Gap year before PGCE... Help.

Hi all,

Im going to be applying to do PGCE Maths in the future, possibly in September, maybe the year after.

I am currently studying Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College and have just finished my 3rd year. One thing I am considering is to end my university education here with a BEng instead of the MEng I'd achieve at the end of next year, in favour of having a year out to split my time between two things that I am passionate about which is teaching mathematics and writing.

I intend to get a voluntary place in a school mathematics department working once a week throughout the school term during any year out that I have.

I have a few questions:
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1. What do you recommend with regards me ending the degree early?
2. Would it adversely affect my chances of getting on a course at a leading institution?
3. Is there any harm in taking 2 or 3 years out if I keep up with my volunteering and keep building my skills in that way?

Your opinions are much appreciated,

Hardy

Reply 1

Interrobang

1. Given that you don't need the masters part to do a PGCE, it would be fine

2. Certainly not - most people just have a bachelors to do a PGCE

3. Not really! A lot of people don't go straight into teaching

Reply 2

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Original post by H4RDY

I have a few questions:
=================
1. What do you recommend with regards me ending the degree early?
2. Would it adversely affect my chances of getting on a course at a leading institution?
3. Is there any harm in taking 2 or 3 years out if I keep up with my volunteering and keep building my skills in that way?

Your opinions are much appreciated,

Hardy

1. It won't matter.

2. No.

3. Probably not but it is pointless. Once you have spent 3 or 4 days in a mathematics department, you will have sufficient experience for a PGCE application. Doing it for 39 weeks is unnecessary and doing it for 2 or 3 years is overkill of the highest order. You might find it harder than you think to persuade a Mathematics Dept to allow you in for more than a few days by the way.

Reply 3

yellow96

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 4

shorty.loves.angels

I'd say it depends on other things... do you KNOW you want to teach? Like, have you spent enough time in schools to know that you won't change your mind? 'cause if not then it might be worth trying to figure that out before you throw away a chance of doing a Masters in subject that'll give you an edge over others, should you ever decide that teaching isn't for you. Other than that, if you're not too bothered about going into teaching straight away then will it really hurt to do a Masters before all the other things you want to do?

It won't adversely affect your chances of teaching.

No harm, but I'm not sure what you'll gain from one day a week, and that's if you find somewhere. Maybe try to get a block placement, for a term perhaps? and then go off and do all those other things once you've got some reasonable experience and can build on those skills etc.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 5

Mr M

Study Forum Helper

Original post by yellow96

As for teaching, there're rumours doing the rounds that the government will make it a Masters level field soon anyway, so you may as well get the MEng out of the way now.