Paths other than PGCE?

I have a degree in Education and English. I've just turned 31 and I think I've finally realised/come to terms with the fact that pursing/doing a PGCE just isn't for me. I think I've been so hyper focused on the idea of doing it that I never stopped to ask myself, do I actually want to teach? The answer is no. I think this is why I've struggled every year trying to do a personal statement. It's hard to write a personal statement, it's harder when you actually don't want to do the thing you're trying to apply for. Don't get me wrong, I love English and I do love working with kids. I never loved my course though. Just never knew what I wanted to do and didn't want to quit and be a failure. I'm just wondering what other paths people may have taken after deciding not to do a PGCE?

Reply 1

TheMedicOwl

12

When you say that you've never loved your course, do you mean your English degree, or a PGCE that you started and then left? What jobs have you been doing since you graduated?

There are many careers other than teaching that involve working with children, but it's difficult to make suggestions without knowing a bit more about you and your interests.

Reply 2

hotpud

18

Original post by SophiaAlexx

I have a degree in Education and English. I've just turned 31 and I think I've finally realised/come to terms with the fact that pursing/doing a PGCE just isn't for me. I think I've been so hyper focused on the idea of doing it that I never stopped to ask myself, do I actually want to teach? The answer is no. I think this is why I've struggled every year trying to do a personal statement. It's hard to write a personal statement, it's harder when you actually don't want to do the thing you're trying to apply for. Don't get me wrong, I love English and I do love working with kids. I never loved my course though. Just never knew what I wanted to do and didn't want to quit and be a failure. I'm just wondering what other paths people may have taken after deciding not to do a PGCE?

What skills do you have? Have you just done the PGCE or do you have other experiences? Teaching gives you loads and loads of transferable skills including:
- leadership - getting people to do what you tell them - please look it up though. It is more complex than that.
- organisation
- time management
- resilience
- working to a tight deadline - all the time!
- stress management
- coaching / counselling / empathy
etc

So you can take these into pretty much any role. The only thing you don't have is domain knowledge so wherever you start, you will be at the bottom but should be able to progress quickly with the skills above.

Lastly - there is no such thing as failure. At no point in your life will you ever fail. Things will happen that were not as indented, but the result of this happening is
a) you learn a really good lesson from the situation
b) you are presented with slightly different options to the ones you initially thought you would have

Failure as you might put it is simply a divergence away from where you thought you would be at a point in time to where you actually end up. But you will always be fully intact whichever way you look at it so nothing is lost.

Paths other than PGCE?

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