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Education

You want to become a teacher... "You never forget a good teacher".
Teaching can be challenging, but if someone does it well, they leave you a lasting memory of the teacher and what you learnt.

Think about your favourite teacher - what made them special and memorable?

"Those who can... teach"
It is one thing to know what you are talking about and to be clever, but it is much harder to teach someone else what you know.

• Try teaching somebody something you are good at and see if it is difficult.
• You can learn to teach at University, so if it's difficult now, you can still be a great teacher.

Life as a teacher

Do you want to be a professional, working with young people, giving them new and exciting experiences and knowledge every day? Do you want a stimulating and rewarding career, with no two days ever the same?

Teaching is now a very competitive job which offers many opportunities including training and career development. However, there is still a shortage of teachers, particularly in Secondary Education.

How can I become a teacher?

In order to become a fully qualified teacher, you have to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) first. There are lots of ways to do this, but you must have GCSE's in English and Maths at Grade C first. If you were born on or after 1 September 1979 and want to be a Teacher in Primary or Secondary schools, you need to achieve a standard equivalent to a grade C in a GCSE science subject as well.

As an Undergradraduate Student

• You must do a 3 year degree in Education (BEd).
• Or, a 4 year mixed degree in Education and another subject.
• Both types can give you QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and have ITT (Initial Teacher Training).

As a Postgraduate Student

You may prefer to study a separate subject first though, like Biology, Psychology, Maths, Media etc and follow it up with a postgraduate course.

After your first Undergraduate Degree, you can different courses to then become a teacher.

• A PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) usually takes one or two years, and you have to study at University Full Time.
• A SCITT or GTP course means you are based in school, but spend a small amount of time studying part time at College or University too.

Primary/Secondary

If you think you would like to teach, first you should decide whether you would prefer to teach in Primary or Secondary Schools.

Primary

Primary Teachers teach all the subjects to give children a taster and basic information, but often specialise in one subject, which they co-ordinate in the Primary school.

You may choose to do a teaching degree to be a Primary Teacher, but if you choose Postgraduate Study, like a PGCE or SCITT, it doesn't matter what subject you choose to study for your first Undergraduate degree.

Secondary

Secondary Teachers require specialist knowledge of one main subject, which they teach to older children, and sometimes to people your age, just before they go to College or University.

To teach Secondary Education you must study another subject first, and that subject must be related to the subject you want to teach.

Career Progression in Teaching

There are many ways teachers can progress in their careers. You can gain responsibility for:

• Managing subject areas as head of department.
• Managing particular age groups as head of year or key stage coordinator.
• Managing particular areas such as special educational needs.

At the top of the profession, you could become a deputy or headteacher, taking overall responsibility for the management of a school and pupil's education. There are also education jobs in local Universities, Councils and in the Governement.

Pay

Teaching has had a bad reputation for Pay, but in recent years has improved drastically and is now level with many other professions. Pay improves rapidly based on experience and performance too.

A newly qualified teacher (NQT) in England and Wales can start on £20,133 a year (or £24,168 if you work in inner London).

Work Experience

Some valuable ways to find out if you really do like Teaching and which type you would like to do:

• Volunteer or take a paid job working with young children on local holiday and youth schemes.
• Volunteer to helping out in schools, with work in class or school trips.
• Ask your local school if you can go into a class and observe a lesson.
• Talk to people who teach and ask them what they like and dislike about the job.

Some useful teaching websites:

• www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit.aspx - The training and development agency for schools.
• www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/lifeasateacher/teachersstories.aspx - To read some stories from teachers.