Forgive my rather aggressive joy. I have finally handed in the first assignment. I had to generate 3500 words loosely connected with the topic of learning theory, evaluating it critically (yeah, right) and drawing on lots of other boring books written by saddos with nothing else to fill their otherwise meaningless lives with. Oh, and my own experience. So which experience would that be, exactly? I am training to be a teacher, that basically means I have very scant experience. But I do have lots of friends and acquaintances who are. With this in mind, I approached couple I know from church with, "So, tell me, as teaching professionals, how does learning theory impact on your practice in the classroom?" They just laughed. OK, so it was a bit of an odd opening gambit, but all in the name of research. The more I thought about it, the less I felt capable of producing anything approaching an argument, critical analysis or anything else, for that matter. Anyway it is handed in now, the heap of poo that it is.
The problem is, forgive me if I bore you, the PGCE now requires Masters Level writing. If you don't get Masters level for all three assignments, the most you can get is a 'Professional level' qualification. I have no problem with having a professional level qualification - that is what the PGCE was until September. What I object to is that if you have a two level qualification, why not let the standard level qualification keep the name PGCE and call the other one something different? The higher one should be optional, new and have a different name. It's like saying, "GCSEs now require A level standard writing. If you fail to achieve
this, we will award you a merit certificate." But what worries me is that in the work place they just won't understand it. They'll think you couldn't get your PGCE therefore you are a poorer quality 'product' than last year's PGCE when it is exactly the same. IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!!!
Anyway, I might have some time for lesson planning now. Next week I start my 4 week block and have to teach a 60% of the timetable, teaching all the core subjects and Spanish. A wee bit scary then, considering I haven't actually taught anything yet.
Anyway, I can't sit here blogging my time away...I have work to do!
Monday, November 05, 2007
AT LAST ! THE BA*!£RD HAS GONE!!! YESSSS!!!
Posted by Holy Famoley at 6:05 PM
Labels: essays, lesson planning, Masters level writing, PGCE
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6 comments:
No matter if you have very scant experience, love is much more important, and I’m sure you have lots of love to share with your pupils. You will be successful, my friend.
By the way I’m a retired teacher. Hugs.
No matter if you have very scant experience, love is much more important, and I’m sure you have lots of love to share with your pupils. You will be successful, my friend.
By the way I’m a retired teacher. Hugs.
Thank you for the encouragement, Lady_drid. I do care passionately about the children and I take the responsibility very seriously. But it is just a question of surviving this year when there seems to be so much which seems to get in the way of the really important work. Still, blogging about it is very therapeutic.
Hey, chin up! You somehow got through a degree, remember! Yes, it sounds stupid, the whole two tier thing. They are idiots, those who put these things together and know absolutely nothing about the real world.
Hey,
Just wanted to say as I stumbled across your post that I am writing my third year dissertation on learning theory and how organisations need to understand their employees, just like a teacher needs to be able to relate to an individual child.
I have also found that not many people know how we use all these wonderful thoeries in practise!! You are not alone!
I love the thoeries, all so different in thier own ways, but your post proves my thoery - thier all theories and not devised for the workplace.
Keep up the blogging, and I hope you enjoy youre teaching. What ages are you teaching. Im planning on doing my CHEP training so I can become a university lecturer in accountancy soon!!
God Bless.
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your comment. Yeah, the learning theory thing is all very interesting in an "oh, that's interesting" kind of a way. But it is not a universal panacea. What I think it does do is provide a structure within which you can try something a little bit different if your methods are not working with a child. It is another tool in the toolbox rather than something to run your professional life by. It provides variety which is probably the key thing in stimulating any learner, irrespective of the age. I am working currently with children aged 10-11 though I am training to teach from 5-11. Interestingly, I do have experience of a PGCE in Secondary languages and we didn't pay that much attention to learning theory, with the possible exception of a token consideration to VAK.
The best of luck with your own career plans.
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