Calling all PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS - advice needed!!

[Zoomum]

Hello I would very much appreciate some advice or suggestions from primary school teachers or secondary school for that matter.
I am considering embarking upon a part time PGCE primary course. This would take place over 2 years. The reasons I am thinking about this are that I believe I would like working with children of that age, I would like a job that would also fit in with my LO's school holidays, a job that I might be able to move around with. And there are many other varied reasons. My baby would be about 15 months when i would start the course. It's also quite flexible.
The question is this: I am not entirely sure whether my 'heart' is in the career choice. I think I have all these reasons why teaching would be a good idea, but I just don't know whether I feel vocationally motivated. I hesitate because i am sure that the course and the teaching itself requires commitment and lots of energy, and I wonder whether it's possible to do that without feeling passionate about it. I don't feel passionately about it, I feel that it's something i should do because i don't know what else I want to do, if that makes sense.
I need advice from other teachers. What is it really like? Am I making a bad decision in going ahead with the course if I don't really feel my heart's in it. Help i feel confused! Maybe I just have to get on with it, i mean I want to get a proper job, with a salary and prospects for my son, so i can provide for him. Hope what I've written makes sense.
Thanks anyone who replies.

Speaking personally, I do know that a PGCE is lots of hard work, and when my ds was 15 months I found it hard to manage full-time teaching even though I had 13 years experience behind me. I think it would be difficult to do a PGCE with a 15 month old baby. That's just me though!

You need to get some classroom experience IMO. I'm secondary, not primary, but IME it is a pretty miserable job if it isn't for you. On the other hand, if it is the job for you, it is marvellous.

I'd say passion is needed in teaching. I started out with it and loved my job, along the way I lost it and have given up teaching now as I no longer enjoyed it at all and felt, without the passion, I wasn't giving the kids what they deserved.

Your heart needs to be in it.
Yes there are so many reasons why it is a good job to have when you have kids, but it is bloody hard work at times, the kids can be vile, you take your work home with you (physically and emotionally) and dont get me started on all the govt initiatives and paperwork!

However, it is amazingly rewarding, great fun and the kids keep you on the go!

I agree that it's a job you have to LOVE and really want to do. If you've got young children, you will on the whole not be able to give everything to the job, and you will also feel that you are neglecting your own children in favour of other people's!

Dear all,

thanks so much for getting back to me about this. I think I'm becoming clearer on the issue. I think I would probably wait until my DS is a little older then do the PGCE then. If I still want to do it. I'm thinking I want to do part time work until then.
Is teaching something that one can go into a little later in life? I'm 34 now. I do know that people do train as mature students. I'm finding it hard to balance my career aspirations with the fact that really I want to be at home with my LO till he starts nursery! The dilemma that all mums face I guess. But thanks so much again ladies for all your advice

Oh yes. Teaching very suitable for mature entry