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Do a lot of people turn to teaching for the wrong reasons?

I have a couple of friends who are enrolled on PGCE courses just because they have no idea what to do with their lives. It is the "easy" option for them as you get grants, long summer holidays, etc.

Is this true of a lot of trainee teachers?

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I don't think so. The training year is unbelievably tough and if they don't really want to do it they will drop out. Also the bursaries have been cancelled so it will be hard financially as well as emotionally and physically.
Yes, in the beginning, but as previously said, a lot would then drop out. I only say this because a lot of people on my Maths PGCE said that they wanted to do Primary but it was too competitive.
Reply 3
I have a years worth of teaching experience...and i want to make it permanent because I absolutely loved it! Could do without the marking bit...but every job has its pitfalls! :rolleyes:

I don't think anyone should go into it for the money, hols etc...remember, half those hols will be occupied with marking essays and exams and trying to come up with plenaries, lesson plans etc! I know people who (tried) to do it for the money...and they ended up dropping out :frown:
Reply 4
There are some teachers who shouldn't be in their profession. I know how awful some students can be, I've been at a state school for five years, but some have a complete lack of enthusiasm for their jobs. Yes, it's a tough job and the pay isn't great, but teachers should only go into that job if they are able to deal with it.

In year 11 for science I had a dreadful teacher. She said to the class at the beginning of the year, somewhere along the lines of "You know what? I don't f***ing care if you fail your GCSEs, I have mine anyway". Eurgh! The majority of the class I was in were a bunch of chavs, but in the end I was so annoyed with the woman I had to teach it to myself. Students and teachers like her are very infuriating, because it deprives the students who want to learn. I was utterly stupid to not accept going to a private school when my parents offered it.

I used to feel sorry for the teachers when I was in year 8/9, when suddenly everyone was report, having fights and they behaved so poorly. It really is quite shocking that some children were brought up so badly. Their parents had a complete lack of respect for the teachers too. Though saying that, a teacher should be able to control a class and I do believe that there should be stricter disclipine in schools.

In answer to your question, yes some teachers do go into teaching for the 'wrong reasons', like the teacher I mentioned above. However, there are some teachers who really are hindered from performing well simply because students misbehave to such an extent.
Original post by BBGirl
I have a years worth of teaching experience...and i want to make it permanent because I absolutely loved it! Could do without the marking bit...but every job has its pitfalls! :rolleyes:

I don't think anyone should go into it for the money, hols etc...remember, half those hols will be occupied with marking essays and exams and trying to come up with plenaries, lesson plans etc! I know people who (tried) to do it for the money...and they ended up dropping out :frown:


It's true, teaching is a very stressful profession that requires an immense amount of dedication and commitment. Teaching is not just a job, it is a lifestyle. You do get the holidays, but not only is there planning, marking and preparation to do outside of teaching hours, but also putting together porfolios for professional development, attending meetings and creating resources. You need to be multi skilled and these days you should be willing to teach subjects outside of your specialism and many teachers are seconded within other departments due to staff shortages and absences. I know this because I've worked in schools as support staff and my ex boyfriend (Who sadly is no longer with us) was an excellent teacher.
I want to go into teaching, I have for pretty much as long as I can remember, but my desire to do it was really confirmed in Year 11, when a) I met my current Literature and RS teachers, who have inspired me in so many ways and b) I went through an extremely difficult time in my life, and realised just how much some of my teachers helped me get through it, without me even asking. I genuinely think that teachers are the unnamed heroes of society, what they do is so amazing and they can impact the lives of young students in so many incredible ways, I just want to be a part of it. Plus, my Literature teacher really helped bring out my true passion for the subject - I'd absolutely love to be able to inspire someone like she's inspired me!
There are some people who go into teaching for the wrong reasons - my GCSE French teacher was absolutely abysmal; she hated kids, she hated her job, I have no idea what possessed her to become a teacher. But I think it's a bit far to say that "a lot" of people go into teaching for the wrong reasons. Some do, but most, I think, do really care.
Original post by LoveErinxo

Original post by LoveErinxo
I want to go into teaching, I have for pretty much as long as I can remember, but my desire to do it was really confirmed in Year 11, when a) I met my current Literature and RS teachers, who have inspired me in so many ways and b) I went through an extremely difficult time in my life, and realised just how much some of my teachers helped me get through it, without me even asking. I genuinely think that teachers are the unnamed heroes of society, what they do is so amazing and they can impact the lives of young students in so many incredible ways, I just want to be a part of it. Plus, my Literature teacher really helped bring out my true passion for the subject - I'd absolutely love to be able to inspire someone like she's inspired me!
There are some people who go into teaching for the wrong reasons - my GCSE French teacher was absolutely abysmal; she hated kids, she hated her job, I have no idea what possessed her to become a teacher. But I think it's a bit far to say that "a lot" of people go into teaching for the wrong reasons. Some do, but most, I think, do really care.


Aww. What subject do you want to teach?
Original post by im so academic
Aww. What subject do you want to teach?


English :smile:
Original post by LoveErinxo

Original post by LoveErinxo
English :smile:


I love people who are passionate about English.

Oh and btw, you're going to be so lucky...
Original post by im so academic
I love people who are passionate about English.

Oh and btw, you're going to be so lucky...


Haha, well, you'll love me then! I take it your an English nerd too?
Oh really? Lucky with what?
Reply 11
I want to be a teacher but that's just something I've wanted to be for a few years now. I know that a job that's the same everyday with so little holidays isn't for me because I've got so used to the idea of being a teacher. But yeah some people do go into it for the wrong reasons I think. I know for sure teaching is what I want to do, I know being a teacher that I'll wake up in the morning and not dread work- well I hope!
Who suggested some teachers go in to it for the pay?! The pay teachers get is bloody awful considering we spend 4 years at university and work ****ing hard. Yes, we get long holidays, but most teachers I know need this simply to catch up on lost sleep and planning.

I'll admit the long holidays were a draw for me, but if people go in to teaching for that sort of reason, or cos they don't know what else to do, they won't be in it for long. It's a stressful job, which without the enjoyment of working with the kids, wouldn't be worth it at all. Teaching is not the sort of job you can do in a half ar*ed manner - those who try won't be (and shouldn't be) doing it long.
Original post by Popa Dom
I really disagree with this myth that teachers' pay is awful. Yeah it wasn't great before the labour government but now its frankly pretty good. I'm on the unqualified scale and living in central London, so should be one of the more broke teachers, but I'm living pretty comfortably. Granted I'm not saving anything this year, but the 5 grand pay rise when I qualify will be more than enough, plus the salary pretty much goes up by a grand every year for your first 6 years. And as for the holidays not being holidays, yeah most holidays I'll spend a day or 2 doing extra teaching sessions for kids, but if you're spending your whole holiday planning I reckon you're doing something wrong.. Anyway, a bit off topic, but its something that really annoyed me in the pensions debate, the whole pretending that teacher pay is awful when actually it's pretty decent.

As for the thread, I reckon a lot of people probably do go in it for the wrong reasons, myself included, but its kind of irrelevant. It's much more about whether you stay in it for the right reasons, and most who are teaching for the doss option probably won't stay around. I've actually found that I really quite enjoy teaching kids and so will be sticking with it for a while, does that make me a worse teacher than if I'd joined because I always wanted to be a teacher and help children?


Considering most people spend 4 years at uni to become a teacher, £21k is not great. Compare that to people who do law or medicine. Medicine you do spend longer at uni for, granted, but law could be done in 4 years I think, and then you'd be on £40k straight away.
Reply 14
Yeah, I think a lot of people just decide to teach because they can't think of anything else and it seems easy. These are the people that usually fail or are bad teachers though. It's a very difficult profession and many people underestimate that.:s-smilie:
I'm probably guilty of this, teaching is my back up plan if I literally cannot find a job doing anything else.
But I'd go into TEFL, I can still hit the kids if I teach abroad.
Reply 16
Easy? Hah! All the people who see teaching as the 'easy' option are soon weeded out in the training, there's a good reason it's classed as a profession.








It is quite obvious sitting through some lessons that a lot of teachers are there simply for the long holidays... I once had a teacher with a little plaque on the wall; it read: "3 reasons to be a teacher: June, July, August."

She had been teaching in USA at the time of purchase, where, coincidentally, June, July and August are by and large summer holidays.
Reply 19
Original post by Suzanathema
I don't think so. The training year is unbelievably tough and if they don't really want to do it they will drop out. Also the bursaries have been cancelled so it will be hard financially as well as emotionally and physically.


This, also I can't imagine that many people without enthusiasm would get on, I am worried enough that I won't and I REALLY want to do it lol, it's so competitive.

I imagine the thing you talk about will increase after this year though, if the planned new bursaries come in, a lot of science graduates with firsts will do a secondary PGCE just to get 21 grand lol.

As others have said I'd like to think that those who aren't good teachers don't end up being teachers and those who go in to it for the wrong reasons but stay as teachers do it because they find out they actually love and are good at it.

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