DH got an interview for a teaching course - any tips?

[Jojo12]

Hi, DH is currently seriously considering a move from media to secondary teaching, and has an interview for a PGDE course in a few weeks. He wants to do a 'more worthwhile' job and has a passion for English lit - but have to admit that I'm not sure he actually has a 'passion for teaching' iykwim, rather that it seems a reasonable career move with his degree and background in media.
Would be great to hear if anyone's done a similar move in their mid-thirties - what's it really like?
He's worried he'll be up against countless 'bright young things' with lots of vacation experience of teaching English abroad etc, so any tips or wake up calls gratefully received!

Thanks cat64, I've suggested shadowing a teacher to him, but he just thinks he won't have a chance to do it - he currently works 9-8pm 6 days a week, and hard enough for him to get time off for the interview, never mind shadowing experience. I don't want to be disloyal, but he's incredibly unhappy at work and I get the impresion he's essentially grasping at straws rather than really passionate about teaching. If he was passionate about teaching, surely he would have been volunteering with an adult literacy programme or something?! You must be fed up of people like him entering teaching on a whim - sorry!

And sorry to gripe - he's away overnight 300 miles away for his job, leaving me with the kids and he won't be back til midnight tomorrow - so the kids won't see him til Saturday. Harumph. Thanks for listening!!

If he is asked why he wants to teach, he should only give positives about teaching and not negatives about his current job.

Oh, that's a good one scienceteacher. Will get him to think about that seriously now actually, hopefully will help him to clarify his feelings about whether teaching is really for him...

I do think, although it will be hard to find the time, he really should organise some shadowing before he applies for a PGCE or GTP place. Even if it means using up some of his holiday allowance. Teaching is really tough if you are not cut out for it and it is quite common for people to drop out either during their course or in the first year as an NQT. If it isn't for him, it'd be much better to find that out now while he has a job (even if it's one he hates) rather than a few weeks into the course when he's given up his job.

The thing that has got me every job and my GGCE place was the fact I have a real passion for teacing, that was going to be
my answer when i just saw the thread title. The minute I talk about my job or my subject my whole face lights up your dh needs to communicate passion.

agree TWINSET - it has to be there on his face - that energy and drive

Cheers everyone - this has been really useful food for thought, thanks x

No probs Cat!

hi there

I'm dephead of a school and also work really closely with teacher training agency. It's great that your dh is considering teaching. One piece of advice/info is that PGCE courses are currently very difficult to get onto due to the amount of candidates applying. Having experience in a school will not only help confirm your dhs aspirations (or not!) but also work favourably in an interview situation x Also look at educational websites such as www.dcsf.gov.uk