A blog documenting my PGCE Primary (School Direct) Journey 2020/21
You can now ask me anything anonymously. Answers will be returned every Tuesday.
![[Alt: Image of Lou as a Bitmoji riding on a dinosaur. Link above is available as text/QR code. Text reads: Ask me anything. Got a question about Elections? About my campaign? About my OU journey? You can ask me anything here]](https://topuptoteacher.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/cc3e533a-f27e-415a-bea9-79ef148472b5.png?w=1024)
[Alt: Image of Lou as a Bitmoji riding on a dinosaur. Link above is available as text/QR code. Text reads: Ask me anything. Got a question about Elections? About my campaign? About my OU journey? You can ask me anything here]
My Campaign Manifesto
In my term as VP Engagement my aim is to extend the reach of the OUSA, creating wider and more varied choice of communications to ensure more students than ever before can find and connect with the opportunities and communities that are on offer.
Building on the success of the current VP Engagement, I hope to expand student participation with The Hoot and develop further student-led blog/vlog opportunities.
OU students have a wealth of skills/experience to share and rather than continually recycling answers to common questions online, I hope to create a student led bank of blogs/videos giving student insights into everything from modules to clubs. I created personal insight blogs for my previous modules which have proved useful to those exploring their module choices or preparing for their next module.
Further to this, I hope to be the listening ear of the student body and facilitate better variation in student feedback opportunities. Too often the same voices are heard while other students struggle to find the time to engage. I hope to consult with those who find engagement more challenging to promote a structure that works for all students.
During my PGCE course I was representative for my training hub – facilitating change through student feedback. I previously worked on the team behind @WeStudentNurse – a Twitter account offering support and engaging Student Nurses across the UK and beyond. At the OU, I have been involved in feedback, particularly Curriculum Design, and have published articles for The Hoot.
My Pledges
Support more students to find ways to engage with OUSA.
Further promote participation with The Hoot and expand the availability of student insights through student-led blogs/vlogs.
Improve the variation of feedback processes to ensure a wider range of student voices are heard.
In 100 words, how will you seek to uphold the Association’s mission to make a positive difference for all OU students and our values of integrity, equality and inclusivity, openness, kindness and compassion and collaboration?
For me the role of VP Engagement is entirely about equality, inclusivity and collaboration. My main aim must centre around engaging more students and removing barriers to participation, to promote greater diversity in both student feedback processes and community activities. Openness is also essential. I see myself as the effective listening ear, engaging as many students as possible to ensure all students are heard but also as a champion of communication to ensure OUSA’s opportunities are equally received by all.
Question: What is it about this particular role which interests you the most?
I am a keen communicator and enjoy listening to students and their varied experiences, collating their ideas and championing change with their feedback at board level. The balance of the feedback aspect of the role with the Digital Engagement strategy is a real draw for me, having previously worked for @WeStudentNurse and blogged in various capacities, I am enthusiastic about facilitating further opportunities like these, to welcome a diversity of student voices in our variety of media and digital spaces, as I feel the OU’s strength truly lies within its many incredible students and their stories.
Thank you for reading and if you do have any questions at all, please feel free to get in touch.
Please feel free to share my campaign with others.
Check out the answer to this question on my TikTok (no account needed to view) vm.tiktok.com/ZML47n9Xq/
💙 Follow @OUStudents on Twitter
💙 Follow @OUStudentsLive on Instagram/TikTok
💙 Candidates announced and Manifestos/Pledges published on the OUSA Website: 19/04/22
💙 Keep an eye on The Hoot to see answers to some of the Candidate Questions sent through the Elections Website
💙 Voting is open Friday 29th April – Wednesday 18th May
💙 Candidates will be announced on Friday 20th May
Best of luck to all other candidates standing 🍀
Introduction
I’m Lou and I’m standing for VP Engagement at the upcoming #OUStudents Elections and this is my student journey…
I missed my A Level grades for Dentistry by one mark and it sent me on a lifelong learning journey.
I dropped out of my Chemistry degree in 2012, worked numerous amazing jobs in outdoor education, museum education, youth programmes – I even worked onboard a cruise ship!
In 2016, I returned to university to train as a Children’s Nurse but it wasn’t right for me – I would spend my life counting down the days until my next primary school workshop in my part time job as a Widening Participation Ambassador, and it dawned on me then, that I cared more for education.
With the unwavering support of incredible friends, I walked out of nursing and transferred my credits to the #OpenUniversity – topping up with a module from Education (E309) and a module from Childhood & Youth (KE322) and graduating with an Open Degree and 1st Class Honours in 2020.
I was accepted onto a School Direct PGCE Primary in 2020-21 which I passed with Qualified Teacher Status.
I’ve spent a decade telling children, young people and colleagues that you should ignore the crowd and go your own way. YOU DO YOU! So for once in my life, I took my own advice! After my health caused me to take a step back from teaching and take leave from work and study – completely putting my life on hold, I returned to @theopenuniversity to recapture the love of rocks that led me to Science A Levels, the Science Museum and amazing Science lessons. My greatest regret is never getting my STEM degree, yes I’ll be thirty freaking seven when I can finally call myself a STEM grad but I’ll be my own example that you never have to give up on a goal 💙
This week (w/c 12/10/2020) the UCAS Teacher Training site begins taking applications for 2021/22 entry. As a current PGCE Primary (School Direct) student I’ve had a lot of questions about writing a successful personal statement. Now I’m no expert, but I’m no beginner either because in the last academic year I successfully made it through both Teach First and UCAS application cycles (after a later change of heart!) This blog talks through how I went about preparing and writing my personal statement and hopefully it will offer some useful advice for those facing the same challenge now.
I’m happy to answer questions on here or via my Twitter handle (@lrobbo89) but please note I will not be able to send you a copy of my own statement and cannot offer to proof read statements at this time.
It is advised that you do not share your personal statement, UCAS runs applications through plagiarism software and if someone was to copy your work, it could result in their plagiarism being flagged to their chosen providers!
Useful websites
I used the above two websites in helping me to decide what I should include in my statement. I then created notes detailing the following key sections:
2. Why I want to teach primary. I followed the opening lines up with a second mind map of all the reasons I wanted to teach primary age and a general curriculum rather than secondary chemistry for £26000 (I add this because I knew this had to be very convincing). Again I used the Twitter character method to try and keep this succinct and inspiring. (It may seem odd but I’m a keen tweeter and it’s a format where I waffle less!)
3. What had led me here. Important because, why didn’t I do a BEd in the first place?! (My friends have asked me this over a decade and I still haven’t been able to give a straight answer). In this section I mentioned my current studies and how this would support my postgraduate AND teaching ambitions. PGCE, even school based, isn’t just about wowing in the classroom. You have to make the provider belief you can pull it up a notch academically to Level 7 too!
4. My school based experience. DO NOT PANIC! I can assure you my lecturers and my alliance team are VERY aware that we are in the middle of a pandemic. If you don’t have school experience – it is likely not the end of the world. I had relatively little classroom experience having worked in museums, outdoor education etc. I talked about the little experience I had but I talked about it in a REFLECTIVE way (capitalised to emphasise how much I recommend this). Don’t just tell them you did two weeks in school and you had a jolly good time – tell them what the take away was. For me, I unintentionally declared an appreciation for Bruner (“Any subject can be taught in some intellectually honest form to any child at any stage of development”) in expressing my amazement that it’s all about how an idea is pitched – even 4 year olds could learn about atoms!
5. Personal skills/qualities potentially useful in the teaching profession. I first drew a mind map of all the skills and qualities and then for each one I detailed one example of where I had demonstrated this through my work/study. To write this piece, which made up over one third of my statement, I chose those that I felt sold me best to a primary headteacher. I reduced the mind map down to only around three answers. The power is always in the example. “I am a great communicator” is thrown into university/job applications more times than any recruiter cares to mention. Great. What sort of communication? Written? Verbal? Four different foreign languages? Morse code? Also…says who? You who is doing the talking? How do you know that your talking has been effective?
6. Why here/now? Due to my personal circumstances, I did not want to move away. It was paramount that I secured a local training position and I dedicated a couple of closing lines of my statement to declaring why my local area was the place I wanted to start my career.
Top Tip: If you want to write your personal statement first in Microsoft Word use the Verdana 11 font- this will ensure the lines match those measured on the UCAS system. It saves you having to race against the UCAS website time out feature.
Also: Always proof read! Read aloud. Read for spellings. Read for grammar. Read it after a break from writing it.
This is by no means the model method for writing the personal statement, and people’s varied backgrounds lend themselves to differing structures/styles but there may be some useful takeaways here to support your own personal statement writing.
If you are looking to train as a teacher in England – do also contact Get Into Teaching who can set you up with an advisor to support you throughout the application process.
Wishing you all the very best of luck with your application!
Lou 🙂
This blog contains the letter I wrote and posted to the Minister of State for Universities on the day of my Open University degree result. I am sadly yet to receive a reply, and have since moved address but hope that my message made it – even though I am just one teeny, tiny voice.
Trigger Warning: Suicide
Dear Michelle Donelan,
I am writing regarding your recent speech on the future of Higher Education which has in many ways, deeply troubled me.
I wholeheartedly agree that university is not necessarily the best route for all and have friends who have been successful both with and without a university education. However, this statement I find raises concerns with regards to your commitment to the future of Widening Participation (WP) programmes and their funding.
I was a WP student – I received support from my local university, attended taster sessions there and even spent a week at Oxford University Medical School as part of the Sutton Trust Summer School programme. I have since gone on to work on two WP teams alongside my studies – work that not only enabled me to give back, but also supported my own studies financially.
I grew up in a low income household, my family have no GCSEs between them, and my mum cleaned the local school for a living. We had a lot of family debt which made day to day living a financial challenge. I was in paid work from the age of thirteen and university always felt like a far flung dream.
WP gave me the chance to meet students just like me, to explore subjects that I had never heard of (essentially those that weren’t school subjects), and to see all the benefits of continuing education. Without WP, I wouldn’t have met any people outside of my school or dentist/doctor’s surgery who had a graduate education.
The research work of the OECD indicates that by the age of seven, children have already limited their career aspirations. “You can’t be what you can’t see” – and this means WP is vitally important, in fact, you could argue should be extended, to ensure earlier coverage of options (see the fabulous work of Primary Futures!)
WP never seeks to erase children’s aspirations, only to raise them – if they want to be a YouTuber, a plumber or take on their family business and don’t want to go to university – we congratulate them and encourage them. WP isn’t about misleading young people; it’s about arming them with all the available choices for them to make a proper informed decision about their future – something I couldn’t have done without WP programmes.
Where alternative options do exist, they need to be viable. Apprenticeships can be problematic for disadvantaged young people. Pay for an apprenticeship needs to enable the young person to be self-supporting. Many families living with disadvantage cannot support their child to work for £3.97 per hour instead of finding full paid work beyond the age of 18, cutting their educational path short. I was lucky to take an apprenticeship with food and board covered, but the skills from it weren’t accepted outside of the company. I had considered further apprentice options to enhance my skills in childcare/youth work but could never afford to take the pay cut to work as an apprentice without food and board – it simply would not cover my rent.
You further spoke about university drop-outs:
“If a student goes to university and then drops out after year 1 and has a year’s debt, what does that deliver for their social mobility? Nothing. In fact, it sets them back in life. It’s about them completing high quality academically rigorous courses that then lead to graduate jobs, and that’s the important measure we should be looking at”
Firstly, my back story: I received seven A*s, two A’s and a B at GCSE. I naturally went on to study for A Levels and had three offers made for Dentistry. Unfortunately, I left with AABC (plus CD at AS) with my B in Chemistry (just one mark off the A grade) and I lost my place. I eventually went to university in 2010 (after working and doing an apprenticeship) to study BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science at a Russell Group University.
Between the strain of long course hours, part time work and my personal circumstances I struggled to get on with the course. I transferred to the BSc (Hons) Chemistry programme in the hope that a more practical subject would be more engaging and help me push through, but my struggle continued.
I eventually ended up leaving when in the Easter of that second year, my friend committed suicide and the university counsellor told me that they could not provide support. Indeed, they even went as far as telling me my friend’s suicide “didn’t count” because she was not a member of my direct family.
I left university in floods of tears, I was always the A grade student, always pushing to be top of my class and I had been let down. For the following four years I told everyone that university was not for me.
In those four years I saw friends in museum education take on more exciting roles because they had a degree and I didn’t, I worked summers managing youth programmes alongside graduates who were surprised I would be unemployed when the summer drew to a close, and I watched as friends graduated or spoke fondly of their “career” while all I had was a “job”.
By this point I had joined and started training with the Royal Naval Reserve as an Officer, having passed the Admiralty Interview Board. I felt out of place and lacked confidence in training. I’d more than qualified for my place, but I was left feeling trampled by successful graduate colleagues.
I thought that I couldn’t go back to university because Student Finance England calculate funding as: Years of Course + Spare Year – Years of Previous study, leaving any potential university asking for £9000 up front because I wasn’t eligible for loans in Year 1.
Eventually, after much convincing, I looked at Nursing & Allied Health – some of the few degrees that did allow funding despite previous study and settled on BSc (Hons) Children’s Nursing. This course rapidly became a poor fit for me – I was successful and received good grades and placement feedback, but I did not enjoy my placements. I realised I was living for school placements and WP work. I knew I had made a mistake and I transferred for my final year to The Open University where I studied one module from Childhood & Youth and one module from Primary Education to leave with a BSc (Hons) Open degree. I will go on to teacher training locally through School Direct (Primary) in September.
I’m proud of my degree, and I’m proud that despite every hurdle thrown my way, I graduate this week. So, I’m a student that went to university and then dropped out after year 2 and had 2 year’s debt, what did that deliver for my social mobility? Everything. In fact, I came back fighting. It’s not about completing high quality academically rigorous courses that lead to graduate jobs, it’s about the skills, experience, confidence and aspirations that I have developed along the way. It’s about the sheer determination to get to the end and sit behind a laptop I bought for myself, telling the Universities Minister that it is most definitely about groups. We have so much we can offer, for example, by diversifying the white middle class image of teaching. If your mum cleans the school toilets you 100% can be a teacher – maybe one day even the Headteacher.
Please, I urge you, don’t forget about me, or the thousands of other young people who share my wobbly pathway to success. Instead, please look to raising our aspirations and helping us stay in university long enough to reach them.
Things I believe could help:
University is so much more than my degree, and it will always be so much more than my pay cheque. It’s at the very least, developing the confidence to write to an MP and champion that same chance for every other little bright spark sat without central heating, eating beans on toast for the third night running, who wrongly believes only the privileged go to university.
I will always continue to raise aspirations and champion opportunities for those groups less likely to pursue higher education, because in the wise words of Teach First: “Where you come from shouldn’t affect where you’re going”.
Yours Sincerely,
Lou
In September 2019, I joined the Open University with 240 credits in the bag. Brand new to distance learning, I had to adapt quickly to my new online education with a view to finish my final 120 credits in one year.
Having successfully made it to the other side, I thought I’d write a blog with my top 10 tips to new Open University students – and particularly those who like me, are adapting to a new style of learning.
Productivity vs. Procrastination
For me, one of the hardest adaptations to Open University life was motivating myself to study and not allowing myself to get distracted. Studying at home, studying in your free time and studying online all lend themselves well to being drawn off task. I made use of an app called Forest (which is £1.99 Android/Apple) which allows you to grow virtual plants/trees for the time spent focused on studying. I grew different trees for different modules/pieces of work so I could see each week where I was investing my time.
There are plenty of other productivity apps out there with a similar outlook. You may also prefer a physical study/habit tracker in a diary/bullet journal or simply keeping a tally. However you go about this, logging your hours can be a really positive step – particularly if studying more than one module. It’s a great way of setting yourself small achievable study targets – e.g. 2 hours focused study a day, and it’s incredible how quickly it all adds up.
It’s also a great way of making sure you are not procrastinating within your studies – I’m terrible for reading until the end of time, leaving myself little time to write, edit and proof read. By keeping a log of my hours I could make sure I was giving every component enough attention and over time, developed a good idea of how many hours I needed to put in to particular tasks e.g. proof reading a 2500 word essay.
Unlocking the library
As a Student Ambassador at a brick university, I always used to fondly tell students on campus tours that the library would become a second home to them – and that is no different as an Open University student (particularly at Level 3 and beyond). If you aren’t confident in using the library, definitely seek some support from a librarian or attend a library workshop https://www.open.ac.uk/library/training-and-events (N.B The library also run workshops on referencing! Very useful!)
If you are really missing the world of quiet study spaces and physical textbooks check out the SCONUL access scheme which allows you to use local university libraries and often borrow their books https://www.open.ac.uk/library/help-and-support/what-is-the-sconul-access-scheme-and-how-do-i-join. Local libraries also serve as fantastic spaces for quiet study but you may find a nearby university library more suited to your studies. My local university runs education and childhood courses – which perfectly aligned with my own OU studies, providing me with a wealth of extra resources (and bonus – it’s now my link university for my teacher training and I’ve had a year to get familiar with their collection).
(This is obviously subject to current Covid restrictions – but stay positive and keep an eye out!)
Switch up your study space
Many OU students will recommend setting up a dedicated study area at home from which to work and you will see these beautifully presented on Facebook group photos. I too have a lovely desk space but sometimes find, particularly when writing assignments, that a little change of environment can really help. Pre-lockdown that was usually a treat out at a local cafe or library but during lockdown something as simple as shifting to the sofa and putting my feet up for a while or taking over the kitchen table (mostly to be closer to the kettle) really helped freshen up my motivation. You could even download or take your reader to the local park and enjoy some fresh air. The possibilities are endless!
SNACKS
I love a study snack – even more so with a cup of tea! Sometimes snacks can be the perfect motivation for working through that tough bit of a TMA (assignment) that you can’t seem to get past! It’s also a fantastic way to work in your 5 a day, get some much needed vitamins and stay hydrated. Study snacks can be healthy but it’s OK to enjoy a treat too! (Especially when you’re half way through 2,500 words and have hit the writing wobble where you start questioning the spelling of module key words!)
Screen time
I suffer from migraine – screen time is my nemesis and whilst you may fare better than me working at a screen all day, you may still find this section helpful in reducing or lessening the strain of your screen time.
Try to work in some study time away from the screen – maybe using your reader, creating a mind map of concepts covered in a module section or listening to a related podcast.
This is particularly helpful if like me, you have a preference for evening study. Screen time before bed isn’t the best thing for a healthy sleep cycle so choosing the hour before bed to review handwritten notes or organise my study space allowed a perfect post screen time wind down. I also downloaded a free filter called f.lux which not only offers various screen filters, it can be set to gradually alter brightness across the course of the day based on your usual schedule https://justgetflux.com/
Take breaks
Taking regular breaks is crucial to managing study effectively. As an OU student, studying can be a bit of a juggling act – with family, work, volunteering (the list goes on…) weighing in. It might seem like every minute of every day is precious, but you will work in a more focused and effective way if every now and then you allow yourself some down time away from your course materials. I really liked using the aforementioned “Forest” app because it was broken down into 25 minute slots. Every 25 minutes I would take 5 minutes to grab a drink, use the toilet, stretch, move etc., and if working through the whole day, for every 4 trees I logged I would take a longer 30 minute break to draw, crochet or fail at MarioKart.
Take a day off
Yes – here I am again, actively encouraging you not to study! I strongly feel the key to my study success and that of others is the ability to switch off completely every now and again. No-one can work at full capacity 7 days a week forever. Sometimes it is better to plan in a day off to lounge around watching movies, spending quality time with your family, friends, dog, plants etc. or just doing something, anything for yourself. You are not a machine – no matter how much you try to convince yourself that you might be!
If you plan your days off and your study breaks in with the same level of importance as the study itself you really will notice the benefit (see getting organised!)
Getting organised
I love being organised and anyone who knows me in person knows I’m a bit of a pro at it. So here’s my top tips for planning out your OU studies.
2. Use only one diary or calendar! I cannot stress this enough! So many times I have come across students who have misjudged or even missed a deadline because they were operating out of different planners. Buy a bigger planner and colour code your life! I have colours for appointments/work/volunteering/modules/breaks (yes you read that correctly!) and red pen for deadlines!
3. Plan in your breaks and down time as if it’s another job! Rest is as important as work/study – burnout is real and if you reach that place, I can assure you (I had shingles – I know!) you will be biologically forced to rest. It is much less stressful in the long run if you treat self-care like it’s your second job. So give it its own colour and pencil it in your diary with as much priority as all your other tasks. You’ll win the time back!
Networking
Compared to a brick university, the Open University and online study can feel pretty isolating – but it doesn’t have to be.
Attend tutorials, engage with the forums (even if at first you feel like you’re talking into the abyss), if you are comfortable using social media – join some groups and check out the society groups/volunteering opportunities that OUSA (the Student Union) have to offer https://www.oustudents.com/.
It’s great to connect with other like minded students and to feel that you are not alone in pursuing this journey. I’m still in a WhatsApp group made up of many future teachers from my E309 module – we share educational news stories and general chat and it’s really nice to feel that somewhere out there someone else is panicking that they don’t have enough highlighters or remember anything about the Romans pre-PGCE too!
Also, remember to make time for those around you! Study can so easily drag us away from those who matter most to us – but we are social beings at the end of the day and interaction is so important to our well-being – wherever we personally find it. Twitter has been a blessing to me throughout my studies and the Open Degree online events were my inspiration for setting up this blog.
Keep your goals in mind
You will have days when you curse the fact you started, when you feel like you can’t possibly make it through the module and you might even pick up the phone and sob at Student Support for good measure (I did!).
Nobody ever said it would be easy but on the worst of days, picture yourself at the end. Picture the certificate. Picture the career/personal goal.
It took me 10 years from first enrolling at a university to get my mitts on my completed degree – I’ve quit three times already but I made it in my own time and have an exciting future ahead.
This can be your story too – one bad day, one bad mark, one assignment that made you cry does not mean the end. If you keep taking steps you can’t help but get somewhere.
Best of luck in your future studies! You’re going to be amazing!
Trigger Warning: Mentions bereavement (suicide).
12 years ago, I logged into UCAS at 08:00AM to find out I had been unsuccessful in converting my “conditional” offer for Dentistry to an “unconditional”. I was so distressed by this, I wouldn’t even go into school to collect my grades or go out to celebrate with others who had. To this day, ignoring the success of others around me remains my only regret. My B in Chemistry? Surprisingly, not a regret – that was the making of me!
If you’d asked me a week before my A Level results what my life at 30 would look like I’d have told you I’d be a dentist, with a house, a car, a husband and probably no children.
I got one thing right – I don’t have any children. Yet I’m 30, and I just graduated. I don’t have a career – I’m only just starting out. I have a car, but I can’t drive it without supervision because I’m only just learning to drive. I’m not married, I don’t want to be and I don’t have a house. 18 year old me would have been completely appalled.
My A Level result was a disappointment. I was told all along that success comes from hard work – so I gave it my all. When things didn’t work out, I dusted myself off and I tried again in a resit year and I landed up just 2 marks off an A grade; 1 mark after a remark.
I was volunteering on a summer camp in the Lake District at the time of this result and I was loving it so much that this bad news simply bounced off me. I had grown up in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, a lifelong Scout and from my early teens, a Scout Young Leader – for once in my working life, I was thriving. I immediately asked to defer.
These summer camps were run by the YHA, and at 16 they had been a turning point for me. As a camper, I packed myself off (literally – I paid the £100 with money from my part time job) to Gradbach Mill in the Peak District (sadly no longer a YHA hostel) and attended their Musical Theatre Camp. Smile was my camp counselor – an excitable young woman who NEVER stopped smiling, who invested great enthusiasm in raising our confidence and teaching us the cup game an incredible 6 years before Pitch Perfect made it famous. I went to a big city for the first time (Birmingham), I performed my summer away and I came back dancing with bags of extra confidence.
I loved camp and I knew one thing for certain – I wanted to go back, but this time in a staff t-shirt. I successfully returned a year later as a Team Leader on a Performing Arts Camp.
University came September of that year and it was awful. I felt isolated, I made few friends, I dragged myself through most classes and missed the rest to attend my part-time job so that I could afford to be there – anxiously ignoring all the many e-mails highlighting my terrible attendance. My biochemistry tutor put my lack of engagement down to lack of interest and encouraged a shift to the chemistry department…it felt like the right move. I flew to the French Alps that summer to work a resort kids club, and came back looking for more – I took on a Scout group as full Scout Leader, joined the University Royal Naval Unit as a Cadet and joined the STEM Outreach team as an Ambassador. I hated university more by the day but my life outside of class was thriving and full of adventure and I loved it!
It was the Easter of that second year that would deliver the metaphorical kick up the backside that I needed. A close friend took their own life age just 21. I was winded. Until 21, I had drifted through my life, hanging on to university because I had to graduate (because, you know…A Levels, degree, job, marriage, kids etc.). I was due to go to Paris that summer and take up the same job as the previous summer but why carry on in the same old rolling pattern? My friend lost their life battling to pursue the well worn, do what everyone else does road, despite it being the thing that made them so desperately unhappy. I had things in my life that made me truly happy – and chemistry was so far down that list it made it past P.T.O.
I was going to do the one thing that summer that would make my life feel complete. A couple of months later I stood once again on a camp in the Peak District – this time in the Camp Manager t-shirt.
I’d go on to work in outdoor education, museum education, nurseries, as a counselor on board a cruise ship, managing youth programmes- even working for Santa himself as an Elf…hopping from one role to the next, always with my next bit of happiness in mind.
The sun hasn’t always been shining. I’ve had bad jobs/courses/days/uniforms/rented rooms/health etc. but…
I’m the girl who grew up without a passport and went on to have many backpack filled affairs with Europe.
I’ve had some of the best views from work EVER!
I’ve set whole days aside to find and create the little joys in life.
I’ve taken time out to go on adventures – from flying down crazy zip lines, to tubing cave networks, and walking endlessly!
I’ve got a whole scrapbook of awards, certificates, thank yous, feedback, gifted portraits and every memory they come with to treasure for a lifetime.
18 year old me would have been devastated to know that 30 year old me just graduated but 30 year old me would have to laugh. An A Grade in Chemistry would never have brought me happiness, because happiness isn’t in the career, the house, the car, the degree or any of that. Happiness is in our everyday – it’s in the Smarties you keep sneaking into your mouth mid Gingerbread house, it’s in firing Barbie from a cannon and getting paid for it. It’s there to find at the most unusual times – like being called out to a “monster” on camp by your group of 10 year olds, shaking in fear, only to open the outside door and find it’s two hedgehogs having an argument (when you’ve gone all your life to that point not realising that they grunt). It’s in that daft dinosaur meme five people sent you today when they immediately thought of you.
So I thought about signing off with a really cheesy line of what advice I’d have given myself at 18, who was staring through tears at A Level results, but Frozen 2 stole my line:
The next right thing would have been to celebrate with my friends regardless…and then do the next right thing (repeat).
You may feel a little lost but this road is not the only road. Those on the straight A road to university might seem like they have it good – but those who take the scenic routes and the picnic stops don’t always have it that bad. So just do the next right thing…
This post is a personal reflection and offers general advice on preparing for/ studying module KE322 (Young Lives, Parenting and Families) – a Level 6 (Level 3 OU) module from the Childhood & Youth/Health & Social Care/Open degree programmes at the Open University. This post is split into questions/topics so that you can read the whole blog or just the sections relevant to your needs.
I studied this module in 2019/20. The Open University is responsive to feedback and as a consequence of this, and current affairs, there may be some changes to the module/assessment methods – for the most up to date details, please use the module information page: http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/ke322
Please be aware that under Open University regulations I am unable to share my work or help with yours, so whilst I am happy to answer questions, I am unable to respond to those seeking help with assignments – please instead contact your tutor.
What is KE322?
KE322 explores the social, political, and cultural factors that influence the lives of children, young people and their families in the UK today. It considers the question “Is now a good time to be young?” and explores the impact of various identity characteristics on this experience. It considers the provision of services for children including health, education and social work – identifying and evaluating the theory and policy that influences multidisciplinary practice.
Who should study KE322?
KE322 is an available module on the Childhood & Youth, Health & Social Care and other related programmes. If you are not following these pathways, you ideally need an interest in childhood, youth, parenting or families and the services that work with them.
You are not required to work with children, young people, parents or families to be successful on this module. Prior experience may support your understanding, but the multi-disciplinary nature of this module means you can learn just as much from the wide variety of student backgrounds/experiences expressed in the forum and inline discussions. For practice examples, whilst you can draw on your own experiences, you will likely find that the audio/video examples in the materials are better applied in assignments and offer ample opportunity for you to show your understanding of the module concepts
No prior module experience is required. I studied this module as part of the Open degree programme, having transferred from a Children’s Nursing degree. Whilst prior study of childhood and attachment theory may have helped me along the way, this module has plenty of new and challenging concepts even for those more versed in childhood, and the assignment format often allows you to play to your strengths and tailor your assignments to your interests (see “How will I be assessed?”). This module is Open degree friendly and many students were new to the subject and even new to the Open University. If you are concerned you may need to do some extra preparation or reading see “How can I get ahead?” below.
How will this module help me in my future career?
This module has fantastic vocational relevance for any role working with children, young people and their families. Whether you are working in child care, youth work or children’s/family services and hoping to advance your knowledge/skills or considering postgraduate training in social work or teaching this module is a fantastic step to help you advance in your work and study.
There is a key focus on the shift towards and benefits of, multidisciplinary working. It allows the opportunity to explore the common ground and differences between the professional values and roles of various practitioners.
It widely covers the theories and policies key to practice across services and their application to practice – covering safeguarding, parenting support and the “critical” early years to name a few.
It allows you to tailor your assignments towards areas that most interest you – I used my TMAs to explore the module concepts predominantly within early childhood, childhood and education, as I was applying for a Primary PGCE. This not only led me to career relevant extra reading but gave me something to talk about at my interview.
How will I be assessed?
TMA1 takes the form of an infographic and short critique of the sources included. This is very useful, as it introduces both Level 3 writing and sourcing/ making effective use of external sources. You will find as a Level 3 module you will need to engage well with the “Reading for Assignments” and probably seek your own external sources for most assignments. This is time consuming, and many students around you may voice that they are cutting corners which can be very frustrating but – you do you!
Beyond TMA1 the module becomes essay heavy. TMA2 is a shorter and less significantly weighted essay to allow you to build your critical writing skills and seek feedback from your tutor to improve in the later assignments. Use this opportunity!
TMA3 and TMA4 both offer a choice in focus – choosing between Childhood or Youth and Parenting or Families respectively. Again, some people may cut corners by focusing on one Learning Guide or have a clear idea of which one they wish to choose – but if you want to work through the materials before making a decision that’s OK too! I chose Childhood and Parenting as I felt these were most relevant to my future career and supported my personal development better – you may also have a preference that works best with your long term goals.
How can I get ahead?
Firstly, university modules are made up of credits. Credits = the amount to time/work that needs to be put into a module. Getting ahead is nice but it’s not necessary, your weeks are planned out to breakdown your workload.
If however you’re like me and any sort of rest period triggers a migraine (literally – no rest for the wicked!) – here are some ideas to get you started:
I’m already studying KE322 but I am disappointed with my grades, what can I do?
Firstly, sorry to hear that you’ve probably come across this blog at a really challenging time. Studying, especially at Level 6 (OU Level 3) can be really trying – been there, done that and it’s worth it I promise! Go and make yourself a cup of tea, grab a cheeky bit of chocolate and try these:
This final section reviews my experience of the KE322 module – its strengths, the challenges I faced and the takeaways that will follow me through to my teacher training!
Strengths
Challenges
Takeaways
And I’m all out of wisdom for you for today! If you are considering transfer to the OU or considering studying KE322 I am more than happy to answer questions – but please note the intro to this post!
Best of luck with your OU studies!
This post is a personal reflection and offers general advice on preparing for/ studying module E309 (Comparative and International Studies in Primary Education) – a Level 6 (Level 3 Open University) module from the Education Studies (Primary)/Open degree programmes at the Open University.
I studied this module in 2019/20. The Open University is responsive to feedback and as a consequence of this, and current affairs, there may be some changes to the module/assessment methods – for the most up to date details, please use the module information page: http://www.open.ac.uk/courses/modules/e309
Please be aware that under Open University regulations I am unable to share my work or help with yours, so whilst I am happy to answer questions, I am unable to respond to those seeking help with assignments – please instead contact your tutor.
What is E309?
E309 considers international education and the social, cultural, political, philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of various education systems. It considers the influence of theory and policy on teaching practice, and introduces the concept of “comparative education”, considering the ways in which researchers can go about making international comparisons. You’ll consider various comparative research methods and studies, their strengths and limitations. You’ll make your own comparisons of education, learners and teachers around the world; considering refugee, indigenous, forest schools, multi-grade, shadow (private tutoring), EAL (English as an Additional Language), and even museum education.
Who should study E309?
E309 is a core module on the Education Studies (Primary) programme. If you are not following this pathway, you ideally need an interest in education or education policy.
Whilst the Open University advises a minimum 10 day placement in an education setting this module also considers museum and other informal education settings working with primary age children. It is not necessary for you to work in any of these settings, you can volunteer – support is provided by the Open University regarding how to approach this. Volunteering will also help support any future PGCE/teacher training course/TA job applications
No prior educational knowledge is required – I came into this module with only EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) and museum education experience and managed to successfully pick up most concepts with ease. If you are concerned you may need to do some extra preparation or reading see “How can I get ahead?” below.
How will this module help me in my future as a teacher?
This module asks you throughout to build on your own idea of “What is quality education?” – your answer to this will grow and change throughout the module and you will leave the module with quite a clear personal philosophy of what teaching means to you.
You’ll cover a number of educational theorists and researchers which, as I am now preparing for my PGCE, I can confirm will follow you into your teacher training.
You’ll gain an understanding of education from various international perspectives. I am quite well travelled and really enjoyed the exposure to new cultures as well as the opportunity to pursue independent research on countries that I was interested in.
The assessment for this module is quite varied and from the start you will be challenged to engage with digital skills, collaborative learning and independent research – all skills that will help you, if you decide to pursue teacher training (see “How will I be assessed?” below).
How will I be assessed?
The assessments for this module vary wildly in format. We were asked to submit a poster, an essay, a reading report, a PowerPoint presentation, a PDP (Personal Development Plan), an infographic, and a set of research interview questions. This was quite challenging as it felt as though every assignment had a new format to get the hang of. There are two ways to help yourself here: 1) Ensure you attend the digital skills session on using PowerPoint (even if you use it at work and you think you are a professional) 2) Leave PLENTY of time. I found that the visual formats, even though you don’t get many marks for visuals, took longer to put together than a traditional essay and I vastly underestimated the time this would take when putting together my TMA1 poster (and suffered a sleepless night!) The changing assignments may feel challenging but it might be worth bearing in mind that my PGCE looks VERY similar – I am having to submit an essay, a presentation and a poster. So although I may have given PowerPoint a lot of strong words over the year, this module has prepared me effectively for further study.
You will also be required to put in a significant amount of independent research. For each assessment, you choose your countries of focus from those listed for that block. The amount of focus the module materials have on the different countries varies, so again, leave plenty of time to put the leg work in and attend the library support session to ensure you can meet this challenge head on.
Some assignments have a collaborative element. Yes – we all know the challenges of university group work (we’ve seen the memes!) Please read your TMA guidance carefully, as this collaborative component often has an earlier deadline to allow this to be completed in good time for everyone to crack on with the main TMA task. That being said – life happens – do not panic if it starts raining down lemons your way! Drop a message to your group on the forum, message your tutor – if they don’t know, they can’t support you!
Equally – if there are people in your group who don’t appear to be around – don’t panic! All collaborative work has to happen on the forums (not WhatsApp!) so that the tutor is present and can both take account of your collaborative efforts and resolve any confusions. If someone totally bails on the task, it won’t impact your mark. So keep up the forum interactions and worry about your own input.
How can I get ahead?
Firstly, university modules are made up of credits. Credits = the amount to time/work that needs to be put into a module. Getting ahead is nice but it’s not necessary, your weeks are planned out to breakdown your workload and due to the collaborative component in E309, leaping ahead isn’t always possible!
If however you’re like me and any sort of rest period triggers a migraine (literally – no rest for the wicked!) – here are some ideas to get you started:
I’m already studying E309 but I am disappointed with my grades, what can I do?
Firstly, sorry to hear that you’ve probably come across this blog at a really challenging time. Studying, especially at Level 6 (OU Level 3) can be really trying – been there, done that and it’s worth it I promise! Go and make yourself a cup of tea, grab a cheeky bit of chocolate and try these:
This final section reviews how I found E309: what I loved, what challenged me and what I’ll be treasuring going forwards on my PGCE journey…
Strengths
Challenges
Takeaways
And I’m all out of wisdom for you for today! If you are considering transfer to the OU or considering studying E309 I am more than happy to answer questions – but please note the intro to this post!
Best of luck with your OU studies!
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