PGCE (Primary education: multilingual nurseries and classrooms).
Candidates
Relevant degree and some experience of working with primary-aged or young children in urban, multicultural, multilingual contexts. Candidates from urban, multicultural background or who are bilingual in community languages are encouraged to apply. GCSE grade C or equivalent in maths, English and science also required.
Content
Minimum of 90 days in schools, including two block practices in chosen age range (3-8 or 7-11), visits to early years centres and a week in the opposite chosen age range. After an introductory course, the course splits into age range groups. Teaching consists of: the core subjects, professional studies, tasters in all foundation subjects and subject specialism. Audits in maths, English and science, plus Government skills tests in maths and literacy (also ICT from September 2001).
Cost
No fees for home students plus training salary of 6,000.
Duration
38 weeks, full time.
Information
Postgraduate Admissions, University of North London, 166-220 Holloway Road, London N7 8DB (020 7753 3333).
I qualified as a nursery nurse (NNEB) in 1977.
I have had a wide variety of interesting, although low-paid, jobs in England and abroad. I always dreamed about moving into teaching, but lack of qualifications and self-confidence were a constant barrier to it.
In 1994, I embarked on an Open University Foundation course (distance learning). It makes me smile now, but my main reason for doing distance learning at that time was that I wouldn't risk people finding out that I wasn't 'clever'.
I passed the course with a distinction, which gave encouragement, but I still didn't feel confident to attend a full time degree course at university. Fortunately, I found a distance learning early childhood studies degree at the University of North London. I felt it had been written for me! I was able to carry on working in England and abroad and, even more importantly, could relate all theory I was learning to the children I was working with. this link of theory to practice was a fundamental part of the course. Also, it is modular, which enables students to work at their pace.
Towards the end of the degree, I took my maths and science GCSE's. I was teaching English abroad at the time and had taken a pile of books with me...and taught myself! I graduated with a BA (Education) Early Childhood Studies degree (distinction) in July 1999.
My interest in bilingualism and our multicultural society made the University of North London my first choice when applying to do a PGCE. I had found the university to be extremely supportive during the degree.
The PGCE is very demanding, but at the same time very enjoyable. Each day I know I am a step closer to becoming a teacher, though it has taken me 24 years.
I was happy being a nursery nurse, but sadly, it is a profession that I feel will never gain the recognition it deserves. However, it was positive to hear other students on the course comment, after our block practice, on how brilliant they had found the nursery nurses to be at their early years placements.
The PGCE has a good balance between the taught course and school experience. As with the degree, assignments are often related to observations from children in schools, which ensures an understanding of how theory relates to practice.
The multilingual, multicultural part part of the PGCE is extremely interesting. It is crucial that early years practitioners celebrate this in the classroom. At a postgraduate level, students are obviously expected to work independently to a certain extent, but at the same time there is a strong support from tutors at the university and also between students. Our diverse backgrounds also enrich our learning experiences, both in universities and schools.
It is strange to think that I will shortly be applying for teaching jobs. I often meet early practitioners who say that they would like to become teachers or study further, but feel too old, yet they are often a lot younger than me! I hope my experiences will make others realise that it is never too late to learn. Now, where is that application for my master's degree.
