Best way into teaching?

[chlo95]

I've just finished my second year of my degree (humanities). It would make sense because of my degree to teach secondary but I'm volunteering full time for this last half term in a primary and I'm loving it, yes it's hard work but the atmosphere is nice and it's rewarding. However I'm unsure about routes into teaching! I know the university based PGCE is most popular but worried about how much experience id gain from two placements. I feel as though something school based would suit me best but confused about SCITTS/school direct/teach first, and gov.uk and UCAS's website hasn't really helped :( the alternative is the salaried school based training which would mean finishing uni and working as a TA for a couple of years to get experience I believe, which might suit me but obviously is less pay and I feel like I'd want a class of my own. So really I'm just wondering if you can comment on which way you entered teaching, and which route has seen the best quality teachers in recent years? Thanks!

I don't know about working in primary, as I did a Secondary PGCE to change careers in my fifties. Therefore some much of what I say won't be very relevant to you. However, I qualified in Citizenship which was the main subject suggested for politics graduates, and have never found work as a teacher. Probably some of the reason is down to age (I was 55 by the time I got QTS) but also that the Tories downgraded the subject very soon after Mr Gove arrived at education. Like you, I'm interested in history but my first career was as a copywriter specialising in business and investment. I did apply for English and History jobs (before disillusion set in) but in the deep south west there seems to be enough competition in both subjects that schools can expect to get applications from graduates in those subjects. In retrospect, perhaps the University rather over-sold the course and I over-bought it! It no longer exists in any case. Good luck; I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

What a shame! Citizenship is such a small part of the curriculum now I can imagine they wouldn't employ teacher's specifically for it, I didn't realise it used to be offered as a degree. I am hoping that I can sell my politics degree as relevant, I really believe it is specifically for modern history, but also I'm planning on basing my dissertation on the education policy of contrasting governments so will at least have an insight into how education policy has changed under the coalition and the future plans for education!

I feel that I need to stand up for Teach First here. I did it ten years ago and I am still in the profession, alongside many of my contemporaries. It was very, very tough but my first, very challenging school has equipped me with everything I need to teach pretty much anywhere. I had superb support. A PGCE would have bored me rigid, and I would have had to pay for the privilege.