[Rachel Juckes]

Here's a thought...

I know that there are a few other people out there who are about to embark on their PGCE course. I thought that we could set up a bit where we could all put our thoughts, comments etc about it as they happen.

A bit like the "Another week over" section really, but specifically for those of us who are mid pgce. It should be good to see what the others are doing, and to compare notes etc.

As for me at the moment, I'm happily (?) settled back at my parents ready for it all to start on the 15th when I have to go and register, and am all psyched and ready for my week at the primary school down the road next week which will be my second week of observation.

I realise that this thread may die a rapid death, but I think that it could end up being the sort of thread that will be invaluable to next years intake and all those that follow.

Let me know what you all think.

Rachel.

[Andrew Field]

I think this is an excellent idea. It will be very interesting and extremely informative.

Splendid suggestion.

[Richard Drew]

a great idea. i would have loved to be able to access something like that when i was on PGCE. i will definitely recommend it to our student when he/she arrives

[Anne Piper]

Ditto

[catherine6474]

we are getting 3 students this year, plus a graduate trainee history teacher, and a citizenship graduate trainee teacher already in place - and all 5 shall know of this site and this idea!!

This post has been edited by catherine6474: 06 September 2003 - 11:42 PM

[Helen S]

Hello Rachel-

I remember going to primary school for my placement. It was very interesting and made me think a lot about how I teach year 7 and transition issues.

Good luck!

Helen.

[Lesley Ann]

what a great idea....I am in contact with my PGCE course leader..I'll drop him a line to let him know..


arh primary placement only served to tell me that I had made the right choice of secondary school teaching.....my primary placement was 5 weeks into my first placement...I did enjoy teaching the different year groups in primary...but I was so pleased to get back to secondary.

[Rachel Juckes]

Ok then, from the feedback so far, I take it that the general consensus is that this is a good idea. Well then, here we go...

Registration day.

Went in to register and got collared by NASUWT, NUT and ATL unions all of which gave me free membership for a year, and goody bags.

Other than the cock-up with issuing campus cards, not much else to say about day 1.

Still don't know where my placement is, but given that I'm going to be there in a fortnight, I hope I find out soon!

Will feed my ego and tell the others on the course about this, and see if they want to add to what I'm saying...

(I feel like I'm talking to an empty room here as you've all been through this already)

Rachel.

[Carole Faithorn]

No. Not an empty room Rachel; far from it. Lots of people reading but hanging back cos they are not PGCE students I guess.

Once the word gets around and people are on placement things will hot up I have no doubt.

I think this is a brilliant idea.

[Lou Phillips]

I'm now a week in to my PGCE course (2 if you count the primary placement). Its been a good start, far more tiring than I expected and the workload has been pretty heavy, a lot of nightly reading and daily lectures and seminars.

So far in our "Professional Studies" course we have discussed the national curriculum (quite interesting) and Primary-Secondary Continuity (also quite interesting). Curriculum Studies is quite slow getting started, a lot of admin etc. I can't wait to get started on actual lesson planning. I fear though that there are some significant gaps in my knowledge, the Tudors and the Stuars in particular! Anyone got any quick-fix textbooks they can reccomend?

I am quite lucky, I have been selected to take part in the Tertiary Course where I will have one placement in an FE college so I can have significantly more A-level experience than the average NQT.

[Andrew Field]

Lou Phillips, on Sep 19 2003, 12:00 PM, said:

I fear though that there are some significant gaps in my knowledge, the Tudors and the Stuars in particular! Anyone got any quick-fix textbooks they can reccomend?

Your concern is one that all those coming to the teaching profession have. I would suggest trying not to worry at all. Your placement schools will have the materials around the topics they teach, and you'll be able to read those nearer the time.

You'll never be an expert on everything so it's worth simply having a few strategies prepared in case. The best one is to respond to a difficult question is to say "I don't actually know, but it's a really interesting question. I'll find out for next lesson". If you do so, it will have a really positive effect on your teaching and relationship with the class.

For now, simply concentrate on the masses of work you do have - don't worry about adding to it. Welcome to the discussion forum!

[Carole Faithorn]

Lou Phillips, on Sep 19 2003, 12:00 PM, said:

I fear though that there are some significant gaps in my knowledge, the Tudors and the Stuarts in particular! Anyone got any quick-fix textbooks they can reccomend?

If you mean 'quick fixes' for A Level then the best are probably those in the Hodder and Stoughton Access to History Series. There are books on Henry VII, two on Henry VIII, one on Edward and Mary, two on Elizabeth and ones on the Stuarts too though I am not familiar with these. Alternatively the Longman Seminar Studies series is quite good (though not so up to speed on recent interpretations in the main). If you are wanting a one volume quick fix then I recommend Ian Dawson's 'The Tudor Century'. I forget the publisher at the moment and I think there is one on the Stuarts in the same series. Other publishers have books written for the new AS and A2 courses, but the only one I know is Barbara Mervyn's book on Elizabeth I (John Murray) which is excellent.

For KS3 then I guess any of the most recently published books on The Making of the UK would do for a very quick fix.

Does your PGCE course not have a departmental library with copies of textbooks now in use in schools? My own training was light years ago, but we had access to pretty much everything that we might meet in schools; I guess they were copies sent by the publishers for review.

But ..... as Andrew has said don't worry too much about this aspect right now. The advice he gives is very sound.

Good Luck on your course and do keep contributing to this thread.

[Lou Phillips]

There's plenty of stuff in the Ed library here, but I was just wondering what in particular would be useful. Thanks for the advice!

[Richard Jones-Nerzic]

Lou Phillips, on Sep 19 2003, 12:00 PM, said:

I fear though that there are some significant gaps in my knowledge, the Tudors and the Stuars in particular! Anyone got any quick-fix textbooks they can recommend?

Personally I blame the quality of the history teaching you received at school.

When ever I get questions about Tudor and Stuarts I use this as a good opportunity to show the students the history help forum. You can always rely on Carole to know the answer!

Don't worry about content knowledge. It might be a good idea to have a look at some of the better/popular textbooks: John D Clare's, the Think Through History series, John Aylett etc. (There are threads on the forum that list some of our favourite books). Try to focus on the activities that the books suggest, rather than the historical content. This way you'll pick up lots of imaginative ideas about how to do history in a classroom.

Also make the most of the opportunity to think about the job you're about to do. Read the history and sociology behind where we are today. You will have very little time to do this later. Read Rob Phillips' History Teaching Nationhood and the State as a starting point. You should find plenty of copies in the Swansea University library/Bookshop.

[rksullivan]

What a good idea!

Hello all.

Just started on a PGCE at Christchurch College Canterbury.

So far so confusing...I seem to have amassed my own body weight in booklets, handouts, paper I have to have, paper I don't need yet and leaflets! I can't tell my teaching file from my journal and frankly Im sitting in the Library in a state of deeeep confusion trying to figure out which bit of the 10 million things that have to be handed in this week I should start first!

...but seriously...it is heavy going, Im sure things will click in to place (eventually) but it will be good to know that we can support each other, old timers, or terrified newbies like myself.

---

Ruth