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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is 34 to old to get into teaching?

58 replies

MincePieFlavouredVoidka · 02/12/2011 11:27

I hope not :(

I am 29 and have applied to do a History degree starting next September as I would really love to teach History at Secondary level. I have always wanted to do it, but having the DC's got in the way, and I dont think I had the confidence before.

But by the time have done a PGCE I will be 34. Is that too old for an NQT?

OP posts:
CailinDana · 02/12/2011 11:32

Of course not.

GooKingWenceslas · 02/12/2011 11:35

No, DH is 39 and in his 2nd year.

MotherPanda · 02/12/2011 11:36

no - my mum is a NQT and she is 42 now, so she finished her PGCE 2 years ago. I think older teachers are valued for their experience.

BarkisIsWillin · 02/12/2011 11:36

No

AntiqueAnteater · 02/12/2011 11:37

no, never too old - well 65 might be i suppose

NinkyNonker · 02/12/2011 11:46

Nope, not at all.

porcamiseria · 02/12/2011 11:47

NO, some grey hairs and experience will be an asset xx

mediawhore · 02/12/2011 11:47

Not at all. My ex Head of Dept was 40 when she qualified.

ALWAYS a need for good, committed teachers.

KatAndKit · 02/12/2011 11:52

Definitely not too old. A lot of career change teachers enter around that age. As you say, you have more confidence now you are older than perhaps you would have done as a 22 year old entrant straight out of university.

I went into teaching young (I was 23) and when I was on my course there were a fair number of trainees in their 30s and 40s. You certainly won't be the only one!

maddy68 · 02/12/2011 11:52

I was 36 when I qualified - I love it

Deafworm · 02/12/2011 11:53

I hope not, I will be at least 32 before I finish my PGCE, assuming the rest of my OU degree goes to plan and I get straight onto a PGCE course.

Kladdkaka · 02/12/2011 11:55

Of course not. You'll still have 30+ years of teaching ahead of you.

scaryteacher · 02/12/2011 12:03

I did my PGCE when I was 35 and ds was 5. I got a job!

languagepedantic · 02/12/2011 13:19

I got my first university lectureship at 50 - having had two previous unrelated careers. It is never too late.

DoesNotGiveAFig · 02/12/2011 13:22

Nope. Go for it!

exoticfruits · 02/12/2011 13:36

No-in fact a good age. Very often people are older.

TroublesomeEx · 02/12/2011 13:38

"Very often people are older" Wise words exoticfruits, can't argue with that Grin

knitknack · 02/12/2011 13:39

I'm a history teacher and I did my PGCE when I was 37 :)

FourThousandHoles · 02/12/2011 13:39

God I hope not, I have been toying with the idea of a PGCE but I will be 40 before I'm in a position to be able to do it.

TroublesomeEx · 02/12/2011 13:39

If it's something you're sure about then go for it.

Have you spent much time the classroom observing or volunteering? Getting a feel for it, or talking to teachers and experiencing what it really involves?

Good luck!

fuzzynavel · 02/12/2011 13:41

No, never too late. Sis did hers at 34.

Good luck and well done you!

Insomnia11 · 02/12/2011 13:42

Of course not. I know of one lady who qualified as a lawyer in her 50s. My sister in law is doing a teaching assistant course and is 39.

exoticfruits · 02/12/2011 13:42

Most of the ones I have known, doing GTP route have been in their 40's.

Fiendishlie · 02/12/2011 13:47

I also did my PGCE at 37. Unlike some of the people above I did not enjoy teaching and left in my first year. I found a great number of younger teachers who had moved through the school, uni, PGCE, teaching job route without pause very difficult to deal with. I found that many unconsciously act like the ill-behaved pupils in their classes and come to believe that certain behaviour is 'normal' that would never be tolerated in an office environment. I was subject to the most awful bullying by several teachers in my first job as an NQT, mostly because of my disability. There is a culture in schools that treats disability as weakness and I was disciplined rather than supported at every turn.