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Original poster

OU biology study then teaching?

65 replies

Giraffesarecool · 18/04/2019 08:27

Sorry, posting here for traffic.

So as not to drop feed, I went to university after a gap year to study veterinary medicine. I became seriously depressed due to family issues, my boyfriend at the time being a complete and utter arsehole, and struggling with being away from home and in a city. So I quit after a year, also partly because after being blinkered to wanting to be a vet all my life it didn't actually suit me. I passed every exam that first year but one.

I then went straight in an online BSc in psychology, where I did pretty well but again, due to dickhead BF ended up quitting at the last semester but passed everything up to that.

After dickhead BF was no longer about I went back to the uni I did veterinary at and travelled from home to do a BSc in Biological and Medical Sciences. It was a fab course but realistically commuting from home was too much, my parents were still making life difficult and I was a bit burnt out and still struggling somewhat with depression and anxiety. I'd completely lost my mojo and work ethic. So decided that there was just no way I was getting a degree at this point in time. It was all very gutting and upsetting but it wasn't happening. Fwiw I'm not a very clever person, I have to work extremely hard to get grades etc.

So, a few years on and me and new, amazing DP have an almost 1yo DS. I'm not skilled enough in anything that'd pay enough to cover nursery fees, and I'm a bit bored of SAHP. At least I will be for another 3 years. I also find it largely depressing that once DS is in school my prospects will be fairly shit. I've also had a bit of an itch to start studying again. Plus I have a years student finance left that I could use.

So, my question is, does anyone have experience of credit transfer with OU and could maybe shed some light on whether I could count all credits from previous study? Is there a limit to how many credits you can transfer?

I had a think last night and wondered as to whether (in an ideal world) I could transfer credits, hopefully have a year, or just over of study needed to gain a BSc. I could use student finance for a year then fund a few other modules if needed.

I could do this whilst DS isn't insl school, and use student finance maintenance to up nursery hours (currently in 2 afternoons a week and loves it). Once that's completed, and he starts school I wondered about doing a PGCE with the view to becoming a biology teacher, thus giving me a job that is going to hopefully enable me to get into lab work etc once DS is older, but give me all school holidays off.

I feel like I've found the answer, in theory!

Can anyone see any gaping holes in this plan, or can offer advice about OU study? Would an OU degree get me onto a PGCE?

Any advice would be much appreciated. I have one year funded left and I need to get this right!

OP posts:
EndoplasmicReticulum · 18/04/2019 08:35

Not sure about the studying, sorry. You might find once the degree is sorted that you are able to get funding for your teacher training and train in a school rather than have to do a PGCE. What worries me slightly is your idea about being a teacher as an easier option while your child is young. It is not as family friendly an option as you might think.

brizzlemint · 18/04/2019 08:39

Yes, an OU degree would get you on to a PGCE if you got a 2:1 (maybe a 2:2 at some universities)

WilsonandNoodles · 18/04/2019 08:40

An OU degree is fine for a PGCE but most teacher training is now school based so individual places may have different opinions.
I don't know but would guess there's a limit to transfering credits overwise you wouldn't have enough credits left to cover the basic aspects of the course.
They big hole in your plan I can see is the idea that a PGCE will enable lab work. You'll be lucky if you even get a science lab to teach in and then if you do the practical aspect of teaching isn't really 'lab work'. If you are thinking of working at a higher level, in the university labs for example I would think for university study would be needed rather than a PGCE.

ElizabethMainwaring · 18/04/2019 08:42

In all honesty you don't sound like you've got the stamina for doing a pgce and teaching. You need to have nerves of steel. It's hard work, especially with children of your own.

BringOnTheScience · 18/04/2019 08:43

Find out more of the realities of teaching -there's a Staffroom board within the Education section. You need to really, really want to be a teacher!

spanieleyes · 18/04/2019 08:43

There's nothing there that says you actually want to teach!

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 18/04/2019 08:44

It sounds as though you are planning g to teach as a stepping stone to doing something else later. Teaching is not remotely family friendly and the PGCE course is very full on. That’s when you’ve actually got your degree.

Sorry, I think you’re still thinking along the lines of teaching as an easier option. I would research all options and find something that you can enjoy wholeheartedly.

WombatStewForTea · 18/04/2019 08:52

Sorry OP you're thinking of going into teaching for the wrong reasons, and without intending to sound harsh you need a hell of a lot of stickability and your history of dropping out of courses suggests you'll struggle

Original poster
Giraffesarecool · 18/04/2019 08:52

Teaching is something I've always thought about and has quite appealed. I think it's something I would enjoy. I'm interested to know about it not being as family friendly a i think. I understand you don't finish working when school ends, and there's lesson plans, marking etc to do in your own time. I enjoy tutoring younger family members, and I do a bit of instructing littlies on ponies.

I don't want to go into teaching in a lab, more just basic lab work and work my way up.

OP posts:
Original poster
Giraffesarecool · 18/04/2019 08:54

My stickability was largely influenced by a range of really really shit circumstances and crippling mental health. All of which are no longer an issue. So I don't have any issues there. I was always a determined, dedicated and hard working student, it just went to shit with everything I was battling with at the time. It's still qualities I have as the person I am now.

OP posts:
snowflakesnow · 18/04/2019 08:57

I find the responses here very negative to op.

Yes previous issues have prevented her from finishing the courses but doesn't mean that in the future she's not capable of doing another and being successful at it. I left a degree course before having a child as I had mental health issues.

In regards to teaching, my dp is a teacher and trained whilst our dc was young because firstly the child won't remember that time and also it was easier for us, dc had a great routine and wasn't phased, whereas if older they need entertained and explanations more. Op has a dp to also help out so it's not impossible. My dp trained as a teacher (PGDE) route in a school working Normal teaching hours. He would have been out of the home from 8am-4pm. He would have worked at night from maybe 8-10 doing work and also weekends if needed. He never had any struggles with doing work in those times. Even now as a qualified working teacher he still sticks to those hours. Fairly standard for all his colleagues also.

Further more I went back to University when my DC was 2 years old and in Sept will be starting my final year before graduation in a professional career (this included placements and various timetables). We again ensured that routines were the same for dc, we use our weekends for fun and family time. With DC in bed by 7.30 each night. You just need to be focused and organised.

Op as long as you and your dp have discussed this so that the support is there and you can establish a good routine for your family it's a good opportunity not to miss if you can find it. Even if as pp say what does it matter if it's a stepping stone to something else, is that not what working entails, moving our way up and changing careers if we want etc etc.

Go for it op

spanieleyes · 18/04/2019 08:58

I would spend some time volunteering in a secondary school before you even begin to THINK about becoming a teacher, it's very different to the ads you see on TV!

RabbityMcRabbit · 18/04/2019 08:58

If you're going into teaching for the holidays you're doing it for the wrong reason. My advice? Speak to local secondaries about some voluntary work as an LSA or ask to shadow a teacher for a week. Then see if it's really for you. As a PP said, it's not easy and you have to be mentally and physically resilient.

AwkwardPaws27 · 18/04/2019 09:01

There is a credit transfer section on the OU website; how much you can transfer depends on the qualification, and you'll need to get academic transcripts from your previous studies.
I can't see biology as an option, but the natural sciences degree lets you transfer up to 240 credits (equivalent to two years) - www.open.ac.uk/study/credit-transfer/my-ou-qualification?path=n#documents
Good luck!

bridgetreilly · 18/04/2019 09:01

OP, there's no reason why the route you're planning shouldn't work. You'll need to talk to the OU directly about credit transfer, but so long as your previous study wasn't 20 years ago, there's a good chance of getting a fair amount credited.

ElizabethMainwaring · 18/04/2019 09:01

Spanieleyes. Ha ha, yes those bloody ads.

PurpleDaisies · 18/04/2019 09:03

I’m about confused about the lab work plan. Biology teaching doesn’t lead to that.

I agree with others. Teaching is really hard, the PGCE year is absolutely killer so you really have to want it.

You could look at being a school lab technician once you’ve qualified. That’s quite an interesting job.

SleepingStandingUp · 18/04/2019 09:03

student finance maintenance
Generally study with OU is part time, so 18-20 hours a week. If you haven't studied for a while it could easily be more. So that would be two years of study for a full "year" of modules. You wouldn't qualify for student finance maintenance for that, just the student loan for fees which you never see.

I think it's really worth calling them and speaking specifically about what you have and what you could convert it into. Finishing your degree will give you options and a boost

PurpleDaisies · 18/04/2019 09:03

When I say qualified, I mean got your science degree.

Lipsofchicken · 18/04/2019 09:03

Teaching is very pressured and stressful. Do you know any teachers you could talk to?

Could you shadow a science teacher for a day in a local secondary school? Dealing with 5 classes of thirty 15 year olds, one after the other is slightly different to pootling around with toddlers on ponies!!!!
You have a different view after that.

ElizabethMainwaring · 18/04/2019 09:10

And as a science teacher you will usually be expected to teach chemistry and physics aswell as biology.

Original poster
Giraffesarecool · 18/04/2019 09:12

Thanks @snowflakesnow that's really encouraging to hear. I did wonder if I would get some people's backs up not wanting to go into teaching for a forever job.

A day shadowing a teacher is a good idea.

And I totally forgot you don't get maintenance for part time study, which they class any distance learning course as. Although that's not too much of an issue.

I was looking at he the natural sciences biology course last night and it looks good. I've also already to studied a fair few of the topics to the death, and passed the exams regarding them so fingers crossed.

I'm wondering if perhaps to go ahead with looking into OU and perhaps just trying to get a bit of shadowing experience with teachers. School lab technician sounds fab actually. In fact, that'd probably be a better stepping stone than teaching for what I'd want to go into at a later date.

It's all totally theoretical ATM but it feels great to be starting to think about life after SAHP life!

OP posts:
Original poster
Giraffesarecool · 18/04/2019 09:14

I have sound chemistry and physics knowledge so that would be okay

OP posts:
Holidayshopping · 18/04/2019 09:19

Do you want to work in a lab or do you want to teach-they are very different jobs!?

SleepingStandingUp · 18/04/2019 09:19

I'm doing the biology route with OU. Don't forget you get second degree funding for science so worth seeing if you could do one of the Level 1 courses too as they're general science

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