Crossroads in career...help

woolly_wombat

I don't know whether this helps, but I recently listened to an episode of the Radio4 More or Less programme which I found very interesting. Steven Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics, was interviewed about decision making:

'..I think that that's not a crazy way to make decisions is to say "I'm going to take the path where in the worst case I will have the last regret"...'

'I think the biases that humans have suggest that there's not enough quitting going on...'

He has come up with a method of decision making based on flipping a coin, which sounds crazy but to hear his ideas in context you can click on a 10 minute podcast (WS Heads or Tails? 13 Jun 14) here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/moreorless

It gave me a fresh perspective on some big decisions that I need to make.

WW

CarlJensen

I will choose A, if I were u

typeractive

Miss_Moneysaver wrote: »

Hi,
I am aware of the teaching hours and Gove politics and this has, to be honest, put me off for a couple of years. I was hoping that FE teaching may be different?

It is different. It's more. The FE sector is the hardest to work in for numerous reasons. Now fellow primary and secondary teachers please do not for one minute think I'm saying your jobs are easier (despite my statement saying the opposite - contradiction alert). I'll explain. Primary and secondary have natural catchment and progression. FE doesn't. FE has to fight to recruit students, often the kids that 6th forms don't want, or students who didn't do well in state school but have nothing else to do. If the student leaves the college doesn't get paid. So you're held accountable to make sure everyone stays and has a great time, and achieves higher every year to prove to ofsted you're the best. So taking a lot of demotivated learners and trying to raise their profile against GCSE intake is hard. Very hard. FE receives the least amount of financing. Resources are tight, and often you need to compete with other colleges to get the most students.

The amount of paperwork is more than a school. I know this as I have lots of primary and secondary, and HE teachers as friends. We have discussed and shared examples of work. As usual everyone says 'I bet I do more than you' and then I log in to the remote system and people are blown away. It's even harder managing a team of staff and teaching as well in a college which offers FE and HE. It's really sad, and affecting people's health. Much of which because many leaders in education (not ofsted here) don't know "f all" about teaching and learning. They have to justify existence and suggest more paperwork and ticky box stuff to do. Ofsted have the correct morals, though schools and colleges are petrified of them and that's disseminated my poor leadership and management.

Now this is an incredibly negative / moany post which I'm sure is depressing people. I'm sad as I write it. Working 12/13 hour days every day and weekends has given me this opinion. I've worked in FE for 12 years but the performance issues are unjustified. I want to continue working in it, but I want to make changes. I want to be one of the leaders, that can support staff. Tell staff they're doing great, and make them feel a bit more comfortable - like I do with my current team. Though sadly I can't do this any more in my current place as my employers have became bullies - something I vow to never do if I get a post above my current level. I see them 'work' 9.30 to 3.30, whilst I'm the first one in and last one out. I go to meetings with them and watch them make ridiculous decisions and trip on their egos. I'd LOVE to watch them plan and deliver a lesson focusing on a vocation whilst including E&D, ILT, VA, Eng & Num, Comms, differentiation, stretch and challenge, classroom management, employability skills, destination and careers, and everything. ANY poor performance is straight back at all us teachers when a learner is naughty or has just been raised poorly. One of the most inspiring sectors to work in is just putting people off.

A PGCE over 2 years part time with the 100hours or whatever of contact will not prepare you (at all) for teaching. It's like a watered down driving license - you got it and you're ready to be let loose, but you're driving a HGV for the first time on a narrow road with a 3 point turn needed. However if you can accrue more hours teaching then you will learn. My honest advice would be - study for the PGCE, get as much teaching experience as you can, and then decide. It will be something like 3 hours per week study. A few thousand word essays which I think you'd cope having a BA and MA.

Many people in the public sector do PGCE's with no intention of working in FE. They become trainers etc in their current industry. Perhaps that would open another avenue for you somewhere (although I appreciate the cut backs etc).

Good luck!

double_mummy

have you thought about doing something smaller like the PTTLs to get a feel for it?