Those who think teaching is easy should put their money where their mouth is

[noblegiraffe]

Teacher training applications which rose during the pandemic have now fallen to 15% below pre-pandemic levels when we already had a critical teacher shortage. The government's decision to slash bursaries is now looking completely idiotic.

www.tes.com/news/teacher-training-applications-drop-pre-covid-levels

The only thing that the government has put an appreciable amount of funding into recently related to schools is £24 million to ensure that they will all be Ofsteded within the next 5 years. With inspectors expected to massively reduce the number of outstanding schools, this is a punishing schedule rather than a supportive one.

This is causing Heads to quit, on top of how terribly they were treated during the pandemic (this continued with an email late Friday telling them that they once again have to take on the job of the NHS and set up covid testing centres for January, with orders needing to be in by Tuesday).

We already have a critical shortage of headteachers.

www.theguardian.com/education/2021/nov/27/ofsted-inspections-headteachers-quit

I've noticed lots of posts on here from people who think that teaching is easy, that school funding is fine and there are no issues in schools, that you can leave at 3 and get lots of holidays.

So isn't it about time they put their money where their mouth is and trained as teachers? We are in dire need of them, and it's such a doss it should be a pleasure for them. A bit of a holiday even. And as it would be a public service, it would be guilt-free.

getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

So far nearly 400 people have voted on the poll which means that at least that many have read the OP. So yes, I got what I was hoping for.

No. Degree and then postgrad.

@MrsHamlet

No. Degree and then postgrad.

Why not the undergrad, if you don’t mind me asking?

Not at all. Because secondary teachers - in general - do not tend to do the BEd. I teach quite a lot of my first year undergraduate stuff at A level, and I wouldn't have the subject knowledge to do that otherwise.

Must be hard to tell with all the de-railing.

@MrsHamlet

If anyone cares, I always wanted to be a teacher.

Me too.

@MrsHamlet

Not at all. Because secondary teachers - in general - do not tend to do the BEd. I teach quite a lot of my first year undergraduate stuff at A level, and I wouldn't have the subject knowledge to do that otherwise.

Yes, I can appreciate that. One of the undergrad options here a few years ago was teaching combined with two additional subjects, normally humanities and a language. And I understand the reasoning behind that but I think it means you ultimately miss out on a subject-focused degree. Although my concern with the PGDE is there is too much crammed into a 9-month course to make anything meaningful.

It shouldn't have the Masters level stuff in my opinion. You can't begin to be a master of anything at that stage.

@MrsHamlet

Not at all. Because secondary teachers - in general - do not tend to do the BEd. I teach quite a lot of my first year undergraduate stuff at A level, and I wouldn't have the subject knowledge to do that otherwise.

Although in England it’s a three year undergrad anyway, I think.

I've never known a secondary teacher do a Bachelor of Education. I didn't think it is possible in Scotland (it may be for PE as I think it would combine well, and it is for primary though again I've known a lot of postgrad primary people too). You need a degree in your subject or a similar field before training to teach.

You can do a BEd in PE.

@Mistressiggi

I've never known a secondary teacher do a Bachelor of Education. I didn't think it is possible in Scotland (it may be for PE as I think it would combine well, and it is for primary though again I've known a lot of postgrad primary people too). You need a degree in your subject or a similar field before training to teach.

It is, Stirling University offers it. And you can definitely do it for English and Maths.

Actually, now I’m thinking about it, I’m sure Edinburgh offers a secondary teaching undergrad.

@Piggywaspushed

You can do a BEd in PE.

We need those PE teachers to teach maths so it would be better for schools if they did Sports Science.

Stirling may well have changed this now but it used to be they did a degree (which contained education units throughout, as well as a subject) and then a final 6 months of teaching practice, adding up to 4.5 years. They probably have changed it now (there were issues with the students finishing later than others who then didn't get the guaranteed probation year for another 6 months). While this is all interesting enough, I can't help but view it through the lens of your "people who go into teaching didn't have many other options" comments. Not sure what it adds to the OP.

I had always wanted to be a teacher. I did my degree in a core subject and then a PGCE.

I didn’t do the BEd as I had got (and was predicted) very good A levels and my teachers/parents (who thought I was mad going into teaching and wanted me to do something else) had encouraged me to do a degree first, to give me more career options. I think they hoped I’d changed my mind and go into law or accountancy.

@Mistressiggi

Stirling may well have changed this now but it used to be they did a degree (which contained education units throughout, as well as a subject) and then a final 6 months of teaching practice, adding up to 4.5 years. They probably have changed it now (there were issues with the students finishing later than others who then didn't get the guaranteed probation year for another 6 months). While this is all interesting enough, I can't help but view it through the lens of your "people who go into teaching didn't have many other options" comments. Not sure what it adds to the OP.

It’a a discussion about the professionalism of our profession. And surely the fact that it’s interesting means it’s worth discussing?

I'm not clear: are you saying that teachers should have the BEd because they shows they were always committed to teaching and didn't just fall into it?

@MrsHamlet

I'm not clear: are you saying that teachers should have the BEd because they shows they were always committed to teaching and didn't just fall into it?

No, I’m saying the postgrad makes it easy to fall into teaching.

Which is good, yes? We need people to fall into teaching.

@noblegiraffe

Which is good, yes? We need people to fall into teaching.

No we don’t. We need committed professionals who find the job rewarding enough to stick around for more than five years.

So people who did the postgrad "fell into it" and are not committed professionals? I'm not seeing it.

But you have to sign up for, be interviewed for, and pay for PGCEs. It's hardly 'falling in'.

As I said way back on the thread, we are far beyond the point where we can be picky about who to train to teach. Need to get in as many as possible because the govt have failed to meet recruitment targets for years.

People who fall into teaching can stick it out. Would be idiotic to exclude them.

Pumperthepumper

No we don’t. We need committed professionals who find the job rewarding enough to stick around for more than five years.

What we need is for the government, media and parents to stop treating teachers like shit and have some respect for the profession.