Career Change from Teaching to Speech and Language Therapy?
I've been a primary school teacher for 4 years now. I don't dislike teaching nor do I dislike my current school, although being in Requires Improvement schools for 4 years is stressful and draining!
I've been looking into alternative careers and have become more and more interested in speech and language therapy. I have a high 2:1 in Psychology as well as my PGCE Primary and professional experience working with children, some of whom have had special needs including S&L difficulties.
I've emailed local clinics/PCTs and have had 1 reply saying I could volunteer/shadow a day or more a week beginning September. No other replies yet.
I still have a few concerns and would be grateful for advice/opinions/suggestions on any or all of the following:
1. I haven't spoken to my headteacher yet, but am planning to this week. I plan to say I want to drop down to part-time and is this possible? Or could I do supply work knowing I'd be able to come back to the school a day or more a week. Once I say it, it's out there and I'm worried that if I back out of leaving, I will not look committed to being a teacher at the school.
2. I'm worried about earning money while gaining voluntary experience. Ideally I need 3 days work a week to survive financially. This could be tricky.
3. I emailed Reading's postgraduate department out of concern for my lack of 'recent academic study' - it's 4 years since my PGCE and will be at least 5/6/7 years when I actually begin a course. The reply was I'd need to do a course like an A Level (£300+) or an Open University module (£1200+). I resent this. I'm academic by nature. I pretty much refuse to pay extra when it already looks like I'll be racking up an even more huge student loan debt than my already massive debt with the move from bursary's to student loans as of Sept 2017. I wonder if anyone knows are other courses the same or can I get away with being mature (currently 29) and not having evidence of recent academic study?
4. The whole bursary scrap thing - makes the landscape look a bit scary and unknown for the future. Will there be more places available after the switch? Surely depends on individual institutions? Also I'll have close to £60k in loan repayments if I complete another course. Not sure it's worth it to have all that when I'd start earning £21k (£5k less than I'm currently earning in teaching).
Being 29 and feeling a bit flighty, I reasoned that if I did want to dip my toe in the water of another career, now is the time as I'm not yet married and don't have children. If I leave it any longer I'd be leaving my family in even more of a financially unstable situation. Or I won't do it at all but then worry I'll regret not seeing if there is any greener grass.
Lengthy stream, sorry, but any and all comments will be so appreciated! *brain scrambled!*
I've been looking into alternative careers and have become more and more interested in speech and language therapy. I have a high 2:1 in Psychology as well as my PGCE Primary and professional experience working with children, some of whom have had special needs including S&L difficulties.
I've emailed local clinics/PCTs and have had 1 reply saying I could volunteer/shadow a day or more a week beginning September. No other replies yet.
I still have a few concerns and would be grateful for advice/opinions/suggestions on any or all of the following:
1. I haven't spoken to my headteacher yet, but am planning to this week. I plan to say I want to drop down to part-time and is this possible? Or could I do supply work knowing I'd be able to come back to the school a day or more a week. Once I say it, it's out there and I'm worried that if I back out of leaving, I will not look committed to being a teacher at the school.
2. I'm worried about earning money while gaining voluntary experience. Ideally I need 3 days work a week to survive financially. This could be tricky.
3. I emailed Reading's postgraduate department out of concern for my lack of 'recent academic study' - it's 4 years since my PGCE and will be at least 5/6/7 years when I actually begin a course. The reply was I'd need to do a course like an A Level (£300+) or an Open University module (£1200+). I resent this. I'm academic by nature. I pretty much refuse to pay extra when it already looks like I'll be racking up an even more huge student loan debt than my already massive debt with the move from bursary's to student loans as of Sept 2017. I wonder if anyone knows are other courses the same or can I get away with being mature (currently 29) and not having evidence of recent academic study?
4. The whole bursary scrap thing - makes the landscape look a bit scary and unknown for the future. Will there be more places available after the switch? Surely depends on individual institutions? Also I'll have close to £60k in loan repayments if I complete another course. Not sure it's worth it to have all that when I'd start earning £21k (£5k less than I'm currently earning in teaching).
Being 29 and feeling a bit flighty, I reasoned that if I did want to dip my toe in the water of another career, now is the time as I'm not yet married and don't have children. If I leave it any longer I'd be leaving my family in even more of a financially unstable situation. Or I won't do it at all but then worry I'll regret not seeing if there is any greener grass.
Lengthy stream, sorry, but any and all comments will be so appreciated! *brain scrambled!*
Original post by NakeliPunkus
I've been a primary school teacher for 4 years now. I don't dislike teaching nor do I dislike my current school, although being in Requires Improvement schools for 4 years is stressful and draining!
I've been looking into alternative careers and have become more and more interested in speech and language therapy. I have a high 2:1 in Psychology as well as my PGCE Primary and professional experience working with children, some of whom have had special needs including S&L difficulties.
I've emailed local clinics/PCTs and have had 1 reply saying I could volunteer/shadow a day or more a week beginning September. No other replies yet.
I still have a few concerns and would be grateful for advice/opinions/suggestions on any or all of the following:
1. I haven't spoken to my headteacher yet, but am planning to this week. I plan to say I want to drop down to part-time and is this possible? Or could I do supply work knowing I'd be able to come back to the school a day or more a week. Once I say it, it's out there and I'm worried that if I back out of leaving, I will not look committed to being a teacher at the school.
2. I'm worried about earning money while gaining voluntary experience. Ideally I need 3 days work a week to survive financially. This could be tricky.
3. I emailed Reading's postgraduate department out of concern for my lack of 'recent academic study' - it's 4 years since my PGCE and will be at least 5/6/7 years when I actually begin a course. The reply was I'd need to do a course like an A Level (£300+) or an Open University module (£1200+). I resent this. I'm academic by nature. I pretty much refuse to pay extra when it already looks like I'll be racking up an even more huge student loan debt than my already massive debt with the move from bursary's to student loans as of Sept 2017. I wonder if anyone knows are other courses the same or can I get away with being mature (currently 29) and not having evidence of recent academic study?
4. The whole bursary scrap thing - makes the landscape look a bit scary and unknown for the future. Will there be more places available after the switch? Surely depends on individual institutions? Also I'll have close to £60k in loan repayments if I complete another course. Not sure it's worth it to have all that when I'd start earning £21k (£5k less than I'm currently earning in teaching).
Being 29 and feeling a bit flighty, I reasoned that if I did want to dip my toe in the water of another career, now is the time as I'm not yet married and don't have children. If I leave it any longer I'd be leaving my family in even more of a financially unstable situation. Or I won't do it at all but then worry I'll regret not seeing if there is any greener grass.
Lengthy stream, sorry, but any and all comments will be so appreciated! *brain scrambled!*
I've been looking into alternative careers and have become more and more interested in speech and language therapy. I have a high 2:1 in Psychology as well as my PGCE Primary and professional experience working with children, some of whom have had special needs including S&L difficulties.
I've emailed local clinics/PCTs and have had 1 reply saying I could volunteer/shadow a day or more a week beginning September. No other replies yet.
I still have a few concerns and would be grateful for advice/opinions/suggestions on any or all of the following:
1. I haven't spoken to my headteacher yet, but am planning to this week. I plan to say I want to drop down to part-time and is this possible? Or could I do supply work knowing I'd be able to come back to the school a day or more a week. Once I say it, it's out there and I'm worried that if I back out of leaving, I will not look committed to being a teacher at the school.
2. I'm worried about earning money while gaining voluntary experience. Ideally I need 3 days work a week to survive financially. This could be tricky.
3. I emailed Reading's postgraduate department out of concern for my lack of 'recent academic study' - it's 4 years since my PGCE and will be at least 5/6/7 years when I actually begin a course. The reply was I'd need to do a course like an A Level (£300+) or an Open University module (£1200+). I resent this. I'm academic by nature. I pretty much refuse to pay extra when it already looks like I'll be racking up an even more huge student loan debt than my already massive debt with the move from bursary's to student loans as of Sept 2017. I wonder if anyone knows are other courses the same or can I get away with being mature (currently 29) and not having evidence of recent academic study?
4. The whole bursary scrap thing - makes the landscape look a bit scary and unknown for the future. Will there be more places available after the switch? Surely depends on individual institutions? Also I'll have close to £60k in loan repayments if I complete another course. Not sure it's worth it to have all that when I'd start earning £21k (£5k less than I'm currently earning in teaching).
Being 29 and feeling a bit flighty, I reasoned that if I did want to dip my toe in the water of another career, now is the time as I'm not yet married and don't have children. If I leave it any longer I'd be leaving my family in even more of a financially unstable situation. Or I won't do it at all but then worry I'll regret not seeing if there is any greener grass.
Lengthy stream, sorry, but any and all comments will be so appreciated! *brain scrambled!*
Are you fixed as to where you study location-wise? If not maybe check out MMU - they offer a speech therapy masters specifically for psychology grads and on their website they state evidence of study within the last 5 years.
Do you mean evidence, or they don't need evidence? My point was I don't really want to spend even more money doing a course just so I can prove I can still cope with uni, and then pay for another course! What a headache :/
Original post by NakeliPunkus
Do you mean evidence, or they don't need evidence? My point was I don't really want to spend even more money doing a course just so I can prove I can still cope with uni, and then pay for another course! What a headache :/
I assumed that as your last studying was within the 5 year period then you may not need any further course. Might be worth a phone call.
Ah but they said at the within 5 years from the proposed course start date... this is why I'm thinking that could be 6 or 7 years :/
Hi, just thought I would reply, not sure if what I have to say will be any help. I finished my degree 2 yrs ago. I then completed half of a PGCE, I had thought for years I wanted to be a teacher. Anyway I had a few problems on my course and intermitted with intentions to go back to complete the next year. In the meantime I got a job as a TA. Then started seriously considering SALT as I had not enjoyed the PGCE as I thought I would and all I could see in teaching was stress and having no life outside teaching. I had been interested in SALT for a while but only started seriously considering it just over a year ago when I left PGCE. I was a TA for a while - did as much speech and Lang stuff with the kids as possible - something the SENCO and Speech and language TA supported me to do so got some experience. I left that job and am now working as a SALT assistant in hearing impairment centres and early years, working with speech therapists and clients everyday and it is fab! So different to teaching but brilliant. Standing up in front of 30 children was not for me, I found it nerve racking and that meant I couldn't focus on other aspects of the lesson but I am just loving being a therapy assistant so far (although I understand it is a different role go an actual therapist, but the therapists I meet seem to have a life & not be as stressed as the teachers I know). Anyway I will be applying for the postgrad courses soon, poss 2017 entry, and will now have lots of relevant experience with children, just need to get a bit more experience with adults.
So what I was trying to say is it's worth going for it
although the it sounds like you do enjoy your current job & SALT isn't without its stresses.
Do you have to give specific reasons for wanting to go part time? Alternatively could you look at doing a SALT assistant job for a bit - will be less money just you said you could survive on 3days a week of teaching so either full time SALTA or part time along with supply teaching?
I can't help re the recent study thing but there must be some relatively cheap course you can do online if necessary.
Re the funding it is scary and agree not really sure what it means. I doubt places will increase massively as 2017 is first year it's changing. It's a bit of wait and see but we have been told there will be exceptions for healthcare courses I.e you can get a second loan even if you have one & these will only be paid bk after your original loan has been. Only you can decide if the drop in pay is a problem. I feel there are more options for progression in speech therapy (particularly ones that still involving working with the children instead of being in an office) so that might come into consideration for you. If it's consolation if I do go in 2017 I would be nearly 28 before qualifying. If you still like teaching maybe you could get experience in school holidays and apply in a couple of years instead when funding situation etc is better known.
Whatever you decide to do, best of luck, it's always difficult when you make a big change but could be for the best like it has been in my case.
So what I was trying to say is it's worth going for it
although the it sounds like you do enjoy your current job & SALT isn't without its stresses. Do you have to give specific reasons for wanting to go part time? Alternatively could you look at doing a SALT assistant job for a bit - will be less money just you said you could survive on 3days a week of teaching so either full time SALTA or part time along with supply teaching?
I can't help re the recent study thing but there must be some relatively cheap course you can do online if necessary.
Re the funding it is scary and agree not really sure what it means. I doubt places will increase massively as 2017 is first year it's changing. It's a bit of wait and see but we have been told there will be exceptions for healthcare courses I.e you can get a second loan even if you have one & these will only be paid bk after your original loan has been. Only you can decide if the drop in pay is a problem. I feel there are more options for progression in speech therapy (particularly ones that still involving working with the children instead of being in an office) so that might come into consideration for you. If it's consolation if I do go in 2017 I would be nearly 28 before qualifying. If you still like teaching maybe you could get experience in school holidays and apply in a couple of years instead when funding situation etc is better known.
Whatever you decide to do, best of luck, it's always difficult when you make a big change but could be for the best like it has been in my case.
I know this is a 2 year old post but I am really interested in what you decided to do. I'm in a similar position... Secondary school teacher (MFL), 30 years old, student debt... But I need to change careers...
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