How do I get into teaching

[blackbib]

As the title says I want to get into the field of teaching. I am a trained teacher (not from the UK). I have had a good experience of teaching in my native country, but never had ventured into a teaching job in the UK. DD2 is going to be 1 soon. So I am thinking of getting serious about getting into a teaching job. I am mainly concentrating on primary schools. But where do I start? Anyone with experience similar to mine? I'm ready to take up courses that can ease my pathway to careers in primary schools. Any advice please?.

Blackbib, please don't.
I got out 2 years ago and haven't looked back. I miss the kids, but the other 3/4 of the job...the one that has you working sixty plus hour weeks just to stay afloat...not a bit. It wasn't an easy job when I got into it, thirty plus years ago. Way, way harder now. It broke me.

Also you say you find secondary kids hard to manage. Primary kids are not necessarily easier. Behaviour can be very challenging in primary schools and you have very few ways to enforce behaviour these days along with parents who will blame you for their little darlings misbehaving rather than supporting you.

It's not a job where you can drop your kid at school and collect them at the end of their day. You'd have to have a childminder or they would go into breakfast and after school clubs.

Primary generally requires lots of daily marking, so you'd be there until at least 4pm (if you mark through your lunch break). Plus you'd have books to take home regularly and planning after school/in the evenings based on how that day'steaching and learning went. So even if you do leave ten minutes after the children do, you'd have a load of marking and planning to do that evening at home.

Also be prepared for your head to be inflexible when it comes to going to your own child's performances or assemblies, so you'll miss those.

I love teaching and I think I'm good at it. I love the buzz when children really click with what you're teaching and you can literally see the light bulbs going on in their brains!

But I'm looking to leave at the end of the academic year. Not because of the teaching, but because of the constant scrutiny, the micro-managing, the lack of flexibility, more SEN needs but less help, the lack of support from parents etc. etc. and the way education is moving from a creative, inspiring profession to a learn-by-powerpoint, mind-numbing slog.

So, you know, best to go into a local school and shadow a teacher for a week to make your own mind up!!

Apply for a TA position in a local school, or perhaps volunteer to do reading with children as a starting point, just to make sure primary is definitely for you.
I was a teacher (primary) and this was how I got into it. As you already have a qualification you will probably make contacts or have your school's support to convert your qualifications (if you need to?). You might need to do a primary-level PGCE to supplement your degree, or you could do a school-based course where you will get paid as you train.

In India, teaching is a respected profession and children look up to their teachers. In the main, I would say teaching in England is anything but this.

In your position, look to go into training, staff development, personnel, in fact anything which isn’t teaching, I teach, but to make it manageable I dropped from HOF to be a class teacher and I work part time. I still work on my days off and at weekends and in the evenings. This is working in a good, small independent school.

I could never encourage anyone to go into teaching today.

In terms of Primary, in England, there are lots of children showing very extreme behaviour in primary schools, as there is no suitable alternative placements for children showing very extreme behaviour at a young age.

It is often a long battle to get children into a special school in the UK, and if the parents are resistant, it can be even harder.

I don't want to discourage you because we need teachers, but behaviour in English primary schools may not be what you expect.

Don’t do it.
I can guarantee that teaching in the UK will not live up to your expectations based on previous experience. Maybe things will be better in 5-10 years, but right now it’s completely horrendous and wouldn’t recommend this career to anyone.

Teacher lying or son lying www.mumsnet.com/Talk/parenting/4762393-teacher-lying-or-son-lying?msgid=-4762393#-4762393

I am in 3rd year of primary teaching.

I have a tough inner city intake, but supportive SLT. And I am on my knees.

3x national average SEN
70% of my class EAL

and yet still expected to get the same percentage to ‘expected’ levels of writing as a leafy suburb down the road.

It’s madness.

I have grown up around the world, taught in different countries before QTS. I am good with kids, like kids, love the light bulb moments.

But ironically, there are less of those moments now than in my COVID NQT year, as the curriculum gets more and more shoe horned in, and the pressure to metaphorically push them through ‘evidencing’ learning increases.

The whole system in broken, and it will break me if I stay much longer. Was in school at 7.30 this morning to set up for a school trip. Left at 6. About to sit down now and plan 2 lessons for tomorrow.

I would not recommend it at all.

@Macaroni46 I guess teaching is not easy as I thought it was!

Without wanting to pee on your chips, I would think seriously before taking the leap. There’s a thread on the parenting board at the moment asking if the teacher or 4yo son is lying. The replies are eye opening but equally not a shock.

I see Macaroni beat me to it.

Most primary academies only employ QTS except for specialist roles

I had to do a double take when I saw your title as I assumed it was how do so get out of teaching 😉

However don't let everyone put you off. You could do say 2 days a week in a primary and stay sane.

They are also desperate for maths & science teachers. I think standards in India are much higher though.

You could also apply to a private school. It won't be easy but at least numbers in the class are smaller.

If you worked a couple of days you would earn enough for some extra cash of your own & could see how it goes.

This is very true.

It's hard and long hours but there's nothing as fulfilling. If you're in a school with supportive SLT who invest in worthwhile CPD; who trust you; trust in your autonomy and believe in collaborative initiatives; run a tight ship on behaviour and discipline; listen to feedback; who have your back when you have difficult parents....and are part of a great department team, then it's a wonderful job.

If you are missing any of the above, it's not.

I cut corners. But I'm imaginative, creative and responsive with my kids (KS3 and KS4)...have a scheme of work that is detailed and base lessons around certain objectives depending on time of day, nature of kids, temperature of room (not kidding), concentration levels ....I'm a reactive teacher which means I can roll with the punches and deal with whatever they (literally at times) throw at me. Not everyone has my skillset. But then, I'm not a planner, not a perfectionist and not someone who needs structure/routine/control. I can imagine it would drive someone with that nature insane.

You’re winding us up, right?

@OutDamnedSpot I was speaking from my experience in India. It's really good once you get into a very good private school. Government run schools in India are really good too. And the endless life long pension you get is junior awesome. 5 of my aunts are teachers in government schools in India, and I have nearly 7 relatives working as teachers in private schools. My mum is a teacher herself. I secured a 55th position among 50k candidates on an entrance for State level teaching schools. It's easy in India to be a teacher but they pay you peanuts on a local level.

*really awesome

I've just left teaching after 10 years. The UK system is broken and I wouldn't wish entering the profession on my worst enemy.

My advice? Look at tutoring, virtual schools, supporting kids who can't access mainstream education. But do not go into mainstream teaching in this country if you value your time, sanity, family and professional integrity.

@blackbib if you're dead set on teaching in this country I would advise going to a Prep school.

Prep schools cater for 3-13 year olds (or 7-13 in some cases). As a qualified secondary teacher (presumably in English) you would be qualified to teach the upper age range (usually 9-13 year olds) as from the age of about 9, most prep schools run along a secondary model in that children are taught by subject specialists rather than having everything taught to them by their class teacher.

Prep schools offer the best of both worlds between primary and secondary teaching, and as they are private, will have a standard of behaviour, good facilities and so on. They will also have high standards and expect a lot from you in terms of workload and a longer school day, but you'll also get a higher salary and longer holidays. It would be the only scenario in which I'd encourage you to teach. As everyone else has said, teaching in the state system is horrendous - the whole system is broken and the stress it causes is just not worth it. You will be able to take very little joy in your work.

A rather large caveat to what I've said above about prep schools - if you are an English specialist (and I am assuming you are but I may be wrong!), you may find that private schools will discriminate against you if you speak English with an accent. As you've said you're from India, I am assuming you do have an accent when you speak English, and I apologise if that assumption is offensive, but I do think it's important to say it as I have experienced this discrimination first hand when sitting on interview panels (I used to teach in private schools). For subjects other than English there is perhaps a little more openness to a 'foreign' accent, but if you want to teach English you may come across some unpleasant attitudes. I'm sorry to have to say this, but I think it's important that you're aware you may face this. It's not ok and I'm not saying it is, but I just wanted you to be forewarned.

Hello blackbib. Ask to shadow/ visit in a local primary to you and make up your own mind. I'm a secondary teacher and 23 years ago I was advised not to train by a teacher nearing retirement. I ignored that advice, trained and do enjoy my job and am still here. Find the right position in the right school and it is a rewarding job.

Ahhh go for it op! There's a huge shortage of good teachers. The kids need you! 💛👍

For those of you who have left the profession & are putting the OP off...
Ok you didn't like it...
But our nation's children need teachers! Ffs.

@EnidSpyton Yes I have indeed specialised in Teaching English as a second language. I do speak fluent English but it has an Indian accent to it. I have done my bachelors in History and Political Sciences. Very little options for me as I am not that good in Mathematics. Hmmm I'm so lost as to what's to be done with life after my DC get into school full time. I don't want to be a homemaker forever with no identity of my own.