Comments for PGCELog

Comment on EAL by Nigel

Nigel — Sun, 27 May 2007 17:59:19 +0000

That’s main block over and done with ….and all the assignments! Congratulations!!!

Use the FDP time wisley to get yourself prepared for next year – or do somethig you always wanted to try in thye classroom. It’s a great opportunity, so don’t see it as just as a ‘wind-down’

Comment on EAL by Nigel

Nigel — Sun, 20 May 2007 14:03:44 +0000

it is a hard one to crack…have a ‘constructive’ look over the school PS sessions – yoiu must have cobered this at both schools..and probabaly ahd a lecture on it or covered it in a session with Yota… it all counts!
You could consider ethincity too – different cultural values and understanding of the language /culture is all part and parcel of EAL.

FDP will be a breeze I’m sure – do you have anything specific in mind or has the school taken care of that? Hope your Ext Examinatin went wel – Emaa (at Charters) had it last week – she was relievd it went well and is over.

Just S6 to cmpletye now eh?!

Comment on Contact with parents by Nigel

Nigel — Sun, 20 May 2007 13:58:00 +0000

Good for you!

Parents are funny – some are SO defensive of their children you really want to shake them up…or even better get them to eb a fly on the wall during a normal lesson with their little angel! As I’m sure you;’ve found out, at Parente Evenings you can start to see why the kids arae they way they are! Most actually support the school, althouigh I;ve had some who found it hard to believe waht I was saying…so when we met with their child present it came as quite a shock!

Comment on Last familiarisation and year 12 by Matt

Matt — Sun, 13 May 2007 16:09:21 +0000

We did that with the year 12′s. Last Friday we made them sit the paper in exam conditions, then I marked them. The results weren’t brilliant, especially as a lot of them are hoping for A’s and B’s, but still not sure it’s enough to jolt them into reality!

This is the last week of main block. (Being observed by Uni tutor and external examiner…fun!) But I am back for FDP..!

Comment on Last familiarisation and year 12 by Nigel

Nigel — Sun, 13 May 2007 10:03:16 +0000

My Y12 have been just as bad….andwhat really gav ethem a shock was the handing back the marks for the Coursework ..thaey have to sign the sheet. It reaaly hit home that some had not done the work – and now (11 May) they ahve gone on study leave. I’m expecting a fair number to turn up for revision sessions. You could try running 1/2 the lesson as an actual exam with the other half reviewing their answers.
Y9 are finding the test hard – give the practice sessions, stopping the class to show how something is done.

As you enter the final few weeks of block practice, it’s a good idea to take stock of what resources you have – bothy thise you’ve created yourself and those from the school – take copies of EVERYTHING. If they have old text books you could use, ask if you could have them too.

And something to remember when back at Univ – Golden Handshake stuff. Download and print out from Blackboard BEFORE you finish…saves a lot of hassle this time next year when you think about trying to claim it. (Also, if you can get Univ to compelte part1 now it would easier too!)

Comment on Year 7 by Nigel

Nigel — Tue, 08 May 2007 16:24:36 +0000

Getting near the final push now…so have a really good look through your standards making sure you have 3 ticks and pieces of eveidence for each. If not, talk with your mentor / school and see what you can do to get ‘em covered.
Hopefully S6 is nearing completion…and you’ll be thinking of what to do on FDP …

Comment on Year 7 by Nigel

Nigel — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:31:49 +0000

Repeat lesson makes it so easy to be refkective on what went well …and what didn’t…especially with lower ability kids. I still find differentiation neds to be thought about carefully…even if there’s an LSA avaialable.

Isn;t it amazing how much they ‘forget’ over the holidays?

Comment on Tutor review/Moderation day by Nigel

Nigel — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 18:28:23 +0000

It has surprised me just how repetitive parenst meeting actually are! You say the same positive tsuff about each child! I’ve found it usfulke to strt off by saying ‘I’m probably not going to tell something you haven’t heard from other staf…’ at which point the parent generaly jumps in with something …talking, lack of attention , no homewrok etc Makes it very easy! Of cousre you never see the parenst you really WANT to see…

Many congrtas on the job – nice to gte that hurdle out of the way…now you’ll got tpo do is pass the PGCE..no sweat!

Comment on Year 7 by Matt

Matt — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:35:40 +0000

There is a standard about taking account of different interests and learning styles, so I guess it could go under that.

One of the teachers here loves the whole kinesthetic side of things and takes them out into the playground in the summer to do “Flowerol” where they have to act out growing plants around the playground. You have to be quite brave especially with some of the groups I teach!

Comment on Year 7 by Nigel

Nigel — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 18:59:50 +0000

Trafiic light stuff is a bit boring… I started the following lesson with a set of red and green pieces of card controlling who came into the room with the LSA/TA (if avaialble!) taking the register…got across the idea of monitoring and control quite nicely!
My Y7s also liked playing ‘Sir says…’ which also helps them understand the diea of sensors (my eyes) decisons (who’s out) and action ((sitting down). Also good for diffret learnig stykes (is there a std relating to VAK somewhere?)

Good classes are great aren’t they? Makes it seem so worthwhile when you get one…you can actually look forward to it!