A few questions... (1 Viewer)

[Jazz1989]

I am doing my HSC this year and i am hoping to be able to join Newcastle Uni's Callaghan campus. I am hoping to do a teaching degree but im not sure if primary or secondary is more my thing. Any one who is taking these courses your opinions are highly regarded. What is required in these courses? ive seen the lay outs on the Newcastle web site but im still a little confussed. how many days a week are the classes run on?

Living in Singleton its only an hr drive im contemplating if to stay at home and drive when i have a class or lecture or to move out of home either on or off campus... has anyone got an opinion on this?

My final question is how different is Uni life to High school? Ive heard stories from older mates and uni sounds like nothing but parties and drinking games? how serious/ how much pressure is Uni compared to high school and the HSC?

Any opinion would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much

sorry one last thing do you know when the open day for 2008 students is? Thanks

 

[PrincessSJ]

For the first question: there is a debate running over whether you should choose primary or secondary.. its a personal preference, but the opinions brought forward have been interesting.... I'm on holidays, so I'm not going to find the link.. enjoy... and for what its worth.. choose primary!!

For the second question: I live out on the lake (about 40mins drive from uni) and don't find it hard at all... sure when you just have a one or two hour class it gets annoying.. but make plans to go to the library or meet with some friends afterwards, so the trip does't seem so pointless

for the third question: it is what you make it... and thats all I have to say

Not sure when the open day is, sorry...

SJ

 

[The_highwayman]

Q1: i did science teaching for a semester and then changed because i felt i probably wasnt suited to a career in teaching (i pretty much can't stand dumb kids. ) The advice i would give is to choose primary or secondary based on the types of kids you fell you could most help. i always felt i was too impatient for young children so originally chose secondary. However, some feel that, for some reason, they would be more comfortable moulding children at a young age and, hence, choose primary.

Q2: I live about 30mins away on a good day (longer if there is lots of traffic, which there always is during morning and evening). I agree with SJ in that 1 hour driving can seem much longer if you only have to come in for a short period of time. Make sure, if you are going to drive, that you create an effective timetable so as to minimise seemingly pointless trips. I'd also consider the financial cost of a return trip to newcastle from singleton several times a week. i'd assume with all the coal mines up ur way then a train ride would also be a favourable form of transport. Warabrook station is immediately adjacent to the campus (and, conveniently, to the side where most Education Lectures - at least 1st year - take place. this means you dont have to run so far when you miss the early train )

Q3: for me, uni was a complete shock to the system. i felt so lost and vulnerable and considered dropping out altogether. i'm used to it now but it can be incredibly daunting. I guess the shock can be lessened if you feel you have found the right course for you. i didnt feel this way. If you really hate what you are doing at uni then maybe it might not be right for you. Unfortunately, many of the courses supplied by the uni in the first year do very little to reflect the careers they are preparing you for. (this refers more to the theory courses and not to courses such as the more practical education courses). It is what you make it. Determination is key. it is harder. If it wasn't, everyone would be there. Is it impossible? no. but u need to make sure u have formed a good work ethic and have fair organisation skills if you wish to minimise your stress when it comes to assignments and exams. Good luck and hope to see you there.

the university website will probably have information about the open day, if not check the newcastle herald over the next week. they are bound to have advertisements there immediately after the main round offers have been published.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

- Primary or secondary is discussed in this thread and probably also in some other threads in the "Education" section of the Tertiary Education forum.

- Classes might be 1 to 5 days per week depending on which degree you end up doing and if applicable which subjects, eg. if u do arts

- Moving out would probably be more expensive than 2hrs worth of transport 3 - 5 days per week; there are other good things about moving out though. Singleton is pretty close to the uni compared to a lot of people.

- Doesn't necessarily have to be 'nothing but parties & drinking games'.

- There's no pressure at all, you can do as much or as little as you want.

- Open day date doesn't appear to be set yet; I remember it being in the 2nd half of the year though, check later

@ highwayman
how awful were the 1st semester EDUC courses? (not that I mind)

 

[The_highwayman]

one of the first semester EDUC classes sucked, the other was less sucky. They werent hard. just filled with stupid crap.

 

[Jazz1989]

Thanks for your help guys you all made it much clearer than my teachers and esp. my careers advisor.
Thanks Captain Gh3y that thread helped a bit.
So am I right in assuming that PrincessSJ and Captain Gh3y both chose primary?
The_highwayman how was it a complete shock to the system? whats so different?

 

[PrincessSJ]

@ highwayman
how awful were the 1st semester EDUC courses? (not that I mind)

All I remember from those lectures was Melissa Monfries and her obsession with monkeys... I'm serious.. for a while there I was convinced that I would be teaching monkeys when I graduate!!

Stupid Stupid woman

 

[Captain Gh3y]

Haha, that's cool. I ask because like 5 seconds ago I accepted an offer to change to maths/teaching.

 

[The_highwayman]

oh kewl. i just got an offer for biomed.

@Jazz1989: i guess, for me, school was such an easy environment to learn in. i found it easier to ask teachers questions than to ask a lecturer. Your friends were there. there was routine and a lot of flexibility when it came to homework.

It was probably the unfamiliarity of the whole place, the change in learning format, the increase in self-driven learning and a lack of knowledge as to what is considered 'acceptable' when it comes to assessments at uni (particularly essays). Fortunately, education was great in introducing me to this last aspect as they seemed to be pretty flexible and approachable. There is a definite community atmosphere amongst the education students i havent experienced in any of the other courses i have come across.

And lol about Melissa Monfries and the monkeys! Did u see that little video of the monkey that was raised away from the mother and shook in the corner of it's cage, SJ? that was sad. it made me want a pet monkey.

 

[em_516]

highwayman, did you move to newie for uni, were you with friends from the beginning?

also, o week is 12-17th feb

 

[The_highwayman]

nah, i went to school in maitland. just not many of my friends chose the same courses as me or went to uni to begin with.

 

[PrincessSJ]

And lol about Melissa Monfries and the monkeys! Did u see that little video of the monkey that was raised away from the mother and shook in the corner of it's cage, SJ? that was sad. it made me want a pet monkey.

I thought the one that was raised to respond to the red dot on its stomach was really really sad.... she's a monkey nutcase..

Heard on the radio this morning that Open day is tomorrow.... (Friday 19th) enjoy!

 

[The_highwayman]

yeah, my friend from work said open day was tomorrow too.

I never saw the red-dot monkey video.

 

[em_516]

ooh my bad, i didn't realise there was an open 'day' AND week? :S i just got it off the uni website haha

 

[luscious-llama]

It was more of an advisory day