Is teaching a profressional job?

Teaching is a highly respected job, it's only behind being a doctor or scientist. You need a degree to enter the grad level training course.

Yet since starting my PGCE I wonder how professional this role is, or maybe it's just a bad time for the profession?

For example, on my course, some students have been removed from their first placement and should of failed but are being allowed to continue (I came pretty close myself).

At my school most of the teachers are spending lots of their own money - one quoted me £100 per term on supplies. Could you imagine this in other professions?

In interviews, you are often expected to be questioned by a student panel. Again something that happens in no other profession.

It's not a black or white answer for me but it's looking a very pale shade of grey.

Well there are professional standards so it's a profession. There's a register of teachers which people can be removed from.

You do know doctors are allowed resits during their courses? How is what you describe any different?

The teachers you've met have chosen to use their own money - not everyone does. This does not stop them being professionals ...

What wrong with a student panel? You get patient panels in GP interviews - students are the 'customers' after all.

As for being interviewed by students - they are your clients. If you can't convince them you should work in education why should you get a job? In other industries you may be asked to sell something to customers or do a job related test or task as part of the interview process. Is this not the same thing?


Good luck!

Hi ByEeek

To be clear I am absolutely fine with a teacher being expected to do a lesson or even two in an interview as that's the job. From that it should be clear to anyone watching if they are competent enough, can build a report with students etc. I have no idea what students asking random questions about favourite hobbies are and what team I support has any relevance for my ability to get kids to learn (and yes there are much worse questions being asked).
Plus students have little to no idea what good teaching is. In my experience kids like teachers who give them an easy time or are attractive and look like them. They are open to unconscious bias (just like anyone else I guess but probably less aware of it).

Ultimately there is no evidence whatsoever (and I would love to be proved wrong here) that children have any ability to know what good teaching is. The whole exercise is a gimmick (something which teaching suffers) to make schools look inclusive.

Plus students have little to no idea what good teaching is.

Teaching is a highly respected job, it's only behind being a doctor or scientist. You need a degree to enter the grad level training course.

Yet since starting my PGCE I wonder how professional this role is, or maybe it's just a bad time for the profession?

For example, on my course, some students have been removed from their first placement and should of failed but are being allowed to continue (I came pretty close myself).

At my school most of the teachers are spending lots of their own money - one quoted me £100 per term on supplies. Could you imagine this in other professions?

In interviews, you are often expected to be questioned by a student panel. Again something that happens in no other profession.

It's not a black or white answer for me but it's looking a very pale shade of grey.

That's a bit patronising. Two weeks ago I listened to Y10 students give an excellent presentation to all teachers in our school about what they prefer in lessons. Amongst other things they liked frequent testing and revision lessons. They also mentioned solo lessons which has opened my eyes to a completely new arm of pedagogy.

Besides, for a prospective teacher being interviewed by students is fab because you can probe what the school is actually like.

I say it's a professional job and yes there's flaws that need to be addressed in teaching.
Though I wouldn't say it's "behind a doctor or scientist". If you needed a PhD and to study for almost a decade, then sure, but you don't.
You're on the same wage as everyone else is on who have a degree and go into a degree required position, except you're overworked and do work out of paid hours which isn't fair.

Plus students have little to no idea what good teaching is. In my experience kids like teachers who give them an easy time or are attractive and look like them. They are open to unconscious bias (just like anyone else I guess but probably less aware of it).

Ultimately there is no evidence whatsoever (and I would love to be proved wrong here) that children have any ability to know what good teaching is. The whole exercise is a gimmick (something which teaching suffers) to make schools look inclusive.

I don't think it's patronising at all to say students do not know what good teaching as from what I've read of some of the most highly respected educationalists such as Dylon Wiliam or Becky Allen both state that it's incredibly hard to know for them.

Maybe you can get some insights into the school there. But how carefully selected are these panels? Again perhaps there is a false impression being created. Someone else asked have I had any interviews. Only two one panel was fine the other asked quite useless questions and was a waste time but I've also heard much worse from colleagues ie being asked to sing a chorus from their favourite song. Very demeaning.