How to survive a PGCE....

I am currently doing my PGCE year in secondary science, and i thought it would be helpful for others to give just a little bit of advice. It has also given me a small break from my planning and marking! 

If you have any questions at all about a PGCE, teaching or anything else please feel free to ask! 

1. Make sure you make great course mates! 

Having that network of support is a massive help, it truly is! Whether it is just knowing that someone else is going through the same situation, same types of stress and that huge workload. Or whether it is having them there to ask questions, or to get resources and feedback from, they really do help. So make sure you create that very important support blanket. 

2. Remember that you are not superwoman, you cannot do absolutely everything (although I'm sure you will try). 

There is always something else that needs doing, but you need to remember to take that bit of time off to relax, and importantly to recuperate. If you don't then you will surely run yourself into the ground. Make sure you are taking a day off a week, whether it is Friday night and part of Saturday or all Saturday, just make sure you are taking that bit of time to relax, see friends or family, spend some time with your partner, or simply just to watch some rubbish tv and chill. So remember that you will really be working hard but it is so important not to burn out. A lot of people on their PGCE forget this important part of advice but it really is very important, and it was actually one of the first pieces of advice that my course leader gave us, and she was definitely not wrong!  

3. Collect resources! 

From each placement make sure you are taking all the resources that you can, even if it isn't a topic you teach, you never know when it may come in handy. Also if someone offers you any resources or advice, take it!! I cannot stress that enough either. All resources are helpful, and when it comes to planning later on you will really be grateful that you have those resources. 

4. Enjoy it! 

Remember the reasons why you decided to do the PGCE in the first place, so whenever times get tough you can remember why you started the torture in the first place! 

I hope my little bit of advice has been helpful for you, again, if you have any questions please do ask! 

A brief catch up!

Bonfire Night.

Hey, so I've not been posting much lately sadly. I realise I am only a fairly new blogger on here but life has been so extremely hectic lately! I finished my undergraduate degree at university last July and have since gone on to start a PGCE teaching Secondary Science, which really is a massive hand full! I'm basically constantly doing work for university or planning lessons/ marking etc. So please excuse my lack of posts lately! 

Heres just a quick catch up on whats going on in my busy life at the moment...


I am teaching Science at a school in Blackpool and go to university once a week. I am still working as a safety steward at PNE FC when I can. I still go on lots of walks with my beautiful pooch Pennie and go to see my friends as often as I can. If I'm honest I havent really bought many beauty products lately as I've just been too busy to even really go look around shops! 

Heres my boyfriend and I at a Bonfire night last week enjoying the huge bonfire and firework display. 

Introducing Clown Pennie... This was on halloween.  

The other week on a long walk with my favourites I managed to find a leaf big enough to cover my face! 

Vampire and Invisible Man on Halloween. 

Show Girl Pennie again on Halloween... she loved dressing up really! (well she put up with it...) 

Pumpkin! 

For some reason it keeps making my eyes look scary on this photo, but thought I had to share it! I bought this wig for £1 from pound land! I actually look like a younger version of my aunt with this wig on too! I didn't end up wearing the wig out on a night out because I figured I'd just get too hot in it. 

So heres just a snippet of my life at the moment and I'll try to keep updating! 

K 

Going to University? Here's my advice and tips.

The Great Hall, Leeds.

Seeing as A level results came out this week and a lot of people will be heading off to university in September I thought I would do my own little post about my time at university (specifically moving to and living in halls), some tips I have for people going to university, and also some of the small regrets I have of my time at university. But don't get me wrong I absolutely loved my time at the University of Leeds really, but of course I have some small regrets and some things I would have liked to have done slightly differently. 

It is crazy to think that this time three years ago I had just got my A level results and had been offered a place at the University of Leeds. Without a doubt I loved my time at university and am 100% glad that I went and completed my degree. Even when times got tough, and when I got really stressed out and just wanted to pack it all in and quit, I am still so proud of myself for sticking it out and achieving my degree with a 2.1. The University of Leeds is a great university and would always recommend that people go there, Leeds is also a fantastic city and is always a great place to visit. 

First year was definitely the year where I changed so much, and partly grew into the person I am today. It is also the year where I made friendships which I hope will last the rest of my life. But it is also the year I had to put up with a lot of annoying crap. I went straight into halls and lived in a hall of 5 people, but fortunately I had an ensuite bathroom to myself. I do not miss halls at all, my other two years at university were definitely an improvement. 

Some people love halls, whereas I was definitely not a fan, at all. Halls are great for really social people, who love sharing everything, enjoy being kept up during the night, and love fire alarms at 7 in the morning after getting in from a night out at 4am. But like I said, other people love university halls. 

The Parkinson building, Leeds.

Some of my own tips for people going to university:

- Don't take anything of value into halls, or at least keep them in your own room. Things will get taken, used or broken. I had a roommate who ate most of my food so I ended up storing most of it in my room, and I also had another flatmate who broke my digital camera, not on purpose but whilst dropping it when drunk. You might think your stuff will be safe, but again it is always best to be on the safe side. 

- Following on from my previous tip; take insurance out on your belongings.

- Take a prom/smart dress. You will want one in your first weeks at university especially with all the events and parties such as the Freshers Ball. 

- Try to find your future flatmates on Facebook/ Twitter etc before actually moving in. It is a great way to meet the people you will be living with, better to get to know them a little before moving in and also a good way to ease any moving anxieties you may have.

- Do a trip to IKEA or another homeware store before moving in. 

- Stock up on food to take with you, or ask for food parcels off your parents/grandparents. This is what my family did for me before I moved away and it definitely helped me save money during my time at university. Also ask for lots of washing powder etc as you will have to do your own laundry once you move to university. I also stocked up on toiletries before I went so I didn't have to buy loads whilst at university.

- Before you go print/prepare photos you want up on your bedroom wall. Having photos up around you in your room is great when you're feeling homesick. 

- Wait until you start lectures before buying any of the recommended textbooks. Textbooks are ridiculously expensive, and it is likely that you will be able to access them online through your library, saving yourself a lot of money. The Psychology school at Leeds also do a used book sale at the start of the first semester, which is a great opportunity to buy secondhand textbooks from students in the years above.  

- Finally, relax and make sure you enjoy and make the most of your first year at university. It doesn't matter if you get a first or a third for your final mark in your first year, it will not count towards your final degree classification, at all. So make sure you go out, make friends and most importantly have fun. The second and third year definitely do count and will be a lot more work than the first year, they are the years to stay up till 4 am in the library finishing essays, and definitely the years to work your ass off. 

Heres me in my final year submitting my dissertation. 

Here is a photo to demonstrate the thickness of my dissertation. 

Also, I obviously recommend that you make yourself some check lists and such before you move to university to make sure you have packed and prepared everything you will need. Also check out other tips and items to take to university before you go. 

- Here is a great link I found. 




I had said that I was going to share some of my regrets of my time whilst at university, but I think regret is the wrong word to use really. I don't so much as regret any of my time at the University of Leeds, nor would i change it, but a part of me does wish that I could do it again slightly differently. 

For example;
- I wish I had spent more of my spare time actually in Leeds, and had explored the city more than I did. 
- I also wish I had joined some of the societies at university during my three years, and had overcome my shyness whilst in first year. Whilst at university it is a great time to meet more likeminded people and also try some new hobbies.  
- I also wish I went out more during my second and third years, as now I'm back in a "city" with no good night clubs, thus I wish I had explored more of the night clubs in Leeds whilst I had the chance. 





Here is just a small insight into university life, so if anyone has any questions about university, my Psychology degree, or the University of Leeds please do not hesitate to ask! 

Be happy about nothing.

Sunday 23rd Feb 2014

I hoping my post will be a bit therapeutic for myself, if not right now, then for myself to look back on in the future. 

I've been in such a stressed unhappy mood all day. I got an email off a staff member at my university and ever since then I've just been a bit down. Also every sunday evening i travel back to my house in Leeds, as i go home at every opportunity i.e. every weekend. But i really didn't fancy a train journey tonight so ill go back tomorrow, giving myself the chance to have some more home comforts tonight. 

I'm just wanting to write down some thoughts and feelings I've had today, in order to give myself some perspective and to realise its not all bad.… 


Uni is really stressing me out at the moment, like really badly. But I just need to remember that it will be over soon. The end is in sight, just a few more months to go! So i just need to reminding myself that so what if i don't do as well as I'd hoped. It is not the end of the world. Even if I think it is at the time. I just need to remember there are better, more important things in my life, meaning right in this moment but also in my future. I'll probably read this back in 10 years time and remember all my worrying and crying and I'll think why did i worry so much when i have all this crap to worry about now. Life moves on, and I’ll need to too. 

But I am so happy with my life other wise. My family is so great and all healthy, and they are all supportive of everything I do and what I want to do. My boyfriend is amazing and makes me so happy. I love all the times i have with my family and all the times i have with my close friends. But if I'm ever feeling a bit down i can always rely on my boyfriend to give me a cuddle and to go on a lovely walk with my dog. So if it does ever get too tough for myself, I'll focus on those positive aspects of my life.

So even though I'm stressing and keep getting upset, i need to know that it will pass.