The right decision.

I recently spent 2 days at a local high school which has a newly opened International Centre. I wanted to have a look at life in secondary education to make sure that my decision to aim for primary teaching was the right one. Plus I wanted to find out a bit more about what is expected of children's language abilities when they start at high school.

The school was very welcoming and I observed a range of languages and ages. There seemed to be an assumption that the children have no prior language experience which I feel is a shame for those that have had the opportunity to start exploring other languages. However, this school is slightly different from usual as it doesn't have any direct feeder schools - children come from all over the county, the country and overseas, so the school doesn't have the chance to influence their feeder schools that other high schools may have.

The biggest difference I noticed between primary and secondary was the behaviour - some of the pupils had some definite attitude problems! Also the enthusiasm for languages that I have seen in my primary just wasn't there - some of the children seemed keen but others were just not interested at all.

I'm glad I observed the secondary school - it has confirmed to me that primary education is where I want to be. From my (admittedly limited) experience so far, the children in primary are more willing to try new things and have an enthusiasm that seems to be missing once they reach secondary. From the language side, I think that if you can get the children interested in other languages and cultures at an earlier age, they are more likely to carry that interest through high school. If they don't start learning languages until the reach high school, that interest seems to be lacking.

Now, how can I work that into my PGCE personal statement?!

Back to school

I have loved spending the holiday with my children. but I have also loved getting back to work this week. Tuesday was an INSET day, spent mostly sorting out the classroom ready for this year. I have ripped up so many old books this week it is ridiculous! I don't work Wednesdays (at the minute!), so Thursday was my first real time back in school. We have a lovely class this year and I am really looking forward to working with them. I spent most of today sorting the cupboard again, but it was quite therapeutic! I have been asked to take the4 Year 6s for French, which I am really looking forward to. It will be a bit daunting, but I hope I will be able to really improve their language skills by the time they leave next year. I am already looking at how I can refresh what they learnt last year. As from next week I am changing my work days, although I have unfortunately had to turn down some extra hours as I have my OU work to finish.

September is a bit of a mad month - 2 end of course German assessments plus a French dissertation, then a spoken assessment for each course. I am so looking forward to October when I will only have one course on the go (Children's Literature) although I think it is going to be a tough course to pass.

In October I will need to submit my PGCE application. I am spending a couple of days on a high school next week for observation, but know I want to apply for Primary. Just need to make sure my personal statement is up to scratch. Have spoken to my class teacher about looking at his plans and assessment, so I have a bit ore of an idea what I am doing!

It is going to be a busy, but rewarding, few months.

Studying and school holidays don't mix!

Don't get me wrong - I love my children dearly. Yet when I have 3 tutor marker assignments, then three end of course written assignments plus 3 end of course spoken assignments to prepare, my patience is stretched to the limit. Every time I think I have an hour to make some progress I get interrupted for one reason or another. I have one more TMA to submit, then I am on to the end of course assignments - the important bits that will affect my overall degree grade.

I am reasonably confident with my German EMAs - I think I should be able to write enough to get a pass grade. Yet I am very apprehensive about the spoken component of these exams - I have little to no speaking practise!

French is another matter altogether - my continuous assessment has just been enough to get a pass grade 2 overall, but that means I need to get a grade 2 in my written and spoken end of course assessments. That will mean a lot of work between now and October! Lie I said, my children are great but they are not conducive to studying! I need to spend several hours working on my assignments before submission date, plus try to get to the face to face tutorials during September to practise.

Time to say goodbye

It has been an emotional and tiring week in school! I seem to have been in school rather a lot this week, mainly to help out with the traditional Leaver's Play - a chance for the year 5 & 6 class to put on a performance for everyone. This year's play was The Jungle Book and the children did a fantastic job. Monday afternoon was the dress rehearsal in front of the rest of the school and was my first attempt at face painting. Thankfully the children were very patient with my less than artistic efforts! The next two evenings were the main performances for family and friends and everyone really raised their game and put on brilliant performances. I think even I managed to improve my face painting skills by the third attempt! It was the first time I have been involved with the play, and although I didn't have lots to do I really enjoyed seeing the children develop their roles and see their confidence blossoming.

Today was the last day of term and the Leaver's Service - usually a time for lots of tears. This is the second year that I have worked in the same class as this group of children (I was also with them in Year 4) and it is lovely to see how they have grown and matured. I felt very proud of them as they gave their speeches and received their well-deserved awards, and they all did very well to keep composed with only a few tears (there were more tears from the children who were watching than from Year 6!) They are a lovely group of children and a very tight-knit and supportive group and I know that they will continue to flourish at high school.

Probably the saddest part of the morning for me was when Miss M was presented with her leaving gift. She came to the school as an NQT 3 years ago and taught one of my daughters in her first year. I had the pleasure of working with her last year and she has become a very good friend and has been very supportive of my plans to become a teacher. I will miss her at school but am determined to keep in touch. Her new school is very lucky to have her.

The highlight of the day was the annual Year 6 v. staff rounders match. Always a competitive game, the staff were determined to win having lost last year (I wasn't playing then!). Staff went into bat first and we did well, with only 3 people out. I surprised myself by managing to hit the ball at all! Then we were into field and I went to third base - my favourite spot from school - as I can catch but can't throw very far! We started well as Mr D caught the first Year 6 batter out. They managed to get a few round but we soon got into our stride and started getting more out. I managed a catch and also a few run outs, and our vicar (playing for the staff) also caught someone out and made some great throws. In the end the staff beat Year 6 quite comfortably, although they still maintain we cheated!

It is sobering to think that this time next year I will be leaving the school as my pupil will be moving on to high school. Hopefully I will be leaving to move onto my PGCE, although of course there is always the chance I won't get onto the course. I am looking forward to working with the year 5 / 6 group again next year and to helping another group of children to prepare for life after primary school.

Where has the term gone?

It only seems five minutes since I came home from France, yet in just 2 weeks time we will be saying goodbye to our current year 6 and preparing for September and a new class. Time has whizzed by and yet I haven't written anything! This is probably more to do with the fact I have been trying to keep up with my OU courses than anything else. In hindsight, trying to study 120 credits in 9 months while working and being a single parent to 4 children during the week while hubby works away was rather foolish, but I only have 3 months to go and am hopeful I will survive! Results in French haven't been what I would have liked - whilst I can communicate perfectly well in French I am finding the rigid academic style far more difficult. Thankfully the lovely Mandy has been helping me with my German, otherwise I fear I would be failing that as well! Just 1 course assessment to go in each course, then an end of course written and spoken assessment for each and I'm done! Looking forward to only having 60 credits to contend with from October till June 2012, then hopefully my degree will be finished.

In preparation for my PGCE application, I recently spent a morning in a local Junior school. It was interesting to see the difference between a single age class and my current mixed age class. The same problems with differentiation still exist, yet they were all expected to work at a very similar lesson. I have also made arrangements to spend a couple of days in a local Secondary school which specialises in languages, in September, just to reassure myself that Primary is the way for me. I really can't see myself teaching at Secondary level - I love working with the year 5/6 class and see that as my future.

I have also had the opportunity to lead my class over the last couple of weeks, either while the teacher was out or when he had assessments to complete. And I loved it! I thought I might be really nervous in front of the class, yet while I was a bit self concious I really enjoyed the opportunity to test how I could engage the class and direct their work.

I do feel very nervous about the PGCE application, but can only do my best! Whether I have the skills that the university is looking for remains to be seen, but I will be doing my best over the summer to ensure that I am as prepared as I can be (as well as finishing off my current OU courses!) And for now, I can concentrate on helping my class as they prepare for their leaver's play, as well as making sure I am ready for the Year 6 v. staff rounders match on the last day of term!

All change!

Since I started my OU studying back in September 2008, I have always wanted to gain my degree in Modern Language Studies - I thought it would be better to have a named degree and would give me more flexibility for future career moves. However, that meant studying through until October 2012 so that my application for PGCE would be to start in 2013 (which seems a long way off!) However, having attended the Primary PGCE open day at my local university recently, I have now changed my mind! I came back from the day feeling really invigorated to get on with my training and, having looked at the options, have now decided to go for a BSc Open degree. This means that I can actually finish my studying in June 2012, so can apply this autumn for a PGCE place starting September 2012.

Changing to an Open degree also means that I have more flexibility for my final level 3 course, as (providing I pass all this years courses!) I will only need 60 credits at level 3 to complete my total of 360 credits for an Honours degree. The English course that I was going to take was part of the named degree, but having searched the OU prospectus I have found a level 3 Children's Literature course which starts in October and which would complete my degree. It looks like a really interesting course and I have already been on Amazon looking for the set books, although I haven't yet ordered them as I know I will want to start reading as soon as they arrive and I have 3 other courses to get through first! I also think that a children's literature course will be useful for a prospective Primary school teacher!

I have spoken to the university and to my current Headteacher about my change of plans and both said that an Open degree wouldn't have an adverse affect on my application for the PGCE or on future job applications. My Head is also going to get in touch with people she knows at other schools so that I can arrange to do some observations in different types of schools - it will all help with my application!

So, it's down to me now to get a good degree result, organise some more school observations and put together a personal statement that will impress the university! I'm pleased that I have decided to change courses and am looking forward to the challenges ahead.

A very French experience

Just back from 10 days in France so need to write about the experience while it is still fresh! I received funding from Comenius (a European lifelong learning programme) to spend 10 days in France as part of a job shadowing programme. My school have been corresponding with their French friends since the New Year and the French teacher came to our school for a week in February, so we have been building good links.

A group of 10 teachers form Norfolk (plus me - the only non-teacher in the group!) made the trip out to Toulouse in the early hours of Wednesday morning. We had 2 1/2 days of language training in Toulouse before travelling to stay with our host teachers. Once we had arrived and dropped our bags at the hotel (small and rather dated, but clean and friendly) we were off to the Place du Capitole to meet one of the French organisers and have the first of many excellent meals! Wednesday was a long day - after lunch we had a welcome meeting and an introduction to the French school system. While it was interesting, after having been up since 3 in the morning we were all starting to flag by then! Some of the French teachers then came to meet us for a meal in the evening.

Thursday and Friday were spent at l'IUFM - the French equivalent of a teacher training college. We were split into 2 groups for the course, beginners and confident. Our confident group was taken by the lovely Pierre who seemed to know everything about French history and spoke Occitan and Spanish as well as French. It was all very interesting although I do wish we had more opportunity to practise speaking - we did seem to listen to Pierre rather a lot! We did learn lots of lovely French songs though. Lunches at the college were 3 courses - eating lots featured rather heavily. After the course we had the opportunity to go shopping - I have bought rather a lot of books - and evenings involved more food.

Saturday morning was supposed to be at college, but as a group we decided we would prefer an outdoor lesson, so Pierre took us to a lovely museum. As some people were moving out to their hosts that afternoon, we all split up after the morning and I went off to a large covered market with one of the teachers. After more food and more shopping, we decided to embrace French culture and went to the cinema to watch Gerard Depardieu in 'Je n'ai rien oublié'.

I had arranged for Cécile (my host teacher) to pick me up on Sunday morning. She was also picking up another teacher, Sarah, as Sarah's host wasn't available until later in the day. We went to a market to buy food for lunch, then met up with some of Cécile's friends for a coffee, before going back to their house for lunch, which went on all afternoon! We then took Sarah to meet her host and, finally, got back to Cécile's house.

Monday was my first day in school - I was slightly nervous as Cécile wasn't going to be there (she works as an English teacher in lots of different schools), but the staff were all very welcoming and the children were all very curious! School started at 8.30am, so after a quick tour I went into CM1/CM2 - the equivalent of our year 5/6 - the class that we had been corresponding with. I had brought over letters and small gifts from my class so handed those out, which was useful to try and get to know the children's names! I observed a French grammar lesson and then a maths lesson after break. After a 2 hour lunch break, I visited CE1/CE2 (year 3/4) and observed comprehension and more maths. One of the teachers took me back to Cécile's house after school (4.30) and we then went to the cinema (les femmes du 6iéme étage - lovely film) before coming home to Toulouse sausage for supper - delicious!

Back to school on Tuesday and helping out Cécile in English lessons in the morning. The teachers took me out for lunch then I was in Maternelle (reception/year 1) for the afternoon where I helped make Easter bunnies for presents and we did lots of singing. After almost losing my phone on the way home (it fell out of my bag onto the pavement but luckily I checked my bag about 5 minutes later, realised it was gone and it was still on the pavement when I went back to look!), Cécile took me for a quick shopping trip round Montauban. Supper was Bréton gallettes and more wine!

French schools don't work on Wednesday's, so it was a day of sight-seeing. We started off by going to a museum in Montauban, then met up with the directrice for lunch. She then took us on a sight-seeing tour round the area - lots of lovely old villages and beautiful scenery.

Back to school on Thursday and started off in CP/GS (year 1/2). French children don't seem to really start reading and writing until they are around 6, so it was interesting to see what the younger children do in class to start on letter and word recognition. As well as French, there was some maths and a short PE lesson. After lunch I was back with Cécile for English lessons - the CM1/CM2 children started writing letters for me to bring back to England. With CE1/CE2, we went outside for songs and activities. In the evening, Cécile took me to a dance spectacle in Toulouse - it was modern ballet and although I found the first half a bit strange, the second half was fabulous!

Friday was my last day in school - I spent the morning in Maternelle again with more singing and stories. I was also given a lot of pictures to bring home! Back to CM2/CM1 in the afternoon to finish off letters to England. Everyone came to say goodbye at the end of the day and I had lots of hugs from the younger children (plus a box of chocolates from someone in CM1). I was sad to say goodbye - it was a lovely week and everyone was very welcoming and friendly.

Cécile's partner, Seb, cooked a lovely meal on Friday night and I managed to cram everything into my suitcase somehow. Thankfully my flight on Saturday wasn't too early!

So, what have I gained from my trip? The main thing is the confidence that my French is sufficient to manage by myself in France - once Cécile picked me up I spoke nothing but French for the whole week and people seemed to understand me! I also understood most of what was said to me - I may not have understood every word, but I could understand the gist of conversations and reply appropriately! I also have lots of ideas to bring back and share with my class to hopefully help the French lessons. I had a great trip and hope to continue my correspondence with the school and Cécile as it can only be a positive thing to have these contacts in France. The trip has been a really positive experience for me; while I was there I wasn't someone's mum or someone's wife, I was just me and I think it did me good to focus on myself for a short while.