Calling all Teachers! primary or Secondary??

[ruelachesty]

Hi all,

I am interested in doing teacher training and have been for a few years now but was waiting until kids were a bit older and DP was a bit more secure in his job after recently qualifying.

So now I am looking to apply but it'll be likely next year, but I am aware that the entry to teaching is quite competitive so this year I am looking to volunteer/shadow etc to get some experience.

I had always thought I wanted to do secondary teaching (would be Tech Education with my degree) but now I'm thinking about primary teaching. Maybe it's because my girls are getting a wee bit older (oldest is in pre school now), I don't know.

So basically my question is why do you teach primary/secondary. what was the reasons behind your decision and what things should I think about?

Have also posted in primary.

Thanks in advance and hope you are enjoying your holidays (I'm in work!)

I chose secondary because I love my subject. I adore primary-age children but don't adore math etc so thought it would be silly to teach primary.

Mama, this is maybe an issue I have.

I have spent time in a school (2 days admittedly) in the Tech Ed department and I was really interested in some aspects of the subject but not others. Also when I was at school I actually dropped the subject due to the waste of spaces in the class that spent the whole time disrupting it and taking the teachers attention and I ended up changing to Spanish (and getting an A [polisheshalo]) :)

BUT I sometimes feel that this is what happens with Tech Ed (or parts of it, mainly woodwork) that the kids who arent bothered with school pick this subject as it'll be easy and a carry on.

hmmm...

Most school make the children choose one DT subject - either resistant materials (woodwork and metalwork), food tech, textiles or graphics - and so you will get a real range of students. I'm a secondary maths teacher and would rather work with teenagers than small things, DH is a primary teacher and would rather teach a mix of subjects.... so it comes down to personal choice I thin. He has to work more than me because he's only in his second year whereas I'm in my 22nd! Primary PGCEs are harder to get on to - and you'll need to have a fair amount of experience in the classroom.

Oh and I suspect there are 'wastes of space' in both sectors - but prob more discipline issues in secondary!

Well, when I spent time in the school, the kids didn't seem "waste of spaces" as they were all very well behaved and they were actually enjoying what they were doing but the teachers attitude was terrible. But I still think of this one boy in my class, who I sometimes see now in the street and he is always VERY drunk or high and i'm surprised he made it past 30! He was a nightmare, about 80% of our class time was taken up by him being disciplined, throwing things, breaking things etc!

I did realise that they was much more to the subject now than there was when I was at school and the new elements seemed really interesting.

I chose secondary for three reasons.

1. I love my subject (science) and wanted to encourage the curiosity and wonder in the universe that my science teacher gave me.

2. secondary school children are able to converse and debate with you; I love the interaction.

3. I GET TO BLOW THINGS UP DISSECT THINGS AND PLAY WITH CHEMICALS SERIOUSLY HOW COOL IS THAT?!!!

That is very cool Santageekmum! :)

I'm not sure I'm convinced I like the subject enough. I love Maths but don't have enough points with my degree to teach that! :(

I think the best thing for you to do is visit schools, both primary and secondary, to really get a feel for it. There were aspects of science I didn't like but actually after trying to teach them and make them interesting to the kids, I now love them (like my Top Gear lessons on speed and forces).

Oh my goodness, my DP would be impressed with Top Gear lessons.

I have visited a secondary school albeit for 2 days but I may approach a primary and see what I can do.

Looking at the earnings data, secondary teachers earn more (eg cos there're more opportunities for career progression). Also think there're more jobs available for secondary teachers relative to the number of people wanting to do it?

I considered primary but what put me off was my horror of all things arts and crafts, also spending the whole day (the whole year in fact, yikes) with one set of kids would have sent me nuts.

I love secondary because I can focus on my subjects (Drama and English) and you work with a wide variety of students 11-18 every day.
I also dropped drama at school because it was a 'doss' subject and all the naugtiest kids in the school took it. My response to that is to make sure it is never considered a doss subject on my watch and I consider it my mission as a teacher to ensure motivated students who do love drama feel able to take it as an option.