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Post by traffordbrown on Mar 19, 2013 11:30:24 GMT
Chuffed to bits - Just found out I've got a place on a PGCE course starting in September. So next year there will be one more die-hard United supporting primary school teacher in the Reading area. So f*cking relieved. Been treading water in my current job for far too long. Teaching is what I've always wanted to do. Wahay!!!! Another sucker..erm...Welcome to the club mate! Some days it's the greatest job in the world and some days you'll want to trade it all in for some boring desk job. I've tried a few different grades, but my current grade 6 assignment is right where I want to be. I know there'll be tough times, WK, I just can't wait to get stuck in! How long have you been teaching?
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Post by SAF_Legend on Mar 19, 2013 16:08:47 GMT
Chuffed to bits - Just found out I've got a place on a PGCE course starting in September. So next year there will be one more die-hard United supporting primary school teacher in the Reading area. So f*cking relieved. Been treading water in my current job for far too long. Teaching is what I've always wanted to do. Wahay!!!! Another sucker..erm...Welcome to the club mate! Some days it's the greatest job in the world and some days you'll want to trade it all in for some boring desk job. I've tried a few different grades, but my current grade 6 assignment is right where I want to be. What luck! I'm kinda currently looking for opinions on teaching. Hope you lads could help out here. TB - When did you apply for your PGCE and how long does it take? I'm kinda stuck in a dilemma if I really want to go down a teaching route. Not the most vocal or extrovert person, so am worried about that. Am waiting for a reply from a school to give me some days' experience in a school before my applications. Considering to teach Biology to secondary pupils. Are the PGCE interviews tough? Heard some scary stories about them. WK - was it tough to get a teaching job? how long have you been teaching and is it tough to teach?
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Post by traffordbrown on Mar 19, 2013 17:16:55 GMT
I graduated with a history degree in 2008 wanting to teach history at secondary level. Fell into a few shit jobs here and there and ended up as an event manager for the past three years.
Around a year and a half ago, I had a row with the Mrs and she gave me a reality check. I decided then to get the ball rolling with the teaching. For some reason, I opted to do a week's experience in a local primary school rather than a secondary and from the moment I set foot in there I was sold on primary teaching!
Now, regarding the PGCE application.... most universities will insist on a minimum of 10 days work experience in state schools - some demand even more. I submitted my application on the 1st November 2012 with a mere 13 days classroom experience (one week in school A, one week in school B, and just 3 days in school C as I ran out of annual leave). Living in Reading, my first choice was Reading Uni and my second choice was Oxford (Brookes), both with excellent reputations for PGCEs.
If you go for it, spend as much time on your personal statement as possible, It's SO important.
I was called in for interview at Reading Uni. I was fairly relaxed, I knew the place well and I thought it would work in my favour that I had spent three years there. Needless to say, the interviewers tore me to shreds. Horrible experience. Made me feel completely unprepared, said I had nowhere near enough experience. Asked me horrible questions about the curriculum that even an experienced teacher would have struggled with. I found out very soon after that I'd not been offered a place and I wasn't surprised.
My confidence took a pasting as a result of that interview and wasn't even expecting to be called in by Oxford Brookes. At Reading, I was just about the only candidate that was NOT already working in a primary school full time. All the rest were TAs. I felt woefully out of my depth.
Anyway, I did get called in for an interview at OB and boy oh boy - WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Completely different atmosphere. Laid back, casual, even fun! No one-to-one interview at all. We just sat in a group of 5 and did a couple of observed tasks. For example, he handed us each a childrens' book and gave us 5 minutes to come up with a quick lesson based on that book.
Again, I was pretty much the only guy there not already working in a school and as a result, I told myself the whole process had been a waste of time. But I got an email last week saying I got a place. Could not believe it.
Rambled a bit there. But to answer your questions, the PGCE application cycle starts late Oct/early Nov and you should know for certain if you're on to a course by about this time - March. If I've learned anything so far, it's that the interviews vary big time. The interview process is as much about deciding if YOU like THEM as it is them deciding if they want you. So do plenty of research into the different training providers you've got your eye on.
Not sure if it matters too much that you aren't an outgoing guy. If you're passionate about what you want to teach, you'd be good. You don't have to be outgoing to be creative!
Hope that helps alantas!
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Post by SAF_Legend on Mar 19, 2013 23:26:30 GMT
TB! That's really awesome mate, really happy that you got in. And that wasn't rambling one bit, it was very informative actually. I'm quite excited about the classroom experience thing, have popped in an email to one of the schools nearby me - hopefully they will take me up for 10 days and more.
Did you get some experience teaching / mentoring the children or did you just shadowed teachers and basically chat about how they go about being a teacher? i.e. What would I be expecting to get in a classroom experience?
One of the Universities I was looking at was Oxford Brookes (other 3 options being King's College London, Sheffield University and undecided on the fourth application) as well! We could well be quasi-"classmates" lol. (PS. I have PM-ed you about the personal statement bit.)
Looking forward to WK's testimonial on school life now!
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Post by traffordbrown on Mar 20, 2013 10:05:23 GMT
TB! That's really awesome mate, really happy that you got in. And that wasn't rambling one bit, it was very informative actually. I'm quite excited about the classroom experience thing, have popped in an email to one of the schools nearby me - hopefully they will take me up for 10 days and more. Did you get some experience teaching / mentoring the children or did you just shadowed teachers and basically chat about how they go about being a teacher? i.e. What would I be expecting to get in a classroom experience? One of the Universities I was looking at was Oxford Brookes (other 3 options being King's College London, Sheffield University and undecided on the fourth application) as well! We could well be quasi-"classmates" lol. (PS. I have PM-ed you about the personal statement bit.) Looking forward to WK's testimonial on school life now! Cheers buddy, I'm chuffed to bits too. Really can't wait to get started now. Is it just the one school you're in contact with? If you're not confident they'll take you, I might recommend doing what I did. I just Google-searched for all primary schools in my postcode area and emailed EVERY single one. Better to have too many placement offers than not enough! I think Universities also like to see that you've had a wide range of experience too, so consider spending time at differents schools. For example, I spend one week in a school in a very run-down area and then spent another week in an incredibly affluent area. The difference in the ability of students, and teaching styles, was staggering. Just something to think about. Also be prepared for each school to ask for several forms of ID so they can run CRB checks on you before you get started. Standard procedure. Now as far as the actually classroom experience goes, I never taught any lessons myself. I was basically given complete freedom to be as involved in lessons as I wanted. So for some of the time, I just sat at the back and observed how lessons were delivered, made notes etc... Other times I wandered around the class, engaged with the children, asked them about their work, offered help when they asked for it. Honestly, it was great fun! Got covered in paint during an art lesson. Helped kids measure diameters of planets in a maths lesson. Read them stories in literacy lessons.... Of course, most of the above applies to a primary classroom. You'll have a slightly different experience in a secondary biology class! Talk directly to as many teachers as you can too. Extract as much wisdom from them as you possibly can. They can provide you with excellent knowledge about lesson planning, time management... you name it. Good luck!
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hansdavidian
United Youth Teamer
plg%%Ryan Giggs%% [F4:hansdavidian]
Posts: 44
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Post by hansdavidian on May 15, 2013 11:46:57 GMT
Investigative journalist covering political and economic issues.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2013 17:54:15 GMT
I work as a Librarian in Off-Site Storage/ Records Management.
Mainly financial stuff like bank cheques, house deeds, files, documents for various companies etc. The company would also store a lot of hospital charts etc.
I would primarily deal with one of the bigger banks over here in Ireland- AIB. They'd request certain cheques, files, etc to be sent to them on a daily basis.
I would also deal with some British banks- HSBC, Lloyds etc...cheques for them would get sent up to Belfast.
Would also deal with other banks, Bank of Ireland, First Trust Northern Ireland, Santander, etc.
Everything stored is barcoded. It's a pretty good job, interesting. Been doing it for 10 years.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2013 20:55:00 GMT
Manager in a government department. History degree from Uni of Sheffield. Wanted to stay on at Uni but i got education fatigue and the more time i spend away the more i feel my brain cells are dying.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2013 20:57:16 GMT
I have a feeling that i'm soon to be unemployed
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Post by traffordbrown on May 15, 2013 20:58:53 GMT
Shit, why?
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2013 20:59:55 GMT
Some issues but the good news is that ill have plenty more time to be on here
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Post by traffordbrown on May 15, 2013 21:01:37 GMT
This is true. More time to type up some seriously mind-blowing posts on how Ronaldo is better than Messi etc.
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Post by Chris on May 15, 2013 21:05:59 GMT
I have a feeling that i'm soon to be unemployed I got made redundant a month ago, a couple of weeks before I was due to move into the flat I was about to buy. I hate life so much. Thank fuck we have United eh.
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Post by traffordbrown on May 15, 2013 21:07:38 GMT
Fuck Chris mate, that's shitty. Sorry to hear that. Hope you're coping.
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Post by Chris on May 15, 2013 21:10:04 GMT
Not too well in all honesty. I've had many years of mild depression due to jobs over the years and I thought I was over it until this recent news. Not coping well, but people have it worse so you soldier on.
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