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A year in the life of a PGCE student

 

Katie is one of our current PGCE students. Over the course of the year she kept us informed about how she got on and how she faced the challenge of becoming a new teacher.

Why did I choose a PGCE? - I have always loved teaching and have admired my own teachers throughout my life. When I was a child I used to play school with my younger brothers and sisters, and as the eldest of five I was always the designated prof - chalk and board days of course. When people asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was always, 'a teacher!' At both primary and secondary level I really enjoyed my school experience, leading to a gap year in South America and France, working with street children and in a primary école. In my final year at Queens I made good use of the Careers Service in my quest to discover what my next step would be after my degree. My passion for working with young people and my desire to continue using French and Spanish spelt out P.G.C.E..
Application - To be honest I filled out my p.g.c.e application form the night before the deadline. Mainly because of final year demands. I would advise others to be more organised! As soon as I found out that I had been shortlisted for the interview process I contacted a few of my teacher friends and chatted through what might come up and prepared some answers. I continued to research 'topical teaching issues' on the web and organised a mock interview with a careers advisor. As a final preparation I treated myself to a new smart outfit. Feeling prepared and confident I was ready to give it my best shot!