hi...
i've just finished my 2nd year at uni, exam results are out soon wish me luck!
I've always wanted to be a teacher. Trouble is whenever i say this to someone they can't believe anyone would want to put themselves through all that stress. Plus i'm not sure if i'd rather teach primary or secondary...on the one hand, i know primary kids would be marginally less stressful, on the other hand, i don't think i could cope with having to be bright and cheerful all day everyday and teach subjects i have no interest in, like maths or art - my subject is english, definitely.At least at secondary schoo i can teach english. Then again whenever i get on a bus with secondary aged kids, they're givin everyone s***, callin names and so on. I dunno if i could deal with that. lol - and i remember what me and my friends were like at secondary school!! But i so want to teach, and i know not all the kids are bad. (incidentally we weren't too bad!) Yikes i'm confused aren't i. Any views on this? better still anyone with relevant experience?
Lynz and The Girls x
edited to add the reason i'm thinking about this now is cos i really need to start applying for courses by september/october this year.
Thanks

Hi Lynz,

Im not a teacher, never have been, BUT, some of the college courses i have done, and musicy things, have involved doing teaching workshops with both primary aged kids, and secondary aged kids.
My experiences were running music workshops at both primary and secondary schools, doing teaching practice at various riding schools, and also self employed teaching drums.

I have to say, i most definately prefer teaching younger kids. Its in some ways easier, they seem to have a freer imagination, and are generally less obnoxious. That said, it can be hard to tailor stuff for them, without getting too complicated, or on the other hand, dumbing it down too much, either way is bad.
Teaching large groups of 11-16 year olds, is in my experience, horrible, not all of them are bad, however the bad ones seem to take over a class, and prevent the good ones from speaking up. By this age as well, whilst i reckon they are still very imaginative, they are much less likely to open up to a teacher.

From my own school days (not so long ago, hehehe) i would certainly say, i was inspired far more by my primary school teachers, than by my secondary school teachers. Primary school gave me plenty of opportunitys to develop my personality, secondary school, well, errrrrrr, did more to squash it than anything.

If i was you, id be looking at primary schools, despite the downside of teaching subjects that dont interest you, i think the basics taught there are in some ways far more important than stuff covered at secondary level. I personally think it would be much more rewarding.

Thats just me though, and could well reflect on teh schools i attended, and the kids i have taught.

Em

ta,
i think you've kinda summed up the way i was feeling about the 2 age groups. Primary age kids are usually much more eager to please too arent they. I guess at least teaching other subjects would help stop me feeling bored.
Of course there's the financial side of things too... secondary is better paid. But i doubt any amount of money could help me deal with the kind of abuse i know secondary age kids can give.
I think i'll try to get a few days observing in a primary school. I don't wanna teach the littlies, i'd prefer the junior age kids. Not bein up myself but providing i get the degree i'm predicted i'd feel overqualified to teach ABCs...
Thanks for your input anyway, i'll keep thinking!
Lynsey x

hi
I am an English and drama secondary teacher.I have worked long term in the past, but have taken the supply route recently for personal reasons, ie spending more time with the dogs!!!
It is a very demanding career, with pressure coming from so many sides, ie colleagues, kids, parents and worst of all the government.To do it successfully you have to realise that you are not there to be liked, or to win any popularity contests.I have had a fantastic time in some of the so called failing schools, and a terrible time in those at the top of the league tables.
If you have an organised, outgoing, resilient personality go for it, it is on the whole enjoyable, but teachers as a group are often looked down on by the general public who think we really are on holiday for 13 weeks of the year.I also used to think this but learned the hard way that this was a total myth.
I thought long and hard about primary v secondary and did an observation in each, and found primary kids to be too physically demanding, and not intellectually challenging enough for me.Having chosen secondary, yeah some of the kids are little ******** but they are usually like this across the board in all lessons, and some of them are soo sweet.HONEST!!:)
good luck:)

Hubby starts ina secondary school in September ..as a Maths Teacher. He hasn't taught before but as part of his course he has to teach fulltime AND learn how to teach ;)

Should be fun :D

Melody

what course is that because you usually start off on a 25% timetable until at the end of the course you might get to an 80%one.it's impossible otherwise on a normal teacher training course!!

So what are you saying then? :)

I don't remember saying that it was a normal teacher training course ;)

You need to use smilies so that people don't take offence to what you are saying ..luckily I am fairly laid back at the moment or I would think you were saying I was telling porkies ;) :D :D

Melody :)

god no, i wasn't saying that, it's just that no initial teacher training course expects student teachers to teach 100% of the time.I suppose i was trying to reassure you or your husband, but it has obviously been taken the wrong way.As a former union rep for my school i am pretty clued up on this sort of stuff, and didn't want anyone to be taken advantage of as they often are as a student.never mind :)

Stephen has been accepted on the Graduate Teacher Programme here in Lincs. They expect him to do 90% timetable :) His new Headmistress has said she will want 80%..two free periods a week. He has to do the rest of the work at home

He has a degree but needed to earn a wage rather than the 6k they offer most teachers in training ..so he gets a full wage but has to work fulltime. After a year he gets his teachers qualification :)

Melody :)

Friend's soon-to-be son-in-law did the same thing. He had a previous job and was paying a mortgage so couldn't go back to college. Took him a year to be fully qualified - loves it.

Daisy

thanks for your input miloos.
Nice to hear you're teaching my subject too :) i had an ace english teacher at secondary school. Now you're swingin me back towards secondary teaching. I must admit it does appeal to me more because it'll be more challenging. But i dunno if i have a resilient personality i can take things to heart quite easily.
It's all so scary! I can't believe i have to think about it this early - i've got my final year at uni to cope with yet!
Supply must be ten times worse?! we used to give our supply teachers so much gyp! tut tut!I wasn't one of the little horrors but i wasn't one of the angelic ones either.
thanks again for the great advice
Lynz

you're more than welcome lynz.yeah supply teachers do get tons of hassle at first, but i'm lucky as i tend to go in the same 3-4 schools so they know me and aren't too bad.
Melody, the graduate teacher programme is a good course, but as you indicated very very intensive.good luck to your hubby, i'm sure he'll enjoy it :)