Advice re: becoming a teacher?

[oilandwater]

I am looking into training to become a teacher but am having trouble sorting through the various paths to qualification. I would love some advice from those in the know.

I have been staying at home with my kids for about 12 years - before that I worked as a lawyer. I am from the US so although I am considered highly educated and qualified there, I don't have even one GCSE to my name. I would be happy to take exams if necessary and would probably find it fun to take a maths GCSE!

I live in London (permanently, for what it's worth) and am allowed to work in the UK.

Luckily I am fairly flexible with regards to fees and time so am open to considering a range of options - I just don't really know what they are! Can anyone help?

Many thanks!

I also felt that TF had an advantage in that they were taken as an established teacher from the start
I see what you are saying.

As I am (hoping) going to be doing a SCITT course, I was comparing the TF course with that and I honestly think that the SCITT program is better (for me anyway).

PGCE is Postgraduate Certificate of Education...not Professional. There is no need to be wary of doing one! You need to really look at getting plenty of school based experience whichever route you choose. Spend volunteer time in Primary and secondary to help you decide where you feel drawn to. I've been in teaching for over thirty years, four as a head. It is tough at all levels but I wouldn't change what I do.

I haven’t read the full thread because I am officially marking and not mumsnetting, so here’s my 2 cents:
You do need an equivalent to English and Maths GCSEs in order to become a teacher. If you are a lawyer with a degree you can safely assume that you’ll be ok.
You need to pass an English and Maths Test for teaching, I have forgotten what it’s called now. Totally doable.

Iirc your degree should be related to what you are going to teach. Not sure how law will fare in this respect.

I trained as a teacher via school direct and got paid a pittance during my training year. There will be teacher recruitment fairs where you are, have a look around and talk to providers. My school direct training provider was amazing and very helpful. I was actually recruited via my children’s secondary school who were looking for trainees. Your children’s school might be able to point you in the right direction.

rainbowcolours1 here is more on the professional graduate certificate in education information: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_Graduate_Certificate_in_Education

targetpostgrad.com/professional-and-postgraduate-courses-whats-the-difference

I'm not saying be wary of taking one, as it does suit some candidates, but as it's rarely spelt out in full can lead to candidates not understanding the difference and finding late on that they/their employer thought they had masters credits.

Here is some information about the eligibility requirements to train as a teacher in England -
getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/eligibility-for-teacher-training

Here you can download a spreadsheet that shows the equivalency of overseas degrees -
www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-degree-equivalency-table-and-methodology

As far as I can see a degree from the USA relates to UK degree classifications like this -
1st = 3.7 GPA
2:1 = 3.2 GPA
2:2 = 2.6 GPA

I found that this chart was an easy way to compare the different methods of teacher training -
getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/compare.pdf

My personal opinion is to be wary of the professional graduate certificate of education. This is also referred to as a pgce by some but is at undergraduate level not post graduate. Although you still have qualified teacher status, you can't top up to a masters degree and some schools don't accept for employment. It might not bother you, but I think it's important to be aware of the distinction.

That does depend on the uni. some call it PGDE when it IS at masters level.

My PGCE you could pass at masters level or professional level.

OP

Maybe it is time to spend some time in a school to see how things work

I think herding your own and helping in school gives you a little insight but I would strongly recommend you spend two days in a couple of different schools (not where your kids go) work shadowing a teacher and really seeing the pace and demand of their day before making a decision on whether it is right for you. It is different from being in a school 'as a parent' where only so much is revealed to you. It is also worth asking those teachers how much work they do in the evenings. I work in this area and know there are a lot of teachers dropping to part time posts but working full time hours, just so that they can fit all their work in.

Don't do it.

How do onto your sanity and health.

Hold *