Teaching as a career

mikey72

bristol_pilot wrote: »

High stress, long hours and low pay do not make a great combination. The long hols were a plus at one time, but many people get 30+ days holiday a year in other jobs now AND can choose when they take them (unlike teachers).

The 65 days off in teaching is good though.
(and before you tell me about the hours, that's a 3 x 13 week terms, so 13 weeks holiday x 5 days)

If you want the salary it's on
http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/8643

start at £21k, rise to nearly £30k after 5 years. (basic)

Oldernotwiser

mikey72 wrote: »

The 65 days off in teaching is good though.
(and before you tell me about the hours, that's a 3 x 13 week terms, so 13 weeks holiday x 5 days)

If you want the salary it's on
http://www.teachers.org.uk/node/8643

start at £21k, rise to nearly £30k after 5 years. (basic)

Could we hazard a guess that you are not a teacher?

slummymummyof3

Have you thought about FE if you have some form of industrial experience that you could teach? You do not need to possess a teaching qualification to enter FE teaching but must work towards one whilst in employment.

I teach in primary, FE and HE and would say that primary is the hardest out of the 3.

Oldernotwiser

I wouldn't recommend anyone to go into FE these days. It used to be a pretty good job but the conditions of service have worsened, there are many cuts happening, opportunities for advancement are poor and the pay is awful

I was an FE lecturer for 15 years but it's a different world these days.

mikey72

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Could we hazard a guess that you are not a teacher?

Why, am I breaking the teacher's code?

Long hours, all that marking, bringing it home at night, working all weekends, having to work through summer hoildays, is that what I should have posted?

Did you know the contract is for a 1265 hour year, over 195 days.

(To be honest though, with all the extra work needed, it works out to about 1600 to 1800 hours, same as most other jobs)

Prudent

I am a dual qualified primary/secondary teacher and can assure that primary teaching is no easier. The workload is higher, parental expectations/ involvement are more of an issue, if you get a difficult class you get no respite.

I really like my job (I teach primary special needs), but would warn would be applicants that the workload and stress are very high. I work my socks off under constant pressure. The kids are great

In Scotland there are around 300 -700 applicants for every primary post. Many people who gave up careers to become teachers are struggling for work 3 or 4 years after qualifing. Make sure you can afford to live on unemployment benefit for a good part of the year. There are more jobs further south, especially in London. The wage doesn't really reflect house prices in these areas though.

lorietta

I would say secondary school teaching is not a good career choice. My dad is a teacher, and it is the one job I would never consider doing, as he is just unhappy. Added to this, lots of people are going in to teaching, primary and secondary, at the moment, as it seems like a good career choice for job stability. This means a lot of schools are only giving out temporary contracts.

You'd also probably need some experience volunteering with children and similar to get on a PCGE course. I believe most of them put their minimum requirements for a 2:2 degree but I might be wrong.



Perhaps doing some kind of adult education might be better?

career_changer_2

Hi

I was thinking of going into adult education but have heard that there are going to be huge cut backs and redundancies. I am therefore having second thoughts. I have got my PTLLS qualification (Preparing To Teach in Life Long Learning Sector), and going on to do the Diploma stage in September. I already have my place at university. But because of these cut backs, I am not sure whether or not to do this course.

What would you suggest?

ellie101

career_changer wrote: »

So I take it that there is fierce competition for jobs in primary schools? I also presume they ask for graduates. If so, do they ask for a higher degree classification such as 2:1 degree classification?

Thanks

2:2 is fine. It's an honours degree. I know people who got in with 2:2s over the last few years. And people with 2:1s who got refused.

I know some people who are teachers who love it, primary school work can be hard too as you need to know a broad range of subjects.

But it can be stressful as others say. I think you need to think if it's really what you want to do, is it a vocation/something you'd enjoy or another alternative because you just want a profession.

I considered it as a career but I'd die in front of a group of kids (or even adults).

Why don't you do some voluntary work to see what you think? See what classes are like? Some schools will sponsor you for your PGCE but I'm guessing competition is very fierce.

slummymummyof3

ellie101 wrote: »

Some schools will sponsor you for your PGCE but I'm guessing competition is very fierce.

I think you are probably referring to a GTP placement???? There is a lot of competition for these places as you are paid at the rate of an unqualified teacher (significantly more than you would get on a PGCE)

OP, new government has pledged to invest in FE and not cut, so perhaps you should continue to look in to this further???? I work p/t in FE & HE and p/t in primary and have to say although the pay isn't as good in FE, the job is less stressful and you aren't having the added complication of having to deal with parents at each end of the day for whatever reason!!!