23 days till I Take That and Party!

At this exact moment there is about 6 hours left till I get to see Take That in concert! As a child I grew up loving Take That and many months ago (whilst in a science seminar) I was sneakily on my iPhone trying to get tickets for one of the most popular concerts ever! Unfortunately I was unsuccessful, but one of my really good friends got us all tickets. So here I am many months later ticket in hand ready to get on the train to Wembley! The excitement is too much! Our tickets are for standing/un reserved seating level 1 but as my best mate who is also coming along is pregnant we are getting there early in the hope to get a seat! I will put a pick up on my next blog!

So uni is over for me, all I am doing is eagarly awaiting my classification. The progression board who basically make the decision met yesterday so just waiting....and waiting....and waiting! My course if having an end of year boat party to celebrate the end of our course, but it was booked on the same day as my hen party so I can't go :( I'm gutted! But hopefully after graduation in october will be an opportunity to say offically goodbye to those who may not cross my path in the years to come. But friends you make from uni are friends for life. I still have friends from my previous accounting and finance course that I did not complete.

What am I doing these days? I hear you cry! I've been doing lots of bits and pieces for the wedding only 23 days to go. I have also been doing lots of DIY at home to make it ready for all the visitors over the wedding weekend. And of course I have been working a few events for the education liason unit. My last event was on monday and I do feel very sad that I won't get to do anymore :( For those of you who are future students of Greenwich one of the best things you can do alongside your course is becoming a student ambassador (look out for adverts during freshers) and if your lucky enough to be chosen to work for the Enquiry Unit or Education Liason you will gain a wealth of skills and some great friends.

Anyways better go get ready for Robbie, Mark, Howard, Jason and Gary (the order in which i fancy them)

Until next time!

It's the final countdown!

It's been a while! I guess you are pretty familiar with me saying that. But I can not stress to you (that was almost a pun) that I've had a stressful final year.
Today is my final deadline and I've just finished writing my final sentence. Just got to head to the computers that are connected to a printer, to do a final print out.

Can you see the bricks on the floor by my feet. That's the weight being lifted off my shoulders.

So you think wait a minute its June! Yes it is June and where I thought I would have finished the course in May but as timetables had to be rearranaged and deadlines pushed back here I am in sunny June. It's baking outside and I'm in an air-conditioned library grrrrr!

I think you have heard enough of my wingeing about deadlines and uni. But guess what I HAVE A JOB! After making about 5 job applications, I was finally shortlisted to a school where my future sister-in-law worked (shes on maternity leave now) as part of the interview I had to teach a 30min literacy lesson to a year 1 class. (thats all the information I had) Not Easy! and that was followed by a formal interview with the head. It certainly was my lucky day as I GOT THE JOB! Everyone was so proud! When I told my Dad over the phone he was in so much shock he didnt say 'Congrats' he said 'Thank You' and made no sense at all. Only once I got home and he had finally got his head around it all that he made a bit more sense. So come September (as long as I pass) I will be teaching a year 3 class in a school in Willesden, North West London. You can't beat Greenwich for employability! Most of my friends on the course have jobs already so it's looking good!

Hope you are enjoying the sun!

Until next time!

Georgina x

The deadline looms....

You must be thinking surely uni is over for final year students already, just revision and theat important exam and you are done...Think again if you study primary education.

This week the deadline to my research project/dissertation looms. Friday 13th May!!!! Seriously could they not have picked a less lucky day and for this reason I shall be handing mine in the day before.

So it's Monday evening and you'll be wondering how much I've got done. Well pat on the back for me as I have witten all that I can and just simply require proof reading and tweaking here and there. It would be great if this was all I needed to complete however I have been lecture/workshops still to attend. My whole tuesday is being dedicated to arts in education...why?!?! as after this hand in I have another...yes another! Arts in education presentation and assignment. Not to mention an exam on educational professional studies. So when they say final year is tough...they aint lying!

On a lighter note being the 9th May means I have only 18 days till my last day of term...well last time I should need to be in uni. But more than likely I will probably require an additional portfolio sign off or something like that, which will no doubtedly be thrown in at the last minute.

Amongst all this uni work I have also been looking for a job. Like I have nothing better to do ay! Visited a school last thursday and yes I did feel guilty that I probably should have been doing my uni work but I need a job. Don't you just hate it when you are on a visit and some of the other candidates seem far too eagar. They are so loud and keep saying '"isn't that amazing.... oh I love that!" seriously head teachers can see through this over reaction. I'd rather not be remembered for random things said. That's why I wear a pair of bright red shoes! If they are going to remember me, they'll remember my shoes! That reminds me I need to fill in an application form for the school and submit it by FRIDAY!

75 days till I'm wed...not too long eeeek! My hen party is being organised at the moment :) but I'm also going to have a stag as I have lots of male friends!

Don't leave it to the last minute!

When I started my final year, I did so with many good intentions! This happens with everyone, but even more so with me.
I knew that during this year I would have to undertake a dissertation/school based research project, so in preparation I attented the summer university course 'Dissertations: Getting Started' you may remember I attended this course whilst working at clearing. After securing 78% in my assessment and receiving a letter of commendation for my high standard of work, I was extremly enthused and just wanted to get started with my dissertation. I took out lots of books and waited for the eagar start to my course and for the guidance to get me on my way.  However our research project seminars were not for another two months, and I was required to submit a research proposal and wait for it to be approved before I could start, that is long.com! So once I got to this stage it was december. Two months of enthusiam had well and truly gone down the toilet after numerous assignments and my school experience. As you know my school placement was a very stressful and busy time, so no research was done, due to not having the time. Anyways here I am now....Just handed in an assignment last week so now I am ready to get this dissertation on its way but oh no.... theres a month till its due in! Amongst all my worries my laptop had been seriously annoying me, it is as slow as a snail, as heavy as a concrete block and just unreliable, and this is not what I need when I have 7500 words to write. So after continuously chanting 'Can you buy me a new laptop! Can you buy me a new laptop! Can you buy me a new laptop! Can you buy me a new laptop!...' My soon to be husband agreed, as long as I paid him back when I get my proper teaching job. So now I have a nice shiny new laptop and have got off to a pretty good start. I've been using the referencing tool on office 2010 it's amazing and I wish I knew how to use it since 1st year, as assignment writing would have been so much easier.

Anyways enough about uni, I bet your thinking surely it's wedding time? Well its like 3 months and 11 days till the wedding eeek! The last couple of weeks we have been trialing living together and so far so good. I have the role of chef, cleaner of the kitchen and washing up, whilst the fella is the cushion plumper, hooverer and general tidier. However once I am working full time we might get a cleaner lol I'm so lazy! So i've started sending out the invites this week but as there are so many its taking time, as well as very annoying trying to find people's addresses.

Now its time to get back to my dissertation, I plan on completing my introduction today so will be writing about 375 words and then more reading for my literature review.
Word of advice don't leave things to the last minute...guess i'll never learn!

Hope your enjoying the sun!

Georgina xx

Back From Placement...

So it's been far too long since my last blog but as I mentioned before I've been on school placement.

You'll be pleased to know it has finished. WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! I made that noise outloud when I got home from my last day! By week 8 it felt like I was part of the furniture but equally felt like it flew by!

I had the pleasure of having an external tutor come and observe me teaching in my last week, as if I weren't under enough pressure as it was!
I taught numeracy (maths to you old schoolers) a lesson about multiples of 10 and finding the nearest multiple to a number. (my class are 6-7 year olds)

I made the lesson really interactive, children were being number lines and all had a chance to participate which the tutor was really impressed with.
She basically said my lesson was good with outstanding elements which is good enough for me!

External examiners/tutors are people who check that the university are doing what they say they are. Our lecturers go to other universities as an external and vice versa they come to us.

So whatever you study normally 10% of your coursework and exam go off to these externals to be moderated.

I had a short meeting with the lovely lady and she asked how well I felt I was prepared for teaching and things the university could improve on. Which is great to know that they care!

On return to uni I managed to take up my ambassador role once again and worked for the BA Primary Interviews. It's mad to think over 3 years ago I was in their place, quaking in my boots, hoping that they would choose me (which they did). I also got to speak to some of my lecturers who I hadn't seen for yonks. One asked me which school I was at and was please to hear it's name. She said 'Ahhhh it's you they were talking about...we've heard amazing things' That always goes down well and boosts one's self esteem!

So as I said placement is well and truly over so now its time for DISSERTATION/School Based Research Project - 7500 words about an area of my own research which means I now need to knuckle down to those books! I've got a few out from the library to complete my literature review.

Just a little reminder Open Day this saturday! So get down to a campus ( check which one you'll be studying at so not to have a wasted journey) 10am - 3pm. A chance to have a look around and speak about your chosen course and find out if Greenwich is the one for you!

See u Saturday xxx

Zombie Teacher!

 It's been a while since my last blog and please accept my sincere apologies. This school experience malarky is really tough.

I'm in my final year of the BA Primary Education with QTS, which means I have already passed 2 years worth of school experience. Which is 8 weeks a year so I've already completed 16 weeks before I even started this placement.

Here's a little break down of what happens in each year:

First year you have 3 weeks that are spread out over 3 months, where you get to know the kids you are working with and the school, then a further 5 week block in the spring/summer term...not too bad... Passed it, been there got the t-shirt as they say!

Year 2 similiar story, this time you get a 6 week block in the autumn term and then a further 2 week enrichment placement in the summer. Indeed it got tougher in year 2, I did whole class teaching, I was responsible for a lot more in the classroom. Luckily I was in an amazing school with angelic children... and once again passed!

Year 3 ... This is what i'm on at the moment. An 8 week block of which I am in week 5 and if you look at the bags under my eyes, you would think that they have been shopping in ikea. I had to wear make up today to make me look a little more human. Hence my title 'Zombie Teacher' I seem to be in a daze, zombie like state most of the time and not really wanting to do anything other than sleep. In this block I am supposed to take most of the responsibility for the school day. My class teacher is still heavily involved in the class as she still wants to teach them. But I still do more than her. It's a lot of work and when the kids don't listen and become a bit wild, it really drains you. On the bright side next week is half term...WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!! I was very tempted to whack out the credit card and book a holiday to get as far away from teaching as possible and get a bonus tan. Damn my bf for not being able to take time off! GRRRR! I'll just have to relax in sunny London instead. (it's been quite sunny recently but still freezing cold)

Anyways I should let you know some of the interesting, emotional, stressful weeks so far that i've been having. One of the most memorable was week 3. The week I cried. I'm not a wimp (well sometimes I am) but not normally when it comes to teaching, but this week it all got too much for me. And I burst into tears! I cried and cried and cried! Theres so much to do, planning, teaching and evaluating. Its a vicious cycle that is never ending and theres just not enough time in the day. Week 3 seems for most of the students on my course was the maker or breaker. The best bit was even though I had that crying session within 10 minutes after crying I was fine and got on with what I was doing and organised myself to ensure this wasn't going to happen again. Happily say no more tears just yet!.

Enough about school what else is going on in my life I hear you say... wedding planning mainly! I went to the wedding show in Excel 2 weekends ago. They are so cheesy with everyone congratulating you and selling you their services, which I have pretty much sorted myself. But I did manage to find the perfect car... we are going to have a green and white vw camper van as our wedding car. It's soooooo cool! Wedding planning is a welcomed distraction from school work.


Anyways if you get to have a break this half term.... make the the most of it and chillax!

Georgina x

Wake me up before u go go!

Today its day 4 of my day school placements which are days specifically designed to observe and get to know the class I'll been teaching.

My class are so adorable, and still young enough that they believe whatever you say. The naughty kids r my favourite as they are such characters. I seem to have accumulated a group of little girls who like to sit at my feet. And one boy has already noticed my changing hairstyles.

One of the hardest things about being in school is simply trying to get enough sleep to get me through the day. I love my bed too much so its early nights and early wake ups for the next 4 weeks till half term.

Anyways back to class for me (its lunch time at the moment I get an hour and 15 mins break) Not sure what this afternoon entails but I can predict lots of shhh, stop talking, yes u can go toilet, sit down will be said.

Georgina x