Is PGCE really that bad??
I've recently started thinking about getting into a PGCE course. I seem to be the only person in the world who only wants to teach A-level students.
But basically, TSR has slightly scared me. There is a big thread of hundreds of people just complaining about how HARD PGCEs are and how dropping out sounds like a better option than staying there.
Is it really that bad? And if there are any actual teachers here, does the workload stay high even after you graduated?
But basically, TSR has slightly scared me. There is a big thread of hundreds of people just complaining about how HARD PGCEs are and how dropping out sounds like a better option than staying there.
Is it really that bad? And if there are any actual teachers here, does the workload stay high even after you graduated?
Im doing the post-16 PGCE now, and yea its incredibly hard work.
I went into it wanting to share my love for film with students but actually, you're specialist subject is about 2% of the work, compared to everything else you need to do in teaching.
By all means do it if you're passionate about teaching but get as much information as you can about it before you start. Our teacher told us it was going to be intense but i think thats a bit of an understatement
I went into it wanting to share my love for film with students but actually, you're specialist subject is about 2% of the work, compared to everything else you need to do in teaching.
By all means do it if you're passionate about teaching but get as much information as you can about it before you start. Our teacher told us it was going to be intense but i think thats a bit of an understatement
To be honest I really don't mind working hard if it's only for one year. I can just push through it regardless of how hard it is if I know that there is an end in sight.
I'm just worried about if it's always going to stay that awful. At the end of the day, when I finish my course, all I want to do is to teach my preferred subject.
I'm just worried about if it's always going to stay that awful. At the end of the day, when I finish my course, all I want to do is to teach my preferred subject.
Original post by Dragonfly07
To be honest I really don't mind working hard if it's only for one year. I can just push through it regardless of how hard it is if I know that there is an end in sight.
I'm just worried about if it's always going to stay that awful. At the end of the day, when I finish my course, all I want to do is to teach my preferred subject.
I'm just worried about if it's always going to stay that awful. At the end of the day, when I finish my course, all I want to do is to teach my preferred subject.
My Mum ranked her 3 hardest years as follows:
1) Starting HoD and having first child in same year. Went back very soon post birth (think 2 weeks), dept. was a shambles by all accounts. Toughest by a long way. Annus horribilis of the kind most people seem to experience at one point in their life, don't think it's something you can really predict.
2) NQT
3) PGCE
So it is pretty difficult, but it's also definitely one of the toughest years you'll do, along with NQT, once you've got it over with. People I know doing PGCE say it's noticeably more work than their degree.
And I'm not sure post-16 is less popular than normal teaching. Less disruptive+more engaged students doesn't normally equal less popular. My Dad was Head of 6th and he was always losing teachers to the local Sixth Form colleges (and eventually jumped himself). The downside is that climbing the ladder's a lot more difficult as there are fewer leadership positions available than there are in 11-16, but if you're not too fussed about pay (and let's be honest most teachers aren't, if they were they'd be doing something else) then it's pretty appealing.
(edited 11 years ago)
I'm currently doing my PGCE (Secondary MFL) and I didn't really believe just how hard it would be until I started placement. I've always had good time management and a reasonable work-life balance so figured the people complaining just weren't used to managing their time properly.
But planning lessons genuinely does take forever when you first start out, especially if the school expects you to create your own resources all the time (some have a bank of shared resources so if you're stuck for ideas you can use one of their worksheets or something). The estimate of 4 hours per 1 hour lesson in the PGCE thread is unfortunately quite common for early in the course, though it reduces over time. I'm probably at more like 2-3 hours now, and hope I can get to under 2 hours soon as I have a heavier teaching timetable on my second placement.
As there's normally a teacher in the back of the room watching you (even if it's not a formal observation, for insurance reasons many schools say they have to sit in the back while they do their marking or whatever), you feel under a lot of pressure to make all your lessons really good, and obviously that's hard when you don't really know what you're doing yet.
It's hard, but I wouldn't agree with the people who say it's a year from hell, total nightmare, consider dropping out, etc. But I think a lot of that depends on your relationship with your mentor and whether their feedback is encouraging and constructive or just critical.
I enjoy teaching. I feel quite happy about going to school in the morning - the bit I dread is going home at the end of the day and knowing I've got 2 or 3 lessons to plan so will be working solidly til bedtime. I take one day off at the weekend, but most evenings in the week I just work. But this is the bit that will get easier.
In terms of whether it's just one year of hard work, the NQT year (1st year after qualifying) is supposed to be really hard. Basically you're still finding your feet but have nearly a full teaching timetable and still get observed at least once per half-term and have to collect evidence to show you're meeting standards to pass induction. But after that it should get better - by that point you've got 2 years worth of resources you've made or found on different topics, so you don't have to make everything from scratch each lesson, and you have more of an idea of what works and what doesn't. I don't get the impression it ever becomes an easy job, but it becomes possible to have a bit of a life during term-time and to have a good break from all the work during the holidays.
Don't let people put you off, so long as you're prepared to work hard. I don't think you can tell if it's right for you until you try.
But planning lessons genuinely does take forever when you first start out, especially if the school expects you to create your own resources all the time (some have a bank of shared resources so if you're stuck for ideas you can use one of their worksheets or something). The estimate of 4 hours per 1 hour lesson in the PGCE thread is unfortunately quite common for early in the course, though it reduces over time. I'm probably at more like 2-3 hours now, and hope I can get to under 2 hours soon as I have a heavier teaching timetable on my second placement.
As there's normally a teacher in the back of the room watching you (even if it's not a formal observation, for insurance reasons many schools say they have to sit in the back while they do their marking or whatever), you feel under a lot of pressure to make all your lessons really good, and obviously that's hard when you don't really know what you're doing yet.
It's hard, but I wouldn't agree with the people who say it's a year from hell, total nightmare, consider dropping out, etc. But I think a lot of that depends on your relationship with your mentor and whether their feedback is encouraging and constructive or just critical.
I enjoy teaching. I feel quite happy about going to school in the morning - the bit I dread is going home at the end of the day and knowing I've got 2 or 3 lessons to plan so will be working solidly til bedtime. I take one day off at the weekend, but most evenings in the week I just work. But this is the bit that will get easier.
In terms of whether it's just one year of hard work, the NQT year (1st year after qualifying) is supposed to be really hard. Basically you're still finding your feet but have nearly a full teaching timetable and still get observed at least once per half-term and have to collect evidence to show you're meeting standards to pass induction. But after that it should get better - by that point you've got 2 years worth of resources you've made or found on different topics, so you don't have to make everything from scratch each lesson, and you have more of an idea of what works and what doesn't. I don't get the impression it ever becomes an easy job, but it becomes possible to have a bit of a life during term-time and to have a good break from all the work during the holidays.
Don't let people put you off, so long as you're prepared to work hard. I don't think you can tell if it's right for you until you try.
Different people, different strokes.
Some people in my university class love it. A lot of it is pot luck, do you get a good school, do you get a good mentor. These two things are vital to your experience.
Of course people who are loving the course aren't coming onto internet forums to start topics on how much they love their PGCE course!!!
If you can keep yourself motivated then you'll do just fine, but I have personally lost mine. When you lose your motivation then anything in life becomes difficult, especially when they set so many pointless tasks for you (write a 4k word essay on EAL students and how to deal with them........I've spent the last 2 years of my life working with EAL students, I know how to work with them).
Don't let frustrated people like me put you off. You may have an amazing time and it'll be the best career for you. I started to let my negative thoughts dominate my mind, then I started asking questions such as, how much difference am I actually making in these childrens life? Do the majority of teachers romantise their profession to make themselves feel better about the job? These are not good things to be thinking when they are the two main reasons why people become teachers. Believe me, the way I am in September was completely different to the way I am now.
Some people in my university class love it. A lot of it is pot luck, do you get a good school, do you get a good mentor. These two things are vital to your experience.
Of course people who are loving the course aren't coming onto internet forums to start topics on how much they love their PGCE course!!!
If you can keep yourself motivated then you'll do just fine, but I have personally lost mine. When you lose your motivation then anything in life becomes difficult, especially when they set so many pointless tasks for you (write a 4k word essay on EAL students and how to deal with them........I've spent the last 2 years of my life working with EAL students, I know how to work with them).
Don't let frustrated people like me put you off. You may have an amazing time and it'll be the best career for you. I started to let my negative thoughts dominate my mind, then I started asking questions such as, how much difference am I actually making in these childrens life? Do the majority of teachers romantise their profession to make themselves feel better about the job? These are not good things to be thinking when they are the two main reasons why people become teachers. Believe me, the way I am in September was completely different to the way I am now.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Broadhallian
Different people, different strokes.
Some people in my university class love it. A lot of it is pot luck, do you get a good school, do you get a good mentor. These two things are vital to your experience.
Of course people who are loving the course aren't coming onto internet forums to start topics on how much they love their PGCE course!!!
If you can keep yourself motivated then you'll do just fine, but I have personally lost mine. When you lose your motivation then anything in life becomes difficult, especially when they set so many pointless tasks for you (write a 4k word essay on EAL students and how to deal with them........I've spent the last 2 years of my life working with EAL students, I know how to work with them).
Don't let frustrated people like me put you off. You may have an amazing time and it'll be the best career for you. I started to let my negative thoughts dominate my mind, then I started asking questions such as, how much difference am I actually making in these childrens life? Do the majority of teachers romantise their profession to make themselves feel better about the job? These are not good things to be thinking when they are the two main reasons why people become teachers. Believe me, the way I am in September was completely different to the way I am now.
Some people in my university class love it. A lot of it is pot luck, do you get a good school, do you get a good mentor. These two things are vital to your experience.
Of course people who are loving the course aren't coming onto internet forums to start topics on how much they love their PGCE course!!!
If you can keep yourself motivated then you'll do just fine, but I have personally lost mine. When you lose your motivation then anything in life becomes difficult, especially when they set so many pointless tasks for you (write a 4k word essay on EAL students and how to deal with them........I've spent the last 2 years of my life working with EAL students, I know how to work with them).
Don't let frustrated people like me put you off. You may have an amazing time and it'll be the best career for you. I started to let my negative thoughts dominate my mind, then I started asking questions such as, how much difference am I actually making in these childrens life? Do the majority of teachers romantise their profession to make themselves feel better about the job? These are not good things to be thinking when they are the two main reasons why people become teachers. Believe me, the way I am in September was completely different to the way I am now.
I am the same, and it is not a good thing. Gone from excitement and enthusiasm to hating the profession in less than a year.
Just posting here again to let you know I finished my PGCE and NQT. Both years were difficult, but the sense of achievement is nice.
Original post by Dragonfly07
Just posting here again to let you know I finished my PGCE and NQT. Both years were difficult, but the sense of achievement is nice.
Really pleased for you! Congrats!!
Original post by Dragonfly07
Just posting here again to let you know I finished my PGCE and NQT. Both years were difficult, but the sense of achievement is nice.
That’s awesome I was just reading down the thread as I start my PGCE in September and then saw you posted that you went ahead and did it!
What subject did you teach, what year did you do your PGCE, what was your general experience?
Doing a PGCE is the hardest thing I have done in my 17 years of work. However, the thing you need to understand is that for those who are determined, it is more than possible. Teaching is a really tough career and you might well say that those who do not make it through a PGCE are weeded out earlier rather than later. But it is still worth doing. Another thing to bear in mind is that post-16 teaching is a worth destination - I have that in mind too, but I think it wise to cut your teeth on general secondary education before specialising. That is certainly my course of action. I have just finished my NQT and am about to go into my second RQT year of teaching. I plan to see last year's Y7s through to Y11 and then see where the wind blows.But if teaching is your destination, you will make it and if you do, you will be a better teacher for it. Those who drop out simply discovered that perhaps teaching was not for them.
Original post by ByEeek
Another thing to bear in mind is that post-16 teaching is a worth destination - I have that in mind too, but I think it wise to cut your teeth on general secondary education before specialising.
Just to add, I did my training in post-16 and it was a wonderful experience. I was hoping you could elaborate on the "cutting your teeth" bit, do you mean handling behaviour or something else?
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