I'd like to teach... and I am nearly 62. There are conditions..

[OCSockOrphanage]

I did my PGCE in another subject (citizenship), dictated by my degree, and qualified a few years ago. At the time, there was no real shortage of teachers, and locally there still isn't. This is in teaching terms, a Goldilocks environment. Lovely area, beautiful scenery, decent housing at relatively affordable prices with a public sector salary. And so, at my age, I am unemployable.

Yet I watch my DS (Y13) being taught a subject (that I don't have a degree in, only an A* at A level plus distinction in S paper), badly because he is being taught according to a mark scheme so rigidly configured that only one answer seems to get marks. Where has the intelligently argued dissenting view gone? I just worked an answer through with him, and (UNKNOWN TO ME) he filmed it. Now all his class are on to him saying, please say this at PT consultation tomorrow.

I am not saying I'll use any of it, but I would be interested in your thoughts.

I take it you did your A levels quite recently!
What stopped you applying for jobs before? Or did you just not get hired?
How about personal tutoring? It even film more explanations and put them on YouTube! Sounds like you’d have a few followers already!

If you want to teach you should give it a whirl, it isn’t obviously as easy as a 1-2-1 with someone you already have an established relationship with but if you have the skills to engage a group and good subject knowledge you might enjoy it. However consider this, your performance will be judged against exam results. This may not be of concern to you but for a member of staff at the beginning of their career, desperate to please, with other teachers leaving all around them and therefore maybe with little support, ensuring that students get the grades they need would be crucial. It would be lovely if we could just teach- but if your results are not up to scratch management, parents and students will blame you. If you can evidence that you covered everything for the exam, well then you might prove the failing is then on the part of the student. It’s not ideal, but it’s the state of things.

A levels in 1974!

I earned my living for years as a copywriter, and had no thought about education untiI I became a parent, late in life.

I thought A* was a recent thing, they weren’t around in the 90s.

So you're already a qualified teacher? I don't understand.

They didn't have the A* grade in 1974. Also, if you don't answer science papers according to the mark scheme you lose marks (this happens especially in biology). Although I agree that teaching to pass an exam doesn't necessarily teach you the subject in depth.

Are you complaining about the teacher teaching how to get marks on the exam paper? That is the teacher’s job. Or are you complaining about the rigid requirements of the course?

I took and gained PGCE in 2009 in Citizenship. I have an A at level in English 1974, plus a distinction in the S paper ( no longer exists, but probably equivalent to something in Y1 of university.) Am I far off the mark?

I worked, very successfully, as a copywriter for many years, before retraining. A huge pay cut was involved, and I am still interested in teaching. Not in a comprehensive below A level, as I have zero interest in trying to teach anyone who doesn't want to know. I love writing and editing, and doing it well.

Are you far off the mark of what?
If you enjoy writing and editing I suggest you do that, because to teach you have to enjoy teaching and I’m aftaid there will always be pupils/students who can’t really be arsed.

I was an A level examiner for ten years and there's nothing (in my subject) to say intelligence got the grade.

Are you saying you could do a better job than the teacher, or are you saying you actually want to teach now? There are so many stresses on a teacher now - I really don't think you'd want to do it if you knew what was involved.

How about private tutoring? Although parents would be paying you to help their child pass their exams so you would have to become familiar with the curriculum and exam boards marking scheme and be willing to teach what's required.

Even at A level. Since the school leaving age was raised to 18 6th forms everywhere are full of students struggling with A levels and who don't want to be there.

The school leaving age is still 16.

Full time education of some sort is compulsory till 18.

A citizenship teacher who only wants to teach A level is a niche position, certainly.

@notyounanbread compulsory education is now till 18 - though this doesn't have to be A levels, it could be vocational training/apprenticeships etc

Where has the intelligently argued dissenting view gone? To the elite end of the private sector where the government can't quite manage to push through its dumbing down to hind state school disadvantage agenda.

Is citizenship even a subject these days or an add on like PSHE where there are no public examinations?

If you don’t want to teach below A level, that restricts you to sixth form colleges or colleges/unis.

But perhaps you would be better retraining as an editor/proofreader?

No school is going to employ a 61 year old NQT who isn't prepared to teach reluctant learners, nor in comprehensive schools, except at A level.

If you expressed these views openly when you applied for and during your PGCE, I'd be inclined to sue them for taking your money fraudulently.

Put your son's video on YouTube. You could become an internet star.

Become a politician and change the education system. Teachers have no choice but to work within the system of the exam factories or they lose their jobs. Performance related pay and Ofsted have seen to that. What A-level would a citizenship PGCE qualify you to teach?

Citizenship isn't part of the NC, happened a few months after I qualified, ChampagneSocialist, just part of PHSE. So I could only teach Politics & Government, and there are not many of those jobs across the whole country.