same day, if the schools are both in the same area then the other heads will know when they are interviewing, so if you've changed the date because you like the other one better, it could be obvious!

When I was on placement the school was holding interviews. One candidate had her interview a day early as she had an interview the next day. She was then in contact with the head whilst on this other interview to let him know how it was going.
I secured a post this February, and when I was invited to interview they actually said that if I want I can bring the date forward if I have another interview (as they knew another local school had interviews on the same date).

So this is the last week of my 3 week Alternative Education Setting placement, in a school I literally had to beg to let me come in, and I've been off for two days with gastroenteritis. I was last ill at 3am and have to go 48 hours clear of vomiting or diarrhoea before I'm allowed back in school. Which takes me to 3am Friday - the school breaks up on Thursday.

I'm worried it will look really bad to the uni that I've had 5 days (I had to take a day off sick in the first week too) but I literally have been ill the whole time

It's the laundry that I struggle with keeping up with. I don't do it during the week and then I have a HUGE pile on Saturday and never have enough drying space, let alone with sheets and towels too! I'm on my finally pair of knickers for the week and my daughter has no socks, just put the first load on!

Don't worry, you can't help being sick and all schools will have the 48 hour rule.

They make themselves Socs very harsh on attendance but this is only to make it clear to people who might skip things without good reason that this is not acceptable. People like you who are actually ill and have no choice will not be penalised.

Xxx

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I rang in sick just before 8am, I hadn't even slept. They want me to go in tomorrow if I feel better, I haven't been ill since 7.30 so if their kids get ill it's not my fault. The woman in the office had that tone of voice where you just know she doesn't believe you I hate calling in sick...