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PGCE Training 2007/08
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#47
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Posted 25 June 2008 - 09:28 PM
Hi everyone!!
Was just reading the comments posted and people saying theyre finishing but i am actually just starting in Sept! Going to Liverpool Hope to do my Pgce. Got my result also and got a 2:1 with a first in my dissertation! That actually makes me sound so smart but im actually not, have so much to learn for next year. I recieved a disc telling me a few topics i need to know, Charles 1st and English civil war etc...i knew nothing about it! So I bought a couple of dvds from amazon for barely nothing and they helped alot!
I was just wondering what the Pgce course actually entails? I know it is so stressful and intense but why is that? is it because you are constantly planning for lessons or what? what kind of ways has people done this? I would be very good with powerpoint etc so i think i will be using them aswell as video and dvd because for me, i find them the most interesting.
Thank you!!
Was just reading the comments posted and people saying theyre finishing but i am actually just starting in Sept! Going to Liverpool Hope to do my Pgce. Got my result also and got a 2:1 with a first in my dissertation! That actually makes me sound so smart but im actually not, have so much to learn for next year. I recieved a disc telling me a few topics i need to know, Charles 1st and English civil war etc...i knew nothing about it! So I bought a couple of dvds from amazon for barely nothing and they helped alot!
I was just wondering what the Pgce course actually entails? I know it is so stressful and intense but why is that? is it because you are constantly planning for lessons or what? what kind of ways has people done this? I would be very good with powerpoint etc so i think i will be using them aswell as video and dvd because for me, i find them the most interesting.
Thank you!!
#48
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Posted 30 June 2008 - 03:19 PM
Firstly congratulations on your degree!
Secondly I have no idea how I managed it, it was all a blur really hehe! Well actually it's a pretty intense course because not only are you planning lessons but having to think about assignments that are due throughout the year. I'd say subject knowledge isn't everything I have a Law degree and not a History degree so when I started I thought I'd be way behind everyone else but that was the least of my worries when I got teaching. I'd say the best thing I read before I started my course was 'Getting the Buggers to Behave' by Sue Cowley. It had some good behaviour management tips!
I think managing your time well is the best way to keep on top of things. To start off with I had a 30% timetable in my first placement. This meant I had plenty of time for planning and could really concentrate on teaching rather than trying to find out about loads of different subjects. When you first start teaching, planning takes up a lot of time. I can remember spending hours planning one lesson, by the end of it when I had more confidence it took me much less time. Hopefully you will have really supportive mentors' and departments as that can make a big difference, I was lucky I had some wonderful people to ask for help. I know some people were not as lucky as me.
What uni are you doing your PGCE at? I hope I have given you some idea about the course, let me know if I can be of anymore help! I'm starting my first day as an NQT tomorrow argh! The year has flown by!
Secondly I have no idea how I managed it, it was all a blur really hehe! Well actually it's a pretty intense course because not only are you planning lessons but having to think about assignments that are due throughout the year. I'd say subject knowledge isn't everything I have a Law degree and not a History degree so when I started I thought I'd be way behind everyone else but that was the least of my worries when I got teaching. I'd say the best thing I read before I started my course was 'Getting the Buggers to Behave' by Sue Cowley. It had some good behaviour management tips!
I think managing your time well is the best way to keep on top of things. To start off with I had a 30% timetable in my first placement. This meant I had plenty of time for planning and could really concentrate on teaching rather than trying to find out about loads of different subjects. When you first start teaching, planning takes up a lot of time. I can remember spending hours planning one lesson, by the end of it when I had more confidence it took me much less time. Hopefully you will have really supportive mentors' and departments as that can make a big difference, I was lucky I had some wonderful people to ask for help. I know some people were not as lucky as me.
What uni are you doing your PGCE at? I hope I have given you some idea about the course, let me know if I can be of anymore help! I'm starting my first day as an NQT tomorrow argh! The year has flown by!
#49
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Posted 02 July 2008 - 07:27 PM
how come ur job starts 1st july? is it not school holidays then? also, when u finish your pgce, do you get a pass or can u get higher or lower marks. do you have to do any tests? or what courseowrk? thank you!!
claire
claire
#50
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Posted 02 July 2008 - 07:34 PM
vickymahoney, on Jun 30 2008, 04:19 PM, said:
Firstly congratulations on your degree!
Secondly I have no idea how I managed it, it was all a blur really hehe! Well actually it's a pretty intense course because not only are you planning lessons but having to think about assignments that are due throughout the year. I'd say subject knowledge isn't everything I have a Law degree and not a History degree so when I started I thought I'd be way behind everyone else but that was the least of my worries when I got teaching. I'd say the best thing I read before I started my course was 'Getting the Buggers to Behave' by Sue Cowley. It had some good behaviour management tips!
I think managing your time well is the best way to keep on top of things. To start off with I had a 30% timetable in my first placement. This meant I had plenty of time for planning and could really concentrate on teaching rather than trying to find out about loads of different subjects. When you first start teaching, planning takes up a lot of time. I can remember spending hours planning one lesson, by the end of it when I had more confidence it took me much less time. Hopefully you will have really supportive mentors' and departments as that can make a big difference, I was lucky I had some wonderful people to ask for help. I know some people were not as lucky as me.
What uni are you doing your PGCE at? I hope I have given you some idea about the course, let me know if I can be of anymore help! I'm starting my first day as an NQT tomorrow argh! The year has flown by!
Secondly I have no idea how I managed it, it was all a blur really hehe! Well actually it's a pretty intense course because not only are you planning lessons but having to think about assignments that are due throughout the year. I'd say subject knowledge isn't everything I have a Law degree and not a History degree so when I started I thought I'd be way behind everyone else but that was the least of my worries when I got teaching. I'd say the best thing I read before I started my course was 'Getting the Buggers to Behave' by Sue Cowley. It had some good behaviour management tips!
I think managing your time well is the best way to keep on top of things. To start off with I had a 30% timetable in my first placement. This meant I had plenty of time for planning and could really concentrate on teaching rather than trying to find out about loads of different subjects. When you first start teaching, planning takes up a lot of time. I can remember spending hours planning one lesson, by the end of it when I had more confidence it took me much less time. Hopefully you will have really supportive mentors' and departments as that can make a big difference, I was lucky I had some wonderful people to ask for help. I know some people were not as lucky as me.
What uni are you doing your PGCE at? I hope I have given you some idea about the course, let me know if I can be of anymore help! I'm starting my first day as an NQT tomorrow argh! The year has flown by!
hi Vicky, thank you for your reply, it definitely helped. I was just wondering also, do you have to sit any exams or anything? or what kind of assignments do you have to do? since I am off all summer i wouldnt mind getting started on planning some work now or do you think that would be impossible to do if i havent even started the course? i am quite worried about next year in terms or organisation. my organizational skills are getting better however i can be quite the slacker if under pressure!! would love to start doin some work now to help me for sept. i am going to liverpool hope in sept. cant wait actually!!
are you looking forward to starting your new job? i hear it is also quite difficult to get a job as a history teacher since there is no demand for them. maybe im just worrying too much
thanks again for ur reply!!
claire
#51
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Posted 02 July 2008 - 09:34 PM
Hi Claire
I think i'm safe in saying that there are no exams for the PGCE course its all assignments staggered throughout the year and then a portfolio of evidence covering the 33 Q Standards to be handed in at the end! They are really only things you need to worry about once you start the course! The only 'tests' you have to do are the QTS Skills tests in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT. But you cannot take them till you start the course and get a log-in (they're not that bad at all)/
In terms of things to do in the summer it all depends on how bored you get! I took out 8 books from the library with the intention of reading them, but one by one they were returned on their due date, unread! The only thing you can really do is look at the national curriculum for Key Stage 3 History and brush up on subject knowledge. One thing I would say is for Key Stage 3 you don't need to be an expert in all topics, I was planning lessons the night before for topics I knew nothing about and then getting told I had excellent subject knowledge. So don't stress yourself out!
It all depends where you plan on working after your course! I got the first job I applied for and was very lucky to get a July 1st contract! The school term in Suffolk finishes on 22nd July so I'm just settling in at the school and getting paid over the summer! You can't really plan any lessons or anything as you wont know your placement schools yet or the topics they are teaching to each year group! I'd say enjoy your summer as it will be the last peaceful one you'll get for a while! Not too sure on the grading process overall I know I've passed but only provisionally, I will get back to you when its officially done! However at my uni my first placement observations were pass/fail and then the rest were fine graded which was nice as you could see how good your teaching was 1 being very good and 4 being a fail!
Good Luck and remember enjoy your summer!!!!! While you can!
I think i'm safe in saying that there are no exams for the PGCE course its all assignments staggered throughout the year and then a portfolio of evidence covering the 33 Q Standards to be handed in at the end! They are really only things you need to worry about once you start the course! The only 'tests' you have to do are the QTS Skills tests in Literacy, Numeracy and ICT. But you cannot take them till you start the course and get a log-in (they're not that bad at all)/
In terms of things to do in the summer it all depends on how bored you get! I took out 8 books from the library with the intention of reading them, but one by one they were returned on their due date, unread! The only thing you can really do is look at the national curriculum for Key Stage 3 History and brush up on subject knowledge. One thing I would say is for Key Stage 3 you don't need to be an expert in all topics, I was planning lessons the night before for topics I knew nothing about and then getting told I had excellent subject knowledge. So don't stress yourself out!
It all depends where you plan on working after your course! I got the first job I applied for and was very lucky to get a July 1st contract! The school term in Suffolk finishes on 22nd July so I'm just settling in at the school and getting paid over the summer! You can't really plan any lessons or anything as you wont know your placement schools yet or the topics they are teaching to each year group! I'd say enjoy your summer as it will be the last peaceful one you'll get for a while! Not too sure on the grading process overall I know I've passed but only provisionally, I will get back to you when its officially done! However at my uni my first placement observations were pass/fail and then the rest were fine graded which was nice as you could see how good your teaching was 1 being very good and 4 being a fail!
Good Luck and remember enjoy your summer!!!!! While you can!
#52
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Posted 04 July 2008 - 09:42 AM
Hi Claire, just to say that it's nice to hear from someone in the same boat! I'm starting my History PGCE in September at Roehampton. Really looking forward to it but also wondering what I can do to prepare!
At the moment I'm trying to boost my subject knowledge a bit by reading some very general histories. No point reading anything too indepth. Also I'm trying to bring my maths back up to scratch for my Numeracy QTS tests. Finding it a bit hard going at the moment but I'm hoping once the rust is sheared away it will all come back to me soon enough.
I set up a new thread for us 2008 PGCE-ers. I'm hoping that like previous years on this forum we can stay in touch and share our thoughts and anxieties! http://www.schoolhis...?showtopic=9754
All the best,
Darryl
At the moment I'm trying to boost my subject knowledge a bit by reading some very general histories. No point reading anything too indepth. Also I'm trying to bring my maths back up to scratch for my Numeracy QTS tests. Finding it a bit hard going at the moment but I'm hoping once the rust is sheared away it will all come back to me soon enough.
I set up a new thread for us 2008 PGCE-ers. I'm hoping that like previous years on this forum we can stay in touch and share our thoughts and anxieties! http://www.schoolhis...?showtopic=9754
All the best,
Darryl