PGCE Panic

[Oakmaiden]

?I am in the final year of my education degree, and have just submitted my application for my PGCE. I have been working towards this for the past 5 years....

And I am scared. I am so worried that I am not going to be able to cope with it, and that I won't be able to cover the childcare, and that I am going to have no money....

I can't drop my children off at school until 8am, and I need to pick them up by 5:30. This isn't going to be enough, is it? I'm going to have to find someone else to look after them.... And I have no idea how I am going to afford that - we just about get by financially now (scraping by) on my husband's wage - but I have no idea how I am going to afford additional childcare.

Please tell me it is all possible, and that I will manage... I have worked so hard for this, and I am so worried it is not going to be possible...

hiya.
didn't want to leave you unanswered.
am sure you will work it out - where there is a will there's a way, and 5 years so far.... well done!
best of luck x

I can see you're worried and would love to reassure you that it's all going to be brilliant, but I just wanted to check you're going into all this being fully aware of the job situation. Check the NQT section of the Times Ed; there are hundreds of NQTs out there who are unable to get jobs. Also, check the jobs in your area, it just isn't the case that you are guaranteed a job anymore.

Back to your original question-8-5.30 is possible depending on how far your school is from the childcare provider? If it's on the doorstep, it won't be too bad. Do you want to teach primary or secondary? What about Open Evenings (these are often 4-7 for primary or 6-10pm for secondary)-do you have childcare for these?

I'm sure it's doable-just check there are jobs at the end of it; I know quite a few out of work newly qualified teachers who are doing supply or taking jobs as cover supervisors/TAs (as well as getting into debt) to try to pay the mortgage.

I know - the job situation is dire too. That is another worry eating at me. But then, getting any job is a trick and a half nowadays. I used to be a teaching assistant - but think that I would have even more trouble getting into another job like that, because they are rarer than hen's teeth at the moment. The local council only advertises most of them internally. So I think I am going to have to just try to be BETTER than everyone else - there are jobs, I'll just have to hope that I am the one who gets one of them. Last resort, when (if) I get an NQT job I will have more money for childcare, and can potentially get a job in another area and find digs - just come home at weekends and school holidays. Which would kill me, being apart from the children for so long, but I guess we won't have much time together on weekday evenings anyway. And once I have got through NQT I think I would be much more employable....

Open evenings and one-off events aren't a problem for childcare, as my husband can book time off to make sure one of us is available - or I have friends I can ask sometimes. Just can't really do that every day. My children's school is city centre, so there are lots of primary schools in the area and I will ask to be in a local one - but there are no guarantees.

I guess I am just so worried about it all - I am a big worrier anyway. I have worked so hard for my degree, and am hopeful of getting a good class degree (my tutor says my degree profile is "exceptionally strong :) - I got 3 commendations last year) and my lecturers are all very positive about the likelihood of me getting as place on PGCE (most of them teach on that as well as on my degree course). But I just have this fear that I am not going to be able to manage the work on the PGCE, and that my family will suffer, and that we will all be unhappy. And yet I want to do it SOOOO much. I love teaching. But I am scared about it all.

I think it would be so much easier if I was one of these 21 year olds I am at college with who don't really seem to realise how much hard work the PGCE is going to be. Whereas I am aware it is gruelling, and am daunted by the prospect.

Firstly well done on (almost completing your degree) with DCs - hard work!
I did I PGCE 2 years ago (with 2 DCs), and was lucky enough to be able to employ an au pair for childcare. However, when based at college I found that the days were predictable and ran to timetable so you check the start times for lectures and seminars. The course was pretty much full time but it would have fitted around school if I had chosen a college nearby.
Teaching practice - this will be tough. Ask the administrator (or whoever organises placements) if it will be possible to have TPs near your DCs' school. Even with this you will find juggling difficult because I would often want to be in school before 8 and would leave later than 5.50. It depends on the school and teacher tho'. My first practice school was lovely but in my second- the young, childless teacher used to stay until 7 every night to work and then go home and relax. She could not grasp that I was capable of going home at 5 and then working at home later in the evening. She felt that showed lack of committment and that teaching should come first in my life. Teaching is important but my family comes first and I wanted to see the DCs briefly and then work.
Could you arrange to pay friends/family to drop and collect and feed whilst you are on teaching practice - usually only for a total 20 weeks in two blocs.
Also check with the college whether you are entitled to any bursaries/grants to help with childcare.
Jobs: I am still looking for an NQT post. . I have been working as a supply teacher but there is less and less work around. However, the government is talking about extending the length of time you can do supply without starting your NQT year.
As a former TA you will probably do really well on your course and may impress in school and have a head start if a job comes up.

MY PGCE was incredibly tiring but I am pleased i did it.
Good luck with everything.

Thanks CC. It is good to hear from someone else who has done the PGCE recently.

My husband actually works shifts - so some weeks he will be able to drop at school and the other weeks he will be able to pick up. I guess I am just going to have to hope that I end up a) close to the children's school and b) with a teacher who has children and "gets" the whole juggling thing. Otherwise I am going to have to ask parents from the children's school to help me out - which is awkward as I don't know them very well (the children only started there this term). I guess I have 10 months to make some friends there!

I am hoping that my previous experience will make it easier for me to look good on the PGCE and subsequent job interviews. As a TA I was used to interacting with children on a whole class basis and I also do Rainbows and Brownies, so am good at "crowd control" too. I guess ?I have to stop panicking about it and just see what happens. I am not good at that - I like to plan ahead!