I've just had confirmation I have been accepted for a place to study for my MA Early Childhood Education

Congratulations! How much work does that entail?

Well done Marion. can I ask how / where you'll be based. I'm looking into doing one too and have so far found a few places where I can do a distant learning course but didn't know if there was somewhere that comes recommended. thanks x

Well done Marion, hope you do well on your course.



Beth

I'm doing it part time at Sunderland its mixed study - on line/ evening and weekends. A similar course is also offered by northumbria (think Beckyanne is there) I also looked at Sheffield which is distance learning with 2 or 3 weekend lectures.
To be honest I know very little other than the content at this point as I made a late application and am awaiting all details.

Teaching and Assessment

A variety of options are available for study, many modules being available on line. Whilst some modules will continue to be offered face-to-face, others will be by Saturday workshops, support sessions within cluster groups or by directed study.

Assessment is either by written assignment, presentation, thesis or evidence of personal research within the chosen area of study.

Structure of the Programme

Postgraduate Certificate
2 modules chosen from a suite which includes:

The Nature of Childhood
Curriculum Issues in the Early Years
Policy and Practice in the Early Years
plus one other module from the suite

Stage 2

Postgraduate Diploma

1 further module from the above suite and 1 module which explores Research Methods

Stage 3

Masters

A dissertation that is a guided study based on individual research within the chosen field

That will make the cold winters evening whizz by!
Well done I hope you enjoy the chaLLENGE!

Sharon

Good for you marion, Well done.

Still make time for the forum though won't you.

Peggy

Ill be here Peggy
Somehow think I may need it more than ever
and will be moaning to you no doubt!

Hi Marion
Congrats
I was full of flu so couldn't attend the first Saturday lecture at Northumberland. Have to re-arrange a meeting!
I know you will be fab, and I think I am going to my first asssignment on our new FSU!!
Good luck with everything x

well done congratulations

That's really good news - congratulations. I bet it will be very rewarding - can't wait to hear about it

Sorry to hear that hope you are on the mend take care x

Thanks for the good wishes everyone

Congratulations Marion!

What brilliant news! An MA, no less...!

wow! I'm impressed. Started an MEd once but then fell pregnant! Timimg has never been my great thing!
Enjoy it!
Liz x

Aha marion, just caught up woth this one. Yes me too, in one of my marginally madder momenst I have signed up fro an MA in Early years. We'll have to compare notes!
Sadly my first compulsory module is the very boring research skills which is entirely internet based and therfore likely to result in me losing the will to live before the end of it.

How long to you intend to take?
Good luck with it anyway...

At the moment Im planning on 3 years
Year 1 PGCE cert
Year 2 PGCE dip
Year 3 MA (with lots of luck!)

Deep in my first assignment which is in 3 parts
analysing the nature of the curriculum in my setting and comparing it with notions of curriculum

identifying and evaluating factors which influence the FS curriculum
considering the appropriateness of the curriculum in England and to what extend it is accessible to all children

Phew!

Good Luck

Doing an MA is something I've always fancied too but I've always worried about financing it and juggling a course whilst keeping up with teaching full time. Do you have to do an MA within so many years of gaining your degree? Is help available with finance as in loans,etc? Good luck Marion you're an expert with or without it in my eyes!!!

You will love it because you love working with Early Years and it will be fascinating. Best of luck.

WOW you clever inspiriational ladies, keeps eveyone on their toes I guess, and what a boost for you all, not discounting all the hard work, I am at present supposed to be studying for my FD and am aimlessly pottering around the forum!!
Can't seem to motivate myself today, do you think some days you can study, some days you cant??

I am hoping you will all support my statement to make me feel better,

I did mine ( M Ed) long, long after I qualified as a teacher so there was no age boundary. It was hard work doing it as well as teaching, but I absolutely loved it.I felt a bit insecure at first as I was one of the oldest and hadn't written essays for years. I would leave things until the last minute sometimes shire, and would even do the ironing to avoid sitting down and doing an asignment. You are just the same as everyone else, but once i finally got going each time I just got engrossed and off I went. I remember tears on occasions, and so does my OH!!!
Something I found useful was having the telephone numbers of a couple of people on the course with me- it did help to let off steam or thrash things out with them, as they were usually feeling like me.
I remembr spending Boxing Day onwards just writing while everyone else was having a good time. I found I had to use part of each holiday working to keep on top of it all.

BUT IT IS WORTH IT

Sure Start is finacing some courses (unfortunately not mine) but it is part financed by the TDA (formerly the Teacher Training Agency)
I have the option of doing it over 2 or 3 years and at the moment plan to take the maximum time so that work load shouldnt be too much
There is no time limit one girl completed her BA last year and progressed straight to the MA (part of my course is relating it to your own setting so this will be difficult for her) another lady is a college lecturer and hasnt taught in the early years since the FS or NC so guess she qualified quite some time ago.

Hopefully when I complete the course I will know more

I have up to 7 years to complete mine, but my aim would be 3 years if I can manage 2-3 modules a year,having said that some of them havent been written yet so I think they make them up as they go along!!

I did an MEd years ago which was funded by the then ODA (now DFID) (in maths I hasten to add,) sadly this time Im self funded. Some LAs part fund teachers but mine doesnt any more.

Im struggling with the first module as its internet based, so if i get through this one, the rest I hope wil be easier..

The module leader is in the process of writing some of our research based module choices so fingers crossed there!

Good Luck with the module Im sure you will be fine and we do have such a supportive network for backup

Just heard half my fees are being paid by the TDA

Just opened my Christmas post to find a huge pile of reading to complete before the new year and that I've passed my first assignment

Happy reading Marion, and congratulations on getting past the first module, it will be all plain sailing from now.

Peggy

Certainly feeling happier now..........I was a bit worried as its been quite some time since I last did assignments. I was convinced I'd done all my referencing wrongly so its nice to get very positive comments before I start the next one (due in a month )

Well done Marion! You must be really chuffed. I have half finished my first module but have got an exam on the 2nd Jan for the other half, so have been busy researching the work of Bowlby and the impact it has on current practice in my setting and also parent partnerships, including any changes I would like to make to the service offered to parents, backed up by two theorists. Again using Bowlby, but also Froebel for this owing to their lack of mother figure in their early years.

Enjoy the reading, sorry for going off key there!

Good luck for your exam Clare

Reading your post has made me feel a bit nostalgic about my past studies, I really must sort out what I am going to do next. Just can't quite get motivated to register for a degree yet. I can't get past in my mind whether I would be doing one because of CWDC or for myself. It has to be for me otherwise I know it will be too much of a struggle.

Peggy

Thanks Peggy. I feel like I could do with all the luck in the world!

I knew once I finished doing my Level 3 I wanted to do something further in terms of studying. The Level 3 took so long to do (what with having Natalie in between) and I was so proud of myself for finally doing it, that I knew the time was right to carry on.

It's not just the learning that made me want to go and do it. It was the whole being at college thing with like minded people. The debates we have are brilliant and I really look forward to them! Ive been lost the last week though as we're on holiday for Christmas so I'm really looking forward to going back in January (although not for the exam!).

Even with wanting to do it, it has been a struggle. The reading alone takes up most of my time but although it is all big words, I'm starting to understand things a bit better now. My course is classed as full time so what with a full time job, a full time uni course and a full time baby it is hard but I keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do Peggy. I'm sure you'll know when the time is right for you to have a go at it.

Well done marion, one down...? to go?
Unfortunately I cant share your success, I had to withdraw from my first module and will have to retake it next year! Obviously not meant to be.

good luck Clare with your exam, what a horrible time to have to prepare for an exam!

Sorry to hear that mundia

A few people have been asking how things are going ...............well I've passed the first year and about to begin the second just waiting to hear if my module is going to be available this semester or I will have to make a mad dash from staff meetings next semester.

That sounds good! What's the module all about?

I have a compulsory module on research methods and I've also chosen one called The Nature of Childhood which looks at European education systems and the view of childhood based on the rights of the child linked to educational provision and possible visit to Finland

Oh, that sounds really interesting - can I come along to Finland with you to help you sum up your findings??! A colleague of mine went to Denmark for a study week about Danish pre-schools last week and her photos and comments have made me want to go too!

Well done on passing your first year Marion and good luck for the coming one.

Hi,
I've just read this thread from the beginning and am so pleased you have completed your first year successfully Marion. Very well done! Did it pass quickly and did you find you could keep up with the work?
Just being nosy really!!!
Congrats again and good luck for the next year.