Teacher question please!

[SunshinePie]

I’m thinking of doing PGCE Psychology (already have a MSc in Psychology). If I wanted to additionally teach Sociology and Criminology at A-Level would my psychology MSc be enough? Or do you think I should take a year out before the PGCE and do A-levels in those subjects? Or is it a waste of a year?

I teach sociology and have an English degree! I am very experienced mind. Do you have sociology A level? I really don't think sociology and psychology have lots in common , content and knowledge wise.

Loads of non specialists teaching sociology so not a barrier in itself.

Can you teach biology? Psychology teachers are often in science dept.

The A Level syllabus roots psychology firmly in the Science Faculty, so yes, you might be more likely to be asked to teach Biology (or indeed KS4 Physics or Chemistry!). However, it's perfectly possible to teach across Faculties, eg Psychology with Health & Social Care and Sociology. As an aside, Sociology is mostly taught by RS and Geography specialists at our school who most definitely do not have a Sociology background (but are experienced teachers).

Yes, sociology very much depends on the units. Definitely an overlap with RS if they do the Beliefs unit and lots of cross over with Health and Social Care for family and health units if followed. There's media, family, crime, demographics and inequalities and a global unit on some specs - so the crossover to geography and media studies is obvious. Psychology overlaps with research methods but the methods and terms are different.

Yes, the global unit is basically Human Geography.

My daughter has a Psychology degree and is currently doing a PGCE.

In her first term she just taught Psychology A level. Last term she taught Sociology GCSE too and really enjoyed it. Next term she will be teaching Sociology A level and she has a job lined up for next year in which she expects to be teaching Sociology as well as Psychology.

None of the three schools seems at all worried that she has never studied Sociology herself. I confess I wouldn't like it as a parent.

I have suggested that she asks if she can take the A level at the end of next year, but I certainly don't think it's worth taking a year out to study it.

Teaching the GCSE first will giver her a decent grounding fifth.She neds to spend the summer reading Haralambos and Holborn, and Ken Browne - both briiliant, extensive resources.

Thanks, Piggy. I'll pass that on to her.