What can I do as an undergraduate that wants to get into teaching?

I will enter the second year of my maths degree in September, and intend on a teaching career. What can I do now that will help me to gain relevant experience? All my research points to graduate programmes but I can’t seem to find anything for me to do as an undergraduate.

I have already attended a teach first taster programme (not that I intend on going through TF), and I am a private tutor.

Reply 1

eilish1903

17

ask a local school if you could volunteer as a teaching assistant maybe once a week in the subject you want to teach. I just finished my biochemistry degree and I'm starting my PGCE in a few weeks at the University of Reading. I volunteered as a teaching assistant in my local school to gain work experience and it really helped my application. It also allows you to build relationships with already developed professionals in the area, gives a good insight into what you could face day to day in the career and also a really good point of reference for your application. If you have any questions feel free to drop me a private message 😊❤️

Reply 2

eilish1903

17

I'd also suggest spending a bit of spare time looking into the national curriculum and specifications of different exam boards to familiarize yourself with it all, as a lot has changed recently and it will be different to when you took your exams.

Reply 3

sp00kymcflukey

8

As a prospective maths teacher you won't have any trouble getting into the profession. Experience in a school is probably the only thing you will need, and it will benefit you to see the inner workings so try and schedule some as soon as you're available.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 4

k92e67

OP

14

Original post by eilish1903

ask a local school if you could volunteer as a teaching assistant maybe once a week in the subject you want to teach. I just finished my biochemistry degree and I'm starting my PGCE in a few weeks at the University of Reading. I volunteered as a teaching assistant in my local school to gain work experience and it really helped my application. It also allows you to build relationships with already developed professionals in the area, gives a good insight into what you could face day to day in the career and also a really good point of reference for your application. If you have any questions feel free to drop me a private message 😊❤️

Thanks for your reply! This is really useful. I did not think of volunteering as a TA.

Reply 5

SarcAndSpark

20

Original post by k92e67

I will enter the second year of my maths degree in September, and intend on a teaching career. What can I do now that will help me to gain relevant experience? All my research points to graduate programmes but I can’t seem to find anything for me to do as an undergraduate.

I have already attended a teach first taster programme (not that I intend on going through TF), and I am a private tutor.

If you want to teach maths at secondary, you won't have a problem. Obviously more experience is better, but you'll have people snapping you up!

If you want to teach primary, a maths background will still make you a strong candidate, but it is a bit more competitive.

Things that can help include:
-Volunteering in a school e.g. to listen to readers once a week.
-Volunteering elsewhere with the age group you want to teach e.g. brownies or cubs or a sports club.
-Getting paid work experience with the age group you want to teach by e.g. working at a holiday club in the summers.
-See if your uni does any education outreach and getting involved in that.

I hope this helps and good luck!

What can I do as an undergraduate that wants to get into teaching?

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