Want to be a teacher but intimidated

Original post by Justfedup

So I want to be a teacher. I have a psychology degree and and science subject in my a levels so I thought I would teach science at secondary or just anything in primary.

Thing is I'm absolutely terrified of teaching exams. My sis went into teaching and had horrible experience of unsupportive mentor and it broke her confidence and lead her to fail. I know you have to be thick skinned...

Also, I've only got work experience as a tutor. Could I still apply for teaching and receive a conditional offer and do my w weeks experience after?

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So firstly I think you should look more into what you want to teach. You state you'd be happy with either primary or "science", but realistically you are talking about 4-5 subjects (Primary, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and presumably Psychology). So I'd make that step one. The three core sciences will come "with science" typically, allowing you to teach up to GCSE in any science, but up to A level in your specialised field - this may be tricky for you depending on how strong your A levels were, and I suspect you may only be able to do Biology (but I could be wrong!). I am unsure if Psychology would come "with science" but if it does, this would likely be your best option.

I'm not 100% what you mean by teaching exams? You're afraid to teach children how to pass exams or you're afraid to sit exams as part of a teaching course? There are no exams for teachers, so if it's the latter I wouldn't worry. If it's the former, then exams have always been there and always will. Mentoring quality/experience and how good your school is appears to vary massively, so you're always taking a bit of a chance, but bare in mind it can turn out fantastic as well as bad.

Regarding applying for this year, I wouldn't have thought you would be able to study Primary - it is incredibly competitive and pretty much all places will have filled up. If you apply for sciences I think you've a good shot. I applied for physics only a few weeks ago and already have had one offer following an interview. Waiting for the other to pull their finger out.

Best of luck.

Reply 2

OP

Original post by Elivercury

So firstly I think you should look more into what you want to teach. You state you'd be happy with either primary or "science", but realistically you are talking about 4-5 subjects (Primary, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and presumably Psychology). So I'd make that step one. The three core sciences will come "with science" typically, allowing you to teach up to GCSE in any science, but up to A level in your specialised field - this may be tricky for you depending on how strong your A levels were, and I suspect you may only be able to do Biology (but I could be wrong!). I am unsure if Psychology would come "with science" but if it does, this would likely be your best option.

I'm not 100% what you mean by teaching exams? You're afraid to teach children how to pass exams or you're afraid to sit exams as part of a teaching course? There are no exams for teachers, so if it's the latter I wouldn't worry. If it's the former, then exams have always been there and always will. Mentoring quality/experience and how good your school is appears to vary massively, so you're always taking a bit of a chance, but bare in mind it can turn out fantastic as well as bad.

Regarding applying for this year, I wouldn't have thought you would be able to study Primary - it is incredibly competitive and pretty much all places will have filled up. If you apply for sciences I think you've a good shot. I applied for physics only a few weeks ago and already have had one offer following an interview. Waiting for the other to pull their finger out.

Best of luck.

Oh I meant, that I have Alevels in biolog and chem so then I would teach core science upto GCSE. i dont really know what other options I have for secondary level (I have as level math too).

I am afraid of the teaching observation exams (when the university or school asess your teaching in class). I know i could be a teacher but those assessments I find daunting.

Do you reckon I could still apply for secondary science even though I have not done the school experience yet, only tutoring?

Reply 3

Original post by Justfedup

Oh I meant, that I have Alevels in biolog and chem so then I would teach core science upto GCSE. i dont really know what other options I have for secondary level (I have as level math too).

I am afraid of the teaching observation exams (when the university or school asess your teaching in class). I know i could be a teacher but those assessments I find daunting.

Do you reckon I could still apply for secondary science even though I have not done the school experience yet, only tutoring?

I only have experience at performing STEM activities with schools. The fact that you've been involved with children and know what to expect would give you as good a shot as any. Although if you're really serious I would advise trying to visit a school and see what it is like.

It's fine you can teach core science until GCSE, but what would you teach to A level? Psychology? Do the courses come with core science also?

As for teaching observation - they're not exams simply assessments designed to feed back what you are doing well and not so well. I imagine they'll be fairly nerve-wracking, but it's part of the profession and as I understand it will continue into professional teaching. It's important to get feedback so that we can continue to improve.

Reply 4

OP

Original post by Elivercury

I only have experience at performing STEM activities with schools. The fact that you've been involved with children and know what to expect would give you as good a shot as any. Although if you're really serious I would advise trying to visit a school and see what it is like.

It's fine you can teach core science until GCSE, but what would you teach to A level? Psychology? Do the courses come with core science also?

As for teaching observation - they're not exams simply assessments designed to feed back what you are doing well and not so well. I imagine they'll be fairly nerve-wracking, but it's part of the profession and as I understand it will continue into professional teaching. It's important to get feedback so that we can continue to improve.

Are you doing your in London? I just worry getting into a good University would be harder to get into for the PGCE in London.

Reply 5

Original post by Justfedup

Are you doing your in London? I just worry getting into a good University would be harder to get into for the PGCE in London.

No, I live in Scotland so am doing it there fee free (although the 25k bursary was tempting).

Ultimately you've nothing to lose. There are only a handful of weeks left in the applications process for this year, so most spaces will have been filled up already. If they've filled up, there is nothing you can do, so apply next year. If they're not full up, you can apply and you've got as good a shot as anyone else did and again, if you strike out you can just apply next year. If you do get on, great!

Reply 6

beanbrain

6

Original post by Justfedup

Oh I meant, that I have Alevels in biolog and chem so then I would teach core science upto GCSE. i dont really know what other options I have for secondary level (I have as level math too).

I am afraid of the teaching observation exams (when the university or school asess your teaching in class). I know i could be a teacher but those assessments I find daunting.

Do you reckon I could still apply for secondary science even though I have not done the school experience yet, only tutoring?

As a primary trainee who is about to have her final formal observation... they're not that bad!

I generally hate being watched doing anything, but with my first placement, the teacher was in there with me basically all the time. He gave me feedback about every lesson, and I became completely desensitised to having someone observing me teach. It continued somewhat into my second placement too. This placement, I'm on my own an awful lot (including being without an LSA!) so having someone in the classroom with me is a bit more worrying than I've found it since September.

Having said that, it really isn't that bad. As previously said, it depends an awful lot on pot luck - where you do your PGCE and placements will have a massive effect on your success. But even the others on my course who have had a turbulent time with tutors and mentors and school placements have pulled through and will pass shortly.

When it comes to the teaching observations, the key thing is to remember that they should be giving you constructive feedback. If things go wrong, they should be giving you advice on what you could try instead. If things could have been better, they will give you tips on how to achieve better. Being worried about the observations is a slightly odd reason not to go into teaching. If it is something you want to do that much, don't let that sort of thing stop you!

Reply 7

OP

Hey thanks. My sis was doing primary education and I'm slightly traumatised by her experience. She only had few weeks left to complete and was left alone to a manage her first class alone and was constantly being given negative feedback which made her not confident. She had panic the day before observation and it went downhill when she raised her concerns and recieved a fail. So yea I have anxiety of this. And her experience for some reason affected me alot.

Another thing is that I've been out of uni for 2 years now and don't have the discipline as I did academically. I defoe want to do something challenging like teaching though but just scared now...

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Reply 8

beanbrain

6

Original post by Justfedup

Hey thanks. My sis was doing primary education and I'm slightly traumatised by her experience. She only had few weeks left to complete and was left alone to a manage her first class alone and was constantly being given negative feedback which made her not confident. She had panic the day before observation and it went downhill when she raised her concerns and recieved a fail. So yea I have anxiety of this. And her experience for some reason affected me alot.

Another thing is that I've been out of uni for 2 years now and don't have the discipline as I did academically. I defoe want to do something challenging like teaching though but just scared now...

Posted from TSR Mobile

That is the sad truth of PGCEs - that a minority have a terrible experience and it ruins things for them. Being affected by the situation of someone you are close to is fine and normal. The important things to remember:

1) it IS the minority that this happens to. The drop-out rate people go on about is more often people who aren't ready, or people who thought teaching would be something it is not.
2) if anything happens such as a negative or poor mentor/tutor, it should be raised with somebody further up as soon as possible. Unfortunately, observations are a subjective thing, which means that the personality of the observer will affect what they say. It is quite possible that the person observing your sister had a negative outlook for one reason or another - which led to the problem she had.
3) resilience is key, and with resilience comes confidence and self-belief.

I was out of education for 4 years before starting last September. You will manage. There are people on my course with me who are over 40, and they managed fine. It is all down to you as a person, and that has nothing to do with your age or how long you haven't been in education. IMO, the more time out of the education system the better - life experience is invaluable in a school!

Reply 9

Original post by Justfedup

Oh I meant, that I have Alevels in biolog and chem so then I would teach core science upto GCSE. i dont really know what other options I have for secondary level (I have as level math too).

I am afraid of the teaching observation exams (when the university or school asess your teaching in class). I know i could be a teacher but those assessments I find daunting.

Do you reckon I could still apply for secondary science even though I have not done the school experience yet, only tutoring?

Are you able to teach biology and chemistry up to that level without an of those subjects in your degree with a PGCE?

Reply 10

Original post by offhegoes

Are you able to teach biology and chemistry up to that level without an of those subjects in your degree with a PGCE?

Assuming they are taught their core subject "with science" then they would be able to. I am teaching physics primarily, but will be expected to be able to teach Biology/Chemistry up to GCSE level.

Reply 11

OP

I just find it hard to understand my sisters university perspective for the reason they failed her. I think if I could stop being angry about it and come to terms with it I might be able to go into teaching myself

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Reply 12

username1799249

19

Original post by Justfedup

So I want to be a teacher. I have a psychology degree and and science subject in my a levels so I thought I would teach science at secondary or just anything in primary.

Thing is I'm absolutely terrified of teaching exams. My sis went into teaching and had horrible experience of unsupportive mentor and it broke her confidence and lead her to fail. I know you have to be thick skinned...

Also, I've only got work experience as a tutor. Could I still apply for teaching and receive a conditional offer and do my w weeks experience after?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Book a day or so of school experience. If you create a login on the Train to Teach website there is a portal of experience days near you. Then you can suck it and see. I have just been offered a school direct place and found the application very challenging. I ended up getting 4 days secondary and 2 days primary prior to submitting my application. During my 3 interviews I had to take a Y12 AS revision class and do a 20 minute lesson for Y8 pupils. If that phases you it might be worth waiting a bit.

Reply 13

Original post by Elivercury

Assuming they are taught their core subject "with science" then they would be able to. I am teaching physics primarily, but will be expected to be able to teach Biology/Chemistry up to GCSE level.

I'm just surprised you'd be allowed to teach at that level without having degree-level qualifications in those subjects!

Reply 14

Original post by offhegoes

I'm just surprised you'd be allowed to teach at that level without having degree-level qualifications in those subjects!

I mean gcse level science is pretty basic, i wouldn't have thought it would pose a challenge to anyone who did a degree in a scientific subject. Plus most people with science degrees typically did at least two sciences at A level. It seems like a natural cut off point to me personally

Reply 15

Original post by Elivercury

I mean gcse level science is pretty basic, i wouldn't have thought it would pose a challenge to anyone who did a degree in a scientific subject. Plus most people with science degrees typically did at least two sciences at A level. It seems like a natural cut off point to me personally

I know GCSE isn't too hard, I'm just surprised still that you'd be allowed to teach to that level without a degree-level qualification (I'm assuming you have degree-level credits at least?) in those subjects.

I know England is different to Scotland, but I did an A-Level in Physics and my degree was mainly Applied Maths, yet I don't believe I'd be allowed to teach the equivalent level in Physics with just PGCE/PGDE.

And Psychology is not exactly Biochemistry either :tongue:

Reply 16

OP

Psychology has a lot of biology in it

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Reply 17

Original post by Justfedup

Psychology has a lot of biology in it

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Applied Maths has a lot of physics in it.

Reply 18

Original post by offhegoes

I know GCSE isn't too hard, I'm just surprised still that you'd be allowed to teach to that level without a degree-level qualification (I'm assuming you have degree-level credits at least?) in those subjects.

I know England is different to Scotland, but I did an A-Level in Physics and my degree was mainly Applied Maths, yet I don't believe I'd be allowed to teach the equivalent level in Physics with just PGCE/PGDE.

And Psychology is not exactly Biochemistry either :tongue:

A pgce allows you to teach any subject, it teaches you how to teach. Granted people typically stick to their specialist areas as much as possible for obvious reasons, but it's possible.

Apparently it's not uncommon to get history/geography teachers teaching physics/science due to short supply in some areas of the country. This goes for both England and Scotland

Reply 19