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Whether you're a permanent teacher, supply teacher or student teacher, you'll find others in the same situation on our Staffroom forum.

Original poster

Teacher training help please!!

61 replies

AllGoodDogs · 12/11/2017 16:38

POSTED HERE FROM WORKFEST FORUM (thanks, appuskidu)

Im baffled, bamboozled and flummoxed with the online info about how to even start down this path.

I'm 32, educated to A level and have worked in customer service and admin roles up to now. DCs are in full time school now and my parents have suggested now may be the time to think long term- a career with progression, pension, security etc rather than middling along in admin jobs. I currently work part time for a preschool, was considering doing a TA course but would like to learn more about teaching.

Can someone explain to me in layman's terms what I need to do. How do I train - will I need to do a F/T uni course? Are there options to help with childcare before & after school etc? My DH works abroad so I don't have anyone on hand to rely on regularly for wraparound childcare.

Financially we could manage without my meagre earnings but couldn't afford for it to cost us to train so would need student loans or bursary to cover the costs of training.

Thanks very much in advance for any guidance!!

OP posts:
Original poster
AllGoodDogs · 12/11/2017 16:39

..would be for primary school, btw.

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 12/11/2017 16:43

Before you ever think about how to train, you need to get work experience in a primary school. Teaching is a bloody hard job to do and there are plenty better if you want job security, career progression, pension etc.

If you spend some time on the TES forum you’ll see lots of teachers are leaving the profession. It’s very family unfriendly in that you’ll be working when all your children’s nativities, sports days etc are on.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 12/11/2017 16:43

Oh crikey. I really wouldn't, Dogs. I hate to sound negative, but it is definitely NOT a family friendly career. If DH works abroad and you don't have anyone to rely on for childcare I think you would struggle greatly. The workload is immense. You need a degree and a year's PGCE - I'm secondary trained, so don't know much about primary schools but someone will be along to tell you. But I suspect we will all try to dissuade you from taking up teaching! The drop out rate is incredible.

Original poster
AllGoodDogs · 12/11/2017 16:46

Thank you for your honesty! Would TA be any better do you think? I know a fair few of the TAs at the school and they do seem to have it easier in terms of hours and workload etc but obviously less pay.

Career wise there isn't much else I can do while DH still has his job as I need to be at home during school holidays.

OP posts:
Appuskidu · 12/11/2017 16:55

Career wise there isn't much else I can do while DH still has his job as I need to be at home during school holidays.

That’s not strictly true. You could do any number of jobs and use childcare.

You would still have to use childcare every morning and every afternoon when teaching anyway.

RiseToday · 12/11/2017 16:59

Yes TA would be much more manageable in that you won't be responsible for planning, marking or teaching. You won't have anywhere near the responsibility of the teacher.

But, the pay is crap.

CauliflowerSqueeze · 12/11/2017 17:02

TA much more manageable - you can walk out at the end of school and not have an evening of meetings, preparation and marking stretching out ahead of you.

Appuskidu · 12/11/2017 17:03

TA isn’t just less money than teaching, it’s pretty pitiful.

My friend left teaching to be a TA and was shocked at her pay packet. She was earning a fair amount less as a full time TA than she was on as a part time teacher. I think it was about £550 a month take home.

BlessYourCottonSocks · 12/11/2017 17:03

I think TA pay is pretty crap but on the other hand it should I think, be one where you walk out the door at 3.30pm and don't take work home.

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 12/11/2017 17:12

If you do want to become a teacher, you will need a degree plus a PGCE, or you could do a teaching degree leading to Qualified Teacher Status - so training would take three years rather than four.

I don't know how it would fit in with childcare where you have no support though, or whether it can be done part-time. I am presuming you live in a city with a university which offers these courses? Even so, the one near me says that you are looking at 18-24 hours of teaching time (lectures and seminars) a week plus 36 hours of independent study. Would you be able to fit that in with your home life?

The best thing to do is to ring up your local university and ask about their courses and what the commitments (financial and time) would be, and whether it can be done part-time. That way, you can decide whether it is even feasible before looking at things like work experience.

booboobutt · 12/11/2017 18:10

Following with interest as I’m strongly considering teaching too.

I have a degree already, and work as a nursery assistant but I want more responsibility and more money.

I always thought it was family friendly in that you have term breaks and summer holidays off although I know you still have a lot of work to do in that time.

Appuskidu · 12/11/2017 18:16

I always thought it was family friendly

The problem is during term time. You do get a decent amount of holiday but there is zero leaway to do anything ‘Family like’ during the term. Child illness, assemblies, sports days, doctor appointments etc etc -you don’t have the opportunity for flexible hours out that many other jobs do (and can make up the hours). Luckily DH’s job is very flexible and my mum is local and extremely helpful. If your partner doesn’t have this or you don’t have family nearby, I would say it isn’t family friendly for much of the year.

ProfessorCat · 12/11/2017 18:19

I always thought it was family friendly

Ahahahaha hahaha!

It is.

If you don't have a family Grin

Shine2018 · 12/11/2017 18:28

Why can't you work over the holidays and DH be at home?

Original poster
AllGoodDogs · 12/11/2017 18:40

shine as i said in OP he works abroad.

OP posts:
riojaandcorrie · 12/11/2017 19:04

You can do a teaching assistant course p/t at further education college you need a placement of about 9 he’s a week so you could maybe arrange that in the school you’re in and work round your job. It’s a lot easier than teaching and it’s different every year because there’s new kids. You just need good GCSEs to do the course so A levels are a bonus. I worked in admin and secretarial and this is much easier for me as you aren’t stuck in an office with the same annoying people day in day out.

riojaandcorrie · 12/11/2017 19:04

9 hours a week. Sorry.

emochild · 12/11/2017 19:59

I did a 3 year degree with qts as a mature student and a single parent with no family support

Work smart and hard and it's doable

I love my job

BlessYourCottonSocks · 12/11/2017 20:33

Oh fucking hell...here we go! Sighs.

Yep. I love my job too. But I frequently work 60 hour weeks, sometimes more. And don't tell me I'm not working 'smart' enough. I'm a full time HoD with almost 30 years experience - but I currently have a huge A level teaching load and a new spec GCSE. I can't mark 58 Y13 essays any faster than I am doing, thanks. Or jump through the departmental data hoops that SLT expect. I obviously don't know about Primary, but received wisdom used to be that they worked longer hours than Secondary. I think for the OP, who states they don't have anyone on hand for childcare, it would be unfair to suggest that this job is in any way 'family friendly'.

emochild · 12/11/2017 20:41

Bless

I'm not having a go or criticising and quite frankly you couldn't pay me enough to work in secondary -I absolutely take my hat off to you

But my experience of university -training and working in very supportive schools (not slt) is that it is possible to do with children at home and no family support

booboobutt · 12/11/2017 22:03

I have a DH who can work from home when needed, a Mum close by and a MIL not too far away, both willing to help. I’d work in reception or early years ideally. Is the workload still the same? There’s no marking I’d imagine for under 6s?

Sorry to hijack the thread OP, I hope you don’t mind. Just trying to get as much information as I can to decide what the hell I’m going to do with my life!

Original poster
AllGoodDogs · 12/11/2017 22:09

booboo go for it!! I think I'll look at doing a TA course next year, possibly do some volunteering at school in the meantime to get a feel for it. Thanks for all your advice guys!

OP posts:
Appuskidu · 12/11/2017 22:41

I have a DH who can work from home when needed, a Mum close by and a MIL not too far away, both willing to help. I’d work in reception or early years ideally. Is the workload still the same? There’s no marking I’d imagine for under 6s?

No, but the planning and assessment is the same (evidencing areas on learning journeys can be v time-consuming) and the prep on a day to day basis can be much higher. Don’t be under any illusion that it’s less in terms of workload in early years.

PurpleDaisies · 12/11/2017 22:43

I’d work in reception or early years ideally. Is the workload still the same? There’s no marking I’d imagine for under 6s?

Yes, because they’re still learning to write, there’s a curriculum to follow, lessons to plan, phonics teaching and early maths etc, constant assessment of their skills and how much progress has been made etc...

You need to spend some time in school.

CarrieBlue · 13/11/2017 08:45

You don’t really get to choose which year group you get to teach - you might want to teach early years but if the head wants you to teach year 6 that’s what you do.

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