Anyone beginning their PGCE this September?

[Louise12]

Hi ,

Just thought I would say hello and ask if there is anyone beginning a PGCE this September. I have two teenagers and am starting my PGCE in a few weeks time. Feeling extremely nervous but excited. I just hope I can cope with what I know to be a very intense course.

Best wishes to anyone beginning their studies at the same time and juggling family life alongside!

Hi Louise, I will be starting in Sep too - have two dc five and seven and like you am nervous but also very excited - good luck to you. Are you doing primary or secondary? I am doing primary.

hey saadia
, can't believe i missed this thread! My dc are 4 and 2 and both at different nurseries. I'm really excited and nervous too! I'm doing primary too. Let's keep this thread alive for mutual support, i'm quite sure we'll be needing it!

hi sherazade - yes we will all definitely need lots of support. Have you done any course reading? I had hoped to do a fair bit in the hols but so far have been very lazy and with Ramadan starting soon I will be doing even less. I think there are also some pre-course tasks to do as well which I had completely forgotten about.

I'm also a bit anxious about the childcare aspect as ds2 is quite sensitive so I hope he'll settle with the CM. Ds1 OTOH is really keen to go to CM after school (will only be two days a week as I'm doing Part-time).

Are your dc settled at their nurseries or will they be starting?

good luck to you all
am hoping to begin in a couple of years, just have to conquer the dragon of Maths

Thanks ninah, and good luck with the maths .

Maybe I can lurk on this thread and see how you all get on! My dc are 3 and 7 and I have been working at a preschool for a while, plan to do the early years pgce once they are both at school and I have got the maths qual. But my sis did it a couple of years ago, and I know it's pretty intense, bit worried as a lone p how I'll manage (worth it in long run tho)

Hopefully by the time you start we will be qualified and will be able to tell you about the pitfalls. I'm sure it will be tough but as you say very worth it. You are gaining very good experience working in a pre-school.

OK, I would love to pick your brains! thanks v much that will be a great help
If I'd realised I'd enjoy working with children so much I'd have started sooner but it took having my own to see it
have done some on the job training and NVQ so far and increasing my working hours in Sept
Count me in as an official lurker then

well, saadia, dd1 is 4.5 and attends a nursery attached to a school so she'll move onto reception next jan, she's well settled there now as been there since jan this year.

dd2 is 2.5 and will be attending a day nursery, her induction starts pretty soon. she's actually looking forward to it. i'm not too worried about her settling in. how old are your dc? I'm sure your ds will be just fine!

As for course reading........I've done nothing! I've just been browsing the TES forum for tips and trying to mentally prepare myself. I've been sooooooooooo lazy of late, i'm actually savouring every lazy moment I have as I know it will be v short lived! my course is full time and i've been told its more like triple time.. I have some pretasks to do but i'm just avoiding them and hoping they'll evenually go away..

Hi Saadia,Sherazade and Ninah,

It was so nice to see your posts! It will be great to keep this support link going _ that's assuming we'll have a spare moment!

Saadia, I'm doing post-compulsory education, so that generally starts at post 16 with some adult learners. I have two teenagers - they have a pretty busy year too. I don't know if there is ever a 'right' moment to tackle these things with children. I am getting quite nervous now about the work load but have studied as a mature student before with my children, so hope I can do it again!

Sheraze - I know what you mean about reading. I am torn between preparing and making the most of reading the paper in whatever sunshine we have left! Good luck with everything.

Ninah, just to say that Maths was always my very worst subject and I had doubted I'd ever get that level 2. Just 5 minutes of study could reduce me to hysteria! But I took myself off to a government free maths course, used a website and a book and nearly fell on the floor when I passed! Don't let it put you off. If I can do it - anyone can!

Anway, best wishes to you all. Let's keep in touch.

hi all,

i am beginning irish equivalent in the coming weeks, secondary teaching. just finished four year degree, have a five year old dd.

dreading the course tbh, so nervous, but the degree years flew. can't believe i finished it!

best of luck to all.

Hello mamaloves,

Sounds like you have been very busy!You are obviously used to juggling home and little ones!I'm feeling incredibly nervous...Haven't long finished my MA but this feels alot more scarey!

Hope all goes well in September.

All the best

Hi,
Can I join in? I'm starting a Middle Years (7-14)with Science specialism PGCE in September. Currently revising physics like a mad thing! Have dds aged 9,8 and 5 so it's going to be a big change for all of us.

I'm here too! I am starting a flexible PGCE course in September. Theoretically, it is supposed to fit in around family life...we'll see!

I have a ds who is 5yo, and am a lone parent. I am terrified - everyone that I have spoken to has reiterated how hard it is, am really hoping it's manageable!

I'm glad to hear that everyone is enjoying the summer and that I am not the only one who has done no work yet...! My course starts on 21 Sept so I am planning on throwing myself into it once my ds is back at school. I have, though, bought some new folders and a lovely new hole-punch (am embarrassingly excited about the back-to-school gear ). I have yet to buy the course books though...

sherazade, my dss are seven and five, I keep reminding them about how exciting it will be to go to the CM. I also have pre-course tasks and am ignoring them - I have bought new files and folders though. Someone told me that the key is to be organised with files etc. Although I'm quite nervous I also feel lucky to have the chance to do something new.

Louise12 I'm sure you'll be fine, expecially as you already have experience of managing study and childcare.#

Superdooper... welcome and IKWYM about that back-to-school feeling. I have taken over the spare room with my desk and files. Will your ds be starting Y1 - my ds2 will be. I'm trying to involve the dcs as much as possible and asking them to help me when I learn how to be a teacher. I think they will also be useful as guinea pigs for lesson plans.

Hi saadia

Yes, my ds is going into Y1 - I was due to start my course this time last year (it could all be over now, agghhh!!) but deferred to make sure he settled in YR. He is really looking forward to going back so I am hoping that he will be sorted and I can just concentrate on the mountain of work ahead .

My ds has overheard me speaking to a friend, saying that I am scared to death about the course and today he told me (in the changing room at the swimming pool!) that I don't need to be scared of school, I just need to be nice to the children, good advice?! I am really hoping that it might be that simple !

I still need to organise childcare for the placements - are you all in college every day? My course means that I can work from home via CD-ROM, so I only have to find cover for the school placements (3 in total, one of 4 weeks, one of 3 weeks and the final biggie of 13 weeks). Am slightly worried about this...keep hoping it will all just work out!

superduper I thought exactly the same thing, that ds2 needed me around for the Reception year. I love the advice they give you, when I was preparing for my interview the dss told me that I needed to "give good infomation about how to do things" lol. I think the being nice is probably quite important too.

I won't be in college every day but the timetable is quite erratic - it's mostly two days a week but these can vary. After Christmas it is mostly Mondays and Tuesdays. I have sent the CM my timetable and she seems to be OK with it. I have told her about the placements as well but I think initially they will only be two days a week. I'm not looking forward to all the travelling in rush hour though.

Is your course one year? Mine is over two years so I'm hoping not too stressful. Sometimes I feel quite confident and blase in a "how hard can it be" kind of way but I imagine the lesson observations etc will cause me some sleepless nights.

I think that "give good information about how to do things" sums up teaching pretty well . I have to admit that I have taken on board some of the things my ds has said about his teacher this year, and filed the "good" bits away for future reference!

My course is flexible, and you can choose a time-limit in which you hope to complete it - I have opted (optimistically or stupidly!) for one year. I am hoping that if this proves too difficult I can possibly extend... Your course sounds manageable on paper?! I think that half of my worries at the moment are due to the fact that all of this is still a bit vague, it has got to seem a bit more do-able when we know a bit more hasn't it?!

I have those blase moments too, although they are being increasingly overwhelmed by the panicky feelings...

My placements will be for block periods - the placement co-ordinator has already said that it might be tricky to get some that are close to home (cue rush-hour traffic panic too!), but he did say that we can try to sort our own out.

I keep repeating "it'll be fine" in the hope that it will be!

i'm pretty jealous of those of you wth flexible/ pt courses! , there's no option for that where i live. my course is literally 9am till 5pm every single day and placement blocks last upto 6 weeks, 5 days a week. am i crazy for having taken this monster of a degree on? thank god its only a year tho!!

rather than brushing up on my academic skills/doing prep reading i'm trying to learn how to do things like making really fast meals, cook in advance, powerclean the house in 15 minutes etc!!

I'm getting a bit jittery too, wondering if I should have tried for a part-time course. I start on Sept 1st and the first 4 weeks are at Uni which is an hour and a half commute. At least the next 11 weeks are more school based and I have snaffled the school round the corner from my house!

sherezade is that you? You and Kate F will at least finish in a year - there are pros and cons to both routes. I've also been looking for quick and easy recipes lol.

KateF I'm also getting jittery. I've had two e-mails now from the college saying that they have way too many successful applicants and if anyone wants to defer for a year they will be given £1000!!!, - so now I'm really quite tempted but I think I will stick to this year.

That's great that the school is so close, will make a huge difference

Hi!

Can I join your thread?

I'm starting the part time PGCE in September.

Hi HM! I thought that I read somewhere that you might be doing a PGCE - I am in awe!! Have you worked out childcare etc? Are you looking forward to it?!

Sherezade - my flexible course has only be running for a year so far and when I spoke to the administrator and said that I want to complete it in one year she sounded quite cautious about this time-scale. I am a bit worried that I might be tempted to let things slide a bit and take longer to complete (if I am even allowed that option!). I am on my own with ds though and I just can't do the course any other way so I will just have to knuckle down !

Kate - I am that you know where your placement is already. Have you arranged it yourself? My Uni has been quite worryingly vague about placements...

Saadia - £1000 ... I'd be tempted

Has anyone started / finished their pre-course work yet? (Am dreaming about it now, must do some ).

Hi Superduper!!

Yes, starting in Sept (but part time!). Where are you doing yours? I'm going to Brunel. I am looking forward to it and have enjoyed all of the 'pre-work' - I haven't ever worked in childcare, but have spent a lot of time in schools over the last few months nad have really enjoyed explaining chemistry... It's a subject I know inside out so I don't feel overwhelmed by the students (in fact, I got a round of applause by some Yr 9 boys at the end of last term for knowing so much.. I am such a swot!! )

I'm on my own with DS and DD though, so (like you) am a bit scared that I'll let things slide (DS and DD have a very good rota going at the mooment which seems to mean I never get to sleep never mind get any free time!!)

I've organised my placements - the only thing Brunel won't let me do is use an independent school (which is slightly annoying as it's the closest to my house) - but it's because I was a bit scared I'd get one miles away and childcare is fraught at the best of times - the last thing I need is to factor two hours of travelling time per day!

Am i too late to join you?
I am starting a PCGE secondary science in 2 weeks time.

I have a pre-course list of stuff to be done for day 1 a mile long plus if there is anyone who knows about physics or anything along there please come help here

I am beginning to think i am mad.
Ds is starting school the same day i start uni. Yep i'm mad