I've failed

heartbreak_star

Jojo, you tough-love far better than I ever do

HBS x

supersaver2

Voyager2002 wrote: »

With good teaching, anyone can get GCSE Maths. The problems you now face are clearly not your fault, so blame bad teaching in the past rather than yourself.

The test you took for the GCSE course is actually very useful: the result shows that the teacher who let you down was at an early stage, so you never understood some of the concepts that provide the foundation upon which GCSE understanding is built. So no wonder that you found Maths lessons and exams baffling and frustrating.

You will need to learn now what they failed to teach you then. So long as you have good guidance, and start at an early enough stage, it will not be difficult,

Sorry this sounds to me like a cop out, yes good teaching is important, but there is more to passing exams than the teaching. The OP has failed 3 times and I don't think it's that helpful to say she's only failed due to bad teaching. Revision and exam techniques need to be looked at, does the OP struggle with maths, is their maybe an under laying issue with dyslexia, dyscalculia.

OP I can understand you feeling disheartened, but you have achieved plenty in your life so far. I'm hoping you we're having bad day (we all have them) and today things seem much brighter.

wiggywoo9

Thank you everyone, even the tough love, all helps. Better today, pretty wrung out yesterday anyway from lack of sleep, long trip to the adult education centre and visited four nurseries for my boy. He was at grandma's last night anyway, so I could wallow, eat chocolate and be depressed without the guilt of him being next door.
Anyway, I'm going to just try, try, try again. Made me realise quite how much I want to teach, I hate, HATE maths but was upset for a good long time just because it stopped me this time. I have had work experience and plan to get more this year.
In regards to people saying not everyone gets everything straight out of uni, that isn't the case. If I did get onto the Maths course, it'd be a year of that, and applying to teach next year. I was fine with a year gap but worry when it's longer, in case I get lost along the way or lose direction. I like to have firm, set plans of what I'm doing this year, suppose just an echo of years of set education.
I'll just try again. The worry is that I'll be like my own mum, who didn't go uni, didn't have a job, did nothing for fifteen years, then thought it was time to find a job when the child benefits etc were coming to an end. I like to fill my years with work, to actually do something and keep moving onwards.
Thanks again, I'll keep trying.

Calfuray

OP, for what it's worth, I'm studying Software Engineering at uni which is heavily maths based, if you ever have a niggly maths question on course homework or anything, PM me.

You can do it

Fluff15

Why not start as a teaching assistant, and work your way up through that? You've already got a degree, so you're qualified for an assistant post. If you can't find any paid positions, you can volunteer and get your foot in the door with some experience.

Nearly all PGCE's require at least two weeks work experience before you start, so take this on a positive light - you've now got more time to achieve your GCSE and gain more experience, which will make it more likely that your application for a PGCE will be accepted. One of my flatmates didn't get accepted to her PGCE the first time she applied, so it does happen.

Make sure you're doing revision in the meantime. Work your way through the GCSE bitesize stuff on the BBC website, they cater to all levels of maths and you can go through it at your own pace. Or S-Cool, they're good too.

Set yourself short term goals, make lists of schools within commutable distance of yourself, get those pesky rodents sorted and stop being so hard on yourself! You have a degree, that's much more than a lot of people - and a 2.2 isn't crappy at all. Plus, you have your own place and most people your age are still living at home (even if it is pants at the moment!)

I know exactly how you feel about not having a set plan. After coming out of uni, I had no idea what I wanted to do. Without boring you with too many details, I was miserable, throwing up meals, on anti-depressants, anxiety through the roof and only in the last few months it's lifted. I came off the AD off my own accord, and (for want of a better phrase) wasn't taking my own crap any more. I still have off days, and tbh the idea that I'm now doing 'the rest of my adult life' scares me horrifically, but like me, you will get through it! Think of the positives - you can do this!

heretolearn_2

Glad you are feeling brighter today Wiggywoo.

I think you've achieved a fantastic amount and I remember some of your previous threads and what you've been through. Be nice to yourself. Appreciate what you've done.

I know how it is sometimes when things are HARD HARD HARD - some days you just reach the end of your tether and feel that's it, I give up. The next day you pick yourself up again and off you go. Don't feel bad for having days like that, when things are a struggle it's just so relentless on and on. I was there (not quite as difficult a situation as you) and I know there were many days when I was depressed and wondered why I even bothered with it all. It passes. You've clearly got a ton of grit inside you and you'll be fine, and get through even the bad days, to end up where you want.

puppypants

Wiggy- woo how can you say you are a failure? Girl you are AMAZING!!! You have come through so much at such a young age, and you have someone who will be very proud of you when he is old enough to realise what a great Mummy he has.

The world is your oyster Wiggy-woo!! Have a little rest for a couple of months, then gird up your loins and go for it again. You will get to where you want to be, even if it takes a bit longer.

((HUGS)) to you and your babba. xx

daisiegg

Glad you are feeling a bit better today.

Have you got any experience in school? How do you know you are so desperate to teach? I would suggest if you don't have school experience (and ignore me if you do) see if you can use some of your extra time now to get into a school in some capacity. Just to be absolutely sure it is what you want. I know so many people who 'dreamt' of teaching but ended up dropping out either after doing work experience, during their PGCE or in the first year. The reality of being a teacher is very different to what some people think. I would advise you to make absolutely sure it is exactly what you want (by spending as much time in a school as possible - not just a day or a week) before expending so much time, energy and effort in trying to get onto the course. It is a win win - either you do the experience and realise it is not for you, in which case you don't waste the time trying to get into a course....or you do the experience and realise it is for you, and then having had that experience helps you to get into teaching anyway! (I assume your degree was in English?)

Voyager2002

supersaver2 wrote: »

Sorry this sounds to me like a cop out, yes good teaching is important, but there is more to passing exams than the teaching. The OP has failed 3 times and I don't think it's that helpful to say she's only failed due to bad teaching. Revision and exam techniques need to be looked at, does the OP struggle with maths, is their maybe an under laying issue with dyslexia, dyscalculia.

OP I can understand you feeling disheartened, but you have achieved plenty in your life so far. I'm hoping you we're having bad day (we all have them) and today things seem much brighter.

This was a response to my earlier post: before commenting, I should mention that at one time I was a Maths teacher and my first degree is in Mathematics.

The repeated exam failures indicate a lack of understanding: the failure in a test needed to begin a GCSE course indicates the lack of some rather basic concepts. Since what you learn in Maths builds upon what you should have learned at an earlier stage, no amount of effort, revision or suffering at GCSE level will help unless something is first done about the underlying lack of understanding.

Yes: blaming the teacher can often be a cop-out, and there are usually lots of ways to work on your own and get to grips with material that has been badly taught. In this case, however, I think the problem is that the OP does not know what she does not understand, and when preparing for a Maths test she is looking at material that is really too advanced for her and so means nothing to her. I think that she needs to revisit primary school Maths, either with a tutor or with a really good book. Once she understands what was missing beforehand, everything will make sense and then progress to and through GCSE will be both rapid and surprisingly enjoyable.

teabag29

Fluff15 wrote: »

Why not start as a teaching assistant, and work your way up through that? .....
Nearly all PGCE's require at least two weeks work experience before you start

This is my stumbling block, I have good grade gcse's, a 2:2 degree in criminology (alot going on at the time) and some work experience within the criminal justice sector but my passion would be to teach in a primary school (which doesnt actually actually relate to my degree but I had a change of heart after leaving uni). My problem is to be accepted on the PGCE course I need some experience of working in a school as do I to work as a teaching assistant. I dont have this experience, infact the only teaching experience I have is home educating my daughter who has special needs which doesnt really count. I have emailed the local primary school to offer myself as a volunteer but not heard anything back yet. Fingers crossed Dont worry op, youve achieved so much already and with that determination you have you will go far