IT taught by the geography teacher?

[KGamsun1]

Hi! My dd started year 8 and IT is taught by the geography teacher. Last year it was also someone who is not related to IT at all. Is it the same in your school?

DS has the same teacher for German and ICT, I was surprised, but I don't think it's uncommon as each subject wouldn't necessarily add up to a full time role for the teacher

It's due to a lack of subject specialists in ICT. It's very hard for schools to recruit.

There is a real shortage of computing teachers in the UK, partly due to GCSE changes. That means it can be hard for schools to recruit specialists.

It can also be hard for schools to fit all IT lessons into the contracts of the specialist teachers they have- therefore some lessons may be taught by non-specialists. I.E. if the lessons fill timetables for two full time specialists, plus there's one class left over, they can't recruit another teacher just to take that one class.

It is increasingly common for children to be taught shortage subjects by non-specialists.

I am surprised they are still having IT lessons - should be computing, with a focus much more of coding and computer science, than ICT skills.

However, there is a shortage of computing teachers across all key stages, including at GCSE and A level and there has been for a long time. Unfortunately it then gets taught by non subject specialists and the content often is then diminished quite a lot.

It has been the case for a while. I got a grant due to Computing being a shortage subject when I was studying/training at university and that was in the early 90s. That was at secondary level.

I now teach the subject at primary level and I am very often in an unusual position in being the only qualified subject specialist in computing on courses, etc. There are few of us around, esp at primary level.

Common, especially for younger years. Teacher could have an Alevel in the subject for all you know so perfectly capable of teaching up to GCSE and certainly pre GCSE.

My science teacher sister has to teach maths. She’s not happy about it.

yes I agree with a op, is it in fact IT because it should be computing.

As others say, common, esp in KS3, more focus on subject specialist teaching the GCSE classes.

Aragog, not sure where you are located, but if you came to teach in LEH school, we would be happy. I don't understand how such an important subject nowadays can be taught by nonspecialists to 13 year olds.

Have you not read the thread?

If there is a national shortage of computing teachers how do you expect the school to magic one up?!

While there is a lot of truth in what has been said above about other teachers being used to teach ICT to fill their hours etc., there is also the possibility that your child's geography teacher is also qualified to teach IT too. You seem to have made an assumption that "the geography teacher" has no other specialism. Maybe he/she doesn't. Maybe you didn't make an assumption, maybe you genuinely know this, but nothing in your post indicates so.

It's quite possible to be fully qualified to teach more than one thing. I got my primary degrees in two curricular subjects and am qualified to teach both. Since then, I have studied IT at university level and outside (courses in coding and various other skills included) as well as in areas not related to IT. One student might introduce me as his/her English teacher, but that doesn't mean it's all I have studied or know about!

Maybe the geography teacher is really good at IT 🤷🏻‍♀️ I'd be sure I knew otherwise before feeling annoyed about it, let alone doing anything.

Oh yeah. National shortage, but depends of the salary I suppose. For the yearly fees they charge someone could be found. And perhaps Fuiseog is right - geography is in fact a very close subject to IT, so who knows...

How do you know it's not the (qualified) IT teacher teaching geography?

Honestly, I think most parents would be amazed to discover how many teachers do not have a degree in the subject they teach. It's around half of maths and physics teachers.

I’ve been teaching ICT/Computing since 2004. I am a very rare breed in that I actually have a degree in a Computer Science.
My very first HoD was an ex Biology teacher and I have always taught alongside non-specialists.
It stems from the myth from SLT that ‘anyone can teach IT’.

You situation is very very very common OP.

Makes me very sad that my subject is so low down in the ‘subject pecking order’ but there you go!

Top private schools are struggling to recruit they can't pay IT hugely more than other teachers which they need to do. Some independent schools are no longer offering computer science gcse as they can't get a good calibre of teachers. Interesting when you compare GCSE results of computer sci and other subjects and you can see the problem. Unfortunately many of the schools are quite traditional and don't see it as a core subject even though there are massive career opportunities especially for women in the sector.

Is it a private school?

Even if it is, if no specialists apply, as others have said the school can't just magic one up!

You can obviously discuss the situation with the school, but for whatever reason they have decided this is the solution they are going with. They are unlikely to be able to recruit a new teacher who is any good right now.

Quite normal.

My teacher sister has a maths degree, but can also technically teach Geography as she has that at A Level (did geography, maths, further maths) It's not great, it is a long time since she was doing her A'levels.

I teach a subject that I don't even have a GCSE in. I've taught it for 20 years and get some of the best results in the school,

You gain qualified teacher status when you train. This enables you to teach any subject to any age child. Doesn’t mean you’ll be good at it.

My PGCE was in secondary maths, I now teach ks 2 and 3 maths, but have also taught ks3 science and have half a degree in geography so could easily teach that too.

The problem is anyone who is good with computing can find a job earning shit loads so getting decent qualified computer teachers is tough. DS is now being taught it by a geography teacher who also teaches PE. At this point I'm more worried the school will drop the subject entirely (at that point we'd teach him ourselves I think!).

My teacher sister has a maths degree, but can also technically teach Geography as she has that at A Level

She could teach any subject-she is a teacher. The A level is irrelevant!

You no-longer have to be a qualified teacher to teacher. We have Gove to thank for that.

If it's a private school, they would always have been able to employ unqualified teachers, regardless of Gove.

OP, it's very common for teachers to teach outside their subject area, especially ar KS3.

At the school I work at ICT is taught by the English, a games and maths teacher 🤷🏼‍♀️

For what it's worth - my youngest had the head of music teaching him (scholarship) maths in year 8 (prep school). It was an excellent arrangement that worked very well. Up to at least year 9 level a lot of good teachers may be good across a range of subjects.

It'll be for budgeting reasons. Dressed up as something else no doubt, but that's what it is. I teach four subjects, only qualified for one/two. It's shit. Think carefully who you vote for

My mum had a parent rant at her at parents evening once because she was a Geography teacher so therefore should not be teaching her son History. Mum pointed out that her teaching degree was in Humanities and she was more than qualified to teach both subjects and others too if she so wished. Most teachers can teach multiple subjects, that and there is a shortage of certain subject teachers.