The Student Room Group

Work while teacher training options

Hi, I am current teaching assistant in a high school who has recently accepted working with a pupil who has complex medical needs, and who will be a pupil at the school for the next 4 years. I accepted the job due to covid, but I have always wanted to be a teacher and recently fellow staff members have suggested that I should make the transition from ta to teacher sooner rather than later, and I would like to also. However, if I were to do a conventional pgce with qts - the pupil I would have to go through another ta training on their medical needs which puts them through a lot of physical and emotional stress. I therefore was wondering if anyone knew of any routes into teaching that would still allow me to work with this pupil and train at the same time? For example a part time pgce with qts (how do they work), or could I do an online pgce without qts whilst working as a TA, and then still get a job as a teacher? Or are there other options? TIA
(edited 2 years ago)
Reply 1
That is really lovely, but you are talking about two different jobs. Either looking after this pupil or training to teach. Regardless it is too late to apply for teacher training now - at least realistically. Why not put your applications in next October when the application process opens and give your school, your pupil and his / her family the best part of a year's notice to get alternative provision.

There is a line between total commitment to someone and your own goals and ambitions. And with the best will in the world, as a TA, you are not paid enough to offer the former.

Good luck!
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by hotpud
That is really lovely, but you are talking about two different jobs. Either looking after this pupil or training to teach. Regardless it is too late to apply for teacher training now - at least realistically. Why not put your applications in next October when the application process opens and give your school, your pupil and his / her family the best part of a year's notice to get alternative provision.

There is a line between total commitment to someone and your own goals and ambitions. And with the best will in the world, as a TA, you are not paid enough to offer the former.

Good luck!

Thank you! I was just curious if there would be a possibility to do both in some respect, and I appreciate your honesty - a lot of people have told me a similar thing that I have to what is best for me and my own ambitions, I think I need to convince myself that. Thanks again for your help :smile:
You're not responsible for the pupil. It's only a job.
Reply 4
Original post by chloesweeney95
Thank you! I was just curious if there would be a possibility to do both in some respect, and I appreciate your honesty - a lot of people have told me a similar thing that I have to what is best for me and my own ambitions, I think I need to convince myself that. Thanks again for your help :smile:


If you have so much care and attention for all of your students. You will be an excellent teacher. They, after all are the clients. I think some teachers sometimes forget that.
Original post by hotpud
If you have so much care and attention for all of your students. You will be an excellent teacher. They, after all are the clients. I think some teachers sometimes forget that.


No, I don't think teachers forget that their pupils are "the clients". Pupils are not "the clients" and I actually find it very odd you'd describe them that way.

A teacher-student relationship is very different from a business-client one, on lots of levels, and a teacher who treats students as clients would not last very long, I don't think!
Reply 6
Original post by SarcAndSpark
No, I don't think teachers forget that their pupils are "the clients". Pupils are not "the clients" and I actually find it very odd you'd describe them that way.

A teacher-student relationship is very different from a business-client one, on lots of levels, and a teacher who treats students as clients would not last very long, I don't think!

My apologies. Probably not the best word. What I meant was, they are the sole reason we are there. Sounds obvious but there are some teachers hell bent on climbing the slippery pole of promotion whilst others seem to take pride in delivering the most incredible PowerPoints. That was what I was trying to convey.
Original post by hotpud
My apologies. Probably not the best word. What I meant was, they are the sole reason we are there. Sounds obvious but there are some teachers hell bent on climbing the slippery pole of promotion whilst others seem to take pride in delivering the most incredible PowerPoints. That was what I was trying to convey.

Oh, yes, completely agree. The students 100% come first and are the most important thing.

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