Now Teach

[graisse]

I'm considering a later in life career shift (I'm mid 40s, with senior manager in charity sector background). I've toyed with the idea of teaching at several times in recent years but never taken the plunge. Now my daughter is in school herself and I'm conscious that I'm at a point where it's now or never in terms of having enough years to build a new career.

I've looked into Now Teach, primarily because it's focus is on people like me, and would appreciate any thoughts on this programme, or indeed experiences of becoming a teacher later in life.

I'm aware it would be a complete culture change for me, both positive and negative. But the idea of being able to teach and inspire young people is really appealing to me.

The Now Teach founder's column in the FT is really interesting. She trained as a Maths teacher and is now part time, teaching Economics I believe.

We also had a Now Teach candidate on my PGCE, they didn't go into teaching after the PGCE.

You will get a lot of mixed opinions on here. There are also loads of 'should I go into teaching?' threads to search for.

Thanks. I've read through some this afternoon- really interesting and helpful perspectives.

This is an interesting interview with the founder of Now Teach Lucy Kellaway www.google.com/amp/s/www.tes.com/news/exclusive-teaching-full-time-unendurably-hard-says-lucy-kellaway%3famp

Thanks.

I've another question, school direct training - are you likely to be kept on at the school following the training or do the schools just have a succession of paid trainees who they let go after a year and bring in new trainees?

Hi graisse - I'm currently training as part of the Now Teach scheme. I don't think it's very different to going into teaching via any other route. They hold your hand through the application process and they will help to match you up with schools that are part of the Ark Teacher Training network if you are in the right area. But you can also do the traditional PGCE route via Now Teach.

The big advantage of Now Teach for me is that they have an agreement that you only have to do 4 days a week in school which is really good if you have kids at home etc. In theory I use my Fridays to do PGCE work and planning but in practice I am quite knackered, don't get much done and end up working at the weekend as well. Now Teach also provide a support network of other people in a similar position to have a whinge with and put on events with some really interesting speakers.

I think we probably have a higher dropout rate than other routes, probably because teaching is even harder if you have other commitments, and some people just didn't appreciate the realities of teaching. The key is going into with your eyes open. Everyone says to spend time in schools first and I think that's absolutely right, though hard to do at the moment, I worked part time as a lab technician in a secondary school for a year

I have been offered a job my the school that I'm training with. I think it's a mixture of how well your face fits at the school and how desperate they are for teachers in your subject. In any case I don't think it's too difficult to find an NQT role.

I'm really glad that I did it. Bit strange the way that my training year is ending though, I won't have as much experience as regular NQTs would and I'm worried that I haven't 100% cracked behaviour management yet.

Thanks! All on hold now as my husband is potentially about to be made redundant (as opposed to furlough) and as I am now a consultant (who's work had dried up due to the virus), our future is looking decidedly dodgy and we could potentially lose everything.