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Are there any teachers in here?!
Hi ladies,
I'm just after some general info and advice from any teachers on here.
I have wanted to get into teaching for quite a while now. My husband has just been injured at work which is putting his career at risk (he's in the Forces) which has scared me into doing something ASAP.
I have done one year at Uni already (I studied economics ...yawn) but my husband was due to get posted so I dropped it all and have been doing the wife and Mummy thing since.
We have a daughter who will be 2 in March and are TTC again so I understand that doing a degree too will be challenging but if he leaves the Army we can move back to our home town and will have family for support.
He is looking into the police and fire brigade but the waiting lists even for interview are ridiculous.
If anyone has any advice at all, good or bad and also your experiences of teaching, it would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Amy xx
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I did my teacher training 2 years ago (for primary school), so hopefully my advice will still be current:
You need English Maths and Science GCSE or O Level at C grade or above.
You need a degree. If you teach secondary I believe that you also need an A level in the subject you which to teach (C grade or above) and I think your degree is meant to be related to the subject too - you might have to check that though.
If you do a normal degree (as opposed to a BEd) you then have to do a one year teacher training course, either a PGCE or GTP.
Once you have completed teacher training your first year of teaching is as a Newly Qualified Teacher and you carry on training during that year.
When you do a GTP you are employed by the school and receive a wage (about 14 grand per annum when I trained). Then once a term or so you are released to go to Uni for lectures. While you train you are classed as a student and do not have responsibility for a class of your own. Although you do have to do written assignments for the GTP they are not as hard core as what you have to do for the PGCE (or so I understand from friends who went that route), and are based on what you are experiencing in the classroom.
I found the training very very very hard. I worked late most nights and had no holidays. But in comparison to actual teaching it was easy. I have to say that my NQT year very nearly killed me. Not because of the NQT paperwork (which was easy) but because teaching is such a stressful and hard going profession. Rewarding yes, but also incredibly stressful both physically and emotionally. I found myself getting very disenchanted very early on - the lack of resources, the pointless paperwork, and the lack of back up from management all took their toll on me, and this year I am doing supply teaching. Don;t get me wrong, I absolutely love teaching little children and teaching someone how to read and write is the most incredible experience ever, but a teacher's day has very little to do with actual teaching as far as I can see. Probably lots of people will disagree with me and I know a lot of my experience was down to the school I was in at the time.
Sorry I can't be more positive, but I can't!
Have you considered becoming a Higher Level Teaching Assistant? You do a little bit of planning and teaching and get paid more than an LSA, but without the full on commitment of teaching. Plus the hours of a HLTA are much more child friendly, and the training is quicker.
Im over in PFAB but i read the title.
My sister is in her 3rd year of B ed (in Scotland) and she had a two year waiting list, and failed her first interview. This isnt to scare you, and im sure you do loads (and obv as you are a Mummy).
But she volunteered at Brownies, Sunday School, and Air Cadets for about two years before applying (She did it in 5th and 6th year at academy) and they said she didnt have enough experience-though she was obv young.
In my very humble opinion you could always apply either for the B ed or do another first degree that you'd like more and then decide as i think B ed is popular anywhere. Then at least your name is in, and you are aiming at it. Then if you change your mind then you havent lost anything.
Im not a teacher but a librarian in a school which is connected to the local primary school and we have so many little children coming in and all of the teachers are so lovely-they must love the job and i hope you'll love it too!!
I hadn't thought of doing a normal degree first, that's a great piece of advise.
I will look into it more.
Oh and moonandstars, no I hadn't thought of teaching assistant.
Thank you for all your honest advice xx
I was an air stewardess for 4 years and while doing that I studied for a degree through The Open University. Took me 6 years all in all but it was great. You can really tailor it and work when it suits you. After that, I did a GTP in a secondary school and found it very tough (so much to take in - just so exhausting). I have to say, it's just me and hubby and I don't think I would have stuck with it if I had kids to consider as well.
I'm in my 3rd year of teaching now and, unfortunately, have to agree with lots of what moonbeam said - the actual teaching is such a small part of the job.
Hope that helps. Good luck chick! x
I thought I might be taking on too much and it definately sounds like it. I hadn't planned on this until after babies and they were in nursery or school but hubby and his job has thrown a spanner in the works so I want to get something under my belt asap.
We would leave ttc but I really don't want a huge age gap and I wouldn't want to be off just as I qualified anyway.
Thank you all so much, I really appreciate it xx