Write a Personal Statement for a PGCE
Consider the personal statement the heart of your Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) application. Just as the PGCE will give you credentials to teach in most schools, the personal statement details your credentials to begin the course. It gives you an opportunity to describe how your experiences, achievements and talents make you a strong candidate for advanced study in education. Most likely, the university or other Initial Teacher Training program you're interested in will view the personal statement as a key factor in whether to grant you an interview. Here's some advice to help your personal statement reflect your best qualifications for postgraduate teacher training.
Instructions
1. Be specific. Explain why you want to teach, and how you selected the age group you want to teach. Avoid restating your academic qualifications, as those are well covered in the rest of application.
2. Highlight your relevant work and life experiences. Discuss how these have shaped your desire to make teaching a career. If you've worked with young people in other roles, explain out how it was a positive experience that influenced your career choice.
3. Evaluate your skills. What can you offer that will help you be a better teacher? Can you offer career or life experience that would allow you to contribute to classroom discussion or help in the education of other students in a PGCE program?
4. Demonstrate your understanding of the course work needed to teach at your chosen level. Include examples of how you are prepared to succeed in the classroom.
5. Follow the instructions carefully. Keep the statement within the line count allowed. Draft your PGCE personal statement in a word processor and use the spell check program to avoid errors in spelling or grammar.
6. Ask for advice. Have an academic adviser or career counselor review your statement before you submit it.
7. Look for more help online. The Training and Development Agency for Schools has a web page devoted to application tips. The University of Manchester also offers online tips, and University of Kent has some sample personal statements to use as examples (see Resources).
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