Working in education- not as a teacher?

Hi all

I was just wondering if any of you work in the education sector but not as teachers? I've always been really passionate about the education system and issues such as equality, institutional racism, ensuring young people get the best quality of education and so forth...

I have a 2:1 law degree but I don't want to be a teacher... Are there any other ways of entering the education sector to actually make a difference (and a decent living?)

Thanks in advance for any input.

Reply 1

nunugab

14

educational researcher (you'll be able to assess and influence policy), educational psychologist etc

Reply 2

El Salvador

21

I'm an elected governor of a sixth form college, it's voluntary though so I don't get paid for that.

Reply 3

Shelly_x

15

Original post by MissBlackstar

Hi all

I was just wondering if any of you work in the education sector but not as teachers? I've always been really passionate about the education system and issues such as equality, institutional racism, ensuring young people get the best quality of education and so forth...

I have a 2:1 law degree but I don't want to be a teacher... Are there any other ways of entering the education sector to actually make a difference (and a decent living?)

Thanks in advance for any input.

There are a variety of positions you could take up. For example, things like youth worker, para professional, behavioural support worker, support worker, learning mentor, social worker.

Reply 4

magicalyoghurt

You could go into research by doing masters/phd then work at a university as a lecturer in education :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 5

MissBlackstar

OP

Original post by clh_hilary

I'm an elected governor of a sixth form college, it's voluntary though so I don't get paid for that.

That sounds really interesting- what does it involve- being a governer of a sixth form school? And how did you get that position?

Reply 6

El Salvador

21

Original post by MissBlackstar

That sounds really interesting- what does it involve- being a governer of a sixth form school? And how did you get that position?

I also think it's interesting. And obviously sounds very good on paper.

Basically I have all the rights to the school, from giving up running it (cannot close it as we are not a private school, the operation would be given back to the government who may or may not close it), to changing the timetables of each classes. It's the role of a member of the school board above the headteacher. But even though we could and no one can stop us from doing it, we don't typically intervene with the school's daily operation as not only do we not have that much time to waste, we also are unlikely to make better decisions than the actual paid management team (ie the headteacher and other teachers) due to not being closely involved with the operation.

The biggest duties I have are thus:
1. to supervise the school's smooth operation,
2. to safeguard the recruitment processes (mostly regarding academic members - the school board has given greater flexibility to the management team in recruiting administrative staff based on a fixed annual funding),
3. to approve and check the spending and books of the school (eg to grant funding to hire a teacher, approving the proposed salary based on the CV etc, to grant funding to buy anything including tables, chairs, softwares, or any broken or obsolete items, to check and endorse the financial reports of the school, etc),
4. to recommend and negotiation directions of the school, representing the welfare and viewpoints of my electorates,
5. to approve of any school board matters (this one is quite weird as one of the things I needed to approve is my own appointment for a second term).

In reality, I basically do two things:
1. Sign documents on the matters mentioned above.
2. Attend meetings (and engage in all necessary procedures in a conference, including but not exclusively electing a treasure and a secretary for the school board, discussing the annual reports, voting for or against specific policies, and of course, if appropriate, recommend).

I was elected into the position.

On the school board, there are 7 members from the sponsoring body ('Po Leung Kuk') who are essentially mega riches in Hong Kong who donated money for honorary positions in the organisation and subsequently its schools (one of whom is the supervisor of the school, who has the responsibility to ensure a lawful operation of the school, or s/he will go to jail), 1 elected representative of teachers (+1 observer), 1 elected representative of parents (+1 observer), 1 elected representative of alumni, and 1 (school board) appointed independent member (usually a representative of the biggest donor, but not a must). The headteacher is the ex officio member who holds no special power. All decisions are approved based on a majority, and the headteacher has no veto power.

I was an alumnus of the college, so I was eligible for that seat. Based on governmental regulation, I was nominated to the election hosted and supervised by the recognised alumni association of the college. After winning the election (with a simple majority or a walkover), the association nominated me to the school board for an appointment (hence for my second term I 'approved' my own appointment), and submitted the application to the government for my suitability based on the relevant ordinance (eg won't be absent for more than nine months during the term, won't be unfit for such a position, won't be a criminal, etc). With the application being approved by the government, I got registered as a governor (the proper title is 'school manager') of the school.

Reply 7

El Salvador

21

Original post by magicalyoghurt

You could go into research by doing masters/phd then work at a university as a lecturer in education :smile:

Posted from TSR Mobile

I believe you are most likely than not to need actual teaching experience before you can lecture in a faculty of education.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 8

username878045

17

Original post by clh_hilary

I believe you are most than not to need actual teaching experience before you can lecture in a faculty of education.

It's common, but you definitely don't need teaching experience (I'm a student at an Education Faculty).

OP: As well as the university sector of research, there are a few private research organisations like the NFER which you could attempt to work in. There's also the third/charity sector - organisations like the Sutton Trust. And then there's also the civil service, working for the DfE.

Reply 9

El Salvador

21

Original post by PythianLegume

It's common, but you definitely don't need teaching experience (I'm a student at an Education Faculty).

OP: As well as the university sector of research, there are a few private research organisations like the NFER which you could attempt to work in. There's also the third/charity sector - organisations like the Sutton Trust. And then there's also the civil service, working for the DfE.

Missed a word - I meant most likely than not. If you've got actual teaching experience, you will definitely be advantaged unless you already have research output as the institution is likely to expect you to teach more as a junior member.

Definitely don't need experience for civil service. Look at the King of Education Mikey. He was a journalist.

Reply 10

username878045

17

Original post by clh_hilary

Missed a word - I meant most likely than not. If you've got actual teaching experience, you will definitely be advantaged unless you already have research output as the institution is likely to expect you to teach more as a junior member.

Definitely don't need experience for civil service. Look at the King of Education Mikey. He was a journalist.

Well Gove is an elected official, not one chosen by recruitment. MPs don't need experience in the same way civil servants might,but naturally there will be entry level positions.

Also, plenty of education lecturers have no experience of teaching before they first become lecturers. Otherwise Education Faculties would be forced to only recruit out of ex-teachers.

Reply 11

El Salvador

21

Original post by PythianLegume

Well Gove is an elected official, not one chosen by recruitment. MPs don't need experience in the same way civil servants might,but naturally there will be entry level positions.

Also, plenty of education lecturers have no experience of teaching before they first become lecturers. Otherwise Education Faculties would be forced to only recruit out of ex-teachers.

I don't know, I'm just saying I believe it will be an advantage. And I think all lecturers in my faculty of education (which was once ranked No 8 globally) has had prior teaching experience, though it could be as short as a year.

Reply 12

Origami Bullets

19

Have you looked at the charitable sector? There are quite a few charities that work in that sector, both in campaigning and outreach.

Reply 13

nunugab

14

Original post by clh_hilary

I believe you are most likely than not to need actual teaching experience before you can lecture in a faculty of education.

False. You don't need teaching experience to be an educational researcher. Also, I believe you'll be studying at the Department of Education at Oxford and the educational researchers there don't all have teaching experience!

(edited 10 years ago)

Working in education- not as a teacher?

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