Monday 27 September 2010

Day One

Well that was day one. I'm absolutely pooped as I've spent all day on high alert pretty much. Feel like I spent most of the day wandering the corridors (which all look identical, by the way) trying desperately to keep up with my student. We were shadowing students today you see, and of course they know where they're going so tend to steam off at a million miles an hour... More shadowing tomorrow.

I don't know if I'm cut out for this teaching malarkey at all. Really. One positive thing I learned today is that the way they teach science is that they concentrate on biology first, then chemistry and then physics as the year progresses. So that essentially means that I should get away with not having to do any physics! Much awesomeness!

Having said I don't think I'm cut out for it, I can see why people like teaching and it certainly does take a certain kind of resilient person to do it. Even just helping out in the classes today, I can see that those moments when the penny drops and the kids actually 'get' what is that they're doing and learning, are worth it. I can also see how some kids just get completely left behind in the system. With so many pupils and most of the attention going on the ones that are misbehaving, the quiet ones that are struggling just get forgotten. I think there's too much pressure on teachers to be too many things to the kids and do too many things in their working day. I think I saw some examples of good teaching today, but also some less than stellar teaching.

Wonder what tomorrow holds?

Sunday 26 September 2010

Change

OK folks, it's all change around here. Seven weeks ago my dog died (we'd been together for 18 years and three months), then three weeks ago my boyfriend of six years broke up with me... the night before starting my PGCE! Yep, timing, it's all in the timing I would say.

So here I am, three weeks into a horrendous break up, three weeks into getting to grips with my secondary science PGCE, and it's the night before I start my first school placement. Holy moly! I am terrified, not just about school but about pretty much every aspect of life to be honest.

I'm surrounded by packing boxes and newspaper and trying to get on with packing away a whole life. It's too much for one person I tell you. But I am just one person now and need to get on with it. I hope to get the keys to my new place this week and then I'll be out of here, a new life, a new challenge, a new single me. First things first, it's my first day at school tomorrow, so I'm going to get myself sorted now, get my bag ready, my lunch, layout my outfit and then try to get a good night's sleep... EEK!!!

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