I've been reading further into my distance learning course and have been shocked, dismayed and horrified by the amount of time it is going to take. I'll effectively be working an extra 35 hours a week, as each 2 week module takes around 70 hours to complete.
Gulp.
I will also need to spend about £200 on books (of which there are 11) and increase our broadband allowance to the maximum.
As yet I'm unsure about whether I'll need a Windows computer to watch the videos on. But as a bonus I'll get to talk to my tutor on Skype and listen to interesting Chemistry-related podcasts.
I also have an awful lot of video to watch - almost 87 hours, to be precise, split between 5 modules, as the last module requires 2 weeks attendance at Sussex University for the practical assessments.
Here's how it goes:
Module 1: Atomic & Electronic structure: 16 hrs of video
Module 2: Thermodynamics: 15 hours of video
Module 3: Periodicity: 19 hours of video
Module 4: Kinetics & Equilibrium: 15 hours of video
Module 5: Organic Chemistry: A whopping 22 hours of video.
I will also have at least 2 assignments and 2 assessments for each of these 5, but some have 4 or 5 to complete.
I find I'm rather looking forward to the university based module. At least I'll only have to work normal hours for that one.
They say that the PGCE year is the hardest in terms of work load. But I sincerely beg to differ.
Plus, my lovely boss who lets me get away with murder as long as I don't make it public, is stepping down from his role as of the beginning of April. I really don't know who he will be replaced by and I very much hope that it's someone equally relaxed and who doesn't feel the need to fill my working days up with...well...work. That would be very bad news for me. I am counting on keeping my long afternoons with not much to do so that I can study and save myself from going to bed at midnight every day.
So....who wants to come and be my live-in nanny for 3 months so I can give up work?
No?
Ah well, it was worth a try.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Vidlearn
http://www.vidlearn.co.uk/extra.php?id=students
This is how I will be doing my Subject Knowledge Enhancement course. It looks pretty cool, butI don't think I'll be able to do it from work!
The good news is that I attract a £2,400 tax free bursary along the way, payable monthly as long as I keep passing the modules, of which there are 6. It says on the University of Sussex website (for these are the people who run this course) that it takes around 4 months to complete, so I will be finished at the end of July.
Interestingly you get to do a self assessment at the beginning of each module, where you get to pick from "I don't know anything about this" to "I could teach this with a day to prepare". Mmm. I think I'll be ticking the "I don't know anything about this" button quite a lot...
I only get 2 chances to pass each assessment, and have to do a multitude of different kinds of coursework along the way.
Husband, I'll need a cleaner and you're on cooking and childminding. It's going to be a busy few months.
This is how I will be doing my Subject Knowledge Enhancement course. It looks pretty cool, butI don't think I'll be able to do it from work!
The good news is that I attract a £2,400 tax free bursary along the way, payable monthly as long as I keep passing the modules, of which there are 6. It says on the University of Sussex website (for these are the people who run this course) that it takes around 4 months to complete, so I will be finished at the end of July.
Interestingly you get to do a self assessment at the beginning of each module, where you get to pick from "I don't know anything about this" to "I could teach this with a day to prepare". Mmm. I think I'll be ticking the "I don't know anything about this" button quite a lot...
I only get 2 chances to pass each assessment, and have to do a multitude of different kinds of coursework along the way.
Husband, I'll need a cleaner and you're on cooking and childminding. It's going to be a busy few months.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
You can uncross your fingers now!
I did it! The offer came through last night, so we might have opened a bottle to celebrate! I expect many more will be drunk as and when I bump into family - the next being Beatrix's birthday party, so get the 'poo out H and George!
I'll also need to be doing 5 days at a secondary school, so Clare & James I might need your help if at all possible. Although there is a secondary school next door to Jocelyn's day care, so it might be easier for me to go there. I'll check them out later on.
I'm quite nervous about the 3 month distance learning course. It's going to be an awful lot of hard work and I think I'll need to hire a cleaner, as I probably won't have the time to spend 4 hours on Saturdays cleaning my house. I might also need to borrow a Windows computer (boo, hiss) for the duration, does anyone have a spare?! I expect I'll be able to do a lot of it at work, but anything interactive or noisy won't work on our outdated internet browser here.
So there we go. Happy me! And slightly nervous me!
We have heard from the draftsman about our house, hurray. The drawings are finished and will be sent off to building regs when we've approved them. So in about 3 weeks time we will be able to start tendering for contractors. Who knows, we may start building in April!
Offer letter:
"Choice details
Institution: University of Brighton
Course
Science: Chemistry
Decision
Conditional
Offer text
This offer is subject to you obtaining:
Gain a minimum of 5 day secondary school observation. On completion a letter from school's head of department to be forwarded to Adam Morley at the University.
Successfully complete and pass 3 month distance learning SKE Chemistry at Sussex University.
This offer is subject to obtaining satisfactory Health Clearance, a satisfactory CriminalRecords Bureau (CRB) 'Enhanced Disclosure' certificate and successful registration with the General Teaching Council.
Reply
Firm
I'll also need to be doing 5 days at a secondary school, so Clare & James I might need your help if at all possible. Although there is a secondary school next door to Jocelyn's day care, so it might be easier for me to go there. I'll check them out later on.
I'm quite nervous about the 3 month distance learning course. It's going to be an awful lot of hard work and I think I'll need to hire a cleaner, as I probably won't have the time to spend 4 hours on Saturdays cleaning my house. I might also need to borrow a Windows computer (boo, hiss) for the duration, does anyone have a spare?! I expect I'll be able to do a lot of it at work, but anything interactive or noisy won't work on our outdated internet browser here.
So there we go. Happy me! And slightly nervous me!
We have heard from the draftsman about our house, hurray. The drawings are finished and will be sent off to building regs when we've approved them. So in about 3 weeks time we will be able to start tendering for contractors. Who knows, we may start building in April!
Offer letter:
"Choice details
Institution: University of Brighton
Course
Science: Chemistry
Decision
Conditional
Offer text
This offer is subject to you obtaining:
Gain a minimum of 5 day secondary school observation. On completion a letter from school's head of department to be forwarded to Adam Morley at the University.
Successfully complete and pass 3 month distance learning SKE Chemistry at Sussex University.
This offer is subject to obtaining satisfactory Health Clearance, a satisfactory CriminalRecords Bureau (CRB) 'Enhanced Disclosure' certificate and successful registration with the General Teaching Council.
Reply
Firm
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
I'm not a foreign student.
"Dear Mrs Scott,
Apologies for the delay in responding.
Thank you for your response.
I can now confirm that you have been assessed as a home fee paying student for entry onto 2012 courses with Brighton University.
Kind regards,
Admissions Team"
With any luck an offer will follow shortly.
I hope.
Apologies for the delay in responding.
Thank you for your response.
I can now confirm that you have been assessed as a home fee paying student for entry onto 2012 courses with Brighton University.
Kind regards,
Admissions Team"
With any luck an offer will follow shortly.
I hope.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Nearly there...I hope...
Three and a half weeks ago, I was supposed to have had an answer within 4 days. Then I had to prove my nationality, in case I might be a foreign student, and was promised a reply within a week.
I spoke to the University on Friday, three weeks and one day after my interview. Yes, I actually managed to speak to a real life person, and not write to an email address. I have been promised an answer by the end of Monday, but if I have not heard anything by Wednesday then I have to phone back.
Let's run that one again:
Promised an answer by the end of Monday (today), but phone back if I haven't heard anything by Wednesday. Right.
The only plus point I have is that "you must know your interview was positive".
Actually, no I don't. And I need to know whether I have to juggle 3 months of distance learning with a full time job, largely absent (during daylight hours) husband and a small child. And whether I need to track down a Windows computer (boo, hiss) in order to complete said distance learning package. And I also have to have 5 full days in a secondary school science department before September if I am successful, which I need to organise and complete before the summer holidays start.
All in all, I'm pretty ticked off. And bored of waiting.
I spoke to the University on Friday, three weeks and one day after my interview. Yes, I actually managed to speak to a real life person, and not write to an email address. I have been promised an answer by the end of Monday, but if I have not heard anything by Wednesday then I have to phone back.
Let's run that one again:
Promised an answer by the end of Monday (today), but phone back if I haven't heard anything by Wednesday. Right.
The only plus point I have is that "you must know your interview was positive".
Actually, no I don't. And I need to know whether I have to juggle 3 months of distance learning with a full time job, largely absent (during daylight hours) husband and a small child. And whether I need to track down a Windows computer (boo, hiss) in order to complete said distance learning package. And I also have to have 5 full days in a secondary school science department before September if I am successful, which I need to organise and complete before the summer holidays start.
All in all, I'm pretty ticked off. And bored of waiting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)