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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

How many subjects (other than your own) could you teach if called upon to do so?

59 replies

CruiseSpeed · 04/02/2019 18:48

I'm an English teacher, and I've never - in almost twenty years in this career - been timetabled to deliver a subject other than my own. I was chatting to a Food Tech teacher today who was floundering with the KS3 English and Geography she's been landed with this year, and it got me thinking about which subjects I could make a decent fist of teaching if called upon to do so, and which ones I'd not have the first clue about.

I'd have a cheerful go at:

  • Drama (up to KS4)
  • History (up to KS4)
  • Geography (up to KS3)
  • RE (up to KS4)
  • Food Tech (up to KS4)

Not a chance:

  • Languages
  • Maths
  • PE
  • Music
  • Art
  • Design Technology
  • IT

I'm not sure what this says about either my teaching skills or my general knowledge to be honest, so am curious as to whether many teachers reckon they could have a bash at most subjects, or if, like me, they have a rather shamefully brief list.

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 09/02/2019 08:05

I do think it is interesting that so many people think history , English and MFL are fair game but that maths and science are somehow so specialised that they are sacred (which is not really the DfE's mindset!). As an English teacher , I feel a bit precious about this.

We have some non specialists roped in to teach English in year 9 and they are genuinely not very good at it. We also have a non specialist who jumped ship into our department a while back and somehow he has ended up teaching A Level because he has a Cambridge degree in something else...which does rankle a bit.

Original poster
CruiseSpeed · 09/02/2019 09:53

Piggy Yep, English is much harder to teach than it looks (same as pretty much all subjects, really)! I've known even Drama specialists, that you would imagine would be natural bedfellows, make a right hash of delivering KS3 English lessons.

Ultimately it always comes back to the fact that a really good subject teacher really loves that subject.

I genuinely always really enjoy exploring Macbeth with a class (and I've taught it eleventy billion times), there's almost almost a new angle or perspective that hooks the group in - it's fascinating. But I know that for non-specialists, 'doing Shakespeare' is perceived as a mammoth chore.

OP posts:
PumpkinPie2016 · 09/02/2019 12:15

My degree is Physics which I teach to A-level. I teach Biology/Chemistry to GCSE with no issues as my PGCE was science.

I'd happily do maths. I have A-level geography so could give that a go to KS3 level.

I'd have no hope in English though!

Thankfully, there are so few physicists that it's unlikely to be an issue Grin

Holidayshopping · 10/02/2019 07:56

My least favourite was drama. I played Wink Murder for an entire year -- and that was the A Level class-

How did their exams go??

tomhazard · 10/02/2019 08:37

I've never been asked to teach outside of my specialism in nearly 10 years.
But, I think I could have a good go at
English or French to KS3
History or Geography to KS3 at a push.

I absolutely could not teach:
German
Art
Design Tech
Maths
Science

Piggywaspushed · 10/02/2019 09:36

Not great holiday. The A Level class bit was a joke! I wasn't the only teacher and there were only 3 students...

I did play Wink Murder with year 9, though. In the absence of any training, programme of study , or experience it seemed the way to go!

seven201 · 10/02/2019 09:59

I'm DT (product design/resistant materials specialist). Have taught art and food at ks3, textiles ks4 and 5 as there was no one else who had even used a sewing machine. I gave it a good go but it was bloody hard when you suddenly take over a year 11, 12 and 13 class during coursework all asking how to make different items of clothing that I'd never attempted before. Jumpsuits with trouser pockets - I still hate you! I could have a go at ks3 IT but thats it I think. I covered a year 9 drama class the other day - I hated it!

Refilona · 10/02/2019 10:09

I teach Biology up to A-level, have taught Chemistry up to AS and Physics up to GCSE. I have also taught PSHE. I think that given time to plan appropriate lessons, I’d be able to have a go at teaching every subject except maybe for A-level English, Physics and Maths. And I don’t speak any German so wouldn’t be able to do any German at all either!

IHeartKingThistle · 10/02/2019 10:31

English teacher here. I have taught Drama and PSHE and while I wasn't awful, I never enjoyed it. I'm happy in my comfort zone!

My school is very big on these days where everyone's off timetable doing various different things. I always seem to end up doing PE games. I dread those days!

margotsdevil · 10/02/2019 10:47

There is a school of thought in some Scottish councils that anyone should be able to teach anything in the BGE... not a fan myself.

I'd be prepared to have a bash at English, German, Comp Sci and Music - music to S4, the others as far as S2.

seven201 · 10/02/2019 22:44

I thought everyone taught PSHE? I've only worked in 4 schools (2 during training), but we all taught our forms pshe in them.

seven201 · 10/02/2019 22:45

I really enjoy teaching pshe although I admit to not dedicating enough time to planning it as thoroughly as subject lessons.

Bamchic · 12/02/2019 07:18

I’m dual trained in geography and maths, I’ve taught history and RE (standard humanities teacher territory) and I have A levels in English and drama so could give that a punt, would quite like ks3 d&t I think, also I’d love to do a bit of PE (not that I’d be much good 😂)

Could certainly not do:
Science of any description
MFL
Music
Dance
Art (I loved it but flunked out of my a level for a lad)

Bamchic · 12/02/2019 07:19

@seven201 in our school we have a designated lesson each week for PHSE, the humanities teachers (myself included) teach it!

qumquat · 13/02/2019 17:45

I could teach (and have taught) drama, English, Spanish, German. Only the drama up to decent standard though. I have the subject knowledge but not the pedagogy.

Heyha · 13/02/2019 17:50

I'm a scientist and once was asked to teach graphics. The scheme I was given was two sides of A4 in total to last a term. We didn't do much graphics...

Having taught physics to triple science A* kids I reckon I can teach simple maths fairly well but would struggle with the higher stuff now, not the subject knowledge as such but how to actually teach it correctly. Other than that I'd be struggling tbh though if I had to I could probably do languages to KS3, was actually better at them than science but was shy so hated the speaking elements of the assessment and so didn't take any beyond GCSE.

Piggywaspushed · 13/02/2019 22:37

You didn't take any language beyond GCSE but reckon you could teach them to KS3?? No, you definitely couldn't. Like maths, I reckon you would struggle with the methodolgy. And the speaking in the target language for the majority of the lesson bit.

Heyha · 13/02/2019 22:43

Ouch! Native speaker grandparents have something to do with my proficiency in one European language to a reasonable level but wasn't expecting to have to justify myself in a chatty thread, oh well! I wish I'd had or indeed observed lessons conducted almost entirely in the target language but I can't say that's been what I've seen in four different schools in 15 years.

Piggywaspushed · 13/02/2019 22:50

Wasn't meant to be a dig (sorry). I did note earlier on the thread though that maths has this mystique attached to it and, yet, so many people think they can teach English adn MFL (which makes one wonder why there is such a shortage). Many MFL lessons are not conducted in the target language because so many teachers, indeed, aren't specialists.

I taught German for several years. Much of my degree was in German literature so I was pretty good but I was a really pretty substandard German teacher as I had no traning whatsoever on the pedagogy.

MsAwesomeDragon · 13/02/2019 23:06

I teach maths. I have in the past taught some computing and some French.

I loved teaching computing, but only taught y7 and Y8. I had a good scheme of work and taught 3 y7 classes so got rather good at the y7 projects. I only had 1 Y8 class so I wasn't quite as good at those projects.

I was NOT good at teaching French. I have it a good go, but it was not easy and not my strong suit. I'm very glad I only did that for one year.

I am expected to teach pshe at my current school. It's planned for me but I am awful at discussion and debate, because I teach maths where we don't debate things. I also don't know the answers, or any more information about the subject than the kids do. I end up googling stuff in the lessons when they ask something more in depth. Luckily, I only ever teach pshe to my form, and only about 6 times a year.

MidniteScribbler · 14/02/2019 09:12

I teach in primary, but am qualified for secondary as well. My specialties are English, Ancient History and Modern History. I'm also qualified to teach RE in Catholic Schools, but I think my history teaching would mean I could teach Study of Religion also. Could definitely do Drama or Dance as a standalone subject. I've also done the Kitchen Garden program and am the go to cooking person at school, so could do that as well. I could probably also manage Art because of the history, and also because I'm a pretty crafty type, so could get through with that. I have no interest in PE, but I could get through it if I really had to.

Definite no to teaching high school maths and science (although I am fine with primary). Whilst I know two other languages, I wouldn't be able to have enough technical knowledge to teach them.

noblegiraffe · 14/02/2019 16:00

I am awful at discussion and debate, because I teach maths

Yay! It’s not just me!

Heyha · 14/02/2019 20:04

No worries @piggywaspushed I get where you're coming from Smile

Holidayshopping · 14/02/2019 20:11

I teach in primary, but am qualified for secondary as well

Isn’t everyone? Plenty of people switch between primary/secondary despite specialising in one.

MurphyBrown · 14/02/2019 20:44

I'm a primary teacher with a maths degree so secondary maths would be fun. I've also got an additional pshe qualification that involved teaching sex ed from ks1 to ks4. But that's it for proficient quality teaching!
I'd have a bash at most of year 7 subjects (except languages) though 😀
Maybe not gymnastics 🤣