Teacher Training PGCE

[giddyfeet]

I went back to university as a mature student and completed a degree in media writing, which, as the title says, is all sorts of writing for the media, mainly journalism and film studies.

I did go through a period of trying to get into journalism but as I am not in london, 18 and willing to work for 12k a year that did not get very far.

I was a communications assistant for a while but could not settle myself into the vulger world of marketing.

I am not running my own web design business but I don't like working on alone, sat at the computer and am now considering, in an attempt to get a "proper" job, going in to teacher training.

I read an article in the Independent newspaper saying that people with a 2:1 or higher can be fast-tracked into the classroom and I started to think that maybe teaching isnt that bad an idea at all. I wouldnt want to be fast-tracked (I would go to uni and do the pgce) but I am attracted by a regular wage, a job that will offer something different every day, challenges, getting some kind of respect but also because I am desperate to live in Australia and this would give me the points that I need. Plus I really want to go on to further study but can't afford to and the govt will pay me to do this.

So my questions here are - are any of you doing teacher training? how do you find it? at uni i was quite shy talking in front of groups of people and hated the being centre of attention thing during presentations so I am concerned that I may find teaching difficult in that respect but does it get easier? does it really fit in well with being a mother (I have a 10yo)?

I'd appreciate anything else you can tell me too.

I am considering teaching English, Drama and Media to 11-18 year olds.

Thanks

what the heck is an 'interactive whiteboard'? I remember we had whiteboards at school but they were not interactive as far as I remember!!!!

Yes, Martian, I can quite believe that!

Actually on my degree we did get to watch soaps, dramas, documentaries, films (popular and the more obscure)... so they will probably go on to enjoy media degrees, although those that did the degree for that purpose were the ones that came away with 40% on their assignments!

I will look into arranging some observations. Can I just ring up a school and ask? Would I need to get a police check first?

Roisin - if they are well behaved (and presumably listen in class) what other reasons do they think are the reasons for low achievement? family background (not making them do hw/ stressful situations etc)?

Rather like a wall mounted computer screen. What is on your laptop is on the board. Touch sensitive etc.

I don't have one. I have a wall mounted projector and an ordinary white board.

oh yes, I know. We had a (normal) whiteboard at uni and a projector in the ceiling that projected the computer screen. It wasn't touch sensitive though.

Did I say they were well-behaved? The school has a good reputation for behaviour, it's not the same thing at all.

I'm not a teacher, and find it hard to comment on the low achievement levels. The school gets low CVA scores, so children certainly don't make the progress they should, but it's hard to identify exactly why not.

Obviously there are all sorts of possible reasons, and every school has its defects. But I'm not about to discuss them on an open board, as I am fairly well-known on here and easily identifiable, so it would not be professional of me to do so.

Ah, sorry, roisin, my misunderstanding

Giddyfeet, I haven't caught up with the whole thread yet, but we also live in Southampton. MY dp did his PGCE at Southampton University which is where we both did our degrees. King Alfred's is the teachr training college in Winchester, but Southampton uni do offer a variety of PGCE courses but some are more popular than others. You should be able to find more info on there website this

Thanks tutu, thats really helpful. I wasn't aware Southampton did courses too so thanks. I am looking on the site now at secondary school teaching. Looks good!

Hi
I'm an English teacher. You must be prepared for the marking. Also the amount of lesson planning that you have to do now for the PGCE seems huge and overly cumbersome. Have you thought about the GTP programme whereby you do your PGCE alongside the university which you go to one day a week and are attached to a school for the other four days. It's success very much depends on the quality of the support the school and the mentor gives you but if it's good then you build up a good relationship with that school. Our current GTP is a mum of two and has found it very stressful but is doing really well and is surviving. I would say that if your heart is not totally in it then don't do teacher training - its really tough and teaching heavily impacts on home life - I for example have been marking all afternoon while hubby has taken the kids swimming. Also I find that my rather limited supply of patience has been used up in school (usually by 92C!) and thus my own children sometimes get the 'thin end of the wedge' and mummy doesn't do the reading she should with them etc.etc. because I am just too knackered and land up getting excessively grumpy. On the plus side you can get the maths dept to explain maths homework that you can't do

I would reiterate what others have said and go and shaddow a teacher for a couple of days. All schools are very different - those with tougher kids often have a more cohesive staff base who support each other. Those, like my school, who have a reasonable proportion of 'nice' kids (ie, significant number from the sort of background that you would expect to be suportive)are very results driven - which can be very stressful. Have a nose round a couple of places in your locality before you decide.

Best wishes

Thanks flyingmum for that considered response! Its really helpful. I think the one most important thing for me to do at this stage (going by everyones comments on here) is for me to shadow some teachers, so I will go do that.

Thanks.

How many kids do you guys have to a class (those that teach 11-18yo)? Is it still about 30?

DP's number of pupils per class depends on their ability level. Lower ability classes have less pupils in in his school I don't think any of his classes has more than 25 students per class. His A level classes have about 19 per class.

Hi,I'm starting my PGCE in Sept (sec Science) but am currently on an enhancement course (Chemistry) which is fantastic. If you are in doubt about degree content in ref to NC maybe an enhancement of some type would be gd I think you can currently do Chem / Physics and Maths (you also recieve a bursery so the kids needn't starve!)
Giddyfeet there definitly is a PGCE at Southampton as one of my fellow enhancers is starting it this year.

Hi syrup, do you know if you can do these enhancer courses at any point in the year or have I missed the pre-september one?

I think the majority start in Jan and are 6 months but some booster courses are going on during the summer, unfortunately I know very little about those. The TDA website is a good place to start. All the best so far (only 1 term down) I'm loving it and there seems to be loads of parents (mature students) on the course. Out of 26 of us we range in age between 23-55 and about half have children.

Syrup - where are you doing the enhancement course? Did chemistry at Uni but many moons ago and would love to teach it. Had a look at the gov site a month or so ago and there seemed to be only a few places offering chem as an enhancement course. Not confident to do it without a period of catching up. Have sat in on some lessons and was shocked at how much I have forgotten! I have three chem text books to hand right now that I am meant to be purusing.

Uni of Sussex, Brighton FAB I highly recommend it, I'm a biologist (circa 1988) so really needed enhancing! They do others around the country (I think about 6) but may increase these as they are proving such a success (also the bursery of £225 per week is a bonus if you have financial constraints)

Yoyo
try this link
www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/youroptionsinfull/pretrainingcourses/subjectenhancementextensioncourses/chemistry.aspx
not sure if it will work but worth a bash!
Courses at Sussex, Keele, West Yorkshire and St Martin's

syrup - will go look those up now, thanks.

yoyo - when you sat in on classes did you literally just watch the class or did you take part in the class (assist the teacher etc)?

I do have some experience as I worked on a voluntary basis with primary age kids for 4 months full time but that was a long time ago now, 1996 and of course I want to work with 11-18yo's now.

So yeah, I will need to get some experience...

Syrup - thought it might have been Sussex. Think I will contact the organiser to see if there are plans to do one closer to where I will be living. Really like the sound of the course as it is confidence that I lack. I'm a late eighties too! Why chemistry if you studied biology?

Giddyfeet - I just sat there and observed! I am friendly with the teacher though which might have put a different slant on things. He has said that I can teach a lesson if I want to (gulp) - not ready yet!!

yes yoyo that would be very scary! I think ill try and observe a few lessons before I jump right in!

Giddyfeet
I'm a secondary teacher.

I would go onto the TES website - staffroom and take a look at some of the conversations there.

I wouldn't bank on the 'respect' part in teaching, challenges yes.

I come from a similar background to you. The PGCE is very intensive. You will be teaching, preparing resources, lesson plans, marking and doing significant amounts of coursework for college. Don't underestimate how tough it will be. You are also being constantly assessed by your school and college. Remember that you will have to do your NQT year after your PGCE year to qualify. So really you're looking at 2 years before Australia.

Can you fit it in with being a mother? Some do. Many more find it hard enough being single and finding the time to do all the marking, planning etc in their spare time. Don't be taken in by the idea of the holidays or finishing at 3ish. Most of your 'free time' ie. non teaching time will be spent marking, planning, preparing etc. Your time out of school is simply time to be getting on with all that. Kiss goodbye to evenings, weekends and holidays. Also remember parent evenings, detentions, chasing detentions and phonecalls home chasing homework, coursework etc.

You will get over the shyness thing in the classroom. Its basically just putting on an act for your audience. I could barely make myself heard in meetings before I went into teaching, but was regularly described as "having a presence in the classroom."

I would also check out whether or not the Government are still sponsoring students to do the PGCE. I think the full grant (fees and maintenance) is now only for certain students.

Sorry if this sounds negative, but you do need to go into this with your eyes wide open. Its a very tough job (think its supposed to be one of the most stressful jobs around - ahead of the Police!)

Marketing looks good to me again!

P.S. Observe a few lessons in a "Satisfactory" (Ofsted) school, to get a real feel for it. Most of the NQT jobs tend to come up in such schools.

Yoyo,
I decided on Chem initially as they don't do a biology enhancement, now I'm planning on specialising in Chem for my PGCE (my degree was Biological sciences so a fair bit of chem included) and hopefully be able to "dual specialise" to A level if needed. With luck I should be able to apply for jobs which require either/or specialism (however having to teach physics at a lower level could prove interesting! (that's if I get through the PGCE) The finance situation at the moment is that you do pay fees (£3kish) but can apply for loans/ grants to cover you also recieve a tax free bursery of £6k or £9k depending on subject (sec science is £9k as is a shortage subject)