AIBU to want the retrain as a secondary teacher??

[PinkPiranha11]

I’m a mum of two kids (7 and 4) with no plans to have any more. I’m almost 40. I have a degree in a business/marketing subject and 10 years exp working in communications. Been a SAHM barring some freelance work here and there since 2015. I love history and English lit and am thinking of going back to uni to get a degree in one of those subjects. Would I be CRAZY to want to become a secondary teacher in these subjects? Would I even get a job? Is it awful? Be honest.... everyone I’ve asked in real life thinks it’s a ridiculous idea. One ex-teacher I know said “I’d rather be on benefits” 😕
I’m lucky to have a husband who earns a good salary but works very long hours in his own business. Enlighten me.....

@PheasantPlucker1

Id also say I do not have ALevels or a degree in my chosen subject.

They are desperate for teachers so its worth applying, there are other factors they will consider such as experience and subject knowledge.

Unfortunately, although desperate for teachers there are still basic requirements for you to be able to teach. You would not get on a PGCE course without a degree or GCSE’s in Math, English and if you want to do primary teaching you need a science GCSE too. Also it’s always going to be more difficult to get a job if you can’t demonstrate subject knowledge via qualifications. I would say that there are other ways into teaching but just being good with kids is never going to be good enough. You can work as an unqualified teacher in some schools but the pay is rubbish and generally speaking the schools that you’d be employed at without qualifications would be rubbish too. Or you may find yourself stuck there as no other school will take you on. However you could do all the qualifications and get some experience in school and it’s never too late to retrain. I restrained as a teacher with 3 young children and love my job. If you’re mid 40’s now you could be qualified by late 40’s and still teach for 25 years. My advice would be to get some experience in schools before setting off on an expensive and long journey to retraining.

I do not have ALevels or a degree in my chosen subject.
Nor me. Love the job and even with the usual difficulties if you are positive and adaptable it is very rewarding. Do you have maths ALevdl? They will bite your hand off. I started by teaching maths (excellent bursary!!) and now teach that as well as my degree subject which they offered me when I was teaching in that school. Have also taught another subject as well -neither even vaguely related to maths... The key think id being able to ‘teach’ - if you are flexible snd curious the actual subject content is easy to pick up.

You aren't young, so would be going into it with your eyes wide open.

How has age got anything to do with it?

Unless you have worked as a teacher or closely with a teacher (TA), your eyes are not wide open. Even my DH, who I have been with since my first year of training, doesn’t know everything about my job.

I’m a primary teacher and have strongly mixed feelings about the job. I love working with children most of the time and I love my colleagues most of the time. My partner teacher (assistant head) is amazing and I have learnt so much from her. The additional, non-teaching crap that goes with the job is crippling. I work most evenings and weekends.

As a PP said, it’s awful putting other people’s children before your own but that is often the reality of the job. My DD(6) says she wants to be a teacher and I always tell her to think of something else.

I can’t comment on the degrees needed for secondary but, during my final year of training (I did a BEd in Primary Education with QTS), I had to do a day in secondary. Whilst talking to one of their SLT, I was asked if I’d consider applying for secondary as they had some vacancies. Hell no!!

Hello. I'm in the first year of a PGCE (it's part-time over 2 years). My degree is in English. I'm very passionate about my subject which is why I went into teaching. As others have said, you have to be passionate about your subject. You'll be doing a lot of lesson plans on it and those include creating your own resources. I used to think resources just meant printing things off and laminating them. There's a lot more to it than that. Resources include writing out extracts of a text and creating answers, creating PowerPoint presentations, activities, handouts etc What I'm trying to say is that planning your lessons can take hours. That has to be juggled with your PGCE work (essays, reflective records - I have to reflect on all lessons I observe or teach) and creating a personal development plan. I know I'm writing an essay in itself here but I just wanted to give you a window I wish I'd been able to peer into before I applied. I love my PGCE now but in the beginning I almost dropped out due to the workload and balancing that with a job/children/homeschooling during lockdown. I'm glad I've stuck with it though as it opens a lot of doors. A PGCE is a very well respected qualification. My peers are lovely too. They've really helped me build my confidence. I'd advise this, go into a school and volunteer for a little while so you can really get a good idea of what's involved. Maybe ask a newly qualified teacher if you can see their PGCE file so you know what to expect. If you're doing a degree, by the time you get to PGCE your children will be that bit older. I always do my paperwork while they're at school (obviously it's harder for me to work now with lockdown). I'll also warn you that I work in school holidays too. October half-term was my busiest week to date! I had to write an essay and lesson plan ready for an observed lesson when I went back after the holiday. Sorry this post is long. I just wanted to be honest with you. There is a shortage of teachers so if your heart's in it, go for it! I'm glad I did. Honestly!

Think very carefully about the business -

1. Smaller groups
2. Less behaviour management (mainly KS5 teaching)
3. Less marking

Be a business teacher and read history books for fun in your spare time

If you are capable of teaching Economics in addition you would have your absolute pick of jobs.

OP if you have A Levels in the subjects with decent grades, that's all you'd need to teach them at many secondary schools. You'd be better off applying for school experience days/spending some time volunteering with tutoring in secondary schools, and starting the PGCE sooner rather than later. The PGCE and NQT year would take two years, rather than five if you had a 3 year BA to it. At least you'll then be qualified if you find working full time as a teacher is too much - many people later go into tutoring with their qualification.