PGCE Update

So yesterday I managed to get to Enfield, finally, at 8am. We taught our poetry lesson (the theme was 'School Poems') and it seemed to go down well. It was a pretty unnaturally nice school though, but I compare most places to my old high school, which was a 60's concrete horror-academy. Hopefully next week will be the pay-off, when the pupils get to create their own school poems, and we can read them out in class. Today was a one-hour lesson on behaviour management strategies and a REALLY TIRESOME seminar where we basically flogged the techniques we had just learned to death. I like seminars where we work through what we've learned, I don't like seminars where we repeat what we've learned OVER and OVER and OVER again.

The PGCE is going ok, I seem to be up-to-date with all the work, but there is MOUNTAINS of it. We start our block placement after half-term, so that's when the shit hits the fan and we have to start applying all of these lectures and seminars to real-life situations. Luckily I have been teaching for the last couple of years, so the idea of standing in front of a class doesn't terrify me like it did in 2004. I'm also used to making all my own resources, so it'll be really ace to have some ready-made ones to use.

I feel guilty for pretty-much neglecting my friends since I started this course in September, I just hope they understand how hardcore it's been. I have hardly had time to talk to my boyfriend, and I live with him! Don't hate me!! I'm going to try and get all my written work finished so that during half term I can loaf around and go visit all the people that I've abandoned.

*Apologies: Sorry Elin! Sorry Steve! Sorry Anna! Sorry Tash! Sorry Kaff!