should i defer my uni entry?

basically I want to be a maths teacher and obviously I cant do work experience in summer holidays? ive helped a year 8 class at my school when I was in y12 and going in to y13 I'm going to be helping some other classes. I also do some tutoring outside of school (not much).
I'm applying this time to uni to study mathematics and then plan to do a teaching course afterwards. thus, do I defer to do a year work experience before I go and study maths? then can go straight to the teaching? or do I do a year experience between the maths and teaching courses?
I just want to get a lot of experience in different locations and obviously its hard to find experience in summer holidays for teaching?

Reply 1

AnnaRainbows

13

If you really feel like you want/need work experience, there's no harm in taking a gap year and preparing for uni. As long as you keep busy and proactive about it, it will benefit you :smile:

Good luck!

Reply 2

beth-robinson99

OP

13

Original post by AnnaRainbows

If you really feel like you want/need work experience, there's no harm in taking a gap year and preparing for uni. As long as you keep busy and proactive about it, it will benefit you :smile:

Good luck!

thank you haha! but I'm really not sure as to whether to do it or not? I see pros and cons for both sides!

Reply 3

AnnaRainbows

13

Original post by beth-robinson99

thank you haha! but I'm really not sure as to whether to do it or not? I see pros and cons for both sides!

I'm almost confident that all the work you've done with students before counts as experience, especially if you can word it well in the personal statement :smile:

also, I'm not quite aware of what kind of formal experience would you need for a Maths degree/teaching degree, it just seems too difficult to get a placement in a school or any other academic centre... Is there a thing called teacher-shadowing? Pretty sure we do that every day anyway as students :biggrin:

what about teaching assistant? Again, would probably need qualifications for that...

Which makes me think perhaps you don't even need work experience to apply; the only courses that I know need experiences are all the vet med/med courses so :smile:

Have you done all the research?

Sorry for the wall of text!

Reply 4

beth-robinson99

OP

13

yeah, no that all makes perfect sense but I'm the kind of person who feels like they haven't done enough if I don't do my experience? like I cheated the system haha!

and yeha well id look at sitting in with a mixture of classes and abilities, the teacher obviously teaches and I go round and help those stuck, and mark work etc?

Reply 5

AnnaRainbows

13

Original post by beth-robinson99

yeah, no that all makes perfect sense but I'm the kind of person who feels like they haven't done enough if I don't do my experience? like I cheated the system haha!

and yeha well id look at sitting in with a mixture of classes and abilities, the teacher obviously teaches and I go round and help those stuck, and mark work etc?

It's very admirable that you're so ambitious, but the requirements are the same for everyone applying :smile:

if you don't need the experience for your application, then there's no need to worry about it. You can get plenty of it as an extracurricular activity whilst you're doing your degree if you're up for it. But really, no need to get anxious!

You won't be any less behind or less prepared than any other person on the same course you're thinking of going to.

Reply 6

beth-robinson99

OP

13

Original post by AnnaRainbows

It's very admirable that you're so ambitious, but the requirements are the same for everyone applying :smile:

if you don't need the experience for your application, then there's no need to worry about it. You can get plenty of it as an extracurricular activity whilst you're doing your degree if you're up for it. But really, no need to get anxious!

You won't be any less behind or less prepared than any other person on the same course you're thinking of going to.