Mother of 3 starting PGCE in Sept - any tips?

[twinsufficient]

I am starting a full-time primary PGCE in Sept and am starting to panic about how I am going to manage the housework/dc's needs (they will be 6, and dts 20mo). Any tips from anyone who's been there and come out the other side would be much appreciated.

I think the poster who said make sure you take time out for you and your family is absolutely right. Everything practical will get done and you will get through it. It is hard, but it is also very possible if you just keep going and stay as much on top of things as you can. Do everything as you go along and try not to leave anything until the last minute, or think you will go back and do things later, because you probably won't (I'm talking about things like evaluating your lessons. Do it straight away and it won't all begin to pile up.)

What is more of an issue is the emotional toil it will take. It is time consuming, but it is also draining on your personally as everything you do will be scrutinised and criticised by yout tutors. You really do need time out to give you some perspective. It can totally consume you, but you must not let that happen.

It is also time-limited. You just have to get through each section at a time - each teaching practice and assignment at a time - and before you know it you'll be finished.

Good luck!

Thanks lifeissweet, good advice there.

dylsmum, I know exactly how you feel, I havea nursery that does 8-6 thank god, it's not great, and given a choice I wouldn't use it but I don't have the choice. The CM's are all 8-5.30 here but the few I rang will do until 6 for double pay for the last half an hour, so you pay them until half 6 iyswim.
I have no idea what any of my hours are, which is really hard, obviously school days will be at least half an hour each way fo school but really need to know uni hours, of course it is too late now though.
Hadned in my finance forms and there is an 8 week backlogh, the woman started saying 'well you shoudl have hadned them in earlier, blah blah' until I pointed out that I had only been accepted onto the course 2 weeks ago, so was doing quite well to have paperwork all done and dusted in 2 weeks bitch
it does mean I am started uni with no idea how to pay tuition fees/childcare/ antyihg.

Are you doing primary or secondary? Am I the only one doing secondary?

Quality, my dd is just leaving a fab nursery which I would gladly have her in for another year, open 7.30-6.30 but she has to go to reception class and can't find anyone to do the long hours :-(

I am doing primary. I haven't heard a thing from student finance I sent the forms off aaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssss ago, am worrying now that they may have ost in the post, or I sent them to the wrong place. Must find the details and check on them.

I'm having issues with student finance too. I've recently got married and DH (first time I've typed that!!!) hasn't got his P60 for 2008/2009.

Have struggled to get a copy from his old employer and it's finally arrived only to be for the wrong year. Argggh! Now waiting for them to send the correct one out. Goodness knows when finance payments will eventually be made.

Dylsmum, sorry if this is stating the obvious but have you seen if the uni can give you a closer placement because of your childcare issues?

Dylsmum - does your dd's nursery not do an after school pick-up/club? That's what I'm doing with my dd (6yo). She will go to the same nursery as the dts are in all day.

Twin- no cos her nursery is in another town- close to where I used to live we moved at easter and I left her in the nursery as she was settled and dont have long left.
The school has a breakfast/after school club, but they dont open til 8am and close at 5.25pm

Mia- have asked for placements to be closer to home, which they have said they will try and consider, but uni itself is an hours drive! the closer ones dont run the pgce

Just got my placement details through today and to my absolute relief it is in a school 5 mins away from where I live. I'm glad I pressed home the fact that I only had childcare from 8am and that I was solely responsible for picking them up.

twin- that is great news, and fab you have so much notice for your placements, I was told we may not get our placements til the day before they start

Good luck ladies!

• If at ALL possible, have one weekend day when dp/dh/other relative takes the dc out, so you can 'catch up', & keep the other free for the family.

• If you can possibly afford a cleaner - now would be a good time to get one...

• Organise a low-maintenance wardrobe of cheap, washable trousers/skirts & tops

• Each night before you leave school, give yourself 3 tasks which you're going to get done that evening, max. (eg. mark one set of books, plan lesson for tomorrow, write one section of assignment). No more, or you'll go quite mad.

• When you DO start going mad, ask for help - sooner rather than later.

& always remember that PGCE is deliberately made tough to weed out the woo-heads . If you're struggling, you are NOT alone.

Dylsmum - the day before????? That is crazy. They must know way before then in order to organise everything. How unfair. I would be tearing my hair out if I was you.

twin I am, I am also hoping that I have stressed my childcare needs so that they take account of that!

I have no idea when I will find out where my placements are! I know my first weeks observation will be in DD1's school (thank fuck) so that is a weight off!

Thanks raven.
One thing I do want to know is what sort fo stuff could I buy to prepare apart from books.
Will I need pens/paper/notepads? What about diary's or planners? Are they a necessity?
I am hoping to buy a netbook so I can do work at uni and home and we have a printer and PC upstairs but not sure what it will entail. I will need to spread the cost of things so am starting to think about it now!

Quality, I have a diary, but then I always have. Very good to see where you re meant to be or where dc are meant to be as its portable and fits in my handbag.
If PGCE is anythign like my degree I have just done stock up on printer paper and inks! I went through loads as we had module hand books to print, then there are the articles to read for assignments/ lectures. As well as if you type your notes, assignments etc.
I have bought pens and notebooks for in uni. Going to start stocking up on ink etc once I have bought dc school uniforms. Nearly there with those.

Do you have a booklist yet? I have been given one and sourced many of the books from Oxfam/ Ebay. Have also managed to borrow some from a teacher I was working with last year.

Hi! I'm another one...so glad I've found this thread. Starting my PGCE in Primary in Sept at Birmingham City Uni.

Have organised my home office, bought loads of stationery, got a fair few books from teacher friends, had a go at the QTS practice skills tests and had a massive panic today to DH wailing that I 'had done nothing to prepare and it's only a month away'!!

My big stress is the kids and childcare. Have 2 DSs and been lucky to spend a lot of time with them until now. DS1 (3) starts pre-school on the same day I start my course and DS2(just turned 1)will go to nursery. Am lucky to have a very supportive DH and family who can help out but it's still a logistical nightmare planning who will be doing pickups and dropoffs on what day.

But it's great to know I'm not alone! I've been told that organisation is the key so am trying to kick start that now. Am usually a leave-it-to-the-last-minute kinda gal so have to get that habit kicked pronto.

I too have requested a placement near me but heard nothing yet. Fingers crossed!

I veer between massive, gut-wrenching panics and 'Ah, sod it. Things always have a way of working themselves out!'

Theluckiest - whereabouts in Birmingham do you live? I'm originally from there but live in North Wales now - big difference! Good luck with getting organised. I think as mums we'll probably be a lot more with it than some on the course!

Did my PGCE many moons ago now [old gimmer emoticon] but have young children and it's a mad race to be out of the house by 7.25am.

My 'top-tips' are:

• if you can afford to, outsource something - mine's the ironing and if I went full time, I'd have a cleaner too.
• nursery/school/packed lunch/clothes sorted the night before - just like you tell the students
• there are some lovely CMs out there who will take dcs from 7.30am (or will if you ask them) as they get the benefit of not seeing your little darlings in the holidays! Remember too that one evening a week will be a late one once you are on school practice - schools generally have one staff meeting a week, typically an hour long, that you will be required to attend (whole staff/dept etc).
• accept that when you get home that probably until dcs are in bed that that's their time, and school work happens when they're in bed.
• have lovely dh/p do the cm/nursery drop off in the morning and/or take the dcs out Sat morning
• internet food shop and meal plan

Dinah thank you for your tops tips.

Am feeling very panicked about it all its only a few weeks away, I still can't find childcare to the hours I need

dd's dad (we're seperated) was supposed to be doiong the school runs for the the first week so I can work ou exactly my hours to tr and make childcare easier. But he has now been made redundant, which means that he'll either be able to help more (as not got another job yet) or less, as he will need to start work as soon as he can meaning he may not be able to do the first week as planned.

My problem is now I have got the "oh well something will pan out" attitude in my head as Ic an no longer see a solution . Must find a better frame of mind and fast!

hi all.
Good luck to everyone. I have just finished my PGCE (primary). These were useful things for me:

1. Warn DH and DCs that you will be working hard and won't have as much time to spend with them or do all those extra things that SAHMs end up doing.

2.Set aside a weekend day that is a family day and work on the other one.

1. Buy a largish (A5) diary. Tesco has them for about 2.50. Then in lectures and seminars make notes about all the extra bits of reading/prep/tasks you will need to do. I found the big essays easy to keep track of - it was the prepare reflections on this, read and make notes on that, or by week 6 you will need to do this - difficult to keep track of.
2. Teaching practice was exhausting - I found that after all day with children I didn't want to rush straight back to my own - so I tended to do some preparation for the next day at school, then come home and spend an hour with DCs then work until midnight.

5.DH took over responsibility for doing washing and children took on more responsibilty for packing PE kits etc.

1. Speak to your school mum friends/other friends and explain what you are doing and that you might be a disorganised, birthday-forgetting friend for a year. When struggling ask them for help occassionally. (You can repay the favour because they will pick your brains about school related stuff).
2. Essays - plan the time to do them and mark it in your diary. I ended up with my own deadlines that were different to the college's because of family committments. Also you can spot if there could be a problem with deadlines early on and ask for an extension.
3. As someone said - have word on your pc and also powerpoint (it is used in primary). I used it to prepare stuff at home. (you can buy it cheaper as a student). Make sure your USB stick has lots of memory as power point and photos can take up lots of space.

10. I took a refill pad into college to make notes in lectures/seminars and then transfered all notes and handouts into subject specific folders at home. You need to keep lots of stuff as you will need various bits of paper later on as evidence of meeting standards.

1. Do not plan anything for the two weeks after your course ends - I was too tired to move and went down with a chest infection once the adrenaline dropped.

10. Do not be a perfectionist - if a corner can be cut - cut it!

It was a really tough year, but it was also worthwhile and I rediscovered my identity as me not just as mum/wife.

If you feel you are neglecting your children at any point - remember you are setting them a great example of hard work and dedication.

Thanks for sharing with us constantly cooking some very sensible advice in there, must remember to read it several times in the hope something sinks in

arggghh I'm getting so nervous now. Butterflies are kicking in big time. Good luck for everyone starting in September.

Me too Mia, me too!
twinsufficient, am in Kings Heath/Moseley although North Wales does sound much nicer!
Just reading through the draft timetable uni have sent me which makes very little sense as it's all meaningless abbreviations but it is exciting too. Who knows what these things mean?! Well, I'll soon find out. Not long now. Good luck everyone!
x

Although I am not doing a PGCE....Im nicking lots of these ideas for Uni. Im about to start a Social work degree so alot of this advice is relevant.

My best friend has just completed her social work degree onadietcokebreak.

She landed a job straight away (before she even knew her results).

She said it was a great course. Good luck with it.

Thank you MiaWallace. Glad she enjoyed it and mangaged to gain employment so quickly. Do you know what job she is doing? Im hoping to move away from traditional social work....eg Local authority.

thetheesend - even if you make it to christmas you cant assume you have made it. my pgce fell apart between christmas and easter.

My top tip would be to find an area you can leave the paperwork out and you can work in. Especially if you can say right I am going to work between x and Y DONT disturb me.