Behaviour

I had a brilliant seminar today from a guy called Paul Dix, who travels the country visiting schools and other learning establishments with behaviour management problems and offers them training and strategies to help them improve, with outstanding results even in the worst places. It was probably the best three hours I have ever spent its context; he was fascinating, believable and positive, and terribly enthusiastic about kids in general. I have a wonderful pack of really useful information and some customisable scripts which can be used to put a lid on disrespectful behaviour. Watch out everybody, I am now a trained psychological manipulator....I can bend your will to match mine....

I think we should have had this talk sooner, because most of the questions and debates we have had here have centred around the issues of bad behaviour and I think I could have got a lot more out of the course so far if this hadn't been the case.

Anyway, my placement school until ten to nine this morning was a lovely private mixed secondary with a snappy uniform (red and blue striped waistcoats, dontcha know), ponies and an archery range. At ten to nine I was informed that I am now going to William Parker, which is a boys secondary Church of England school just up the road from home, with a mixed sixth form on a different campus. It is a sports college which has produced international sportsmen (a rugby player and a cricketer, don't ask me who), and apparently I have been asked to go because it is a new placement school and the university wants to make a good impression. Yay for me! In the manner of scientific verification, I have had this last piece of info from two independent sources, so it must be true. Stop sniggering.

I think it will be good for me, as one of the things I really don't know about is boys at school, and the second is state education. And they have Ofsted next week, to top it all off. I hope I'm not in the way!

I really can't wait to get into school now and get my teeth stuck in and really start learning. I expect that will have changed by about Wednesday next week, when I start to question exactly what I have done. I'm sure I'll be fine. This might well change.....

End of week two

I started this blog with really good intentions. I meant to keep up with the 'journey' through the application process, subject knowledge enhancement and PGCE course. So far I've been pretty bad, so here is an attempt to redress the situation, written as I am waiting for my connection to Falmer at Hampden Park station. At ten to eight in the morning. I left the house at seven. I got up at 6. I don't love commuting, and it's not even winter yet...

So anyway, the PGCE course started last Monday, a whole two weeks before the rest of the university starts, because we have a lot to cover between the beginning of September and the start of our first school placements three weeks later. Oh yes, one more week of commenting before I am faced with hoardes of spotty teenagers all trying desperately not to learn any chemistry because they are having a hard time of experiencing the effects of chemistry on their growing bodies. (I'm sure the biologists could say the same thing, but the physicists can't, which probably says something profound about physics).

So far it's been fun but a bit confusing. We spent the first week talking about 'Reflection' and why it is so important in our professional development. Really? A whole week? I'm pretty sure I grasped the concept after day two, but there you go. We also looked at other stuff.....I can't really remember what, I was probably too busy reflecting. We had a few inspiring talks, many horror stories, and lots and lots of group discussions. I must admit it has been difficult getting my brain to think straight after so long with very little intellectual stimulation, so much so that I've been finding it difficult to form coherent sentences when I get home. I hide this by having in depth conversations with Jocelyn.

This week has been longer hours, but more meaty in terms of information imparted. Yes, we've still had the fluffy stuff, but it seems more relevant now and we're being given more information about what we will be doing and what direction we we are going in.

Take lesson planning for example. I assumed that before we started trying to plan a lesson we might get to read a lesson plan. Wrong. Crikey the train has just gone past a field and I saw a lady doing Tai Chi In the middle of it in a bright blue track suit. Well, whatever suits you lovely, now that I'm officially not allowed to be judgemental or stereotype anyone. Anyway, back to lesson planning. It's very hard to know the difference between an aim and an outcome if it's not explained very carefully, and how do I know how to break a syllabus down into the appropriate number of lessons?! There has been a lot of thinking going on. I'm getting better at it.

What have I learned? Mostly that teachers love the sound of their own voice. Which is useful.

Next week is more of the same I think, and after that I start my school placement which will carry me through until Christmas. My school is called Buckswood, and it's just like Stonar except there are boys there. Yep, ponies, netball, music and more, and best of all it's only ten minutes away by car which is heaps better than my current generous hour and a half each way. My professional tutor is called Gilly Johnson, and I was taught RS by a lady called Gilly Johnson at Stonar. Coincidence? Or is it her? I will find out when I meet her on Tuesay.

Also of note, Jocelyn started at primary school on Tuesday. Daddy was around to take her in and collect her which was lovely for them both. She's having an absolute ball and has been pinging off the walls each evening, it's like she's suddenly grown up and matured (well, as much as you can when you're only four) overnight, and I am very glad. I don't think I could relax and enjoy my course if she was unhappy.

More later, got to go. X

Taxpayers beware

I'm officially a student! Lessons start this afternoon and I'm pretty scared.... First school placement in three weeks time.

Heres a pic of the university just to prove I'm here!




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