Ba (hons) Education And Curriculum Studies

[Guest]

Hi eveyone, I have just completed my foundation degree in education and care and have been accepted to go on and do my ba (hons) in September. I am starting to worry a bit now that I am going to be in over my head and wondered if anyone who has done a similar thing has any words of encouragement. I am a childminder working on my own and was lucky to have great support from a couple of my fellow students over the last two years.

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Hi carol14

 

I think it is quite normal to feel a bit worried about it being over your head - you probably felt the same when you started the first year of the Foundation Degree, and might well have been a bit daunted moving onto the second year as the standard of what was required went up. I know I was.

 

I remember the first day of the third year feeling that there was no way I could cope, but once the lectures started I began to feel much better. There's nothing like your first assignment deadline to bring things into sharp focus!

 

Good luck - I'm sure you'll be fine and in times of doubt we'll all be here to reassure you!

 

Maz

[AnonyMouse_1027]

I agree with M - you will be fone once you get going - hard work but worth it

[AnonyMouse_1999]

I have no doubt you will be fine

 

I think it is the 'idea' of a 'BA (Hons)' that suddenly appears so daunting. It certainly was for me! I never did A levels at school because I didn't need them to get into the college where I did my NNEB. I returned to study in 2003 having not written an essay since 1974

 

Initially I started out to do the Cert. in EY practice level 4 but then thought why not carry on and do the Foundation Degree in Early Years. By then my confidence had grown in my ability to study and apply new knowledge to my practice and I had kind of caught the study bug. Having achieved the FD I thought maybe just one more module to achieve BA and then guess what I carried on and did another 60 points and ended up with a 2:1 degree!

 

I still can't quite believe it sometimes, 'me' with a degree - wow! but it is true and I really did it - a rollercoaster study journey that took 6 years of part time study!!! (The length of time was due to the modules all being new for the OU and I had a year off at one point whilst they were writing new courses!)

 

The graduation ceremony at the end has to be experienced to really understand the feeling, it's something I can't quite put into words but to give you an idea here is me in my moment of glory!!

 

The only advice I can really give is to believe in yourself, don't focus too much on the end result, just take it step by step, enjoy it along the way and you will get there too

[Guest]

"The graduation ceremony at the end has to be experienced to really understand the feeling, it's something I can't quite put into words but to give you an idea here is me in my moment of glory!!"

 

When I got my first degree (in the dim and distant past) I wasn't able to attend my graduation ceremony due to a death in the family. However, last year when I did a Postgraduate Certificate in Early Years Education I was invited to graduate and felt just like you at the ceremony. It was a wonderful experience which I think I appreciated more being older. So I would advise anyone to 'go for it.'

[Guest]

hello Carol14

I am also doing the BA in sept and I feel just the same as you!! I was also working as a childminder when I did the foundation degree too! I think you will be fine (I think I will be too!!)I will look out for your future post and we perhaps can help each other! Good luck, Unsworth

[Guest]

Thank you so much for all your responses. I have heard so many negative comments that I was really in need of a bit of encouragement .

[Guest]

I'm in the same boat too we'll be able to support each other through and I am sure our classmates will be thinking the same!

[Guest]

Hi eveyone, I have just completed my foundation degree in education and care and have been accepted to go on and do my ba (hons) in September. I am starting to worry a bit now that I am going to be in over my head and wondered if anyone who has done a similar thing has any words of encouragement. I am a childminder working on my own and was lucky to have great support from a couple of my fellow students over the last two years.

Hi Carol 14,I'm a childminder too and have just done my first year (BA hons) and if you can do the foundation degree you can do this. Thinking about it is worse than doing it, once you get started it's fine. However I do think it is better if you have some support and encouragement, don't worry if I can do it so can you! we will have a real sense of acheivment when we've had our graduation and got the certificate!

[Guest]

hi just wanted to say ive been inspired by reading all these comments by childminders and degrees etc etc... im just about to start my second year in fd in early child hood studies and it is daunting but like one member said earlier- take it in bite sized chunks and its not such a big pie xx

[Guest]

Hi Carol I am just in my final year of my BA and have done it all as a childminder relating everything to my practice. I am now doing my last module and am not working today so am just about to continue with my studies. My research project is about how childminders are professionals in the eary years workforce and I am researching whether childminding is becoming more of a professional role. I need to prepare a questionnaire and wondered whether I could post it on this forum aswell as posting it to local childminders - the more responses I can get the better.

 

It is hard work and to be truthful I will be glad when it is all over but then I will probably look at what I can do next! You will be fine, think positive and try and set yourself weekly targets of what you need to do as the time passes so quickly. I had better get on Good Luck!

 

Lou

[Guest]

I would love to do a level 4/degree as I want to go on to have a EYPS. Could anyone tell me how to get on a course which is long distance/online.

I am finding it really hard to find one.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[AnonyMouse_1999]

from personal experience I can recommend the OU - why not have a look at their website.

Perhaps others may be able to help with other distance learning options

good luck

[Guest]

Hi Carol I am just in my final year of my BA and have done it all as a childminder relating everything to my practice. I am now doing my last module and am not working today so am just about to continue with my studies. My research project is about how childminders are professionals in the eary years workforce and I am researching whether childminding is becoming more of a professional role. I need to prepare a questionnaire and wondered whether I could post it on this forum aswell as posting it to local childminders - the more responses I can get the better.

 

It is hard work and to be truthful I will be glad when it is all over but then I will probably look at what I can do next! You will be fine, think positive and try and set yourself weekly targets of what you need to do as the time passes so quickly. I had better get on Good Luck!

 

Lou

Thanks for that lou. I went to the first session this week and its a bit scarey !! Good to hear about another childminder though, that gives me hope. Would love to hear about your questionnaire so let me know if I can help complete it. I am sure the forum members would be delighted to help too.

Carolx

[AnonyMouse_26526]

I am doing my foundation degree through the OU and was surprised by the number of childminders, there are a lot of us out there doing degrees

 

 

Tink69

[Guest cathy m]

Like Geraldine, I have also studied with the OU and completed my BA(Hons) Early Years in December 2009

I have now had a gap year (lol) but really miss studying, I considered the Masters with the OU but at the moment they don't offer one with an early years focus

 

Cathy (huge fan of OU)