06 Lupo GTI

[AndyW]

Well sort of, academically yes its new, but yeah, have been working in area for almost two years now.

I did Product Design at Cardiff, but now want to try something new before doing a PGCE and getting a proper teaching job. No desire to work in Design and to be honest, not sure if I ever did! Just went along with it because I could draw. Sadly though, in the entire time I did the course I stopped drawing for pleasure, compared to now where I sit down and draw often.

Haven't decided where, but what used to be the University College in Worcester (where we are looking at moving to) does some courses that sound decent enough. Not really interested in doing the student lifestyle again so am mainly focusing on the course rather than facilities.

This is a rather good thread hyjack if I say so myself.

[Al]

lol at thread hijack!

I took 2 years out after A-levels to decide what to do and by that time I decided to base the course I wanted to do on what it was rather than were it was and, as you put it, the student lifestyle. I'm glad i made this decision as I know now it has helped doing something I love, even if the uni hasn't got the greatest social lifestyle. Partly though, I was limited as most of the courses I was interested in were based in London. I think if I had the option againI would have moved away, but still based my decision on course content.

I have a friend who is currently doing a PGCE. She's loving it compared to her degree, but is finding the work load and working another job tough. There are plenty of places offering similar courses so hopefully you will have a wide choice. A course right near where you're looking to live sounds like heaven to me! An hour on te tube everyday, no thank you!

If you don't mind me asking, what made you go and work in France?

[AndyW]

If you don't mind me asking, what made you go and work in France?

I wish at 18 I'd had the sense to take a step back and work out what I wanted to do as a career, at the time I had friends who went straight into work or travelling and that to be honest was the wisest thing anyone could do as now they have a far better idea of what they wanted to do, like I do now.

As for what made me/us goto France, well, Sarah really, she wanted to come and work out here while she decided what jobs to apply for and I was having career dilemma at the time and so packing off and trying something new seemed like a good way of sorting everything out!

A year ago we were intending to stay here, Sarah got a good job last summer, allbeit with irregular commission based pay and we were loving it, but as I've said in another thread somewhere, missing family and friends has become very hard, and its just become not worth it to us anymore to be honest.

Plus side of this is now I have learnt French, whereas before I couldn't speak a word, and now French is being introduced at the Primary level, language skills and experience are seen as a useful advantage which I hope will pay out come job interview time. Also two years of being an assistant here, one year in high school and one year in primary can't hurt.

We also miss good curry's, polite people, rain, and in my case, b-roads. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Edited March 4, 2006 by AndyW

[Al]

I completed understand how you feel about wanted to take a step back at 18. I did, but was constantly reminded of my failure in that respect. I think, as I've said before somewhere else, this is why I get no support for going to university. I think in their eyes I had one chance to go and that was straight after school, now I'm too old or something. I was 'bullied' into my A-level choices because of my set career as an architect - I really didn't want to do maths and physics! lol

I also think my current choice of career is branded as failed, before I've even been given a chance to prove myself! It makes me more determined I guess, more so than if I had support.

Speaking French must be amazing - they say it is far easier to pick up a language when living in the countries?

Je ne comprande pas is all I remember lol.

If you are both undecided all you can do it try, and if it doesn't work, try something else. It sounds like you have a large range to things to fall back on (degree, foreign language, experience etc) so you won't ever be out of a job either way. And, I know this sounds cheesy, but you have each other, family and friends.

Life's too short - go for it! style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[AndyW]

It sounds like you have a large range to things to fall back on

And I also have my girly Lupo should all else fail. I could live in that and maybe pimp a range of female beauty products, or something. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

What you mention about being pressured into uni is interesting, and was very much the action plan of the teachers at the sixth form where I did my A-Levels. I imagine they receive plenty of government hassle to encourage school leavers to get into uni, regardless of whether it is the best thing for them.

That really bugs me now, at 18 I had no clue I wanted to work in teaching, infact I had very little clue about bloody anything other than finding girls to sleep with, having enough money to keep my Cinquecento Sporting and if I could afford a PS2 at the same time. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Edited March 4, 2006 by AndyW

[lurker75]

I'm probably the opposite. The teachers at my school were happy if we lived through a school day without a major assault. I was getting told I would make a great teacher aged twelve but rebelled against it and did anything else just to prove them wrong.

Now here I am four years a teacher and it just feels right.

The time it took me to work out that everyone was right and I was an idiot wasn't wasted, I wouldn't be able to do my job at all if I hadn't learned how to read people and think on my feet in the time that I was doing other things.

If teaching is for you, it finds you in the end. You'll be better now than you would be if you had started at 18.

Edited March 4, 2006 by lurker75

[AndyW]

You'll be better now than you would be if you had started at 18.

Yeah, I've heard that thought before, I think at 24 I don't particularly have even half the skills required to be an effective teacher, and the government needs to encourage people other than fresh virgin graduates, imho.

Out of interest, are you primary or older?

[Al]

Sorry to the converation short yesterday Andy, the Internet decided it'd had enough and that was that!

I asked my friend at work today and she suggested you have a look on the following websites:

www.gttr.ac.uk

www.teachernet.co.uk

www.tes.co.uk

www.dfes.co.uk

She says it has a wide range of information about different schools, courses, jobs and advice on what to do. I'm not sure if you've seen it all before, but thought I'd pass it all on.

I hope this helps. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[lurker75]

I teach primary. Primary 5 at the moment, but I've covered every stage except nursery since I started.

It's a job unlike anything that I've done before. It's a strange combination of routine, surprise, amazement and horror, often over the course of 15 minutes.

Al's friend is right about the PGCE course, it's exhausting, especially if you are supporting yourself at the same time. I managed to avoid that by setting myself a target and raising the money that I would need to pay for my life before starting the course. The money didn't last, of course, but it ment that I only had to work a couple of times during the course.

If you decide to take it on good luck to you. We need more male teachers in primary schools if your interested. In my first placement I was the only man in the building, including support staff. The kids called me Mrs for the first two months.

Edited March 5, 2006 by lurker75