Renovations and Repayments.

March Targets:

Total Grocery Spend: £92/>£450.
Surplus Money: £0/£750.
Going to bed at a reasonable time: 11/31.
Meditation: 11/31. Only doing the one minute meditation as and when at the moment.
One new recipe per week: 2/4.
Read three books: 0/3. Not doing well with this.
3 Things for Sunday (Same as yesterday's unsuccessful attempt : 1. Spend an hour doing something relaxing, 2. Find three things to smile about, 3. Try another youtube meditation.

3 Things for Saturday: 1. Spend an hour doing something relaxing, :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:2. Find three things to smile about, 1. The cars are clean, 2. Had a nice drive out, 3. Son predicted (correctly) that the MGB would be quicker up the hill than the GT6. (Wife was in the GT6 and insists it needs setting up). 4. The GT6 has been out for the first time this year. 3. Try another youtube meditation.:rotfl:Not had chance to think let alone meditate for more than the one minute one.

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

Fair enough, but please remember that this is not an inevitability or compulsory. Your parents could sell or liquidate the business, or employ an unrelated person to be director, if you choose not to be involved. It is a choice, make sure that you're actually choosing it.

Thanks, Red Squirrel.

maman wrote: »

I knew it was your intention to teach part time eventually but you might find it difficult (but not impossible) to do the NQT year part time. You may be lucky and find the government has addressed the workload issue by the time you qualify. New Ofsted chief is making some of the right noises.

At the moment I know nothing other than I'm giving the course a go from September. I imagine I'll know if I'm interested in working full / part time for a school by this time next year and will perhaps start applying for some jobs at around this time to start the 2018/19 Michaelmas term. Whilst I have speculated about potential work beyond the coming course, I don't really know to what extent I wish to be involved with teaching. It seems expected I will get a job. Even during interviews for the course, I was asked about my stickability in the career. Fairly sure my honest answer stating I am serious about the course and if I enjoy that serious about some kind of post but I cannot stay that I will be teaching forever and nor, honestly, can anyone else at this stage was one of the reasons one course rejected my application post-interview. Not sure how anyone at this stage knows they will stay in teaching long-term; surely the PGCE year is as much to work out if teaching is something the student wants to do as it is to be trained to be able to do the job?

I read an article re. some of the points the new Ofsted chief has made, seemed like a lot of sense.

smallholdingsister wrote: »

Brilliant.

Why do they call it that?

Legend has it that Prince Albert had one.

How do I know this? Schooldays. :rotfl:

maman wrote: »

I'd like to think the majority of students who start on PGCE (or any other route into teaching other than Teach First) have decided that teaching is something they can see themselves doing. If that wasn't the case then they'd be using their degree to do some other sort of graduate job or further training. Of course if the school experience during the year convinces you it's not for you then it's better to pull out then than further down the line.

As a mature student, you're a bit different from many as you're looking for a career change. This can happen with parents who volunteer and sometimes go on to become paid teaching assistants before deciding to train as teachers.

You are in a position financially to be able to 'suck it and see', many graduates (particularly recent ones) aren't so fortunate so a further year of fees and not earning isn't something they'd commit to unless they were confident it was a job they wanted to go into at least for a few years.

Red-Squirrel wrote: »

I think you are Alex but it's not your fault, it's just the perspective you're coming from which is different to most potential PGCE entrants.

Most of them can't afford to spend a year just trying something out like that, and they don't have the same level of 'fallback' that you do. Most people, if they are not completely sure they want to teach, will do as you've done, they'll volunteer, they'll tutor etc. but they will generally have made a firm decision before applying for the course that they do intend to teach afterwards.

It's the same in my profession, nobody does a nursing degree to work out if they want to work in nursing! The tutors will expect you to be committed to teaching from day one, I expect, especially if it's a competitive course and they will have turned away other enthusiastic, dedicated applicants.

That's not to say it's wrong to drop out if it turns out it's not for you, of course, just trying to explain why others might be a bit taken aback by your approach.

I can see myself becoming a teacher and am very committed to the year ahead (have already done a lot of prep work and am continuing to read, teach music, volunteer and be involved in school life). However, surely until trying (as I've already been told on here none of the things I've done so far can really compare) no one really knows if it is for them? My wife thinks I often appear to others in a manner that makes them think I'm trying things to amuse myself and not because I'm serious. I will be somewhat disappointed if I spend the £9,250 on fees and do not wish to enter the profession. Though I'm sure I will have learnt lots and also be in a more informed position regarding my son's education.

There's not a chance I'm going to be damaging my relationship with my son or my mental health to teach, though. I have recently read a lot of very negative reports which have started to make me wonder if it is the right thing to do. Any expectation of the sort of hours that I used to work and I don't think it will be for me, to be honest.