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Any teachers able to assist please? Thanks v much

3 replies

Isbit · 22/05/2014 17:59

I'm applying for a job teaching part-time at sixth form college. I don't currently have qualified teacher status (just a degree in the relevant subject) but college are open to supporting applicants in acquiring this. I just wondered if anyone had any experience in what this involved, the type of time commitments etc. I'm currently on mat leave from something entirely different so any insights into this kind of role, the pros and cons would be awesome. Thanks very much for reading!

OP posts:
sarahquilt · 23/05/2014 18:18

If they offer you the job, make sure they put in writing that they'll support you getting QTS. A lot of schools try and sneakily save money by employing staff without QTS. I did GTP as a ft teacher about ten years ago. It was pretty tough but worth it in terms of pay increase and career. I don't know how it would work pt.

Supermum222 · 23/05/2014 21:58

You will probably have to do a post-16 PGCE. You can do it part time and the role at the sixth form would count as teaching experience. 4 hours of lectures per week plus you need 40 hours teaching in the first year, 60 hours the second year.
It takes 2 years and you would get QTLS that now has the same status as QTS. Definitely go for a sixth form job as they come with school holidays...FE colleges don't.
What is your subject?
I have been offered hours at a college (doing the post-16 PGCE at the same college). I want to do biology and maths.
I am planning a career change!

lechers · 23/05/2014 23:35

I teach in post 16, so feel free to PM and ask any questions.

My college is technically FE, but really is much more like a sixth form. I teach academic subjects.

Things to watch out for: Lecturers do not necessarily get the same terms and conditions as teachers, so ask carefully about salary, holidays etc. I'm lucky, in my college my pay is as good as teachers, and I get the holidays too, but so many colleges don't.

There is a lot of pressure in FE /sixth forms for results. Every class you teach is likely to be an exam class, so you will be under pressure to get results, and will be held accountable for little johnny not passing his exams, or jane dropping out because she got pregnant. Everything is driven by success rates.

The other big thing is the marking. Again, because every class is an exam class, for me every piece of work submitted is an essay (that's how they're assessed in the exams) so there can be phenomenal amounts of marking, with no opportunities for flick and tick marking, or for an off the cuff lesson. I miss that from secondary teaching. Every lesson counts and has to be thoroughly prepared for. In secondary teaching, I used to know the books, and have a vague idea of what I wanted to teach and on the odd occasion, be able to wing it from my subject knowledge. You cannot wing it at A level, no matter how great your subject knowledge.

Finally, the last thing about post sixteen teaching is that it is often down to you to manage classroom behaviour. You don't tend to have detentions and the like for poor behaviour. Whilst behaviour tends not to be as bad, sometimes it would make life easier to have the back up that you get in schools.

However, on the upside, there is a lot less admin and stupid meetings compared to secondary. I also find that I have much greater autonomy in my teaching. I teach what I want to teach, so long as it meets the exam spec. Compared to when I taught in secondary, I am less required to be in all day every day, and I do not have all of the other commitments like detentions, parents evenings (only 2 a year, not 7+) etc...

Despite that, I love it. I personally think it is a great age to teach, and really feel as though I get to make a difference in the lives of the young people I work with. It is hard work, and the sector is under great pressure from underfunding. Again, this year, the govt has cut funding, so my hours have been cut, which means I will have teach more classes for the same money (in effect, I'll have yet another pay cut) and this has been going on (not all years) since 2007.

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