PGCE student - don't feel ready to be an NQT. Any advice would be appreciated.

A current PGCE student on my first placement, i've been teaching for 2 months and do not want to apply for jobs in march, I don't feel confident enough to teach own class and feel like two 3 month block placements in schools isn't going to be enough experience for me. I don't feel like i'll be at a level where i'll feel comfortable to be responsible for 30 children's education. I have previously been a TA in a reception class for 6 months prior to my PGCE.

I'm not sure what the best route for me to take would be, any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Reply 1

username1799249

An option could be to finish your PGCE and then get a job for a bit. You can always come back. Either that or so supply for a year.

Are you straight out of school and into uni? Might be worth getting a bit of life experience before going back into education. You only know one thing - school.

Good luck!

PS - as your second placement continues, you make a massive leap upwards.

Reply 2

Dalightfool

If you pass your PGCE, it is because you *are* able to teach. Trust the process - you wouldn't be where you are if you couldn't do it.

It's natural to feel on edge before becomming an NQT - I am in the same position (PGCE student, 3 months in) and also feel like it is all happening so quickly.

Remember that the NQT year is still an induction - you will have a mentor, be observed and supervised often, and will be given much more support than an RQT.

As mentioned above, you don't have to start next September. You could reassess your situation over the summer break and take time off / find another job, and then look at starting an NQT post in January.

Reply 3

Evo595

Thank you! I would ideally want to gain more teaching experience in the meantime, I have already taken a gap year and gained a lot of life experience. I think i also need to do a lot of research in my own time which will probably help me gain confidence

Reply 4

Evo595

I'm also not sure if supply is for me, i've only ever had experience in reception and my next placement is in year 1/2 but supply you're placed anywhere within the school aren't you? and you get a phone call in the morning & are expected to drive to somewhere you've never been, for me that would stress me out even before getting to a random school!

Reply 5

username1230881

Original post by Evo595

Just to note - as an employed teacher (full-time, not supply) you can also be placed in any year group; headteachers shift many of their teachers around each year, and it's not inconceivable that you'd one day teach KS2. Getting experience of lots of different year groups through supply might help prepare for that.

But yeah, a big downside of supply is the last-minute nature of it, but it's balanced out by the relative lack of planning/marking when you're in a school only briefly. If you have a car it shouldn't be too bad.

Reply 6

Evo595

No I understand that as a teacher they shuffle you around but if i'm not confident in an age group which I have experience in, i'm not going to feel confident doing supply in different classes and I don't know the children//the school. I've already been a TA so I don't really want to go backwards and gain more experience that way. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

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PGCE student - don't feel ready to be an NQT. Any advice would be appreciated.

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