Click the quotes below to read about their experiences so far on the Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course.

Robert Waiting St Mary's College, Twickenham "I appreciated for the first time that if children valued me then they would want to learn from me" Joanne O'Keeffe University of Central England "I now know that I have qualities that I never imagined. I have strengths previously unforeseen" Gary Haines London Institute of Education "After an early barrage and some unconvincing shots, I now have my eye in and my confidence is up"

Robert Waiting left Cambridge University last summer with a first class degree in English and drama with education studies and is training at St Mary's College, Twickenham.

Recently I attended the Year 2 Nativity play at the school in which I will be carrying out my first teaching practice.

It reminded me of why I want to be a teacher. The children's convincing interpretations of donkeys, angels and shepherds was memorable but it was the pleasure that they exhibited on seeing me and their desire to impress me, which made me realise how important, as their teacher, I have become.

By this, I am not trying to exaggerate my own importance or popularity, it was simply that I appreciated for the first time that if children valued me then they would want to learn from me and consequently it made me excited about the prospect of teaching them.

It can be exhausting and challenging and to survive it is essential to be conscientious and well organised

The PGCE is an intensive course and it is really important to appreciate moments such as this.

At points the workload feels almost as if you are completing another year of a university degree whilst at the same time carrying out a full time job.

It can be exhausting and challenging and to survive it is essential to be conscientious and well organised.

However, it is also important to emphasise that it is an exciting course, which after one term I am enjoying.

The intensive workload and long hours have meant that I have quickly developed strong friendships and now, more than ever, I am appreciating my weekends as an opportunity to relax and rest.

As a trainee teacher I always feel that there is more work I could be doing but I am aware (as with any stressful career) of the need to balance work with play.

Up to this point the majority of my time has been spent in college rather than in school. This has been valuable in developing my subject knowledge and allowing me to learn from some very experienced teachers but I am now eager to put these theories into practice.

After Christmas I will spend five weeks in a school working alongside an infant teacher and will gradually begin to teach all subjects and eventually take the class for the whole day.

This will be a testing experience to establish whether I really can educate children and thus be a successful primary school teacher.

I have already spent two weeks working in the school, desperately trying to learn the names of the 300 children that go there and watching in awe at how the experienced teachers make the job look so easy.

I am very privileged to be in a school that values having trainee teachers and consequently the heavy workload becomes that bit more bearable with the consistent support and encouragement that I receive from all members of staff.

Before I started work at the school one of my lecturers encouraged us to see the role of the teacher as "opening the door to knowledge and understanding, so that children might enter".

But in our new security-conscious schools, I have still to memorise the electronic door code to let me into the classroom.

The next few weeks will help me to test the theory that (teaching) practice makes perfect!

Joanne O'Keeffe, Birmingham, who describes herself as an "eternal student extraordinaire", is training at the University of Central England.

End of term, Christmas Holiday - what is that? I have never experienced so much paperwork - and I was an administrator for the NHS!

When did it all start? It seems like a blur.

Science research, maths projects, literature reviews, linguistics, general professional studies and we go to school.

I used to envy (now I know it to be a horrible lie) teachers working their 9 till 3.30 days, drinking tea, reading newspapers, telling the occasional kid off for farting.

It has been hard work, much harder than I thought it would be

It seemed to me, as well as everybody else, teachers had more time off than they actually spent in school.

I think the reality first came crashing down upon my head when, on my first placement, we were told how much work we would be doing in school and out of school - out of school, what's this out of school?

My own schooling is never ending: planning, assignments, preparation, audits, organising, recording, observing, teaching, being observed, learning, listening, trying to understand, keeping my head afloat above the constant pressure, whilst the tide of the work tries to drag me under.

If training is this hard and this is only the first term how will I cope when I am faced with the real thing?

It has been hard work, much harder than I thought it would be.

I do know this: without the support I have been given from my loving, extremely handsome partner (himself a teacher and a very good one) I would have struggled through this first term.

He has constantly reassured me of there being light at the end of the tunnel, but unfortunately for me the light seems so far away at the minute I hope you can excuse me for sounding so pessimistic.

Support is a strong word - it holds things up, it guides, it reassures, it keeps heads above water, it prepares you for all things thrown your way.

Without support most of us would fall by the wayside; whether it be from family who encourage us, from friends who keep our spirits alive, from colleagues who understand or tutors who instruct, motivate and guide us.

There are things that I can do now that I found difficult a month ago.

I now know that I have qualities that I never imagined. I have strengths previously unforeseen.

They do say that the start of anything is the hardest ....

Gary Haines, London, spent the previous year working as a learning support assistant and is training at the London University Institute of Education.

The rather tumultuous term has ended and the season to be jolly has begun. Well, that is if you discount the endless mounds of paperwork to be sorted, books to be marked, lessons to be planned and the small matter of a 5,000-word assignment to be tackled. Happy New Year!

Teaching has enabled me to delve into new areas of history where I have never ventured

The PGCE teacher training course is everything I hoped, much of what I anticipated, and some of what I despise. The first term has caused endless nights working into the wee small hours. It has led to laughter, tears, a sense of fun, a sense of bewilderment, immense satisfaction, oh and lots of tantrums.

The saving graces that have helped me to get through the term have been the support of a fantastic girlfriend and the camaraderie and support of fellow Beginning teachers on the course.

Due to the intensity and the sheer scale of the workload it is imperative to have such support to enable you to let of steam, whether in frustration or contentment.

When speaking to fellow Beginning teachers, you realise that they are on the same emotional and professional roller coaster and therefore have all gone through the same concoction of emotions and feelings.

For instance, many have experienced the "I'm quitting" stage, or at least have questioned their reasons for entering the profession.

However, the following day you can have a single lesson that has a profound impact on you, reminding you of what a wonderful job it can be and re-affirming your desire to belong to it.

On a professional basis, my time at the Institute of Education has reminded me of the significance of my subject (history) in the school curriculum, particularly when it is being relegated to secondary importance by the powers that be.

Rather than merely recalling facts and dates, as is the common misconception about the subject, history gives the platform to understand ideas and concepts, to challenge misinformation, to analyse and to interpret, skills that in our modern world of "spin" and media manipulation, are absolutely crucial for young people to develop.

Teaching has enabled me to delve into new areas of history where I have never ventured. Such new learning brings about much excitement, alongside a great deal of trepidation.

One lesson you are in Tudor England, the next 1930s Germany. Interesting periods, important periods, of which it is my responsibility to give knowledge, while engaging pupils' interest and developing a more sophisticated understanding. No mean feat to a class of 30 adolescents.

Thus far, the PGCE has been a fantastic and rewarding experience. It's a challenge the likes of which I have never previously encountered.

I have met some fantastic people, worked alongside some highly skilled individuals and learned a great deal to take into my own career.

I love working with young people, the job satisfaction of a good lesson being second to none.

This is not to suggest there are not bad days, as there most certainly are. You do feel under constant pressure, suffer from bouts of anxiety and your social life ceases to exist.

You constantly feel tired and run-down, and the workload often feels overwhelming.

However, such anxieties only help to drive me on to finish the course and are a strong motivation to become a fine teacher at the end of it.

Therefore, to use a cricketing metaphor, after an early barrage and some unconvincing shots, I now have my eye in, my confidence is up, and the new ball has lost its potency, so it's time to increase my range of shots, and build a long and successful innings.