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Education

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Original poster

Education

45 replies

Mamita123 · 20/12/2021 21:09

Help a sister out please. I'm a single mom of three who are all under 5 years old. I have never worked as my whole life has just been around me kids. I don't have anyone but coming from an educated family background, I have achieved really good grades which I don't want them to go in vain. I want to study and be able to get a job that i will be to work around my kids. I wanted to get into the NHS but I don't think it's gonna be in favour for me . What do you guys think of teaching ?

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RoseAndRose · 20/12/2021 22:40

Info here:

getintoteaching.education.gov.uk

Good grades at what level qualification? There are various routes in to teaching.

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 06:51

GCSE EQUIVALENTS Of grades above A-C .

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LouMoo13 · 21/12/2021 07:37

You will need to do a degree to get into teaching primary or secondary or have a minimum Level 3 vocational qual and industry experience to teach in a college.

It's also not as child friendly as you might think... holidays obviously yes, but you'll need wrap around care at your childrens school to enable you to start/ finish on time. Also open evenings/ parents evenings most weeks that can go on until 9/10pm.

Maybe volunteer in a school first/ start as a teaching assistant?

icklekid · 21/12/2021 07:42

Just to add the comment above about open evenings going on so late is only secondary. I’ve never known a primary parents evening go on past 7 maybe 7.30pm… I appreciate this is still past bedtime but not as bad as 9/10!

I would echo especially teacher training being very intense and hard work especially when your children are very young. It’s an amazing job and the holidays with children are great but it is intense and all consuming and takes a lot of your energy especially in first few years!

RoseAndRose · 21/12/2021 09:45

As you dont already have a degree, the best way for you to train to QTS would be to do an undergraduate teaching training degree. You'd need to google for entry requirements, but I expect you'd need A levels or a foundation year.

When do you think you'll be able to arrange family commitments to give you enough time to study? Do you think you'd be looking at a Sept 2022 start (in which case you'll need to get your skates on and make an application in the next couple of weeks) or is 2023 more realistic?

Redlocks28 · 21/12/2021 09:52

Teaching is a job that many teachers are desperately trying to leave-have a look at the staffroom board. It is long hours, a long performance every day, it’s micromanaged and full of paperwork. It doesn’t work around kids in the term time at all-I leave the house at 7 and get home at 6 and then work in the evenings/weekends. DH does all wraparound care for the children as I can’t. I can’t go to their assemblies, sports days etc and if they are ill or have inset/snow days, DH or my parents have to take time off.

But…. if you have only just done your GCSEs though, you are a way off deciding your career choices. Do three A levels, then a degree and see how you feel then.

partystress · 21/12/2021 10:25

If you can afford the low pay, I would suggest looking for a role as a teaching assistant. It is often really rewarding and gives you a proper insight into what teaching is actually like. There are then various routes that a school may be able to support you with whereby you can get your degree part-time while working (and then get your QTS while you work via assessment only, rather than having to do a separate qualification). Local to me there is a four year child development degree which is one day a week at uni and almost everyone on it is a TA or working in school as an unqualified teacher.

Not every school has the means to do this, but increasingly schools realise that growing their own talent is a better way of recruiting and retaining good teachers.

Most important though is to really look at what teaching is like before you commit yourself. I was that parent who saw the tip of the iceberg and thought family friendly. Boy did I get a rude awakening! Loved it, but definitely the hardest job I ever did.

languagelover96 · 21/12/2021 12:20

You could try teaching privately.

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:30

Thankyou everyone; so apart from from teaching what other careers can I do to be able to work around my kids in future? I'm so clueless right now.

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:31

The best for me I think is try to volunteer in a school and see how it goes after that😀

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:33

RoseandRose - I'm planning to start on 2023 because I would have to do a degree this coming September if I'm planning to do teaching cause I have never been to college. My last education was on 2013 and it was high school .

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:34

Languagelover - that's a good idea too!

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:35

Partystress - lovely information there 😀👍🏼

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:36

Redlock- note taken. Thanks 😊

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VanCleefArpels · 21/12/2021 12:37

I’m afraid you need to be realistic about your qualifications. There’s plenty of retail/ hospitality zero hours type jobs you could work around the children. But without A levels/ BTec abd/or a degree level qualification your choices are going to be limited.

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:37

Icklekid and LuoMuu - definitely pros and cons there ! Will definitely see what suits me now. Thanks 🙏

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viques · 21/12/2021 12:38

Have a look at what your local authority is offering, they might have back to study courses to help you with study skills, essay writing etc. Also try to get your IT skills up to date, decent word processing skills, research skills, using spreadsheets etc.

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:39

Thank you guys

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AngelicaElizaAndPeggy · 21/12/2021 12:45

Lots of people often band NHS and teaching into their options, as if they are at all comparable. They are very, very different worlds op- what brought you to these options in the first place? Is it passion for helping children learn? Because you'll need that to help you maintain sight of the bigger picture as you train in teaching, it's brutal. Amazing, but not just as a back up choice because the NHS hasn't worked out for you. I'd work as a TA - it can be brilliant and you can learn so much about teaching before you take the plunge for real. Sorry if this sounds blunt but I don't want you to be blindsided later on. It's not like being in the film Nativity.

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 12:53

Iam thinking of working as a TA then work my way up ; that is my plan.

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Redlocks28 · 21/12/2021 12:58

I wouldn’t recommend going into teaching unless you really want to teach.

Choosing it because you think it fits around having kids is not a great plan,

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 13:04

That has always been my option if I don't get in to the NHS

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Redlocks28 · 21/12/2021 13:12

@Mamita123

That has always been my option if I don't get in to the NHS
That is my point- you say you really really wanted to be a nurse/doctor/OT etc, but if that doesn’t work out, you say you want to teach-that suggests teaching wasn’t your aim.

Why don’t you think the NHS is ‘gonna be in favour’?

Which bits of teaching do you view as working round having kids?

Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 13:40

Longer shifts and by the way wanted to study sonography so that means I won't have time around my kids

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Original poster
Mamita123 · 21/12/2021 13:40

That's what I mean

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