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Teaching
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Work & Study
I've been contemplating my future recently, and to avoid continuing towards impending doom, I'm starting to have to think about future careers.
I'm studying philosophy at university (along with politics and sociology...both of which i'm planning to drop).
I've realised that teaching could be something I could just about tolerate. Shorter than usual hours, good holidays, respectable pay and avoiding the "rat race". All in all a not too shabby package...
I did terribly at maths at standard grade (similar to GCSE in england), getting a 4...I believe at least a 3 grade is required, so does anyone know what course i would take to get that problem sorted out?
Also...is it true a PGCE (or whatever they are called) comes with a substantial grant to see you through the year or 2 of teacher training?
And would a philosophy degree be a suitable basis for entering into teaching in the first place?
I'm studying philosophy at university (along with politics and sociology...both of which i'm planning to drop).
I've realised that teaching could be something I could just about tolerate. Shorter than usual hours, good holidays, respectable pay and avoiding the "rat race". All in all a not too shabby package...
I did terribly at maths at standard grade (similar to GCSE in england), getting a 4...I believe at least a 3 grade is required, so does anyone know what course i would take to get that problem sorted out?
Also...is it true a PGCE (or whatever they are called) comes with a substantial grant to see you through the year or 2 of teacher training?
And would a philosophy degree be a suitable basis for entering into teaching in the first place?
0
Comments
:yes:
its not the sort of thing you can do just to avoid doing something else either, you have to want to do it, or you will fall flat on your face.
How about actually wanting to teach?
it's not, by any means. teachers bring their work home with them and have copious amounts of lesson planning and marking to do alongside any parents evenings etc.
if my ex wasn't a teacher i'd still have a god damn boyfriend! :grump:
and like kentish said, you have to actually have the initiative to want to teach. to make people's lives better and what not.
littlemissy is doing a pgce i believe. my ex boyfriend did a gtp, so there's more than 1 avenue you can take into teaching.
I only had a 3 for Standard Grade Maths. You need to have credit level (i.e. a 1 or a 2) to get into teaching. I did an open learning course (Intermediate Maths) which meant I could do the work in my own time.
You also need to have Higher English (C grade or above).
I'd advise you to really think about whether you definately want to do teaching or not. Quite a lot of people have dropped out of the course already. Don't think they realised the workload they would have and also the realities of actually teaching a class (forward plans, lesson plans, lesson evaluations, daily programmes, marking etc).
Have a look on the GTTR website and you can get lots of information.
You don't get a grant for it in Scotland. I believe that in England and Wales you get given £4000 but nothing here! I'm currently living off money I saved after working for 2 years, my student loan and my boyfriend!
If you do decide to go for it then you need to get experience in schools (especially if it's primary you want to do).
Last year applications had to be in by 10th December and interviews at Jordanhill started in February.
My advice would be do as much experience as you can working with kids, even if you say to a local school, "Look, I'm interesting in teaching, would it be possible to come into your school for an afternoon a week voluntary to get some experience for 1/2/3/4 months" kinda thing. A lot of schools will be grateful for the help.
It would be fine for primary teaching tho (as far as I know there are some people on the course with philosophy degrees).
You can be a supply teacher as well i think.
Wouldn't you be able to teach English with one too? Just a thought ... I'm sure you can teach English with a sociology degree.
Are you Scottish and did the standard grades? You need a 3 to do teaching. Best thing to do would be to go to night college to resit SG Maths. You may only need to go one night a week or similar, but that is one way around the maths situation.
In Scotland you don't get any sort of grant to get you through training, I'm afraid. And the Golden Hello only applies to England. In Primary Ed in Scotland you get placed for your probation year in school though, whereas in England you have to apply. The upside is that as soon as you leave uni you are guaranteed a job that will give you qualified teaching status, however, there are no guarantees that you will be allowed to continue that job after you qualify. I also don't know if there is a similar set up for secondary. It would be something you would need to check out.
Teaching is definitely not a 9am - 3pm, great holiday sort of job. You are doing so much more in planning, organising resources etc. I am currently on placement at the moment and my teacher comes into school at 8am, leaves at around 5pm, tries to work in the evening as then she won't need to do any work over the weekend. It isn't as simple as being in school 9 while 3.
PGCE is an extremely hard and taxing course, but once you start you will know whether or not it is for you. I love it, even though I have no time for a social life.
Hope that helps a bit. PM me if you have any questions etc
Ooooh, they have changed that then. It used to be a 3 or above. I wonder when that came into effect.
I think she does more work than normal teachers, the extra she does is mainly over the summer holidays, though.
I am just wondering, as i'm at sheffield hallam at the moment, and i'm hoping to do a pgce once i complete my degree, and it'd be awesome if i could stay in sheffield (preferably at hallam) to do one for secondary teaching.
See your PMs
What, is working supposed to be enjoyable or something?
People work for money. The more tolerable that work is the better.
I enjoy working. A lot. I don't just work for the money but I work for self fulfillment.
I think that if you are going to be doing something for a period of time then yes, it has to be something you enjoy doing.
What is the point of living if you wake up each and every morning and completely dread going into work? And this carries on for years upon years? I would rather get up and enjoy what I was doing. And if you are thinking that teaching is just a "job" then don't even bother applying for your PGCE as you will drop out during your first TP.