Teaching

I've worked out why there is a shortage of teachers in this country. Its not because of the excessive workload or any of that. Oh no, its because actually getting on a training course is impossible. And once you get on one, actually getting the specifics of that course, to plan for the year ahead, is impossible.

because of simple sending back a signed acceptance letter is now no longer enough, i also now have to confirm on the website. WHICH HAS BEEN DOWN ALL WEEK. If its not back up by the 19th, I could lose my place.

Considering the hassle of the application process, and how overly time consuming and awkward it was, I find it amazing that anyone (let alone me) has the patience to sit through this bullshit. The people on the phone are useless, they direct you to the website, the website that does work directs you to the phone.

and because no one at the university is willing to tell me how when my placement is, nevermind WHERE, I cant actually commit to any kind of accomodation arrangements.

This is ridiculous. and this is even before I speak to the LEA about this grant i'm supposedly entitled to. These people are just ridiculous. "You need to apply online"

"but I've sent a printed application in"

"you need to apply online and send your passport in to us for ID"

"WHAT? Can I bring it in because frankly i dont trust anyone with it, least of all the Royal Mail"

"you can bring it in but we'll have to post it back to you"

So i apply online. This takes forever. Then it asks for my bank details. Go downstairs to get a statement, get sidetracked by the phone, come back upstairs, five minutes later, timed out, whole lot, deleted. Cunts.

Is teaching the right career move? Won't the kids just wind you up all day?

Confusion33 wrote: Is teaching the right career move? Won't the kids just wind you up all day?

No. The kids are fine. They're unlikely to say things like "you can bring your passport in, but we'll have to post it back to you"

Uncle Liam wrote:

Confusion33 wrote: Is teaching the right career move? Won't the kids just wind you up all day?

No. The kids are fine. They're unlikely to say things like "you can bring your passport in, but we'll have to post it back to you"

don't be so sure....

I have applied to do the Certifiacte in Education on a part time basis. My work placement is my full time employment.

I to have found my LEA and Student Finance Direct to be contradictory, unhelpful and darn right rude.

If it is a general PGCE that you are doing it is unusual for you to find out where your placement is until you have started. If you have to spend x amount of weeks in Uni first then you probably won't find out where you will be until the week before you are due to go into school. OR

If you are unlucky like I was until the week after you should have started in school.

Basically teacher training providers are a pile of wank and don't seem to realise that people have plans to make in advance of starting the course.

Sorry it's not positive but on the bright side dealing with the bureaucracy with Edge Hill (if I've got it right?) is the crappiest thing about the course. The actual teaching bit is a piece of piss if you are organised and get all the boxes ticked.

The hardest part of a PGCE is putting up with the crap from the provider, it's almost impossible to fail because you're crap as a teacher.

It is likely they will ask you to re-invent the wheel as much as possible which is just plain wrong, learn to teach and use as many resources you can find.

If you want to prepare Liam, have a good look at the software you are likely to use at the board. The two main ones are SMART and Promethean who don't allow you to download their software.