Hurdles

[This title is me getting into the spirit of the Olympics].

This week saw the arrival of the paperwork. Gosh, I do love paperwork, especially filling out forms… I guess I should probably get used to it as I’m going to be doing lots of paperwork after September. Actually, I’m not complaining: I’ve been waiting for the paperwork for a while. I like it. It shows me that this is actually happening. I’m finally getting to train as a teacher. Plus, this came with a little surprise.

I opened this hulk of an envelope to find a bunch of forms and a letter- apparently of explanation, but it just raised more questions. Anyway, I’ve had to fill out a form and pay for another CRB (despite me currently having two valid CRB checks); complete a health check –this raised a few issues, such as ‘who actually is my GP?...Oh really?...I’ve never met him’, and the like. All things that I should probably know already. Thank goodness for parents.  And, finally, I have to sort out a bunch of exam certificates and identification. Turns out I have to send the originals, not photocopies. My original ID documents. In the hands of the postal service. I’m worried.

Actually, that wasn’t all. The surprise! I have now been requested to spend five days observing in a primary school, about which I must write a short report. Now, I’m fine with this. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a primary school. I’m looking forward to it. My problem is with the schools themselves. Here follows a short rant.

What is with institutions and their unwillingness to help anyone at the moment? Before my first interview on this round of PGCE applications, I was requested to spend one day- One Day- in a local secondary school, observing the subject I wanted to teach. After contacting all my local secondary schools I was met with requests of “just drop in a letter and the Head will get back to you” and “If you leave your details someone will call you back”. They didn’t get back to me. I contacted them repeatedly- by phone and in person- and was just fobbed off with more of the same. Finally, the day before my interview, one school’s receptionist said “I’ll say ‘no’ on behalf of the Head then, shall I. Is that ok?”…Well, no, not really. It’s not ok.  And another school still hasn’t replied to me!

With this in mind I’ve now visited my local primary schools; and once again I’ve been met with “Just drop in a letter” and “we’ll take your details”- despite my visiting each school in person. I don’t understand what the problem is with helping a prospective teacher? I have a valid CRB check for their district. I have experience of working with the age-group.­ I don’t need paying! I just want to observe and ask some questions. Is that too much to ask? I’m only trying to check all the boxes that I have to check before starting the course.

Rant over.

I’d apologise, but I feel as though every step of my PGCE application has been met with hurdles, some of which would be completely avoidable if institutions took the time to listen. Of course, I’m not their priority, but they are a part of the community, of which I am a member, so a little bit of respect wouldn’t go amiss.  I wonder if anyone else has been met with the wall of silence with regards to observation, when a simple yes or no would’ve been more appropriate, or if I’m just cursed.

Wobbly Bits

The negativity is starting to creep in. I’ve been in school this past week and have been chatting with current teachers, getting their opinions on their jobs and some advice.

Mostly it’s been a lot of ‘it’s hard work, but if you’re serious about teaching, you’ll deal with it’ kind of thing. That’s great. I am serious about teaching. I am preparing myself for the workload. But mixed in with the warnings is a kind of resignation. All of them seem disillusioned with the mountain of paperwork/red tape they have to manage, in addition to lesson prep and marking. Even the best teachers, the ones that are so passionate about what they do, are rolling their eyes at the paperwork. They say it’s really dragging them down. They almost seem defeated by the paperwork. At the same time I’ve been reading articles online, and in other blogs, and they’re all focussing on the same problem: the paperwork. Just today, I read this thread which highlights the current problem of just getting a job, after completing the PGCE.

Now, I know I can be a bit of a dreamer, but the reality of seeing so many fantastic teachers suffering under paperwork is really striking home. I’m going into teaching to teach. I understand that there will be paperwork, and there will be long hours; but right now (from what I’m seeing and hearing) it’s bordering on the ridiculous. And it seems like a problem that’s set to get worse before it gets better. If it gets better. 

I guess this is just a bit of wobble because it seems that all the negative aspects of teaching are presenting themselves to me en masse right now! Of course I was aware of the issues, just not the full extent of them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still 100% up for it, only now I’m realising the true size of the hill that I’ve got to climb.

On a cheerier note, I’ve been given some advice to pass the time until I can get stuck into the PGCE. Anyone wanting to teach English, take note. I have been told that, yes, while the course is demanding, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by reading lots of teenage fiction before the course starts: even if, like me, you haven’t received your course reading list yet. By getting the reading in now a) you might, accidentally, read something that’s on the list. Wonderful. One less thing to read from scratch in the midst of essays and planning and researching; and b) you’ll have a better grounding in what your students will be reading. You’ll be able to suggest books for them to read, and you’ll be able to relate the set texts to something.

I’m using libraries to read teenage fiction, partly because I don’t want to be buying books just to read them once (I’ll buy them later if I love them), and partly because the librarians know what’s good teenage fiction and what’s best to avoid. Librarians are true fonts of knowledge. Oh, and, supporting my local library! I’d miss it if it closed. Really.

So I’ve just read Once, which is the first in Morris Gleitzman’s tetralogy (looked up that word especially for this blog. See, it’s educational.), Once/Now/Then/After.  Once tells the story of Felix, a young Jewish boy in war-time Europe. It’s comparable to The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas especially with regards to the narrator, with both stories being told from the point of view of a young boy. It’s also pretty short- I read it in two hours- and, as it’s aimed at children, it’s not a difficult read. Saying that, it is really well written: I’m definitely going to read the following three books, more for pleasure than for the course.

Next up is Kevin Brook’s Naked, set in London’s punk scene of the 1970s. This was recommended to me as an example of modern, gritty teenage fiction. I’m only a few pages in, so I’ll review the recommendation later. However, I am slightly dissuaded by the Guardian’s review. Nevermind, I shall continue.  

Still, I think reading teenage fiction is sound advice, and- so far at least- is quite an enjoyable task. If anyone has any recommendations for good teenage fiction please place them in the comments and I’ll give ‘em a whizz.

Know Your Onions

As of September I’m going to be learning about teaching English to teenagers, so I figured it was about time I brushed up on my subject knowledge. The English half of my undergraduate degree was English Literature (joint honours with History) so while I’m not going to get complacent about my English Lit knowledge, I definitely need to brush up on English Language.

When I was at school English Language was something you were just expected to pick up as you went along. I remember being taught in primary school that (and I quote) “An apostrophe is a comma with its flying license”. Funny when you’re seven, but useless when you need to know how to apply it. By secondary school it was just assumed that we all knew how to use punctuation. Thankfully one discerning teacher realised the problem just before our GCSEs and gave us a crash course in apostrophes, with a bit about colons and semi-colons. Sometimes I wonder if we weren’t taught this stuff because our teachers didn’t know it. Even now, when I’m in school, I hear confused explanations of how to use punctuation, unless it’s a full stop. Aside from punctuation, I think I got most of my knowledge of what is a ‘verb’ or ‘adverb’ from French classes. And as for what constitutes correct sentence structure…well, I’m still waiting for that little lightbulb to appear.

Obviously, I can’t be doing that much wrong. I did complete an English dissertation, and no one mentioned any problems with my language skills. I guess I have just picked it up as I went along. But, I have identified English Language as my weak area. So I’ve been out and bought a book. Now, I’ve not finished it yet but I’m going to recommend it you.

My Grammar and I (or Should That Be ‘Me’?)- Caroline Taggart & J.A. Vines
This book is brilliant. It is not a dull drudge through the rules of correct grammar. It’s hilarious. I’m sure I’ve been annoying everyone around me by sporadically bursting out laughing, then reading out snippets from the book. It is so funny. It’s also really well organised, so you can just dip into sections as and when you need them.

I’ve also had Trevor Wright’s How to Be A Brilliant English Teacher recommended to me. I’ve yet to read this, but once I do I will review it in the blog.

Not forgetting the dreaded QTS skills tests. Apparently Jim Johnson’s Achieving QTS Skills tests books are good (again, I’ll write about them once I’ve read them). Although until then, I have bookmarked the online practice tests.

 

 And in order to maintain that ever-so-important work/life balance; I’ll also be taking Rachel Khoo’s The Little Paris Kitchen with me to University. I think on my one day away from work I’ll be trying out the recipes. Very excited.

 



Any suggestions for what I else I could be reading to improve my subject knowledge?

This ‘Know Your Onions’/ reading corner could become a semi-regular feature on this blog, especially if I keep finding books as brilliant as My Grammar and I (or Should That Be ‘Me’?)

Oh, and as an afterthought, after deciding on the title of this post, I got to wondering about the origins of the phrase 'Know you Onions'. After a quick google, voila, an explanation.

UPDATE: After I posted this, the tes posted on Twitter this page of recommended reads for trainee teachers. Handy.

Check

Wow, it’s been over a week since I last posted. Things have started moving now. In my head I’ve made a check list of everything that needs sorting before September. The first thing is to get all the forms filled in. And believe me, there are a lot of forms. CRB forms, Health check forms, student finance forms. And within the next month, I believe there will be a lot of posting of copies of exam certificates and more ID stuff for the university. I am definitely going to be developing a highly sophisticated filing system*

Yesterday I went to view housing. My university offers accommodation for first year Undergrad and Postgrad students on any course except PGCE. I think it’s because the PGCE year runs on a slightly different timetable from the rest of the university. Anyway, I found a few properties through various websites; but after viewing I had such a weird decision to make. One house was social and friendly and clean; the other (I’ll call it ‘the flat’), was more isolated/self-contained, and more expensive. Here’s the dilemma:

     I’m moving to a city where I don’t yet know anyone, so in order to meet people I could live in a shared house with current Postgrad students (not PGCE-ers). It’s a social house, they cook and eat together, have summer BBQs, have mates around all the time. It’d be a great way to build a small base of people I know.
      However, I’ll be at uni/placement for most of the day and then doing prep work when I get home. I’ve already decided to take one day a week off, which I’ll use to explore the city, and things that interest me. So wherever I live, I’ll just be eating, sleeping and locked away preparing/studying.

I’ve opted for ‘the flat’. I think living in the social house will be awkward, just because I’m going to be treating accommodation more like a hotel than a home. I won’t really be mingling in the house. Plus, I’ll meet people through the course. On the downside, 'the flat' is up three flights of narrow stairs (no lift), so getting all my stuff up them will be interesting.

Since making my decision and signing on the dotted line (literally), I’ve been researching the area some more. Turns out ‘the flat’ is in the Cosmopolitan Quarter of the city. I am very excited to move there now. It is surrounded by bistros, local produce restaurants, bakeries. It’s a got a really good feel to it. But I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if it actually lives up to my expectations.

So: Accommodation? Check.

* This will, inevitably, involve colour coding.

Responses

Hey!

I posted a link to this blog online the other day. My, my, I was not expecting the reception it got. I had messages of congratulations and good luck; messages of people agreeing with blogging the training process; and a message of defeatism. It said I won’t have time to blog once I’ve started the course. This was the most interesting message, based on the response it sparked. I’ll go into that in a moment, but first, I just want to allay any fears that this is something I’m only doing until September.

I started this blog with a full awareness of how demanding the PGCE course will be. Someone once told me that the course is basically a full time job, with homework. I’m expecting it to be full on. I’m prepared for that. At the same time, I was frustrated a) at a lack of “personal” (for want of a better word) information about training for those considering it and b) the number of people who I’d spoken to (both considering and not considering teaching) who claimed that a career in teaching is the easy option. I want to provide a very real resource for people to consult. I want it to be a place where people can find information about applying, about what a course entails, about my feelings towards it; and where people can discuss different techniques and ideas within teaching. In addition to this being a resource that I can look back upon to chart my own development, I want to use it to connect with other educators, both experienced and training. So, now I’ve started, I’m not going to be abandoning it just because I’ll have a heavy workload.

Ok, that’s that. Now, the responses which the message received were so encouraging. They were all from NQTs and people currently on a PGCE course- both primary and secondary. They all offered advice, all of which contained a common message:

you have to make time for yourself.

 

Most said that they have one or two nights a week where they don’t work. They just shut off from it; by doing sport, hanging out with mates (and other trainees), watching TV, whatever works for them. I think this ‘motto’ was lurking somewhere in my mind, but hearing from so many people has promoted it to what will probably be the best piece of advice I’ve been given with regards to PGCE-ing.

People also said that I would ‘find time’ for this blog. They said everything’s a bit full-on at first, but once you’ve established a system/routine, the workload doesn’t lessen, but you can manage it easier.

So, yes, I just thought I’d share this advice with you. And, I’d like to ask, what do you think? –about the blog? – about the advice? … The floor is yours.