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.