AIBU to think getting into teaching should be easier?

[LavenderFields7]

My friend has a PhD in stem, is trying to get into teaching A-levels at local school but everywhere wants PGCE. AIBU to think it’s ridiculous to want someone so qualified to have to study another year, fork out £10,000 and work unpaid for a year? She has a Level 3 teaching qualification and has taught uni level students.

But they're not a qualified teacher. Teaching children and teenagers is a particular skill.

I really wish that people would recognise this.

A local secondary will likely want someone who can teach the full age range. Teaching uni students is very different to teaching younger students of varying abilities and controlling a class of kids who don't necessarily want to learn. The PGCE will show that she can do this to a basic level.

She may be qualified in STEM, but she's not a qualified teacher.

They’ve not done a teaching qualification so why do you expect them to be able to get a job as a teacher? Just because someone is clever, doesn’t mean they can teach or automatically get a job as one 🤦🏼‍♀️ Honestly, you clearly have no idea what it takes to be a teacher/the skills needed - you can’t just waltz into a secondary school teaching a range of ages and abilities just because you’ve taught uni students.

What teaching qualification does it have?

Although she has a PHD you still need to actually learn to teach in schools. You can't just jump from academia to teaching in a school, you need to be quite rightly qualified.

Teaching uni level students is completely different.
If she wants to teach in schools, she'll need the qualification. It's not a year of "unpaid work". It's an intensive training course.
Schools want someone who knows how to teach. Not lecture.

Would she also class her other qualifications as unpaid work?

Plus, a PhD doesn't mean very much in this instance. That's not the skill schools are looking for.

Of course you need a teaching qualification to be a teacher! 🤷🏼‍♀️

Why would a PHD trump a teaching qualification? She might possess no teaching skills what so ever

I have a friend who is very intelligent and has a relevant degree but doesn't have a PGCE. He has always taught in private schools so they don't demand a PGCE - could your friend try the same? My friend is a head teacher now!

Your friend should qualify for a bursary or scholarship to do a PGCE. Some subjects get 10K so it covers the cost but science ones get £28K.
A teaching qualification covers much more than the subject area.

Yes, private schools are a good idea, because if they aren't bothered about a teaching qualification, then they're just looking for someone to deliver content, which sounds like your friend could do.

All of the above. Plus there are ways into teaching with taking a year at uni. Plus some private school will accept unqualified teachers.

Their/your attitude is very entitled.

Firstly, my husband has a PhD so I'm not shitting on people with PhDs. However, showing that you're able to be taught / do independent research isn't the same as showing you can teach.

Secondly, if the person is STEM then they'll get a tax free bursary of nearly £30k a year while they do their PGCE to gain QTS. So yeah, it's mad that they don't seem to know that - and it also says something about how much research they've done into their choices, which suggests something about how much research they'll do into their students' choices.

Thirdly, nothing is stopping them from teaching as an unqualified teacher (i.e. without QTS). I mean, if the school or college have a more suitable candidate who has actual qualifications, then that's a matter of who the employer thinks is better for the job. Generally speaking, as someone with recruitment experience, I'd go with the crazy idea that relevant qualifications + experience = stronger candidate.

So yeah, you are being unreasonable because you can't back your judgement up with any evidence - first rule of teaching.

No. Definitely not. It’s a protected profession.

90% of classroom teaching has nothing to do with subject knowledge. Child development, behaviour management, emotional co-regulation, identification and support of learning needs, assessment strategies, pedagogical practices, etc. are vital for a classroom teacher and unlikely to be gained through a PhD.

A Headteacher with no teaching qualification?

I've got a PhD in STEM and I couldn't teach for toffee. Plus that the advanced knowledge I have in my subject is completely irrelevant to secondary school students.

She might have more luck at private schools, who aren’t bound to hire a qualified teacher.

I had a PhD-qualified teacher when I did a level chemistry 30 years ago. He’d been in academia all his career and thought teaching would be an easy way to spend the last years before retiring. He lasted just one year. Hated teaching anyone under 17, basically.

The PGCE shows that you do at least actually know what you’re getting into- and even then you can get it wrong! But it is unreasonable to assume that a PhD means you would be a good teacher, even A levels are different to teaching in a university, and as pp said, most schools will need to use you at KS3 and 4 as well as 5. They probably couldn’t fill your timetable otherwise.

Yes. Private schools don't require a PGCE.

This ⬆️. I'm going to say something which is anecdotal, but I think is relevant. I have been observing lessons for many years. Some of the worst - not all - were people with PhDs. We had a woman with a PhD from Cambridge in Chemistry. She was a disaster, and managed out. To become a classroom teacher, your subject knowledge is important, but not enough on its own.

What behaviour management experience does she have?
Safeguarding training?
Exam board knowledge?
SEND experience or training?

Also-

study another year, fork out £10,000 and work unpaid for a year?

PGCE is a training placement. I had a bursary to do mine and pp say that in STEM you can get a training salary of £28K. You don’t pay if you’re offering a shortage subject.
Finally- NQTs do get paid. You don’t work unpaid! She might even be able to negotiate starting at a higher point on the TPS if they’re willing to take her uni teaching into account (although, things might have changed since I went into teaching).

I think that's quite poor, but of course, it's a different world.