A good time to consider teaching?

Indy500

Indy500

Indy500

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For once, a Jobcentre Plus\DWP staff member actually stopped to have a proper talk with me and make useful suggestions :p

Anyway, the idea of teacher training came up. I've had a passing interest in childcare and occasionally looked after friends' children so primary school teaching seems appealing (the little ones are more redeemable and rewarding to work with). Although there is the issue of being qualified - pretty much any teaching post requires a (usually specific) degree. The issue seems to be further confounded by schools unwilling to take on trainee teachers, and a scarcity of training grants.

Maybe there's a teacher on here that can allay my doubts - any opinions? :)
 
Well yes, you need a degree, then you need to actually train to be a teacher, PGCE is the standard route (1 year), which can involve a grant of upto 9K depending on your subject, then golden hello's of upto 5k. You can do degree's which involves QTS (qualified teacher status), or you can do a GTP (still need a degree, but you gain QTS 'on the job' so to speak, on wage of 13k approx).

sr4470 said:
(the little ones are more redeemable and rewarding to work with).
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How do you know?

You'd be surprised. The year 11's I teach left today and it was quite emotional, the past few months a lot of them have really worked hard.
 
Ripper said:
Well yes, you need a degree, then you need to actually train to be a teacher, PGCE is the standard route (1 year), which can involve a grant of upto 9K depending on your subject, then golden hello's of upto 5k. You can do degree's which involves QTS (qualified teacher status), or you can do a GTP (still need a degree, but you gain QTS 'on the job' so to speak, on wage of 13k approx).
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Yeah. I've looked around (TDA and so on) and it seems tricky to get into the latter.

Ripper said:
How do you know?

You'd be surprised. The year 11's I teach left today and it was quite emotional, the past few months a lot of them have really worked hard.
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Well, thats my opinion and experience. Admittedly I may be a little biased since I spent more time with the younger group, but I had to state a reason for being interested didn't I? :p
 
I also find the older kids (up to 6th form age) far more rewarding to work with.

But, as far as primary school teaching goes, I don't think you need a specific degree, as you're required to teach just about everything. You do definitely need to qualify, which entails a PGCE at a university.

That, or the GTP (Graduate Teacher Programme) - but you'll need to find a school to take you on to do that. They essentially employ you to be a teacher, and train as you go. But from what I can remember, it's usually (maybe even exclusively) secondary schools that run GTP courses.
 
The course I am doing is specifically for primary schools and allows me to teach any age group from reception to year 6. The course is Primary Education with qualified teacher status. I'm just coming up to start my final block placement of my first year, and it is extremely rewarding, although very hard work!

There are lots of different funding available and grants depending on your situation so it could be worth looking into especially if it's something you really want to go for.
Although it's hard work, the kids are usually lovely and at the school I'm on placement at, the other teachers and I are the constant in the childrens lives and they rely on us. (the school is in a socio-economically deprived are).
I think its def worth looking in to :)
 
timbob said:
I also find the older kids (up to 6th form age) far more rewarding to work with.
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Thats fair enough, I did ask for opinions. I should add that I've taught adults in a professional role before. So I've dealt with a wide age range before.

timbob said:
But, as far as primary school teaching goes, I don't think you need a specific degree, as you're required to teach just about everything. You do definitely need to qualify, which entails a PGCE at a university.

That, or the GTP (Graduate Teacher Programme) - but you'll need to find a school to take you on to do that. They essentially employ you to be a teacher, and train as you go. But from what I can remember, it's usually (maybe even exclusively) secondary schools that run GTP courses.
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Yes, I made sure I researched specifics first. It makes more sense to learn on the job in my opinion, I'd be prepared to volunteer if it was needed.
 
You learn on the job doing a PGCE. It involves two placements usually, 6 weeks and 10 weeks approx. But there's also a lot of assignments to do.
 
sparklebox said:
The course I am doing is specifically for primary schools and allows me to teach any age group from reception to year 6. The course is Primary Education with qualified teacher status. I'm just coming up to start my final block placement of my first year, and it is extremely rewarding, although very hard work!
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Thats a BA Hons, if I'm reading this right? Hmm...it looks like I fall short of the point requirements by about 15% or so. Somewhat annoying.

sparklebox said:
There are lots of different funding available and grants depending on your situation so it could be worth looking into especially if it's something you really want to go for.
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See this is where my practical concerns come in. The typical grants offered by most universities (if I'm actually deemed eligible) fall well short of the costs, if I take into account that I won't have time to do a job and can't meet basic living expenses. Especially in the London area where I am currently located.

Also, is it just me or does this sound a little over the top?

If you accept a formal offer you will be required to meet the Department for Children, Schools and Families standards for physical and mental fitness to teach and clearance to work with children. You will also be provisionally registered with the General Teaching Council for England (GTC). Further details, including a Declaration of Health questionnaire, Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure application form and GTC suitability assessment questionnaire will be sent to you after you have firmly accepted an offer. You will be registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) in line with University policy.
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Anyway, that aside...

sparklebox said:
Although it's hard work, the kids are usually lovely and at the school I'm on placement at, the other teachers and I are the constant in the childrens lives and they rely on us. (the school is in a socio-economically deprived are).
I think its def worth looking in to :)
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Thats nice to hear, may I ask whereabouts you're teaching?
 
I'm actually doing a teaching placement through Uni at the moment, spending time in a local comprehensive. I've been thoroughly suprised, its a real eye opener and the secondary aged children are NOT the brats you'd think they are.
 
[TW]Fox;14129153 said:
I'm actually doing a teaching placement through Uni at the moment, spending time in a local comprehensive. I've been thoroughly suprised, its a real eye opener and the secondary aged children are NOT the brats you'd think they are.
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I didn't say they were brats - I just implied I'd find it more rewarding working with the younger age range. :) There's also the PGCE stuff that I'm not too keen on, I'd rather get into it sooner and with less cost.
 
I fell short of the points also with my a-levels as i failed my law exam. Each university requires different point tariffs so you may have enough for one?
As for funding I can't offer much help, I'm 19 so I get all the full loans and grants etc.
I'm in Northampton, and the area that I'm in is one of the most deprived areas.

A way to go could be this?
http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/employmentbased/rtp.aspx
You can earn while you train? :)
 
sparklebox said:
I fell short of the points also with my a-levels as i failed my law exam. Each university requires different point tariffs so you may have enough for one?
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Well, I wasn't even looking at any particularly notable ones. I didn't fail anything, just scored relatively mediocre grades when you consider this is a very academic programme. I took three Level 3 courses like most people. If I recall correctly 3 Cs would be the minimum required for that tariff. My grades are a mixture of good and bad, but overall they're not enough.

sparklebox said:
As for funding I can't offer much help, I'm 19 so I get all the full loans and grants etc.
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Sure the grants will cover the fees (£3300), but the loan isn't going to cover rent\utility bill costs in this region realistically speaking. This is without having a good time and leaving a continously meagre existence. Maybe if I'm considered exempt and receive the grants, then it would work.

I'm in Northampton, and the area that I'm in is one of the most deprived areas.
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Heh, thought you were about to say East London :p

sparklebox said:
A way to go could be this?
http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/employmentbased/rtp.aspx
You can earn while you train? :)
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"You must have completed the equivalent of two years of higher education. This is the equivalent of 240 Credit and Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) points. For example, you may have completed an HND, a DipHE, or the first two years of a bachelors degree. The recognition of 240 CATS points is at the discretion of the RTP provider."

Nope, looks like I'm out of luck.
 
I had to get 260 ucas points from a-levels and c or above at GCSE maths, english and science. I don't really know about any other types of qualifications as ignorant as that sounds. It's simply because I've not had any experience with them.

Financially I get three lots of aid. A tuition fee loan which covers my tuition costs but I have to pay back, a maintenance loan which is meant to cover my rent in halls etc. and a maintenance grant which is meant to cover my day to day existence. I also don't know about any other types of funding. I'm not turning out to be all that useful after all!

Sorry did you say you had a degree already?
 
sparklebox said:
I had to get 260 ucas points from a-levels and c or above at GCSE maths, english and science. I don't really know about any other types of qualifications as ignorant as that sounds. It's simply because I've not had any experience with them.
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The latter is not a problem, I have C or above in the core GCSEs. Its the 260 points that I'm short on. In fact three Cs would only be 240, it would need to be one B and two C grades minimum.

sparklebox said:
Financially I get three lots of aid. A tuition fee loan which covers my tuition costs but I have to pay back, a maintenance loan which is meant to cover my rent in halls etc. and a maintenance grant which is meant to cover my day to day existence. I also don't know about any other types of funding. I'm not turning out to be all that useful after all!
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You summed it up pretty much. That is what I discussed in my previous post.

sparklebox said:
Sorry did you say you had a degree already?
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No. To put it bluntly, I have no money and I'm not particularly keen on borrowing to the hilt and trying to get an overdraft to scrape by for 3 years, with an uncertain chance of permanent employment. If it was at least partially funded it would be less off-putting. As I quoted above the placement\learn as you earn option is only open to people who already have done a degree\2 years of HE.
 
Don't know the name of the course and many details but my mums just decided to train as a teacher. She's been offered a place on a foundation degree which works out at 2 years. However a school is employing her to work everyday as a TA and she will have 2 mornings off a week to attend lectures. Then she has one final year getting the qualified teacher status which enables her to teach. Because she will still be working full time she won't apply for loans. Covering tuition fees would be the only concern. She has no qualifications, obviously she has a CRB check but she is training to be a teacher from scratch.She hasn't got a GCSE in maths or science and has to complete those before her final year (her parents pulled her out of school to make her do a secretarial course in the 70's) Investigation on this might work for you? tell me to shutup if i'm not helping :D
 
sparklebox said:
Don't know the name of the course and many details but my mums just decided to train as a teacher. She's been offered a place on a foundation degree which works out at 2 years. However a school is employing her to work everyday as a TA and she will have 2 mornings off a week to attend lectures.
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I've also been offered a place on a foundation degree. An IT one, however. It is only 9 hours of lectures on one day of the week. Now I'm not expecting a teaching qualification to be like that of course - but a trainee placement would be ideal.

The problem is you need to be in a post of some sort before you're accepted onto even an NVQ-level teaching assistant course, never mind degrees. I've had virtually no success getting roles at schools that I have years of experience in (IT Support), so a role that I have 9 months experience in (teaching) is going to be even tougher to secure.

sparklebox said:
Then she has one final year getting the qualified teacher status which enables her to teach. Because she will still be working full time she won't apply for loans. Covering tuition fees would be the only concern.
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Yes, which would almost certainly be covered by a grant because I don't know many trainees earning above £20,000.

sparklebox said:
She has no qualifications, obviously she has a CRB check but she is training to be a teacher from scratch. She hasn't got a GCSE in maths or science and has to complete those before her final year (her parents pulled her out of school to make her do a secretarial course in the 70's) Investigation on this might work for you? tell me to shutup if i'm not helping :D
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She must have taken an Access course to get into the foundation degree though? That is usually the only way to get onto a degree course without A-level equivalents or Diplomas.
 
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