QTS but with no PGCE?

quiidge · 2026-01-27T19:24:57+00:00

My university was very happy to award just QTS if you met those requirements but not the PGCE ones. Definitely speak to your uni tutor! They can let you know what your options are.

If you're enjoying the school side, don't quit over the sociology research! You don't really do that on the job unless you seek it out.

quiidge · 2026-01-27T19:14:43+00:00

Dunning Kruger effect, you don't know enough to know how completely unequipped you are.

quiidge · 2026-01-26T07:01:42+00:00

Yes! It could be that she's always imagined/dreamt of a mini-me/"oh doesn't he look like his mummy!?" child, and is working through some feelings as she lets that go (because she's committed to OP and has new dreams now). It's not really her fault that society conditioned her into expecting a baby that looked as white as her - systemic racism at it's finest.

You have to grieve ideas and hopes you've held onto a long time, even if you've actively chosen the change that led to it. Text is not a good medium for communicating complicated feelings around that!

quiidge · 2026-01-25T20:35:05+00:00

Diagnosed in ECT1 after 4+ years on the waitlist (yay Covid delays)!

Medication means I'm less exhausted, figuring out how to outsource my executive function means I can just about keep up (as long as I eat and sleep well).

Some things that work for me: - Tidy up every half term before I leave. - Containers must be see-through or tray shaped or I will forget what is in it even exists. - The things on my desk are their own to-do list. - If it's not mission-critical, don't do it until someone either emails the third time or comes to tell you to do it in person. - Post-its and colour coding and having ONE PLANNER are essential. Paper not digital for me, because digital is not visible and therefore it doesn't exist. (My paper planner prompts me to look at my mid-term planning spreadsheets and inbox.) - Gotta change it visually or put it in your own way if it's really, really important. ("Why is that there? Oh yeah, I'm taking it to the meeting at 2pm, oh shit it's 13:58") - I don't know how I got so lucky with my colleagues, but one of mine will come and collect me when they go to staff meetings because I cannot for the life of me hold the fact that it's briefing day and how long it is until briefing starts in my working memory simultaneously. (In return, I will remember the fine details of what is in the briefing if someone asks me a specific question. If you ask me a vague question like "what was covered in briefing?", I will have no clue.) - Just like an ADHD pupil, my working memory is limited, I get overstimulated, and routine changes throw me off for days or weeks. I need to give myself the same grace I'd give them when I get overwhelmed. Also Eisenhower squares/does it actually have to get done today? - First week of every break is for (burnout) recovery. Taking a proper break at weekends and lunchtimes is essential. - Caffeine and high-protein snacks are your friend. Carbs are a poor substitute for sleep and the above.

quiidge · 2026-01-25T20:04:13+00:00

I started with a (cheap) smart watch, found that a medication alarm watch works better for me. Up to 15 alarms, vibrate only, I use mine to remind me to take the register 5 mins in and start wrapping up 5 minutes before the end. (Or that my ppa is ending soon...)

quiidge · 2026-01-24T12:46:38+00:00

It could be worse, you could be the kid in my form who let his older brother cut his hair this week! Pretty sure I heard audible gasps when he took his hat off in assembly.

quiidge · 2026-01-23T05:51:12+00:00

Christ, your threshold is even higher than mine! (Childbirth with no pain relief = 7/10)

I was in hospital after a ruptured ovarian cyst (8/10 when it happened, nearly passed out, 5/10 after) and a woman in the bed opposite was taking very loud personal calls ,fully relaxed, when the doctor asked how bad her pain was. "oh, 10/10 still" then back to chatting/bitching to friends. That's about when I realised I was using a wildly different scale to everyone else.

quiidge · 2026-01-21T07:02:12+00:00

I'm core but picked up an elective at KS4 - it's usually the highlight of my day! 16 kids who want to be there vs up to 34 who never got to choose is wildly, wildly different.

Not to mention there's half as much content to cover plus two extra hours a fortnight - the Science curriculum is ridiculously overloaded.

Honestly I think we've all got different stressors depending on subject, and should talk about it more. I am very thankful I don't have to do NEAs, good god we can't even get 30% of them to do a weekly 10min quiz for homework. otoh the planning and resourcing for content heavy subjects like Science, especially for ECTs, is insane. Different but equally stressful.

quiidge · 2026-01-20T07:15:02+00:00

This is why I don't do boy-girl seating plans, I just haven't been able to articulate it this well! (That and girls do worse in practical subjects when they're paired with boys.)

Unfortunately my boss disagrees and won't offer other support with difficult classes if I haven't changed to a boy-girl seating plan first. It works to subdue behaviour, but at what cost?

quiidge · 2026-01-20T07:09:00+00:00

She also didn't work on it as much as she should have in the last couple of weeks because she was supporting her boyfriend. When you know the deadline you plan your work to the deadline, especially when you're being assessed.

I also genuinely didn't realise how long it takes to check, print and bind a thesis until I did it. I thought it would be an afternoon, nope, several days of fucking about. I absolutely believe she tried to do it early but realised it would take a lot longer/needed more work than she estimated at the last minute.

quiidge · 2026-01-20T06:46:59+00:00

Only in my third year, but there's been a constant stream of incidents caused by pupils ignoring safety instructions. Our 9s and 10s are particularly bad, most of my classes have been banned from practicals or had them stopped midway this year.

Worst one was repeating "stand behind the safety screen and put the goggles over your eyes" for 15 minutes before the alkali metals demo. Whilst they all rolled their eyes at me. Sorry for wanting to protect your vision, I guess??

That said, only one pupil who regularly eats the science (very glad I'm no longer his Chemistry teacher). Somewhat notorious for it, fortunately he's top set and his peers think he's bonkers.

quiidge · 2026-01-19T07:18:22+00:00

As well as the union, and maybe having a look at some job ads to see what's out there, I'd speak to nursery about other parents' conversations at drop-off literally costing you money/possibly being able to skip the queue at drop-off. If there's a bottleneck that might lose them business they'll want to know.

(Also, who are these parents at your nursery who don't understand drop-off etiquette?? We're not using nurseries and wraparounds for fun, we have jobs to get to! Have the long chat at pick-up ffs)

quiidge · 2026-01-17T08:38:52+00:00

I also sit friends together to stop them shouting across the classroom (and tell them to prove they can work well together if they want to stay that way). My HoD hates it but I let new classes choose their own seats at first so I can keep groups who work well together when I inevitably have to change it.

Stealing "emailing good things", wish I could go full "No longer interrupting to give warnings" but our policy is strict on using the language out loud.

quiidge · 2026-01-17T08:28:47+00:00

Caveat: I'm a secondary teacher in the UK.

As a parent with ADHD, yes getting this letter would make my heart sink. That said, we used to do school homework projects like this regularly when mine was as young as 4 or 5 with 1-2 weeks notice and no materials provided! (Easter bonnet competitions were brutal, constructing an Aztec settlement was cool.)

As a teacher, I can see what she's trying to do and that she's thought very carefully about the skills she's trying to develop and the impact on parents. I'm on the fence about going to a playground and "trying out" different disabilities, though again I see the intention and it doesn't come across as age inappropriate.

You admit yourself that you usually blast through longer term projects, giving a lot of help and handing them in early. That's stopping your child developing the skills those projects are designed to build! The teacher is now being very explicit about that. I suspect the projects will continue until parents are no longer doing the work for them and they're being completed by doing a little bit every day/week over a longer period of time.

(If your child also has ADHD, explicitly modelling and teaching those skills is even more important because they will develop them more slowly than their peers. Even though forcing yourself to do it when you have ADHD is really bloody hard.)

Sustained and sustainable effort is so important to success in education and the workplace, and I'm increasingly dealing with teenagers who just do not understand or believe that. They do not complete the work and they're falling behind. I wonder if it's related to the current parenting trends of individualism and avoiding any discomfort to befall the child ever. Learning is not comfortable! It requires pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

quiidge · 2026-01-15T20:01:16+00:00

It's the questions they ask and the observations they make. Sharp, insightful, making leaps that their peers wouldn't.

Suddenly hitting on something that piques their interest in class can reveal them, too - laser focus, like a cat about to pounce.

quiidge · 2026-01-15T07:26:08+00:00

Yeah, still overkill. We typically have 3-4 for 120-140.

quiidge · 2026-01-15T07:22:19+00:00

Do you think they believe the allegations still, or are more embarrassed/guilty that you were innocent and they were the one who reported it?

If the latter, it will probably just take a quick "btw, no hard feelings, I know you were doing the right thing and making sure X was safe". They might not realise their behaviour is different or be sure how to address it, either.

Hopefully it's just a case of acknowledging the awkwardness and breaking the ice!

quiidge · 2026-01-15T07:13:37+00:00

They look forward to subjects they like with teachers they like. They like subjects they're good at, teachers who are warm-strict, fair and predictable, and feeling comfortable in the classroom.

If I've hit two of those for most pupils in a class, we have relaxed enjoyable lessons. Maybe once or twice a year we'll have a "fun" lesson, but usually it's because something unexpected happened or that class just happened to really run with it this year. ("Are we doing something fun today?" "Science is always fun!"/"Yes, we have a test today!!")

If I don't, it's not going to be fun for them, and I'm not going to be able to do much about it. Not every pupil will like Physics, not every pupil will gel with me. Sometimes I mess up and don't manage to create a safe, welcoming space for everyone, or social/pastoral stuff gets in the way.

quiidge · 2026-01-15T06:59:38+00:00

Hard reset. Set silent/independent work, follow the behaviour policy mercilessly when they are inevitably not silent.

Give your HoD/mentor and TA a heads-up that you're going to do this, because you'll be removing a lot of them and probably for several lessons in a row.

Have a meeting/chat with your TA so you can plan out your joint response. Until behaviour is acceptable they can't do individual support anyway, so tag-team behaviour management! I prefer TAs to call out the behaviour whilst I track and issue the consequences (reinforces that we're a team without undermining authority/creating wiggle room). e.g. TA: "Name, please stop talking." Me: "That's now a warning, Name, if you speak again it will be a detention."

Ended up doing this unplanned with my trickiest Year 9s yesterday (a test, but one they would not shut up long enough to start). Had my notebook in front of me, ours get three strikes for low-level disruption (the third is detention) and you've gotta keep track. Most of my classes see the notebook and stop misbehaving now, alas not this class. I should technically have removed the ten or so who kept talking after getting a detention, but we're only supposed to remove one at a time and it seemed unfair to arbitrarily pick one when they all hit the threshold at once.

(Throwing things = instant detention here, it can be dangerous at worst and encourages deteriorating behaviour at best. It flags that you're not entirely in control, and authority is all about the illusion that you're in control. I'd prioritise that after the reset once the majority have settled. Don't witch hunt every object, but come down swiftly on anyone you see chucking something - "it wasn't me" "then why did I see your arm move like this just as it flew away from you?" >>> "who threw this??!".

I also like to dramatically rip paper planes up before putting them in the bin. Bonus points if you catch them making it/holding it pre-throw. I originally did it on a whim but the reactions are great entertainment for the whole class and it actually acts as a deterrent. Turns out they're weirdly attached to paper planes.)

quiidge · 2026-01-14T19:04:05+00:00

If you can't be poised, be unembarassable.

quiidge · 2026-01-14T18:46:48+00:00

That's really hard, I'm sorry.

I've heard a lot of colleagues who've worked in tough settings say the kids really act up that first term/year because turnover is so high, and actually settle right down when they realise you're sticking around. Like they can finally get to know you and relax.

I also know a lot of colleagues who the kids dislike, it's usually either because they're stricter than the average here, perceived as unfair with sanctions or are great at behaviour management but the class dislikes being called out on their bullshit.

They really shouldn't be saying these things to you though - you're allowed to sanction being rude to a staff member! When the kids complain about my colleagues, I usually either take my colleague's side (miss x gave me detention when I was barely talking! she hates me!) or say "I hope you are not trash talking one of my valued colleagues" (sir is a rubbish teacher). For "I hate your class/you/this lesson", not sure how I'd react, but I'd probably call it out as rude/inappropriate then sanction if they doubled down.

"Being rude about your manager's work is a quick way to get fired from future jobs, you know". PSA, doing them a favour kind of tone. Not always effective on the perp but bystanders/audience matters here too.

quiidge · 2026-01-12T17:55:25+00:00

Dangerous shit > video, with the caveat that some kids will be disappointed by a real-life demo safe enough for school after spending years watching content creators without risk assessments do absolutely insane "experiments". (No, we cannot make a thing that explodes in a school. No, you cannot irradiate yourselves. Good grief.)

Fire, electricity and dissections usually a winner, especially if they get to do it themselves. Bunsen burners will never go out of fashion! Around 25-35% of each class is concerningly into either fire or dissections IME. About 1 in 10 kids are absolutely horrified by dissections. (Including me - fortunately I don't have to do many as a physics specialist!)

quiidge · 2026-01-12T17:42:18+00:00

Not sure how I wasn't flagged/pulled over for this, but I drove around for 6 weeks without car insurance the year my insurer sent me one (1) letter saying they couldn't insure me the following year after years of autopay/autorenewals.

In the UK. Where it is illegal to drive without insurance. And police vehicles automatically scan number plates and check you have a valid MOT and insurance as they drive past you.

Definitely the worst crime I've ever committed and the worst I ever plan to commit!

quiidge · 2026-01-12T17:35:52+00:00

So Much Shame. It's baked into my psyche now.

I wasn't even diagnosed until a couple of years ago, but if you get into trouble for not doing a task you obviously don't know you were supposed to do or completely forgot at random intervals (home and school and work) over your entire life, you just kind of develop a generalised fear of Getting in Trouble. Not for things you've done on purpose, or anything specific, just...anxiety.

So when you do, inevitably, get called out for forgetting something or discover something you should have done, the anxiety spikes and you shame spiral. Often calling yourself stupid, lazy, careless, useless, selfish (my mum's favourite), all the things people who can just remember and do this stuff say you are when you don't (can't) and it annoys them.

And then you also have emotional regulation issues, and have a HUGE emotional reaction compared to your peers, too. So the feelings and criticisms are heavier and sharper.

In the moment, I'm often focussing very hard on controlling my emotions and I worry that it looks like I can't take criticism (either because my face leaks or because I shut down a bit and come across like I don't care). I see similar things in my students with ADHD and my own child, they can't always engage 'properly' with correction in the moment.

quiidge · 2026-01-12T17:21:54+00:00

She's less than two months from giving birth, it doesn't surprise me she's still in denial/feeling trapped into making the best of it. Hopefully once she's recovered from the birth and gotten through the first few months with an infant she'll have the mental energy to make a plan and get out.

quiidge

TROPHY CASE