I want to be a teacher - advice?

vtmil

I'm hoping for some advice because the tda website is confusing me.. too many options and ive never been good with decisions!

Basically, I'm 21, with kid + mortgage = financial commitments = so can't really afford conventional university.

I'm working as a teaching assistant, and also doing a open uni degree in business studies. I have competed 240 points, and a doing another 60 at the mo. The problem is im only on course to get a lower 2nd or even a third. My original plan was to get a business degree and then do a pgce to teach business.

I'm disappointed with myself because i could have done a lot better, but i just tried to cram too much in - baby, job, 2 courses running at the same time - excuses i know but there you go..

so some questions....
Can you repeat courses with the open uni?
Can i use some of my credits towards another course (i'm thinking teaching at secondary level) - not sure of course?
Has anyone done the registered teacher programme? this sounds like the holy grail tho/don't know if i qualify?)

I think thats it.... any info welcome peeps..

Thankyou for reading my rambles.....
vtmil

dmg24

The RTP is for people working as an unqualified teacher, so a TA would not really qualify. Would your school be able to offer you an unqualified post? If so, you should be aware that it is incredibly intense. Do you have a good support network at home?

The TES website has a forum where you will get excellent support and advice.

Not sure about the OU questions, am sure someone else will be along with more knowledge in this area x

vtmil

thanks for the quick reply - i will go and have a look at the TES website. I was aware you have to working as an unqualified teacher but thought i better look in to it before i ask at school - any unqualified teachers out there?

RCB28

Hi,

I'm a parent of 2 children, 8 and 6, and am lucky enough to be currently working as an unqualified teacher in a middle school prior to my pgce. I graduated 10 years ago with a 2.1 in law and french. Unfortunately I can't do my training on the job as in order to qualify for primary I need to have access to Key stage 1 and 2 (middle school is KS2/3). I have worked as an UQT since September - I would highly recommend this to anyone contemplating teaching as a career as it really boosts your confidence to actually take the classes yourself. It also gives you a real feel for the profession and the workload involved.
I applied for a flexible PGCE so that I could spread the modules - I start this Easter and aim to complete it in 4 terms as opposed to the fulltime option of 3. You have up to 2 years to complete this sort of pgce and it is identical in content to the fulltime option, just with the option to extend the study preiod. It'll still be pretty intense though.
I am lucky to have a husband that works from home...I think as long as you have a good support system then go for it. Get your degree, get some training done on the job if possible and get into what I'm sure will be a very hard but extremely rewarding profession. If you can't do the RTP then consider a university that will offer you the flexible option. You may even be able to combine the pgce with work as an UQT..I won't as my pgce will be virtually fulltime anyway.

Best of luck!

vtmil

thankyou RCB28, thats great advice. I just wondered how you got the UQT job - is it something you asked for or were offered, or did you apply?

One of my problems is that teachers of business studies don't seem to be in demand. I would like to teach either that or secondary maths or science. oh i don't know...!!

scorpio_princess

Hi, i'm also an OU student who will one day try to get into teaching (although i'm studying English which is apparently not a shortage subject, which was news to me, but that's another story!)

With regards to retaking OU courses, I think there are exclusions but I really don't know what they are. Why don't you ring your regional centre? They should be able to tell you where you stand.

While i'm here, can someone tell me what the flexible PGCE is all about? I know the OU offer them, but unfortunately they don't cover English. Would there be other institutions that do? My local uni, UEA, do the one year full time PGCE, but it's going to be extremely difficult for me to quit work for a whole year to do it - I live alone and am on a tight enough budget as it is! I've thought about the GTP route, but I know these places are like gold dust (and i'd also like to move abroad one day and have heard that the PGCE is internationally recognised, while the GTP isn't). Of course, this is all a good 3 years in the future as i'm not even half way through my degree yet, but it's good to be prepared isn't it.

Sorry for hijacking your thread!! Do ring the OU though - i've always found them really helpful.

needtoearnmoremoney

You actually have a number of options available to you once you have 300 credits ( this is equivalent to an ordinary degree).

The RTP (Registered teacher programme) is not for you as this is aimed at people with 240 credits who then work for 2 years towards the Qualified teacher standards whilst at the same time topping up to a degree.

You would however be eligible for the GTP programme (graduate teacher programme). The way this works is that you work as an unqualified teacher in a school whilst at the same time collecting evidence towards the QTS standards. There are places available in both primary schools and secondary.

http://www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/thetrainingprocess/typesofcourse/employmentbased/gtp.aspx takes you to the GTP home page on the TDA web site.

In some areas schools advertise in local papers that they are looking for GTP trainees.
an alternative is to contact a training provider directly and ask them which schools are looking for GTP trainees.

http://www.tda.gov.uk/partners/recruiting/ebr/drbs/ebittcontacts.aspx
takes you to the page with the list of providers so you should be able to find your nearest provider.

an alternative to the GTP is to follow a PGCE. this does not have to be full time as some institutions e.g. the Open university, canterbury christ church university offer modular pgce courses whereby you study in your own time so can be holding down a job BUT you do have to be able to complete the school experience full time.

for people wanting to teach science or maths there is also i-teach, a completely online programme but again you need to be able to undertake the school exdperience full time.

needtoearnmoremoney

I've just realised that a few other points were made that i have not addressed.

You are right that the GTP is currently not accepted in all countries BUT it does give you qualified teacher status.


If your degree is in business studies why do you want to teach science or maths? Do you have A levels in these subjects? Did you do any courses in these areas as part of your degree?
If not, i would accept you onto a programme to teach either of these subjects.

I'm not sure why you think you will not get a place to teach business studies? given the new vocational diplomas you should not assume that you will not get a place.

vtmil

needtoearnmoremoney thanks for such a detailed reply - i will have 300 credits in April so the GTP looks like a great option for me. I just feel that with a 2.2 or 3rd classification degree i will have no chance of being accpted on to a course thats so competitive!

I love(?) business studies - was top of the class at GCSE and A level - should have been more disiplined when it came to home learning! I have also done work experience teaching in this subject which i really enjoyed!

However now i'm working as a teaching assistant in a middle school so that has made me think perhaps i could change my course, be more dedicated (!) and perhaps teach maths (sort of business related? I have an Alevel in maths too) because i enjoy it and i feel confident using my subject knowledge in the classroom at the mo. Then i thought i could maybe do a total u turn and look at a secondary science (i have an a level in biology) because i like that too!! Secondary school teaching jobs seem to have more avaliability - but pehaps i should be more optimistic?!?

vtmil

scorpio princess - i will ring the ou - the call centre people scare me though! its nice to see that there are other people thinking along the same lines as me.. good luck with your studies!