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PGCE Experience 

 

Within​ ​our​ ​Leeds​ ​Trinity​ ​University​ ​PGCE​ ​mathematics​ ​cohort,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​clear​ ​divide between​ ​IMA​ ​scholarship​ ​recipient,​ ​bursary,​ ​SKITT​ ​or​ ​provider​ ​led.​ ​As​ ​we​ ​embark​ ​on​ ​our ITT,​ ​we​ ​are​ ​all​ ​equal.   

Raising​ ​the​ ​topic​ ​of​ ​your​ ​successful​ ​IMA​ ​scholarship​ ​can​ ​be​ ​a​ ​tumultuous​ ​endeavour, inevitably​ ​you​ ​will​ ​find​ ​that​ ​colleagues​ ​may​ ​have​ ​applied​ ​unsuccessfully​ ​which​ ​can​ ​create tension​ ​and​ ​potential​ ​resentment.​ ​That​ ​said,​ ​show​ ​your​ ​pride​ ​and​ ​enthusiasm​ ​once​ ​you've assessed​ ​which​ ​way​ ​the​ ​wind​ ​blows. 

I​ ​am​ ​grateful​ ​for​ ​the​ ​extra​ ​opportunities​ ​for​ ​CPD​ ​and​ ​support. 

On​ ​the​ ​day​ ​before​ ​the​ ​first​ ​conference​ ​I​ ​discovered​ ​the​ ​colleague​ ​sat​ ​next​ ​to​ ​me​ ​all-that-day was​ ​also​ ​a​ ​scholarship​ ​recipient.​ ​“Wow!​ ​Are​ ​you​ ​travelling​ ​by​ ​train​ ​tomorrow?​ ​“We​ ​could travel​ ​together​ ​and​ ​feel​ ​that​ ​we​ ​knew​ ​someone​ ​at​ ​the​ ​event… 

Unfortunately,​ ​they​ ​had​ ​already​ ​decided​ ​not​ ​to​ ​go.​ ​After​ ​this​ ​conversation,​ ​their​ ​perspective shifted​ ​and​ ​whatever​ ​their​ ​previous​ ​reasons​ ​were​ ​for​ ​non-attendance,​ ​suddenly​ ​the opportunity​ ​seemed​ ​attractive.​ ​Sadly,​ ​the​ ​IMA​ ​had​ ​no​ ​available​ ​spaces​ ​left​ ​for​ ​the conference.   

Take​ ​advantage​ ​of​ ​every​ ​opportunity​ ​offered​ ​by​ ​the​ ​IMA​ ​and​ ​elsewhere​ ​for​ ​your​ ​CPD, sooner​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​later.

University​ ​maths​ ​mentors​ ​could​ ​take​ ​successful​ ​IMA​ ​recipients​ ​aside​ ​early​ ​on​ ​in​ ​the​ ​PGCE course:​ ​ensuring​ ​that​ ​we​ ​are​ ​known​ ​to​ ​each​ ​other,​ ​allowing​ ​potential​ ​relationships​ ​to​ ​form and​ ​therefore​ ​encouraging​ ​engagement​ ​with​ ​scholar​ ​benefits.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​something​ ​I​ ​will feedback​ ​to​ ​both​ ​the​ ​IMA​ ​and​ ​LTU​ ​for​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​benefit​ ​of​ ​future​ ​cohorts.   

My​ ​experience​ ​so​ ​far​ ​of​ ​the​ ​PGCE​ ​has​ ​been​ ​completely​ ​positive.

There​ ​are​ ​times​ ​when​ ​I​ ​am​ ​stressed,​ ​tired,​ ​anxious,​ ​panicked,​ ​experiencing​ ​late​ ​nights,​ ​early mornings​ ​and​ ​long​ ​days.​ ​These​ ​are​ ​normal​ ​mundane​ ​nuisances​ ​that​ ​creep​ ​into​ ​our​ ​everyday lives.​ ​The​ ​point​ ​is,​ ​I'm​ ​enjoying​ ​them,​ ​I'm​ ​happy​ ​with​ ​my​ ​life,​ ​the​ ​course​ ​and​ ​support available​ ​and​ ​want​ ​to​ ​succeed​ ​on​ ​my​ ​PGCE.​ ​How​ ​quickly​ ​life​ ​can​ ​change​ ​and​ ​feel purposeful,​ ​focused​ ​and​ ​enjoyable.   

Although​ ​it​ ​has​ ​only​ ​been​ ​three​ ​weeks,​ ​I​ ​feel​ ​I​ ​must​ ​already​ ​express​ ​my​ ​thanks​ ​to​ ​LTU and​ ​especially​ ​Catherine​ ​Bell,​ ​my​ ​university-based​ ​maths​ ​mentor. 

 

By S. J. Shackleton