totally out of control...

[jemimarobin]

Hi Livvy, yeah would like to know more about teaching if you dont mind my questions- did you do a drama degree for example? My oh he does enjoy the 'performance' part of the job actually talking to students and imparting knowledge etc but he is sooo rubbish at being organised it is really letting him down. I think also he is one of those grass is always greener on the other side types and he keeps moaning how he wants to just leave his work at work if you know what I mean and not have to take it home with him but thats obviously an occupational hazard! and I try to say to him yep you can go back to a crappy office job and then you dont have to anything extra but he's still moaning- i think part of it is he is not enjoying his second placement school and he already has job for sept at his first placement school which he really enjoyed so it probably making him feel a bit like whats the point (plus the new school is a bit middle class and he has a big chip on his shoulder lol). but I still want to slap him round the chops!

but realistically how much work do you do at home/ out of hours? does it ever ease off? do you still go out/ have a life?!! we have a little one so it makes it a bit harder to do work generally as she has to be in bed but do you think it would be worse if I was doing it too? I did a TEFL course while I was at uni and found it hard but I am a totally different person than I was then and didnt appreciate my education at all.

I really would like to learn to teach music preferably primary but would teach secondary if they will let me. they said it is a 'needed' subject so will only do it if I get funding but I dont have any formal music qualifications so its prob pretty unlikely I could make their standards, dont think you can teach archaeology in primary!! why oh why did I choose such a useless degree????

Right better stop with the questions as you'll probably get scared and run off Livvy!

Any advice is appreciated! xx

 

[sonkie]

Ooh that sounds great so it will be two years in total but more if you do the degree part?

I have an interview at an agency tommorrow for a job- woo! also will try my cv into a bar in town that is looking for people. woo woo woo! am feeling much more positive this evening- feel like I am taking baby steps to get somewhere which is just a big relief and weight off my mind! thanks for all good advice on here ladies xxx

Its great to hear you sounding more positive, Im feeling good too, though when its sunny like it has been this week I love it and makes me feel much brighter too.

Hope the interview goes well, will be waiting to hear how it goes.

 

[jemimarobin]

interview was good in some ways as she said I was perfect for the job but they would be worried as I had a child about taking loads of time off and wanting to do part time hours have more children etc. none of which I want to do so its a bit frustrating. she said she'd put me forward for it but as its a small company and they had 2 people go on maternity leave recently I guess they are a bit worried about it all happening again so prob not what they're looking for. I can understand why but it does make you feel like you are always going to be coming up against a brick wall. :sigh:

 

[xxluckyxx]

:thinking2: about u mate !!!! :grouphugg:

 

[Livvy]

Hi Livvy, yeah would like to know more about teaching if you dont mind my questions- did you do a drama degree for example?

but realistically how much work do you do at home/ out of hours? does it ever ease off? do you still go out/ have a life?!!

Hi Jem

Hope I can answer your questions properly....

My degree is in English and Drama. I actually trained to be an English teacher and taught it alone for 5 years, i moved school and started with Drama, I now teach Drama for 95% of my timetable, I still have a handful of Drama classes. I actually teach some music although I can only sing, dont have any formal musical training or cant play an instrument.

I do have lots of work out of school,but that is the nature of my subject... rehearsals, school shows etc...
As for marking etc there is very little of that in practical subjects like Music and Drama but there is lots of prep, but that does get easier when you have been teaching longer. You get better at getting all your work done in school time and now we have protected frees (PPA's) its easier to get it all done. I still manage to go out whenever I want. My only problem is that as a Drama teacher i'm always rehearsing. Its easier other times of the year when the exams arent looming!

Fair enough, i dont have the added stress of a family but in my opinion it is worth it. You will always have the school holidays off with your children, plus,most of your prep can still be done when they are asleep so wont affect your relationship.

There are downfalls, granted... but the pros outweight them in my opinion. I love my job... they should take those adverts off the telly and just put me on!!! lol

As for using your degree, i think you could still train as a music teacher, as it is a "demand" subject. You should contact your local university and find out...

Hope that helps, keep asking me, i'd love to be of assistance!!

Livvy
xxx
rincess:

 

[jemimarobin]

:thinking2: about u mate !!!! :grouphugg:

thanx sam xxx

 

[jemimarobin]

Hi Jem

Hope I can answer your questions properly....

My degree is in English and Drama. I actually trained to be an English teacher and taught it alone for 5 years, i moved school and started with Drama, I now teach Drama for 95% of my timetable, I still have a handful of Drama classes. I actually teach some music although I can only sing, dont have any formal musical training or cant play an instrument.

I do have lots of work out of school,but that is the nature of my subject... rehearsals, school shows etc...
As for marking etc there is very little of that in practical subjects like Music and Drama but there is lots of prep, but that does get easier when you have been teaching longer. You get better at getting all your work done in school time and now we have protected frees (PPA's) its easier to get it all done. I still manage to go out whenever I want. My only problem is that as a Drama teacher i'm always rehearsing. Its easier other times of the year when the exams arent looming!

Fair enough, i dont have the added stress of a family but in my opinion it is worth it. You will always have the school holidays off with your children, plus,most of your prep can still be done when they are asleep so wont affect your relationship.

There are downfalls, granted... but the pros outweight them in my opinion. I love my job... they should take those adverts off the telly and just put me on!!! lol

As for using your degree, i think you could still train as a music teacher, as it is a "demand" subject. You should contact your local university and find out...

Hope that helps, keep asking me, i'd love to be of assistance!!

Livvy
xxx
rincess:

thanks livvy will read and digest properly in a bit but thanks for answering all my tiresom questions! i would love to be a music teacher as I had a brillinat one when I was at school and it really does make a vast difference to how you feel about learning a subject. I definitely have the passion to do it its just seeing if i can get the required subject knowledge whilst doing teacher training or if I need to do it all before hand. it looks like I will proba have to do itit that way so will see if I can do music grades/ a level with a private tutor and apply for september 08. I would prefer to do this year but I dont think it will be possible. just spoke to someone at plymouth uni and i wont be able to teach secondary without a music degree, might be able to do primary but prob not likely either they said. exeter is the only uni around here that offers primary specialising in music, will make an enquiry but not looking good there either! :sigh:

 

[tashy100]

Hi - just read your thread and sorry you are having such a difficult time.

Try this website entitledto to work out how your benefits would change if you got a job - might be useful to see.

Hope things improve for you.

Tasha

 

[jemimarobin]

thanks tasha will do xxx

 

[jemimarobin]

Doctor told me this morning I probably have endometritis as have been getting this severe pain in my abdomen, kind bladder area at totm and it is really painful and 800mg of ibruprofen does not even touch it. grrrrrreaaaaat! hopefully will go away with some meds he gave me for the pain as well if not he said I will have to come back next month for possible laproscopy and internal examination (shudder) has anyone had this and did it go away? xxxx

 

[xxluckyxx]

Oh Jem , how ru feeling today ?

Did the gig go ok hun ?

Ive known a few girls with the same condition , but they had it before having children and when they had kids it got better .

Dont know to much about it , but im sure the doctors know what they r doing xxx

 

[jemimarobin]

thanks sam gig was ok- yeah I got asked to play again next month and I made a bit of money too! the pain has gone away since I started taking the meds the doc gave me so fingers crossed. been movin furniture round like mad today trying to get our place sorted as we cant afford to move so I think we're going to have to make the best of where we are for now. but its starting to look a bit nicer so I'm feeling a bit more positive now.

Lost 3lbs from the last time I was weighed today at weigh in which is not much but defintely better than putting on or staying the same as I have been like that for ages!

2 more pounds and I'll be in the 11's hoorah! I can do it....


how'did you all get on this week? xxxxxxxxx

 

[sonkie]

Wow Jem well done, and nearly in the 11`s too, how cool is that.

 

[Livvy]

Well done on the 3 pounds! Good news!

Livvy
xxx
rincess:

 

[sonkie]

How you doing Jem...? you still going up for the Bath meet ? if so will you be coming out clubbing with me, Sam and Karen ?

 

[jemimarobin]

mmm yep I am coming to Bath son but just waiting for my mate to get back to me as to whether she has big plans for her birthday or not as I will go with her if so as I dont see her v often and its her actual birthday on the 14th but if she is just planning to have a meal with her bloke then obviously I wont be joining her! I have a few other friends in bristol as well tho and i want to squeeze in seeing as many as possible as well as my mum so I might end up seeing some others as I am not there for very long.

sorry this has turned into a complicated answer but will definitely be there in day and may stay for early eve drink but prob (although not def lol) will end up going to bristol for the evening as I will have to arrange somewhere to stay as my mum has just moved out of her place. phew!


you looking forward to throwing some shapes on the dance floor?

 

[jemimarobin]

I have an interview tommorrow eek! they only phoned me today and the closing date is not til the 6th so thought I wouldnt hear for ages or even at all! its at 11am fingers crossed, just going to get off minis and do some research on the company. wish me luck everybody!

 

[Livvy]

How did the interview go Jem?

Livvy
xxx
rincess:

 

[jemimarobin]

hi livvy yeah it was good they said I was in the top couple of candidates but then I had to do a typing test and mine is pretty abysmal having not been in an office for a while and i think it really let me down as it took me ages, I was very accurate but just took me 10 mins when should have taken 5 i think. so not looking too hopeful, they said they'd let me know today and as they havent let me know yet I assume its a no as I thought :sigh: . nevermind will keep trying. Jobs in plymouth are pretty hard to come by though- they said they had 93 applicants for the job and its nothing special just admin/ reception so its totally mad they wittled it down to 12. I never thought it would be this hard to get a job I've always got them in a flash when I've lived in other places. STRANGE!
Hope you are well xxx

 

[sonkie]

It is very hard to get work in Plymouth and the pay is abismal too.
Glad to see you have reached the "11`s" you must be well pleased.