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PGCE - Student Profiles

Name: Paddy
Course: PGCE Sociology

Why did you choose to study for the PGCE at Queen’s over any others? I chose to apply for the PGCE at Queens because of  the reputation of the School of Education. I did my Undergraduate Degree at Queens and when I looked into the PGCE course it seemed to really focus on creating teachers who were prepared for the real world of teaching but with a real emphasis on enjoying the teaching experience. The fact that there is such high demand for a limited number of spaces for a subject like mine just goes to show how popular it really is.

What have you found most interesting or useful about the course so far? I always knew that I wanted to teach, and even though I took a break from education to pursue another career it was always my ambition. However, wanting to teach and actually knowing how are two very different things. The course has provided the support and knowledge to transfer my passion into something teachable and useful. Teaching has really changed since I was at school and the focus is now on getting young people involved and active in their education and this has been a real learning curve for me. I can see how this new style of teaching can engage students and make the classroom experience more exciting and enjoyable for both the students and for teachers.

What is your experience of the teaching support and student facilities at Queen’s? The staff and the other students in the School of Education have become a very close group. From the start we have felt like colleagues in a profession rather than students in a classroom and this has developed a great rapport and open relationship between students and lecturers.

Any advice to future students? There is a real temptation when you start the PGCE to try and become an expert in everything right away. The support is unbelievable, Queens is such a big place but the School of Education feels more like a family.

Would you recommend the PGCE to prospective students? I lived and worked in Dubai in a very different career and I wasn’t sure how this would be viewed and I was worried about how I would transfer my skills and return to education.   However, I have found that my life experiences and skills are supported and encouraged.

There is no doubt that the PGCE is hard work, but it’s a challenge more than stressful.  No matter how much hard work there may be there isn’t a day I don’t go into Queens with the other students and not enjoy it.  When young people in schools see your enthusiasm they give you just as much in return.  Teaching should be fun for both the teacher and the students and this is definitely something that the School of Education at Queens has embraced.