Throwing Chalk: diary of a trainee teacher

I can't wait to have all those letters after my name. I guess I'm halfway there as I'm in the 2nd year of my part-time course. I'm a qualified assistant now, for what it's worth. Now I just need to tick off the rest of the assignments, the 2nd portfolio of evidence, the statuary hours, the LLUK standards, the level 2 tests in literacy and numeracy...... oh. I've depressed myself now. One day at a time. None of it is *that* hard, it's just a grind sometimes. It's a bit like school at times.

;0)

Sorry, I just felt the need for a childish mildly ironic smiley there. Not that I will ever actually be going back to school as I'll only be qualified to teach at 16+ level, but that's okay with me. That was always my aim, I've come into teaching after working in the so-called *real world*.

(God I almost wrote 'come into teaching later in life' - how depressing does that sound? - but then at *cough, cough* 41 - so I guess I am potentially twice the age of some student teachers. O well...)

So bearing all of that in mind it's actually quite nice and useful to be learning with a mixed group of people most of whom are already teaching at local FE colleges. People that had the relevant skills first & and a desire to teach later. On my course there are experts in the following disciplines: drumming, hairdressing, mechanics, joinery, French, nursing, travel & tourism, art, IT, childcare, psychology & plumbing/gas fitting.

If I ever need to hold a party in a dilapidated house in rural France - this would be the GO-To-Team.

But I'll admit I did think: how the heckers like am I gonna learn how to be an Ingerlish Teacher amongst this lot? Really. I was well miffed. For much of the first year as we went through Maslow, Schemes of Work, Learning Styles... all the basics. How relevant is this to my life of telling Johnny Briscow to sit down and get on with his work?

"Johnny, I don't want to have to tell you again, please let go of Ralph's neck and sit down. Thank you."

But y'know. Over time. I got convinced. Here I had a resource of *common sense* practical and intelligent people who had 'been there and done that'. And group behaviours are cross-transferable - and the hairdressing teacher is pretty incredible, I have to say. Pshaw, I thought! Hairdressing!? Really? But the stories of coping with 14-19 year old learners that have been kicked out of more academic lessons and then teaching them how to use curling tongs - someone should make a film about it.

See this week we were studying the *Hidden Curriculum*. There's a lot of socialisation and aspects of learning that none of us consciously think about. We learn without realising, but once we do realise, well, then it's time to lap up as much knowledge as you can. I need to spend the rest of this year draining these experts of all their interesting lesson plans and behaviour management techniques. In return I'll give them my advice on comma use. Fair swap, I'd say.

Posted by Stipey Sullivan at 16:14 Comments