Post-PGCE Update

My placement class teacher has filled me in on the destination of the broad beans. :)

The class picked them when they were ready, cooked and enjoyed them. I am so very pleased that they turned out well and that the children had a chance to try them, as a lot of them had not tried broad beans before.

Plus, the beans that were ready later on have been dried and will be re-planted next year. So, our science experiment seems to have a lasting legacy - for the next school year at least. :)





In other news, on the NQT position hunt, I've been shortlisted four times. I've attended three interviews and taught two observed lessons. Tomorrow, I'll be teaching a third observed lesson. *fingers crossed*

Regarding job hunting, I think it is quite a nerve-racking process. 

• The application itself is long and each school/position deserves a well thought out and personalised statement/letter of application. This can obviously be time consuming, but I definitely think the extra time is necessary to reach the shortlisting stage. 
• Teaching a lesson in a school you don't know, to a class you've never met, whilst being observed by one or more senior members of staff is even more stressful. Yet, I've surprised myself by actually enjoying each of the lessons I've taught. It has made me realise that I do like being with a class and creating opportunities for them to learn and develop. :) 
• The interview section has probably been the biggest source of worry. My interviews thus-far have been with 5-person panels! You very much feel like you are in the hotseat. They also seem to have a habit of being over surprisingly fast - a short burst of pressure and then they are over and you can do no more. [Except this time, where the school have reversed the process, interviewing first and then shortlisting again before the observed lesson.]

If - when - I secure an NQT post, I'll be sure to report back. In the meantime, I'm going to keep on searching and keep on learning. :)

Official Pass List

Today, the official pass list for my Primary PGCE went live at 12pm today.

I think, for most, it was a formality. If you have passed all the assignments, passed the placements and had the QTS file signed off, it is pretty much a given. Conversly, those who have been told/asked to resist either an essay or a placement have known for some time that they have to. 

Nevertheless, it is great to have things confirmed.

I have now been officially awarded a PGCE with QTS!

That makes me an NQT. Eck!

First Teaching Interview Lesson

Yesterday, I had my first interview for a teaching role.  I say interview, because that is what happened - it took me by surprise lol. The letter said it was a two-stage process. A lesson observation and then, if invited back, an interview the following day. Instead, I was asked to wait [nothing else was said] and 1h45m later, I was taken into a 5-person panel interview! Needless to say, I don't think I did well in the interview section as I was caught on the hop lol. A shame, as it seems like a lovely school, but I'll just have to wait and see..

Anyway, the positive was the lesson. I had to teach a 1 hour literacy lesson to a class of 30. I found it quite difficult to plan, because I didn't have any assessment or prior knowledge information to work from, or any knowledge about the make up of the class. Once I arrived though, and actually started teaching, I really enjoyed it! The class were lovely and worked hard. We managed to come up with some great things, focusing on descriptions of a forest using all of our senses. We closed our eyes and listened to the clip below, and we looked at lots of different pictures. They did really well with the starter and the peer assessment plenary too. The hour raced by [in a good way - I didn't lose track of timings etc] and I was almost sad to hand them back to their own teacher lol. Bless them! :)

 

[An edited version of forest sounds found on YouTube]

 

Being "the teacher" and having your own class is definitely the best aspect of the job. :)

PGCE Course Finished! :o

Today, we had our final university session. Now the PGCE course is over.

It was quite nicely timed. Our induction day, last year, was on July 4th. That day, we were told that it was the hardest year of our lives. That we would never be so knackered and that we would never be so physically drained. They also set us a range of tasks for the summer, including tests in our core subjects... I left that day feeling dejected and unsure. 

Now, it is exactly one year on. The course is finished. It is incredible!

My QTS folder has been signed off. I already know my placement grades. I also know my marks for the two main MA level essays. I am just waiting on one shorter, reflective essay mark and then the final 'pass list'. They haven't actually said when they will be released. It is a bit crazy really, but I am sure it will all come through in the end.

It feels odd to have finished. Part of me didn't think I would make it. But I have. The majority on my course have. It feels pretty darn good! :D

I have also been shortlisted for another job. Not sure if that is a good thing yet or not, but we'll see. I might as well give it a shot. :)

Broad Beans

The beans I planted with my class, at the start of my placement, are now out in the school garden and - as you can see - they are coming along nicely. It is great to leave something there, growing and developing. Hopefully, they will produce lots of great beans for the children to try - especially as most had not tasted broad beans before. It is a good thing to have as a bit of a legacy. :)

Today was my last day at my placement school. It was very sad, although I am not one to well up. My class gave me so many little presents - all things that they had drawn or made. It was very sweet. I will definitely miss them, and my class teacher and my teaching assistant. They have all been fantastic. 

I started out very skeptical for this placement, as the first was not ideal. However, I have been given a good report, lots of positive feedback and I have throughly enjoyed it. So much so that I applied for three jobs on Monday. One of them contacted me yesterday to say I had been shortlisted, so I now have my first teaching interview to prepare for. It is very, very scary. But, who knows, it might all just slot together perfectly. :)

QTS File Hand-In

On a PGCE course, you end up having more files than you could ever hope to carry. Just some of those, for my course, include:

- English Subject File

- Maths Subject File

- Science Subject File

- Foundation Subject File(s) [covering RE, History, Geography, Art, DT, PE, MFL, Music and ICT]

- CIS and AFV File(s)

- Placement Files [minimum of 2 - one for each main placement - but most people, self included, end up with multiple files for the larger placement]
- MA Module Files [Teaching & Learning and the Self Directed Study]

- QTS File.

Each file is a lever-arch. Each file is full. Then there are all the bits and pieces that have to go elsewhere. So much paper! Each student on a PGCE course must be responsible for the death of multiple trees! :/

Anyway, the placement files are looked at by our class teachers and our STCC. They have to be on hand at all times and we cannot 'deny access' to anyone. My STCC signed my files off when I finished my placement, so they are just sitting tight now [incase I am one of the people picked by the external examiner - who will then want to see every above file].

The 'main' file is the QTS file. The one pictured above. This one features documents from our HASE placements, our Record of Achievement, essays and feedback, workbooks for English, Maths and Science and a few other pieces. Eg, our CEDP. This week was hand-in week for the file. On Wednesday, after school, I whizzed up to the department and submitted it. It felt like such a big moment. All being well, I should get my QTS and pass the course. Yay! :D

I celebrated the ceremonial hand-in with a friend. We frequented the bar 'beer garden' for my college until 9pm, sitting in the sunshine. The sun opted to shine unmasked by clouds that day, for the only day this week. It felt so good. Being in school and not really teaching [well, sometimes taking lessons but not doing the planning side] has some real benefits - namely, being able to sit until 9pm in the pub without then having to rush back to do shed loads of work lol. :)

On a slightly different note, my STCC finally seems to "like" me. I went to ask him something on Friday and he said he was very proud of me and that he thinks my final placement report is fantastic and well deserved. My class teacher has given me a good overall but she has upped the number of outstandings since she showed it to me, so it is about 50% good and 50% outstanding now for the standards, which is far more than I expected. When I said that I am thinking about maybe applying for some teaching jobs, he hugged me! I suppose that should be a confidence boost. He thinks I can do it. To be honest, I think I can do it too. My dilemma, lol, is whether I want to... Decisions, decisions. :)

Working One-To-One

The next two weeks are enhancement weeks. Today, I opted to stay with my own class [although, from tomorrow, I am off to other classes - Yr1/2 and then EYFS next week] and used the time to do some of the assessment tasks I hadn't got around to. Obviously, I've been formatively assessing throughout my teaching, but detailed, summative assessments are hard to do when you don't have the time to work one-to-one. Having had a TA role today, I was able to fit it in during things like 'show and tell'. :)

It was really nice, working on that level with my sample of children.

They seemed to enjoy it, especially the MA/HA children I picked as they are often expected to get on with things whilst the teacher/TA focuses on the LA. Instead, they were getting the full of attention of an adult and were being asked to talk about their ideas etc. :)

I did a few reading miscues, which were quite revealing. Then I did some great Maths AT1 assessments. We recorded the audio from session and I've turned that into a transcript. It is so interesting - the thought processes and the way they explain things, to back up the written notes/answers given. They saw it was a challenge - in a good way - and wanted to solve the puzzles. That is exactly the attitude you want to encourage. It was fab. 

Whilst letting go of control today was a little difficult - I almost wanted to be up at the front, doing lessons I had planned etc - the time it gave me to spend working with children in this way was great. It is something you lack often when teaching a full class of 30 - you simply don't have the time to do it.

And, another nice thing. Before hometime, I gave the class a card and some sweets [I've already exchanged cards and presents with the teacher and TA] and mentioned that, whilst I will be around school, I won't be in their class anymore. They all moaned and one of the boys, who I have told off on a number of occassions [although I have obviously praised him wherever possible to - firm but fair], said that he didn't want to me to go. How sweet is that! I am going to miss the class, without doubt...

Final Placement Finished

Just a quick update...

My final placement finished yesterday, so - for now - that means no more teaching, no more planning. Yay! :D

My class teacher was really sweet. She has got me a great card, a cake, smellies, vodka and wine! As I had PPA on a Friday afternoon, she told me to go straight home and start celebrating. I didn't lol - I got a few jobs done and helped her out with the class instead. The weather was rubbish and I was in no rush to get off. :)

She is finishing off my report this weekend, but we discussed it and - as it stands - she has given me a good or outstanding for each QTS standard. Very, very happy with that.

Things are wrapping up now.

Two more weeks at school [on enhancement]. It is going to be strange when I leave - we've been there for some 10 weeks straight already!

Then, there is just one day in university and then the final move out day. Three weeks today and I'll be back home, with my PGCE complete and QTS!

Who'd have thought it?! :D

One half term on placement? Completed! :D

Today has been a rather long day. Starting at the usual 6am, so we could get to school by 7am. I worked through break and lunch - again, as normal - but then had a real good laugh with a few of the teachers in the garden. I've become something of a passive smoker - mainly because so many teachers at my school smoke lol. We had a really good laugh though and it was great to have some light-relief. :) 

I left school at around 4.30pm but had to go up to a local leisure centre to update a display provided by the school [all about the olympics]. We had created some medals this afternoon, where the children wrote down a time when they were brave. Some of those were incredibly funny - I've realised, especially after marking so much Big Write, that innocent spelling errors can make you cry with laughter. Although obviously not in front of the children! Eg. One of the medals read "I was brave when I fell off the whores". Obviously, the pupil meant horse, but it didn't stop myself, the TA and my class teacher having a good, innappropriate giggle. One that was incredibly funny [without any such spelling errors] read: "I was brave when I was chased by a venermous spider and when a horse ate my hair". I mean, what lol?! The children are fantastic - they are definitely a highlight of any PGCE. They make you smile, with their little ways and some of the things they say, every day. :D

Anyway, I put the display up and got back home at around 5.30pm. I then realised that I hadn't eaten anything today [pretty usual on placement, I've found], so I competed with a large group of Americans to cook my dinner. They are still in the kitchen now [in fact, there are more of them now lol], so I am glad I didn't hold off to cook without interrupting them. :)

As the title says, today marks the end of a half term. An entire half term as the main teacher for 29 children. A very scary notion! It has been a good half term though [knackering, but good] and we've managed to do some creative things. The children have written and performed playscripts, created photoframes in DT, 'natural collages' in art, newspapers/bar charts/collages and various maps in history/geography and we have had the chance to do lots of practical things in maths. Eg, we did a 'measure me' activity on Monday outside in the sunshine - with the children working in pairs to find 7 set measurements, eg. foot length, smile width. Similarly, we did lots of hands-on activities involving capacity on Wednesday, including an activity where we made up some drinks for Willy Wonka. It is nice when the creative things pay off and the children seem to enjoy their lessons. And, they have all been so engaged by our class novel [The Twits] that we keep having little fights on our hands over the Roald Dahl book collection in our classroom - all the children want the chance to read each and every one, including those who normally refuse to read. Yay!

So, all good things. I've one more week of this placement left, then two weeks enhancement. I've arranged to spend those two weeks in three different classes [covering EYFS/KS1 and year 3 - I am staying in my current class for three days, just because I'd hate to miss that chance]. Time is ticking. It'll soon be summer! And, before that, I've got half term. There is an essay to do and a day to be spent in university, but I have most of the week off and it almost doesn't feel real right now. No 6am starts for a week?! Wow! :D

 

Oh, and here are our broadbeans now. :) We finished our investigation into the effects of light [and disposed of those slightly unhappy looking plants today - they went into the compost bin] and we planted the children's individual broadbeans. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, they will be able to serve them up in the school kitchen [alongside some of the crops being grown by the other classes]. :)

Durham Display :D

The Ancient Egypt display came down this week [or, rather, was reduced in size and moved to another display board] - that was the class topic for spring term. As we are 6 weeks into summer term now, and with Ofsted looming, it was time for a change. :)

For summer term, the topic is Durham - the history and geography of the place. So, we've looked at lots of maps, photographs and paintings from as early as 1500, as well as the story of St Cuthbert and the story of John Duck [the Durham Dick Whittington, I'll have you know]. Our class trip obviously tied into this topic and we've since examined the 1851 census to produce bar and pie charts about professions at the time, as well as examining life as a Victorian miner and as a Victorian domestic servant. The latter things are get to go on display. We also have our gold [thanks to my spray-painting antics in the playground this afternoon] frames to go on the table - we are going to link our DT and use the frames to display some extra pictures from our trip. :)

Anyway, I think the display looks pretty darn good so far. The TAs are fantastic when it comes to displays [as well as in general!] and managed to put it up in just a couple of hours - from start [pulling down and moving the old one] to finish. The classroom is starting to fully reflect the work I've been doing with the class, so that feels great and the children have had a little boost from having new pieces on display. For example, the 'writing wall' is now full of work on The Twits, from character descriptions to playscripts - all from the last few weeks. The vocabulary wall features lots of great adjectives for our class topics - The Twits, Durham and 'growing things' [for science]. We have a small Hindu display with a puja tray that the children have examined - they are drawn to it each morning, which is lovely. And, we now have this large Durham display to show off some of our history/geography work. Things are really coming together and I feel like I have made an actual mark on the classroom now. :)