Anyone been on a primary PGCE?

[Ice213]

I'm heading into one in September. Got accepted a good few months back, and was just wondering on peoples experiences of it, and if anyone had any advice for me before embarking on this?

Thanks

 

[Ice213]

Liverpool Hope . Got recommended it by one of the teachers where I got a lot of my experience. How about yourself?

 

[Ice213]

1) Don't touch the kids. This is bad.

2) Assuming you're male, do try and touch the hordes of lush, impressionable female trainee teachers. This is good.

Doing my post grad at a uni that specialised in primary teaching & nursing was a masterstroke for me. Good times

Excellent advice . I will most certainly bare these in mind .

EDIT: Winky face was for point 2, not point one, as a winky face there...well...

Not long ago finished a secondary one. All I can say is, be prepared for a mountain of work! Also, good luck

This was something I've been hearing, is it really almost unmanageable the amount of work? And is the work hard? Or is there just a lot of it?

 

[Ice213]

The work isn't hard, it is just relentless - my advice would be to keep on top of it as much as possible.

Also, be prepared for criticism and to just ride it out (I found that nodding a lot helps). Whatever you do there will always be someone criticizing you (even if they do exactly the same or you are just following someone else's advice).

From my experience and I know a lot of others too, the course itself isn't necessarily that much fun. Luckily, the teacher part of it is very rewarding - especially in the primary school. One of my most enjoyable weeks of my PGCE was the week of work experience in the primary school, so it should be fun

I will certainly try my best to get on top of it as soon as I can .

I can definitely do the whole, nod and listen thing. 7 Years of drama helps .

Hopefully it is a little bit enjoyable, as a year of no fun makes me a saaaaad panda .

Primary and your male, Good choice! My wife recently finished her PGCE and it took her a year to find a job, But all of the 4 Males in the year of 200 students got a job offer whilst they were STILL studying!

male Primary teachers are highly sought after at the moment.

I shall be doing one when i finish my degree, Its decent pay (£22.5k starting) and seems like fun, I like kids and i wish to help them learn

Shame the PGCE is a headache though, Not an easy year


Also From watching her do it, Its hardish work and there is a ton of it.

Well that does sounds promising . Yeah, if only it was super easy to cruise it, I'd love it .


Thanks a lot for all the advice and info so far everyone, much appreciated

 

[Ice213]

My girlfriend teaches primary. Judging by her feedback its a very involved job, you will be working at home and during the holidays, you will be stressed and there will be horrible TA's and teachers who'll do their best to put you down.

Good luck =D

This, this doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence . Lol. Ah well, I'm sorta committed to it now anyway

 

[Ice213]

It's the same with any teaching role really. The first couple of years are the hardest as you build up a portfolio of lesson plans & materials to draw from. After you've got a decent stockpile there's fairly little actual new stuff to consider, just additions to the syllabus etc. You can just reuse all you've done so far, and make more time for yourself.

I imagine the workload for primary is less than secondary, and certainly less complicated, although there's bound to be a fair bit of after school stuff to consider. Just think of all the fellow teachers, and the milfs on parents evening

Ah right, I see. That makes a lot of sense actually, obviously no one is going to plan all the lessons for me and I just deliver them with charisma .

Haha, while working voluntarily for the experience to get onto this course, I did happen to spot a few of them there milfs on the way out of school .

 

[Ice213]

Lol this is very true. I am currently a primary teacher in a year 3 class and my partner did a secondary PGCE. Just finished my NQT year, the training and first year are ridiculously hard, it starts to get easier though , stick at it, it gets better. Message me if you need any help! xx

When I start to have a breakdown I may take you up on the help offer . Lol.

 

[Ice213]

Sorry guys, been pretty busy this weekend.

Have you volunteered at a few schools? By your questions it seems like you haven't, I would go ring up your local school and see if you can spend a few days there before you start PGCE... I guess it's too late now.

Yeah, I've volunteered, of course. Having been on the course yourself you of all people should know that you won't even get considered without the relevant experience.

Maybe I was just at decent school where I volunteered, but I had a really good time. Bit tiring since I had a job at the same time, but still enjoyed it as much as I could've done. Teachers were all nice, the kids were great (most of them), and got on well with the Head and Deputy.

It's possible I was just lucky and will have a terrible time of it on the PGCE and drop out, have a breakdown etc . But hopefully I don't

 

[Ice213]

The experience is very dependent on the school. I was very lucky with both of my placements and ended up in two very good schools. I have heard some horror stories from some other students though.

Yeah, I could definitely imagine this being the case. I think if I get a good first school just to get me over my current nagging doubts, I'll be fine, but if I get an awful first school, I...I just don't know

 

[Ice213]

And isn't it a bit late to be asking these questions when you're about to go on the course?

I wasn't ever asking if I should go on the course, I was only asking for advice for when I do on the course from people who may have done it themselves, or know people who are on it/have done it.