So for the last two weeks I have been on jury service, which originally I was looking forward to, however, the two weeks mainly consisted of sitting in a room with around 15 other people and doing nothing! My first week was the worst, I read a full book in 3 days! That’s how bored I was! lol Anyways the second week was quite good because I finally got on a case, it was a burglary and quite interesting. But because I was on jury service I wasn’t able to go and get a job or sign up to agencies. Big problem when your so far into your overdraft!

So this week I have had two employment agency appointments and was offered the chance to cover someone who was ill for one day but I was babysitting so I haven’t worked yet but I am hopeful for next week. Fingers crossed! lol Today and tomorrow I have two more appointments. Its good to try and get some sort of employment over the summer, if not to keep you from going insane for 3months or so then to give you a bit of money and experience working somewhere. I’m hoping for the money to pay off my overdraft and its my cars MOT and tax due in the next few months so that’s what my summer earnings will go on!

Anyways you should all have finished by now so I hope your enjoying your well deserved time off and I’ll blog when I have a job! Hopefully!

So all this week I’ve been on work experience in the history department of a secondary school. I hadn’t been to the school since before Easter so I really was quite nervous going in again. Although I shouldn’t have been everyone remembered me and were really friendly and nice to me. On Monday I spent most of the day with the Year 7s who are absolutely great, I know you shouldn’t but I definitely had a couple of favourites! lol. On Tuesday I went on a school trip to a castle with the Year 7s again which was a really good experience it was good to see how learning occurred outside of the classroom. We were able to look round the castle ruins and the renovated bits too. I had never been so it was really good.

Wednesday I spent most of the day with the Year 9s and 10s making a history project on anything they like as long as the event or person was significant and changed peoples lives. It was good to take charge of something and help the students out. Thursday I was with the year 7s again and Friday was the same as Wednesday finishing off the projects.

The experience was really good, I was able to carry out a few starter activities and going on the trip only strengthened my knowledge which was good. I would advise anyone looking into going into teaching to gain some work experience because it really does help you. Next week I’m on jury service so I’ll blog about what I get up to but obviously cases are private and confidential.

Hopefully if you all remember I spent a week in January at a high school getting some work experience, as in October/November I need to apply for a PGCE which is the teaching training year you can apply for which allows you to teach primary, secondary and post-compulsory. I want to be a history teach for high school so will be applying for a secondary PCGE. Its all come very quick and I thought it would be best to get some more work experience in a school to boost my application.

As I have finished uni for the summer I have decided to go into the school I was at in January again for the week, this will benefit me as I havent been in a classroom enironment with pupils since January and it will be good to look at the different classes and lesson plans there is in comparison to January. I start the experience tomorrow and I’m feeling all nervous again, hopefully I will just be observing tomorrow and possibly do a few starter activities towards the end of the week.

I have also decided to seek more experience at a different school for September, so I have contacted my old high school and will hopefully be able to have more experience in the classroom and will be able to compare the schools to strengthen my application. I wanted to write this blog to make you all aware of starting to get involved through experiences, placements, part time work or volunteering to show employers and training providers that you haven’t just got a degree. Because in reality having just a degree is not as important its ways you have gained skills and how you have been in employment. So that’s just something for you all to think about. I’ll blog about my experience at the end of the week! Blog soon