PGCE at age 35?

[BaileyBoos]

Hello all, I’m just after some advice.

I work as a TA currently albeit only part time. I enjoy the role, and I like being around children but I’m under no illusions that life as a TA and teacher are worlds apart.

If I apply for a PGCE in 2021 I’ll be age 35. Am
I a dinosaur in the teaching world? Is it worth doing?

For context, I have three children and next year they will be aged 13, 11 and 8. I’m worried if I leave it any longer I’ll just be too old. Does anyone have children that are similar ages, and do you have any work-life balance? I couldn’t have done it when they were toddlers/babies.

Thanks.

@BaileyBoos
I did my PGCE (secondary) age 35 after a successful 15 years in engineering. I remember being surprised and shocked at how badly teachers were treated compared to the cushioned and spoilt life I had in engineering. And I have to admit there were difficult times.

However, I don't regret it one iota! I am retired now and can look back upon a career that at its best was very exciting, and was a moral and ethical use of my talents.

I have to say that things were easier at the start of my teaching career. Gove and his then advisor, Cummings have a lot to answer for when they did their best to ruin teaching, but you are inside education at the moment and you know all this. I would say that this in particular will stand you in good stead when going for a teaching job. You are not some wet behind the ears kid who, as far as the person interviewing you will think, has a 1 in 3 statistical probability of leaving the profession before the end of your NQT year.

For anybody else thinking about this, I have to say I was burnt out after 20 years of secondary and ended up in an idyllic FE job teaching adults, --- well, 18 plus! That was great fun.

But even more fun was in retirement. Through no fault of my primary school teaching daughter or her school, she had lost both her TAs. I stepped in pro bono for two gloriously fun and entertaining terms.

Good luck.

I have to add that the reason I found helping my daughter in her class so enjoyable was of course because she was my daughter, but also because I had absolutely no stress from having to organise everything and be responsible for any of it. Not saying that TAs don't have responsibilities and suffer from stress. Of course they do! And modern classrooms can not operate without them, as they could in my early days of teaching. So much has changed!

But I was constantly put in mind of the TV programs where they put young children together in front of a camera and almost automatically come up with a hilarious entertaining program. Easypeasy, money for old rope! Kids are just so funny!