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Teaching maths with a chemistry degree

Hi, I’m doing a bio/chemistry (with a tiny bit of physics) access course to get into uni. I’ll be pretty restricted to bio/chem degrees I guess but I want to teach maths at secondary school after uni because I think it’s what I’d be best at teaching. Is this going to be possible? Or would I have to have a degree in maths to teach maths?
Okayyy I mean it would definitely be possible - there was a maths teacher at my school with a sociology degree and by doing science you’d already have more maths experience than him. As long as schools are desperate enough there is a chance (there is a chronic shortage of maths teachers).
However, you’d be a much better teacher if you were actually doing a maths degree and you’d be far more employable.
Is there any possible way you can do maths? If that’s really what you want to teach surely you should be doing it as a degree anyway?
Reply 2
It will almost certainly be fine - certainly if you have A level Maths. (do you?) They are always crying out for Maths teachers and loads of them don't have Maths degrees. The previous head of Maths where I work had a Biology degree and she was fine teaching Further maths at A level. I'm sad to say i know non-specialists with Bs and Cs at GCSE who get roped into teaching Year 7 and Year 8 Maths as schools are short on Maths teachers.
Reply 3
Original post by SusannaW
Okayyy I mean it would definitely be possible - there was a maths teacher at my school with a sociology degree and by doing science you’d already have more maths experience than him. As long as schools are desperate enough there is a chance (there is a chronic shortage of maths teachers).
However, you’d be a much better teacher if you were actually doing a maths degree and you’d be far more employable.
Is there any possible way you can do maths? If that’s really what you want to teach surely you should be doing it as a degree anyway?

I won’t get into a maths degree with my access course unfortunately, and I’m not 100% sure how well I’d do at degree level. I guess I could always try teaching chemistry see how I get on and if it’s awful I could try and shift over to the maths department haha
Reply 4
Original post by Compost
It will almost certainly be fine - certainly if you have A level Maths. (do you?) They are always crying out for Maths teachers and loads of them don't have Maths degrees. The previous head of Maths where I work had a Biology degree and she was fine teaching Further maths at A level. I'm sad to say i know non-specialists with Bs and Cs at GCSE who get roped into teaching Year 7 and Year 8 Maths as schools are short on Maths teachers.

That’s good to know thanks :smile: , I will eventually get my A level in maths I just don’t have it at the moment!!
Original post by Ellyy!
I won’t get into a maths degree with my access course unfortunately, and I’m not 100% sure how well I’d do at degree level. I guess I could always try teaching chemistry see how I get on and if it’s awful I could try and shift over to the maths department haha

Haha I’m sure you can find a way to make it work. As @Compost said it’s pretty common for maths teachers not to have a degree in maths so it’s definitely possible.

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