PGCE Primary anyone else out there?

[Pooperchoo]

Hi There,

This is my first post. I have read through a few posts about starting courses this Autumn with great interest. Sounds as if it is going to be a challenging year!

I wondered if anyone else was studying in the North East and if you had any idea about timetables. I am trying to finalise my childcare options and negotiate the choppy waters of funding with the ever unhelpful England Student Finance -at the moment both boys (3 & 9mths) are booked into full time nursery but thinking about splitting this care with a nanny option for 3 days.

My biggest fear is being unprepared. I have done some pre-course reading but wonder how much reading everyone else has done and from those who have already done the course -how much reading is helpful to do and whether one does actually need to know the NC in depth?!?!?

Argh!

Look forward to hearing from you

ps. have stocked the fridge, got a cleaner and outsourced the ironing -all at considerable cost but reckon it will save my marriage

I don't think anyone can tell you about timetables without knowing exactly which course you are on and where. However, you sound pretty organised.

I think you have to think of the course in chunks - bits of college time, then a few weeks on placement, back to college etc.

During the time you are at college, there will be a regular timetable, lectures spread over a full day / week, but not every single slot filled. However, it's much more full-time than an undergraduate degree IME. If you have child care organised, then these weeks will be fine, quite predictable and even a bit boring (there's plenty of work but not overly demanding intellectually).

During school placements, all this routine disappears! You could be at a school a long way from home, getting there v early and staying late at night. Then there are lessons to plan at night. If you have children (as I did) you will need back-up from good child-care and preferably someone to fill in when you are delayed / exhausted. These were the weeks I farmed out my ironing and called on my MIL to help with the kids!

The one sort of preparation you haven't mentioned is online supermarket shopping - a life saver!

After several years teaching I still don't know all the NC thoroughly - I look it up when I need it! But I do know how to teach the subjects in it. Anyway, the curriculum will probably change soon anyway.I didn't do much reading before hand but had worked in schools for years. I read what I needed to during the course, it wasn't too onerous. The practical experience with children was more useful.

Enjoy it - and don't consider teaching unless you do enjoy it. It's a hard job, much harder than it looks, and it is only worth it if you love it (I do, most of the time!)