What makes a good teacher?

[back2work]

I am seriously thinking about training to be a maths teacher. Maybe this sounds stupid, but I don't want to do it unless I will be a good teacher. What makes a teacher a good teacher though? Are there personality traits that all good teachers have, and weak teachers don't have?

Any other advice would be appreciated too

Please don't rush into this. I have just completed a PGCE and nearly had a nervous breakdown! The workload was punishing, and it will continue to be very demanding through your NQT year and possibly at least the following year after that. I, too, was a mature student (and a single parent) who had spent lots of time working in primary - secondary is completely different and education is completely different now to what you experienced in the 80s. If it's for you then, of course, all the hard work will be worth it in the long run but make sure you get lots of information, spend lots of time in school and discuss it very carefully with your family before you proceed. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I find a sense of humour really valuable in secondary. It often takes the heat out of a confrontational situation.

OK repaying your student loan won't cost you much, don't worry about that.

I agree tho, you don't become a teacher for the big bucks.

You might find you get a bursary for maths (not sure tho - it's changed a lot in the past couple of years).

It is changing a lot - I have done a GTP this year (training while placed at a school all year, four days' teachign a week with one day a week at uni, plus a salary of £16k) which has been excellent, but next year's is the last one.

Wrt your age/date of qualifications, I did A levels in 1982 and degree in 1986, and no-one has fallen over at my extreme age so far!

I agree with those who say it is a tough year to qualify tho - this has been the most difficult year of my career without a doubt tho also the most rewarding and exciting! There were 39 in my GTP in Sept and seven have dropped out (for vairous reasons - but some certainly associated with workload/family commitments). I have had to drop a lot of my other activities this year and even then my family has suffered.

Really really think it has been worth it tho - if teaching is for you I think you will know.

OP contact Bromley Schools Collegiate on www.bscteach.co.uk/
they are fab and may be able to help you get a GTP placement

I'd agree about how hard a PGCE is. Tho I didn't get a job on finishing and am doing something else. Looking back I found teaching so like performing. At least until you're experienced. You stand in front of a class and you're full on for 1 hour. Making sure you're meeting your objectives and assessing the pupils and dealing with issues/behaviour. You can't let up or at least for me, if I did the lesson unravelled. Experienced teachers will be observing (scrutinizing) every thing you do and say at least once a week.

I honestly think that anyone can become a teacher, with the right support and attitude. I don't think there's any one personality 'type' that necessarily does a better job than others. The only things you do need are resilience and a willingness to find and work on your weaknesses.

I'm sure it helps to be confident, charismatic and assertive. However, I was none of these things when I started - I was mousy, quiet and terrified. But I worked hard to improve and now I'm completely different.

It is extremely rewarding and at times I wonder at the fact that I get paid to do something so fantastic. At other times I feel like walking out because it's so shit.

As a maths teacher you may well get offered more money than teachers in non-shortage subjects. None of my maths-teacher friends entered on the first point of the salary scale. It depends on the school (and a lot of those are academies now, and can set their own terms and conditions for new staff). And you can often pick up extra responsibilities (at my school they pay £7 for a 20-min lunch/break duty and lots of people do several of these a week; you might also get paid for things like running the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme or being a numeracy coordinator). You can charge about £30 an hour for tutoring, too.

Don't worry about the loan TOO much - if it's still the system I was on for my PGCE you'll repay 9% of anything you earn over about £1520 per month, which isn't that much.

As a maths teacher with experience beyond the classroom you could easily be head of a key stage within a year or two and head of maths a year or two later believe it or not - they are THAT short of people who want to be maths teachers let alone lead a maths department or faculty.

I had time in industry and the UN before going into teaching and it is the best thing I have ever done - I love going to work and while the PGCE was bloody hard work it was well worth it. I think many different types of people make great teachers; things that help me include enjoying working with young people; self-confidence but mixed with humility; and love enough of the job to be motivated to put in the hours which, certainly at first as you build up your bank of lesson plans and resources, are unavoidable.