To Probation and Beyond
By Lesley Kettles, Business Education Student
I first thought about becoming a business education teacher in fifth year at school. My role model was Miss Rennie, a young and cool teacher (they don’t say cool in the classrooms nowadays) who seemed to explain complicated accounting concepts in an easy way. After an Accounting degree and a Postgraduate Diploma, I would finally begin my ambition of becoming the next Miss Rennie.
The PGDE course is divided into two parts: your time at university to attend lectures and prepare assignments, and your time spent in school on placement. We had five weeks at university before they let us loose in a real classroom and by that time the majority of us were itching to get out there. But despite all the training that we had on ‘how to become a good teacher’, etc., nothing really prepares you for entering a classroom for the first time. My first time in the classroom felt both exciting and equally terrifying. The apprehension was not helped by a pupil shouting out to the class teacher – asking why a 'senior pupil' was helping them. Since then, I have avoided wearing black and white so that I don’t blend in with the pupils. The course eases you into the world of teaching gently by giving you a two-week induction block, which is mainly for observations and team meetings with the rest of the students and the senior management staff. This is a good time to assess whether or not teaching is for you.
After another spell of lectures and tutorials the first placement begins and the real work starts. It is amazing just how quickly the time passes when you are in school and on your feet all day teaching. The evenings and weekends that are spent preparing lessons and worksheets go past even quicker. You long for Friday night and the long lie on Saturday morning. You have barely started in the school when your first 'crit' comes along. A 'crit', or 'tutor visit' as they call it now, is when your university tutor comes out to assess how you are performing as a teacher. You spend hours preparing one lesson and it is over in a flash. The tutor is not there to tell you where your weaknesses are; they highlight your strengths and areas for development. It sounds worse than it is; afterwards you breathe a big sigh of release and wonder why you were ever frantically up till 2 a.m. the night before. I actually looked forward to my second one!
All in all, I had a positive experience in my first placement school. I was welcomed into the department and was made to feel part of the team. When you get a department that is supportive and encouraging it is a real bonus; teachers who take the time to help you are the ones who remember that they were once in same situation as you. Part of the reason I enjoyed my placement is that I felt the student teachers were included in the whole school. It is important that whilst on your placement you become involved in the school, so that you get an insight into the whole school community; therefore I decided to join the senior choir (for two weeks anyway). I had to remember however not to become upset or jealous when I was not selected for a lead role –it is all about the kids after all!
As soon as you can say, 'The bell is a warning for the teachers, NOT the pupils!' your six-week placement is over and the Christmas holidays begin. Just when you get settled in to the school and build up a rapport with your classes and the other teachers, it is time to leave. For once I could say I was not looking forward to going back to attending lectures and having free time again. After a well deserved holiday and another three weeks at university it is time to begin your second placement. I have just started my second placement and the weeks are rolling by fast again. Another school to find your way around, another department to work with and another set of pupils' names to remember. So far, I am enjoying my second placement and this has been helped by having a great bunch of encouraging teachers in the department. The pupils are pretty good too, which makes it easier to like your job.
Throughout my placements I have been reflecting upon my experiences by writing in my blog: www.lesleyjoan.blogspot.com. For those of you not ‘down’ with the computing lingo - a blog is basically an electronic diary where people can reply to the posts that you make. I have had numerous constructive comments from experienced teachers from all over the world and this has helped me to become a ‘reflective practitioner’.
Overall, life as a student teacher is busy and very hard work. Don’t be too alarmed though, it is the type of hard work that you do not mind doing; it is challenging and rewarding - so it is all worth it. The postgraduate student year is like a roller coaster journey: it is incredibly fast and it has a lot of ups and downs. I am only halfway through the journey but I have enjoyed the ride to date. If you love working with and encouraging young people, and are not afraid of a little hard work, then teaching is the job for you. I can’t wait to see what my probation year brings – here’s hoping that it will be as good as the student year.