Do you think that primary teachers should have a degree?

[Rumpel]

I am relying on the wealth of experience and strong opinions of all you Mnetters out there to discuss this topic so that I can see how the general opinion lies. TIA

I'm really glad to hear it! I hate people questioning the abilities of teachers just because they have a diagnosis of x. Dyslexic I may be, but I'm a massive bookworm, and of course have managed a degree in English language!

Thanks for clarifying Aye and that's really interesting belinda.

Probably wrong time to introduce the idea of middle schools?! In my area they are very popular.

Yes, I think that a degree shows that the teacher has studied to a higher intellectual level.

Yes an I also think that secondary school teachers should have a degree in the subject they teach.

This just made me laugh, how ignorant! Don't you know there is a shortfall of TENS OF THOUSANDS of teachers across the UK. There is no one with a degree in that subject available for over half of all posts in any of the schools I have worked in over the last 5 years.

If I'd had a degree in every subject I had been required to teach at secondary level, I would never have got round to teaching, as I would still be in university 30 years later working on my 10th degree!

Blue that is harsh to the pp. And I'm shocked if you've taught ten different subjects, unless of course you're a supply teacher which I'm sure everyone accepts involves teaching outside your qualification area. As a general rule I've found schools only have teachers qualified in a specific subject to teach the exam classes (including things like an engineering grad teaching maths of course) but may have fewer restrictions about the younger classes. No idea what private schools do though.

Biology, Physics, Chemistry, maths, PSHE, RE, Business, economics, history, geography, English, careers, that is just off the top f my head, all post 16

If I didn't, there wouldn't be anyone else to step in, there are NO teachers left in the country, it feels.

We advertised for a chemistry job twice last term, not one single Chemistry applicant, although a few from other subjects.

did I include health and social care?

If that's true, Blue14, I really have to start thinking about education for my ds in another country.

or contact your MP, irvine101, and kick up a stink.

I'm not questioning teacher's ability to teach other subject, but genuinely shocked to know what's happening. I have a degree in literature, so not completely uneducated, but still struggle to help my ds, especially maths. And he is only YR3.

The situation isn't much better in primary. Virtually no supply teachers around and there used to be loads. It's just as well our DHT is not class committed or I don't know what we would have done recently, with 3 members of staff off

Blue, do you teach in a school, or an FE college (I note that you say all the courses were post-16: GCSE, A-level or BTEC?).

school, A level, btec and GCSE retakes

Well I'm not surprised. Conditions and work load are rubbish. I think the loan of laptops has diminished? I've had to buy one. I have never wanted to leave teaching till this year.

Op, yes. End of.

Seriously, there are many, many graduates in the last few years who have no idea how to use grammar, punctuation, spelling, write just a wall of text etc. Who write "we done/I seen/could of etc. Don't know how to use journals, don't know the basics of research.

The SPAG test may go somewhere towards sorting out the former - I did have the impression that my ds (now in year 8) was learning decent grammar and spelling at his state primary school.

As for the latter - oh dear. I work for a law publisher and previously worked for another one. This will out the organisation but they have a feedback system where you can ask a question about the law/website. Sometimes it is a tricky piece of law which it is worth the publishers doing the research on so that they can produce some new content on it. But the number of times it relates to "do you have so and so contract" or "what Act says this and that". All they need to do is use the search function! And they are supposed to have done a legal research module as part of their legal training. Sigh.

To go back to the OP - yes I think all teachers from 3-18 should have degrees and I think all secondary school teachers should be qualified in the subject(s) they teach. That might not be realistic at the moment but it should be the aim.

Good to read that we are still debating the issue everyone👍🏻