FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Amanda]

I contacted a local Catholic school last week which happens to be the best sixth form school in my area, asking if I could do some classroom observation ready for my PGCE application. I went for a visit today to organise things and was overwhelmed by the help they're offering.

They've suggest that I consider the Graduate Training Programme (GTP), meaning that I'd complete teacher training while working as an unqualified teacher at their school, so I wouldn't have to go back to university and I'd be paid. They're also suggesting that if I did this there may be a job waiting for me at the end, as one of their Physics teachers is retiring. They're going to help me with my PGCE application and personal statement, if I choose to go down that route. They've given me application forms to become a paid exam invigilator and a cover assistant. I'm allowed to go in whenever I want, for as long as I want to, observing and helping in lessons.

I only went to arrange some calssroom observation I figured I'd be out in 10 minutes but 2 hours later I left with my head spinning.

I've never been in a school like that in my life. They were the most unbelievebly helpful, enthusiastic and complementary people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. The other school I visted (my old secondary school) was very helpul to but at this school they're going out of their way for me, in every way possible. I'm a little shell shocked by it all.

Physics teachers are a dying breed. Well a dead breed at my school, there weren't any good ones at all. I'm not surprised they're bending over backwards to help.

How long is a GTP?

A year I believe. I've never really bothered looking too much into it, I'd always planned on doing a PGCE.

I realised that Physics teachers were in short supply but I didn't think things were that bad, not until I went to this school. Why does no-one love my subject?

[JamesD89]

I contacted a local Catholic school last week which happens to be the best sixth form school in my area, asking if I could do some classroom observation ready for my PGCE application. I went for a visit today to organise things and was overwhelmed by the help they're offering.

They've suggest that I consider the Graduate Training Programme (GTP), meaning that I'd complete teacher training while working as an unqualified teacher at their school, so I wouldn't have to go back to university and I'd be paid. They're also suggesting that if I did this there may be a job waiting for me at the end, as one of their Physics teachers is retiring. They're going to help me with my PGCE application and personal statement, if I choose to go down that route. They've given me application forms to become a paid exam invigilator and a cover assistant. I'm allowed to go in whenever I want, for as long as I want to, observing and helping in lessons.

I only went to arrange some calssroom observation I figured I'd be out in 10 minutes but 2 hours later I left with my head spinning.

I've never been in a school like that in my life. They were the most unbelievebly helpful, enthusiastic and complementary people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. The other school I visted (my old secondary school) was very helpul to but at this school they're going out of their way for me, in every way possible. I'm a little shell shocked by it all.

Physics teachers are a dying breed. Well a dead breed at my school, there weren't any good ones at all. I'm not surprised they're bending over backwards to help.

How long is a GTP?

A year I believe. I've never really bothered looking too much into it, I'd always planned on doing a PGCE.

I realised that Physics teachers were in short supply but I didn't think things were that bad, not until I went to this school. Why does no-one love my subject?

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

[vaptin]

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Indeed at my school I recall three fairly recent physics teachers who were quite young. Two of them have left, moved onto to "better schools" which can pay them more.

[Amanda]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

[vaptin]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

meh, I'm in mere sixth form doing my bottom.

[JamesD89]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

Yep. Lectures don't work for me, I find them strangely hypnotic. No matter how much sleep I've had, I just drift off. Somebody will eventually revolutionise teaching methods, but it's not going to be in my time at uni so I just have to do it for myself!

[Amanda]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

Yep. Lectures don't work for me, I find them strangely hypnotic. No matter how much sleep I've had, I just drift off. Somebody will eventually revolutionise teaching methods, but it's not going to be in my time at uni so I just have to do it for myself!

You sound like my uni friends Out of 5 of us, 2 girls and 3 boys, 2 of us made it to lectures regularly (no prizes for guessing which 2). My notes were handed around rather a lot.

[JamesD89]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

Yep. Lectures don't work for me, I find them strangely hypnotic. No matter how much sleep I've had, I just drift off. Somebody will eventually revolutionise teaching methods, but it's not going to be in my time at uni so I just have to do it for myself!

You sound like my uni friends Out of 5 of us, 2 girls and 3 boys, 2 of us made it to lectures regularly (no prizes for guessing which 2). My notes were handed around rather a lot.

Ooo was that a rather underhand sexist remark there Amanda?

I don't understand taking notes either, it's quite a waste of time and effort. This whole education system just doesn't work for me.

[Amanda]

Because while most people get by at uni doing 10 hours a week, we get the very wrong end of the stick!!

There's definitely an up turn in numbers, in a few years that should mean more teachers. And better ones at that.

Oooh, are you physics too? My timetable at Uni was horrid, I had more lectures in a day than many people had in a week

Yep. Lectures don't work for me, I find them strangely hypnotic. No matter how much sleep I've had, I just drift off. Somebody will eventually revolutionise teaching methods, but it's not going to be in my time at uni so I just have to do it for myself!

You sound like my uni friends Out of 5 of us, 2 girls and 3 boys, 2 of us made it to lectures regularly (no prizes for guessing which 2). My notes were handed around rather a lot.

Ooo was that a rather underhand sexist remark there Amanda?

I don't understand taking notes either, it's quite a waste of time and effort. This whole education system just doesn't work for me.

Underhanded? Not at all, it was a blatant sexist remark

Half of the time I took notes without even listening properly, some sort of auto pilot kicked in whenever the lecturer was particularly boring (or it was another lecture on Maxwell's equations ). They do come in handy during revision period though, that's usually when everyone started asking to borrow the entire years woth of notes

[JamesD89]

Ooo was that a rather underhand sexist remark there Amanda?

I don't understand taking notes either, it's quite a waste of time and effort. This whole education system just doesn't work for me.

Underhanded? Not at all, it was a blatant sexist remark

Half of the time I took notes without even listening properly, some sort of auto pilot kicked in whenever the lecturer was particularly boring (or it was another lecture on Maxwell's equations ). They do come in handy during revision period though, that's usually when everyone started asking to borrow the entire years woth of notes

That's a money making opportunity if ever there was one!

The lack of colourful, interesting textbooks is a bummer. Black and white A5 books are very

[Amanda]

Ooo was that a rather underhand sexist remark there Amanda?

I don't understand taking notes either, it's quite a waste of time and effort. This whole education system just doesn't work for me.

Underhanded? Not at all, it was a blatant sexist remark

Half of the time I took notes without even listening properly, some sort of auto pilot kicked in whenever the lecturer was particularly boring (or it was another lecture on Maxwell's equations ). They do come in handy during revision period though, that's usually when everyone started asking to borrow the entire years woth of notes

That's a money making opportunity if ever there was one!

The lack of colourful, interesting textbooks is a bummer. Black and white A5 books are very

My notes were multi-coloured

Some of my friends did advise me to scan notes and charge people for them but I wouldn't do that. I was more than happy to lend them out to people, especially friends, for free (as long as they came back intact).

[JamesD89]

And now you can forget all of it and go back to the A Level stuff!

[Amanda]

And now you can forget all of it and go back to the A Level stuff!

Yeah, and GCSE biology I always hated that subject.

[JamesD89]

What years would you be teaching?

[Amanda]

What years would you be teaching?

Secondary level so from 11 years to 16, possibly 6th form too. Thankfully most schools only make you teach your specialist subject (in my case Physics) at the GCSE stage but technically you're meant to be able to teach all three sciences at that level.