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Mfl PGCE Yes or No?

Dear friends,

I have been debating a PGCE for over a year. I am a fluent Spanish speaker, and would love to do a Spanish PGCE. However, I have been deterred by the negative comments of the PGce year and the amount of workload involved.

A huge insentive is that the government pay a bursary of £26k tax free to do the PGCE. I feel as if there is a catch, is it really hard?

P.s I have over a year experience as a graduate Teaching Assistant.

Thanks for reading,
Shane

Reply 1

username1799249

Teaching is very challenging and the PGCE year is brutal. Once you qualify teachers work exceedingly hard. I nearly lost my voice yesterday (cold) and feel dreadful today but will still be in school on Monday. Teaching is a vocation and is not necessarily about that rose tinted dream of getting the little darlings to sing Spanish sea shanties. That said, it is rewarding and I am generally enjoying the challenge. But you shouldn't be doing it for £26k. You should be doing it because you want to be a teacher.

Good luck!

Reply 2

Happy E

Original post by ByEeek

As ByEeek said, teaching is wonderful if it is your vocation. I feel that it is mine. The PGCE was definitely the hardest year of my life. You are essentially doing a degree in a year. You are actually not fully able to do the job until you are actually doing it, so experience does teach you the job.

I did the PGCE in 2001-2. I am still learning everyday.

I do primary teaching.

Teaching is never going to pay you big money and the job is always going to take up more time than your contract pays you for, but you get such a buzz from it, if it is right for you! I really love my job.

Go for it! You have been an assistant so know what being in a school is like.

Happy E

Reply 3

ShaneGazey

Thank you guys!

Personally, my experience hasn't made me love teaching. I understand it's a job that you have to love, so I will need to make a decision very soon. Your answers have been great!