Teacher training - Scotland

[Newmum102]

Looking to hear some views on teaching in Scotland. I have the opportunity to apply to do my PGDE in Primary teaching through work which would be over an 18 month time period. The course would start in January and I would be returning to work from maternity around that time. I have had experience in a classroom - 2 separate weeks last year, and it didn't appear to not be manageable.

Is teaching really as bad as folk make out of it? Is there a lot of work in the evenings? Is the PDGE impossible with a small child whilst working full time?

Thanks in advance

I have just started the PGDE year and have become a boring studious person who doesn't get out much. There are 4 placements throughout the year, I've just started my first and we're only in week 4! The workload is heavy and while this week has been relatively light that's only because it's an observation week, the proper work starts next week. This placement is 4 weeks, then 3 weeks back at Uni which includes an assessment then back in school, in a different class, for 4 weeks.

I'm loving it but have never been so mentally exhausted in my life!

Working full time on top I can't see being managable though, we have a lot of reading and 'homework' to do out with Uni hours.

Will you have a lot of support with childcare? My children are all older now, youngest is 10 so it's a bit easier.

I should have said it was a distance learning course, so I wouldn't be in uni every week but I would have online lectures etc to do every week along with reading.

My biggest worry is managing the workload with having a small child. My wee one will be in nursery during the day whilst I'm at work and I would rely on my OH to do a lot of the evening childcare so I could study.

Sounds kind of similar to me, only I'm in Uni (2 hours away) 3 days a week and work from home the other 2 plus have pre readings for lectures on the Monday which I have to do at the weekend. We also have online seminar groups on one of our 'home days' - it's full on.

I don't want to rain on your parade at all but I was warned at interview it would be tough and they were right. If you have excellent support and the time then go for it! The course so far has been brilliant but it will get harder as we go on and take on more teaching responsibilities during placements.

We've all commented on how full on it is and how tired we all are.

Having said all that, you would be studying over 18 months so it wouldn't be quite so full on. Would it be through Aberdeen?

Yeah it would be through Aberdeen.

I've managed to speak to a couple of students who did the course over the 18 months and they did say that it is quite full on, and that they didn't really have a life over the 18 months.
It's just whether or not to take the dive and apply, saying that there's also no guarantee that I'll even get a spot.

The advice I'd give having got in on the second attempt is try to get more classroom time and if possible some time in an informal education setting (Youth group like Brownies, Scouts or a youth club). There are only 13 of us in the PGDE class and competition for spaces is fierce, I was stunned to get in!

Also look further into the teaching profession. The hours are long, the workload is very heavy and there's a lot of background work that is time consuming and necessary. Most are in school from around 8am and leave around 5pm...then work from home too. Have a read of the Standards for Professional Registration on the GTCS website too.