Tips for getting schools to let you shadow/help classroom teachers

[saadia]

I am thinking of applying for a PGCE for 09. As yet I have no classroom experience. I have written to six local shools asking to help out for a week or so but so far have no response.

I have not yet asked at dss school but will do so if nothing comes up.

I was just looking for ideas and suggestions about other ways perhaps to gain the relevant experience and see if teaching would suit me.

bump

If writing hasn't work chap the door, you might be asked to come back at another time to discuss it but I am sure they will appreciate free help.

DSS school wouldn't be a bad thing especially if you help in a different class, maybe start by offering to help on trips. My MIL does this and there are trips all the time, she goes with all the classes and knows all the teachers and staff by first names and has a coffe in the office or staff room before or after the trips.

If they have free play areas they often use parent helpers to supervise this.

Volunteer to go in as a parent helper a couple of afternoons a week - call into the school and ask to see the Head. Almost all schools are crying out for classroom helpers and would bite your hand off if you approached it as something which they will benefit from rather than something which you are doing to further your PGCE.

They probably won't let you help out in your own child's class - which ime is a good thing.

Sorry shitehawk and skramble, I didn't check this thread. I eventually started another one in chat where I was told that persistence is the key as schools can be inundated with volunteers and it makes extra work for them to have to accommodate students.

But I think the suggestion that you both made is a good one. I will first just offer to help out at dss school for a few sessions a week, and then spring the placement on them once I have got to know people. For my application I need two weeks of solid classroom experience/shadowing and one full week with the same class.