You know how the saying goes: “Never work with children or animals.” Well, I’ve never wanted to be a vet, and I don’t believe in everything people say.
Life as a BEd primary student has been stressful, hard work and exhausting, as well as the cause of pound;16,000 worth of debt. Has it been worth it? Of course it has.
There have been endless cries of “it’s so unfair” from fellow students (and occasionally from me) over the inequalities that occur between BEd students and those who choose a PGCE, or other graduate routes, where trainees are paid to train and have the opportunities of golden hellos.
A flying chair (catapulted by a charming Year 3 child) narrowly missed my head by two inches, ensuring that my behaviour management strategies were mastered at an early stage.
I have sat up into the early hours of the morning, carefully planning that elusive perfect lesson. Did it pay off? No. The fire alarm went off halfway through the lesson, causing chaos and little hope of the desired outcome.
My first placement saw me come across the mentor from hell - which was not helped by the fact that I was three months pregnant and suffering from all-day sickness (the anti-mother she-devil was less than impressed when I vomited as she was tearing my observed lesson to pieces).
In fact, there were disruptions and setbacks during every placement, causing many a tear and tantrum. But this is real life and the training has prepared me well for life as a teacher. The positive aspects of teaching cannot be underestimated.
How many other jobs would involve watching Big Dave pull a double-decker bus in the morning, eating sponge and custard for lunch and spending the afternoon teaching the cha-cha slide?
Having just secured a job in a local primary school, I am prepared for the hard work, but look forward to the challenges that lie ahead. I am sure the coming year will bring many adventures and stories that I will tell for years to come
Lisa Kennedy is a final year student at the University of Bedfordshire
