Dilemma.

[hanataylor]

Hello :)

Wondering if anyone could hear my dilemma and offer their opinion/experience if relevant. I've found myself in a dilemma.

I'm currently a counsellor at a sixth form, I've been here for about 6 months and whilst I absolutely love working with the students I'm finding the actually counselling part so unfulfilling and have been thinking about a career change for a while but wasn't completely sure of which direction to go in.

On a whim, I applied to be a trainee teacher and have now been offered the job at a pupil referral unit whilst earning my PGCE (fully funded and receiving the same salary I'm on now).

The dilemma is, do I take the risk and go for the trainee position or do I stay where I am?

My fear is that if I do leave and don't enjoy to teacher training, I won't be able to find a job like I have now (counselling jobs aren't easy to come about) and I will regret leaving in the first place but then I keep thinking if I turn it down, I've turned down a great opportunity and will then go on to regret that.

Thoughts?

Applying for teacher training on a whim seems an odd thing to do but if you love working with pupils in a school and find the counselling unfulfilling, then I'd seize the opportunity with two hands.

How does it work, doing a PGCE like this ? Obviously a PRU is a very different experience from most schools, so presumably would you have to move for 2nd and 3rd placements ?

If you do decide afterwards you don't want to stick at teaching, I'd have thought you'd be in a very good position to apply for Pastoral and Behaviour management roles, and even TA roles in specialist provision with that sort of training though, not limited to counseling.

What do you find unfulfilling about the counselling part?

@BackforGood

Applying for teacher training on a whim seems an odd thing to do but if you love working with pupils in a school and find the counselling unfulfilling, then I'd seize the opportunity with two hands.

How does it work, doing a PGCE like this ? Obviously a PRU is a very different experience from most schools, so presumably would you have to move for 2nd and 3rd placements ?

If you do decide afterwards you don't want to stick at teaching, I'd have thought you'd be in a very good position to apply for Pastoral and Behaviour management roles, and even TA roles in specialist provision with that sort of training though, not limited to counseling.

Well I suppose it wasn't on a whim, I've always been interested in working with younger kids and originally just applied for some more information but the recruiter encouraged me to go for it and I really wanted to do it.

I would love to go into pastoral and I suppose that would make much more sense then going into teaching if I have any doubt as I'm under no illusion as to how challenging teaching is.

Thanks for your input

@ComeOnBabyPopMyBubble

What do you find unfulfilling about the counselling part?

Lots of things I suppose.

A lot of the students are told they have to attend counselling due to behavioural issues when in reality they have no interest at all which makes my job 10 times harder as counselling doesn't work if the person isn't on board.

I also work with a lot of autistic learners and often find myself having to watch that I don't overstep the counselling boundaries as I just find that they need a bit more individual support.

I guess I wish I could do more!