What would you recommend to someone starting their PGCE year at a Secondary in Sept.

[DanFmDorking]

Just that really. The daughter of a friend will be starting her PGCE year in Sept. What books or items/equipment would you recommend?

I was thinking of:-
a) Getting the Buggers to Behave by Sue Cowley
b) Teaching Skills for Dummies (UK Edition) by Sue Cowley
c) Their own mug
d) A whistle
e) A big stick

Anything else?

Several USB memory sticks and a very thick skin. I hope it goes well for them. What is their subject?

A USB to put all of their lessons on.

Lots of chocolate.

A voucher for a stationery shop - I don't know how many paperclips and pocket files I got through!

Bin the Sue Cowley and buy Tom Bennett.

Yes to the stationery voucher. Or maybe a guilotine, laminator and pouches.

Thanks for your replies.

Her subject is Maths which she did at Uni. Are there any books to recommend?

Q1. Pocket files? A4 size? Cardboard or clear plastic?

Q2. Oh! What's wrong with Sue Cowley or is it just that Tom Bennett is better?

Try Bill Rogers for behaviour tips. I have used it with NQTs and found it to be excellent. Agree with previous post, bin the Sue Cowley - found it useless.

Sue Cowley recommends getting the attention of a class by pretending to eat dog food from a can, Tom Bennett recommends seating plans and clear expectations. Bill Rogers is also good.

Oh, and definitely tell her to sign up on Twitter and start following maths teachers like @mathsjem and @just_maths who tweet loads of useful resources.

YY to Tom Bennett over Sue Cowley and to Twitter.

Tom Bennett is on Twitter @TomBennett71 which might be worth following, as is @ResearchED1

If she's specialising in maths then maybe @WRMathsHub might be worth following. If nothing else their KS2/3 and GCSE problem of the day booklets might be worth downloading.

Lots of coloured pens for marking in, teacher toolkit book is about £25-30 but very good. Getting buggers to behave is good. Pimp my lesson has some nice ideas. Lots of post it notes, for her own notes but also great for starters and plenaries. Remember literacy is an important part of every subject

Lots of understanding and listening ears. Been teaching 16yrs and I'd be telling people not to do it as its such a mess. Be ready to have little social time in term time.