I - day (The real deal)

Here is the unexpurgated version of my post of yesterday, on teachblog, for those who like to read between the lines :)

Following on from i-day , and i-day (reprise), today is I - day (the real deal)!
I have just come back from Swansea Institute, depressed and my interview for a place on their PGCE course starting in September, 2006.
I was interviewed on a one-to-one basis by Karen Gummett, the Course Tutor for the Chemistry with Science stream, who was rubbish.
This was quite an informal session, conducted in Karen's office, sitting on the same side of the desk and in comfy chairs.

Karen chatted a bit about the general prospects of graduates leaving the course, which she reckoned were next to zero , and the availability of jobs in the area i.e. none. Also, if I could find a school wacky enough to want to employ me, the government has fibbed about how little they would pay me, which would be 19k max. She mentioned that I might think that being mature was an advantage, but by mature, they mean 27/28, silly! And did I realise that teaching was very tiring, and that it was all go, all day long!

She then explained the course timetable in detail, how the 'academic' part of the course dovetails into the 'practical' part, How great her course was compared to the completely rubbish GTP. We then talked about how the course was assessed, and the expected quality of written work She thought that the expected level of work was 'postgraduate' and on a par with MSc / PhD work .

I then chose to talk about my recent experiences at Bishopston School, Gave Karen a copy of my observation sheet, and we discussed several aspects of classroom techniques. which seemed to go quite well

Karen then asked me some questions based on the GCSE Science course My turn to be rubbish, and a follow on AS/A level type question.which I had no clue whatsoever about. I did point out that I had revised GCSE as mentioned on the interview letter, and then she asked me more A level stuff.

I was then given a written test, choosing from a list of subjects, to produce an A4 sheet of work. This seemed ok, apart from my handwriting being almost illegible in places, and my burbling on a bit

Overall, I think the interview went well, I have to say that, as I showed her a link to teachblog and there is an outside chance that she'll read it,

but I guess the proof of that will be if I am offered a place on the course! fat chance!

Karen mentioned that I would be informed in about 2/3 weeks.

Watch this space! don't hold your breath