Which is the better degree for teaching

[CherryGarcia23]

Hi,

Possibly looking into changing career... into teaching. I want to study a new degree whilst at home with young children, I'm an older mum so won't even be able to do my PGCE until I'm age 44!

I would like to work as a Primary school teacher. My child's teacher's have had such a fantastic impact on my oldest child that this is one reason I'd love to be a teacher. Yes, you guys have a tough job, my current position is as a Company Director and the sheer amount of paper work and compliance related paperwork is immense. So I am used to huge amounts of compliance related paperwork, which is what I believe puts a huge strain on teachers today?

Anyway ... I'm rambling.

Which would be more of a beneficial / better degree for my last 15 years in a career as a teacher?

BA (Honours) Education Studies (Primary)

BSc (Honours) Biology

Look forward to hearing your responses.

It feels like a trick question. Education studies would be much more relevant to teaching. So long as you'd find it interesting, that's the more obvious degree to choose. If you'd find biology more interesting, go for it, but education studies would help you with the theory of learning, which is super useful.

Paperwork is one of the things that makes it hard, yes. There isn't much compliance related paperwork though - almost all of the paperwork that teachers complete is operational and necessary (in most schools, most of the time).

People are the biggest challenge: children with SEN and/or challenging behaviour who need more attention than you can give; parents with unrealistic demands; other staff with competing priorities. It is a great job, but don't underestimate the people skills needed.

Thankyou.

I am swaying more towards Education Studies, however a friend has said it's not a 'real' subject and schools really are looking for specialist subjects especially subjects within the Sciences. Also, if someone with a Science degree wants to teach that subject in a secondary school, there are bursaries available during the teacher training year.

But for me, I'm planning my last 15 or so years in a career, so I want to be both employable and have a good understanding of what I am getting myself into, and I want to be good at any job I start, which requires a broad understanding ... hence my interest in Education Studies.

I fully agree with your comment on understanding people, SEN etc. Also from a personal point of view, I want to learn how to teach to benefit my own children, I find how they approach learning fascinating and want to be able to help them all the way from when the youngest starts Reception all the way to University.

The bursaries are great, but if your interested is in primary, you should probably train in primary. That said, you're right that having a subject degree can be seen as desirable down the line in primary. But experience trumps the degree pretty quickly in general. If you're interested in the science of learning, you'll learn much more through education studies than you will in your pgce (more of an applied course). One thing to be aware of is how much time teaching takes up - many teachers who are also parents complain that the job stops them being able to enjoy their children/help with homework etc. for large chunks of the year.

Isn’t the 3 year primary teaching QTS degree an option for you? That would avoid the need for a PGCE. However, if you’re at a stage where you could train in other areas I would consider that instead. I would not advise anyone to go into teaching in its current state. It’s not just the workload, behaviour is appalling, there is no support from management, funding has been cut which means more ALN kids in classes without support. It’s a total mess at the moment and well-being of teachers is rock bottom. There is a huge recruitment and retention crisis in teaching at the moment. Teaching is far from a family friendly occupation these days. You could easily be working until midnight each night and all weekend and still not get everything done. Please do your research.

I think do the Biology degree then a PGCE or an in-work training year. This means that you have options to do other work in the future if teaching didn't work out for whatever reason. A Biology degree is a strong subject that could be useful in a variety of careers. If you do the education degree, you are stuck with teaching forever!

Do you have a degree already?

I would suggest doing some work experience in school before you commit to this.

If you want to be a primary school teacher then doing a Biology degree will not help you at all and you will have to learn everything on the PGCE year - the Education degree will be much more relevant.

Whilst STEM seems to be held in such high regard generally, I've never heard anyone in primary lament the lack of science teachers or mention someone having a science degree as a positive when recruiting. Degree subject just doesn't really matter that much, but if anything I'd say English (lit or lang/linguistics) or maths would be what to go for. PGCEs are traditionally better regarded than BEds but I don't imagine schools are able to be that fussy nowadays.

You'll get plenty of people telling you not to do it but I think it sounds a pretty good career plan. 15 years sounds doable. I have no desire to climb the greasy pole but I also can't see myself continuing to be a classroom teacher for another 30 years, having already done 10.

15 years from 44 only takes you to 59, as a new entrant you won’t get your teacher pension until at least 67, so worth bearing in mind, unless you already have a stonkingly large pp.

I would go and volunteer in a primary school and see if you like it, as the reality may not be what you expect.

Many primary schools are desperate for regular weekly volunteers that can help with art work, hear readers or just support in classes.

I've been teaching in primaries for 28 years. I got to school this morning at 7.30am, left at 5pm and just turned my laptop off at 8pm.

I've done this most nights since the term started. I'm teaching a year group I haven't taught for a few years and things have changed so I'm doing a LOT of prep.

It's really not the cushy number that the majority of the public think it is.

The education degree is much better if you're going for a primary school in my opinion. I'm a retired headteacher but I don't think children have changed that much since I left! Subject specialism isn't as important as understanding how children learn and develop socially, intellectually and emotionally. You'll have to teach the whole curriculum so you'll need to build your subject knowledge across all the subjects. I also think that as you're a parent of young children, you'll find the course interesting. If it's not possible for you to do the 3 year degree (including QTS), this degree with the OU might be more easy to manage while juggling family. Good luck!

Are you already a graduate, and if so are you sure you want to do a second BA?

Thanks for all of your responses.

I've decided to go for the Biology as it might help me with a different career path should teaching not work out. It's so sad that nobody speaks positively about teaching? I don't think any job is cushey as it's work, and work isn't supposed to be easy?

At a much later date I'll do my PGCE with QTS.... lot's of choice in my district for this right now, and I can't imagine it changing.

I am currently on call up to 16 hours a day as a business owner as my staff are working shifts 6 days per week, but due the the cost of living, I can't take a wage, and haven't paid into a pension for the duration of the company, so it's an absolutely pointless endeavour right now, and I am closing the business.

My highest qualification is actually only a Foundation Degree, which I'm still very proud of. As this qualification is within the Science's, it will mean my new degree will be shorter due to credit transfer. So this new degree is to help keep my mind ticking over when the business goes and I can't afford childcare. (Due to husbands earnings meaning we don't receive any government help)

I want to retire at 60, and take on a very part time work during my 60's. So 15 years paying in the teachers pension is better than I'm achieving now.

Lots of people speak positively about teaching (myself included) and you've had several very encouraging posts on this thread.

Biology sounds a good choice, OP. You will need GCSEs in English, Maths and Science at a C or higher in order to train as a teacher when you are ready.

Good luck!

I wonder if it might be worth doing some work experience in secondary school too? Would it interest you to teach Science? It is a shortage subject so lots of extra burseries / incentives on offer.

@calorcalorcalor

I think this is a good idea. The local primary school always needs volunteers so I plan on being a volunteer. And, I will look to the secondary schools too.

A few others on this thread have also suggested volunteering too which will help. I may have the ability for paperwork and long hours, but zero idea with the actual reality of teaching a group of 30+ young individuals.

Hi,
have you had a look at the BA (Homs) primary education 5-11 with QTS. I’m currently studying this course and I think it’s brilliant, it means that I don’t have to do a pgce afterwards as I get my qualified teacher status, and you also get the most relevant information for teaching and you get a massive amount of student teacher placements (minimum of 50 days per year)

@LH05

Hi, yes I've seen this, but I wouldn't be able to commit to working in a school right now, only volunteer on an ad hoc basis. Reason being fulltime nursery costs for 2 children plus breakfast and afterschool for another. Husband works in London (100 miles away) so all childcare collections drop off fall on me.

If you're planning to teach primary, don't do a secondary PGCE. Primary teaching jobs are still relatively competitive in most areas, certainly for ECTs, and it would be unusual for a school to employ an ECT with no experience of a primary setting.

If you want to teach secondary biology then great (bear in mind you'd also have to teach chemistry and physics, likely up to 16), but otherwise don't do a secondary PGCE!

As someone has said - it's the people that are challenging. Micro-management to the extremes in the majority of schools as SLT are being pressurised by unrealistic Ofsted expectations and a ludicrous curriculum. Ethically, I would advise not to go into primary teaching at this time. There are hopes it will change. However, I recommend a special needs related degree and get into SEN teaching in specialist school, more funding, more support and more freedom to teach what is important, meeting the needs of learners. That's my two pence.

Choose the degree that you are first and foremost most passionate and excited about.

I suspect we are nowhere near the worst of the recruitment and retention crisis. In three years' time any initiatives brought in by the government (whether this one or a new one) will be in their infancy, meaning that employability is very unlikely to be an issue for you and shouldn't be a major criterion in your choice of degree. Studying as a mature student is hard; juggling studying around caring responsibilities is even harder. You will need a deep passion for your subject to keep you going at times!

Good luck!