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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to want to retrain as a teacher?

60 replies

Justforlaughs · 03/12/2013 17:08

I always wanted to be a teacher. Specifically, a maths teacher. I went to university but was too immature and wasted the opportunity through partying and drinking too much. I left, got married, had children and now work part time for a supermarket. DH will probably lose his job in February and will get a nice redundancy package. He wants to work part time and wants me to train as a manager and work full time. AIBU to say that I will happily work full time, but I don't want to be a manager in a supermarket (atm, I earn "extra pocket money") and I would like to use some of the money to go to university and train as a teacher. I am in my early 40's and feel it's my last chance. I love maths, I have teenagers of my own and relate well to teenagers and can explain maths well as well. Have already unofficially tutored people through qualifications (GCSEs and NVQs).

OP posts:
Spinkle · 03/12/2013 18:41

Teaching is not a job, it's a lifestyle.

High pressure. Lots of extra work. It is not a family friendly job.

Be very sure you really want to do it.

noblegiraffe · 03/12/2013 18:42

I don't think there's a qualification that would restrict you to teaching up to GCSE. If you're secondary trained, schools will probably let you have a stab at A-level should you be so inclined.

If I were you I'd take a route that would maximise employment prospects. 50% don't last 5 years in teaching so a proper maths degree would see you better than some training course.

eightandthreequarters · 03/12/2013 18:43

Go for it. It will realistically take you three years to your degree, and then one year of either a PGCE or on-the-job teacher training (now called School Direct). Note that even with School Direct you are still training - there are salaried options but that will be very competitive. You would still be in your NQT year AFTER the year of School Direct - so it's four years either way.

But do it! You know what you want to do, you think you'll be good at it. So go on.

walkinghaphazardlybystarlight · 03/12/2013 18:44

You aren't being unreasonable to WANT to train as a teacher, it is the practicalities. You need a degree and PGCE minimum (GTP has been scrapped, it is now Teach First but, and with the greatest of respect to the OP, this is fiercely competitive.) So four years.

Then, you do need to get a job afterwards - despite all the "oh they need Maths teachers," quite truthfully decent schools are doing just fine for recruitment thank you very much and it is again very competitive as the recession has bitten, many people have retrained as teachers or new graduates have gone into it as a "safe" option.

Teaching is also (and increasingly more so) "age-ist" - when I started, mature students were favoured over twentysomethings. The reverse is now true. SLT are younger, HODs, too, and new teachers tend to be viewed as shiny twenty-two year olds with Next power suits and heels.

I really hope I don't sound harsh now but it seems twice you've started something and not completed it. I am a HOD and have been teaching for nine years. I work in a "nice" school with a lovely HT. I still feel like walking out at LEAST once a month. Can you be absolutely sure you'd stick at it?

SilverApples · 03/12/2013 18:45

You need to check very carefully what the requirements are now, things have changed a lot over the last 10-15 years. Make absolutely sure that you know what qualifications you will need, and the sequence of obtaining them.

soverylucky · 03/12/2013 18:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

noblegiraffe · 03/12/2013 18:49

despite all the "oh they need Maths teachers," quite truthfully decent schools are doing just fine for recruitment thank you very much

Not in my experience. My outstanding state school struggles to recruit decent maths teachers. I'd say that someone applying to be a maths teacher doesn't need to worry about fierce competetion.

jammiedonut · 03/12/2013 18:49

Yanbu to want to train, I did too. I did my SEP and realised teaching today was not something that would enable me to have the work life balance I wanted. I plan to go back to the idea once ds is in his teens (about 15 years), as I'll still have a chance to make it my career, without all the stress/ pressure of juggling a young family with long hours and the dreaded influence of Gove!

eightandthreequarters · 03/12/2013 18:51

Teach First is another training route. The on-the-job training that used to be GTP is now School Direct. Most School Direct places are not salaried, but with maths you may qualify for bursary anyway. Frankly, PGCE is mainly on-the-job training, too - you spend most of it teaching in a school.

The big thing to work on is getting as much experience in schools as you can while doing your degree. Any chance of applying for TA jobs??

MoreThanChristmasCrackers · 03/12/2013 18:52

Hello OP, you can do Post Compulsory teaching without a Degree and teach GCSE.
You do a B.ed instead of PGCE and this will qualify you.
If you have considered working in inclusive learning teaching Maths to those who struggle, may have a spld, or slipped through the net at school this can be very rewarding and a level 3 in Maths seems to be the desired qualification.
I know this isn't secondary as you wanted, but you could well be able to do this within the year full time or 18 months pt.

complexnumber · 03/12/2013 18:55

Not in my experience. My outstanding state school struggles to recruit decent maths teachers. I'd say that someone applying to be a maths teacher doesn't need to worry about fierce competition.
nobelgiraffe'
Could that not be because your outstanding school is looking for outstanding maths teachers?

noblegiraffe · 03/12/2013 19:10

Complex, we got three applications last time we recruited, and we weren't picking between outstanding candidates, more a least worst situation.

And lesser schools would probably rip the arm off a maths-qualified candidate.

Original poster
Justforlaughs · 03/12/2013 19:13

Given the number of maths lessons being taught by non-maths teachers and supply teachers I was under the impression that there was a shortage of qualified maths teachers. I was also told the same thing by someone who is very high up in the local education authority

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 03/12/2013 19:15

There's such a shortage of maths teachers that Gove had to do a u-turn and now people with a third in maths (and physics) are allowed to train as teachers again.

NorthernShores · 03/12/2013 19:17

If you don't have a degree you will need one. Unqualified wrt av teacher means one without a pgce, a degree is completely expected!

Original poster
Justforlaughs · 03/12/2013 19:19

Would an OU degree count? followed by teaching qualification?

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 03/12/2013 19:19

My brothers doing this.

He's done his degree through the OU which is cheaper I think. He's worked part time as a TA while doing this. Voluntary at first but now he's earning.

He's applied for a salaried teacher training post but think a salaried post is unusual.

frogspoon · 03/12/2013 19:19

If you are sure, go for it, but make sure you are 100% sure first.

I would suggest doing some long term volunteering or getting a job as a LSA in a secondary school to be completely sure.

Some schools do offer teacher training, but only for graduates who already have a degree, so you would need to get one first which would take 3 years.

MoreThanChristmasCrackers · 03/12/2013 19:26

Northern

I know a degree is expected in secondary but I know of several teachers in Post Compulsory settings teaching GCSE Maths without a degree.
They all have level 3 though and did B.ED.

purplebaubles · 03/12/2013 19:27

I would do some long term volunteering first.

Teaching is not what you think it's going to be.

NorthernShores · 03/12/2013 19:30

Ive taught in a sixth form college and a degree was a pre requisite.

Adult education is completely different though. You could teach basic skills maths or English without a degree. They often run free courses to enable you to do this if you volunteer done time on the basic skills courses.

NorthernShores · 03/12/2013 19:31

Just reread - a b.ed IS still a degree!

Luckystar1 · 03/12/2013 19:35

Sorry I don't want to hijack, but does anyone know if a law degree would get me anywhere in teaching? Sorry again!!

justtoomessy · 03/12/2013 19:42

I was looking up teaching today and got very excited about a B Ed in Science only to call the university and told they weren't running it for 2014 or 2015.

From everything I have looked at today you will need a maths degree and then PGSE or a B ED is Maths. There are plenty of Uni's doing the Maths one and I think the OU does it too.

luckyStar go onto the gov website for teacher training and it talks about SKE training not sure if you will be able to do something with Law but it should tell you on there.