So, teaching, then

[Bored Of Education]

I have taken the plunge and signed for a one-year Access course at City of Bath College (which involved a maths and English test of one hour each) with a view to taking my Primary teaching degree at Bath Spa Uni.

This means five years of full-time education. This isn't bad in itself apart from the fact that I will be 46 when I graduate. Still, I still get 19 years of work until I retire.

I have given the wife many opportunities to talk me up for it but she seems happy with it. Even though it means 5 more years of no income from me, I will - hopefully - end up with a career that pays a decent wage.

Over and above this, I have realised that the last 10 years have seen my interest turn more and more to how we educate children specifically at primary level. Obviously being a parent helps but, also , I am a Sunday school teacher (don't snigger, oh OK, have one on me), football coach and am now a school governor and the Special Needs governor (again, don't snigger, oh go on etc..) for Marley's school

Anyway, encouragement, advice or cries of "What the fuck are you doing..." all welcome

[Anton Gramscescu]

So, teaching, then

Well done. Starting a course of fulltime studies after your 20s is tough. And of course you've chosen to study in the most important field of all. I hope it goes well for you.

[HORN]

So, teaching, then

I have realised that the last 10 years have seen my interest turn more and more to how we educate children

At the risk of appearing facetious, is the classroom the best place for someone with this interest?

It seems the movers and shakers in their ivory towers have significantly more clout with regard to how kids are taught.

But I wish you well, and truly hope what I wrote above is wronger than wrong.

[Bored Of Education]

So, teaching, then

Like I say, I am a school governor as well so have a hand in that as well.

I take your point though. I have an idea I could find the bureaucracy frustrating.

[Jon]

So, teaching, then

Well done, cotb. Hope you stay the course. 5 years is a long time but the rewards are great.

It's a cliche but true - we need more men in Primary schools. If only because I need someone else to talk about football with. Hell, the other weekend I even found myself watching that Nancy programme that's on BBC1 on Saturday nights thinking, at least I'll have something to talk about in the classroom next week. We're having 4 new members of staff joining us in September all of them female. Grrr.

Anyway, feel free to PM me for any help or advice.

[Tony C]

So, teaching, then

I was 46 when I started teaching.

Just thought I'd mention it.

[Glass Half Empty]

So, teaching, then

Wow, that's a big step. I have been teaching for 24 years and at its best its a fantastic job but other times I have felt that I would rather be doing just about any other thing I could think of.

I teach in secondary which is a very different thing in many ways, however my good lady wife had a similar road to Damascus type of thing 5 years ago and left a perfectly reasonable and much more remunerative job in IT to train as a primary teacher. It only took her 1 year to retrain as she was already a graduate but she found the course both demanding and stimulating. Despite this it still ran a horse and cart through the family finances, domestic arrangements etc. etc. so be prepared for a rough ride.

She is now in her 3rd year of teaching year 4's and 5's in a tough school. Have no illusions, it frightens the hell out of me how hard she works but there is no doubt she is seriously captivated by the job.

[Gerontophile]

So, teaching, then

Good luck sir. I wish you the best.

And as long as you know its a vocation, not a job, you will be fine.

I still think of my primary school teacher with great fondness because he taught me to read music, and to appreciate it (although with the shite I listen to now, he is turning, turning); he made everyone in the class stand up in front of the rest and talk (bollocks) for 60 seconds to try and instil confidence; he tried to make us realise that there was more to life than football (he was a Thistle fan: he used to take us there and say 'listen lads, can you here that? No-one is singing about religion' and then we'd all piss off to Parkhead the Saturday after), but most importantly, he tried to make us think for ourselves... yes, at 9, 10 and 11 years old. I hope to his god, that some of us succeeded.

If you are a millionth as good as he was, you will be brilliant. Good luck again.

[Cal Alamein]

So, teaching, then

I just finished my 15th year today...you won't regret it. If your teacher training is anything like that in the U.S. it will be at times, frustrating especially as you are not 20 years old and have far more life experience than the average student.

The first year will likely wear you out, but it only gets easier! No two days are remotely the same and uh, the summer days off, are well, quite nice!

[Bored Of Education]

So, teaching, then

Well, this last couple of weeks has taken a turn for the quite mental (even setting aside the FA Cup Final)

I am now on the verge of having sessions with SEN lad who has behavioural issues and is only coming on for an hour a day at the moment and have just been asked if I will consider having a session or two a week with a visually impaired lad who also has behavioural issues.

This is on top of the reading I do with reception as well.

I am supposed to have completed 80 hours of teaching experience over the next 18 months for my course. As it looks, I will be completing it by the end of June.

As well as this, I have been trying to grab space and funds for SEN kids, listening to some children's cases that would seem unbelievable if they turned up on Eastenders and am trying to fit 5 teachers into 6 classes

I am also trying to smooth relations between the teachers and parents on one side and the headteacher and the well-meaning if slightly ineffectual head of governors

I was in school for so long last week that I ended up getting my sandwiches and going and eating them in the playground with my lad. Poor sod, how embarressing must that be. I seem to have more andmore kids saying "Hello, Mr Marley's Dad"

Is anyone else's school the sort of place where, if you stand still long enough in the play ground, you get more to do with the running of the school handed to you, regardless of your abilities?

As the curse goes, "May you live in interesting times", I suppose

[Bored Of Education]

So, teaching, then

Sorry, I forgot to say thanks for all the encouragement. I was hoping you would be able to put me off more, you bastards!

She is now in her 3rd year of teaching year 4's and 5's in a tough school.

I don't know about the school I will end up in but how about this for this in the one my son is in and I am governor for - 60 SEN kids in a 160 capacity school? 58 ethnic minority kids which would be low in Kensal Green but is astonishing in Bath and comes about because we have the only two estates that come close to sink estates in our area. A large overlap of black lads in the SEN category.

I do love the school though. It is, at the moment, a proper mix of kids that represents the community as it is with a background of not being too results-led. At the moment, if they asked me if I wanted to teach there, I woul bite their hand off

[rick derris]

So, teaching, then

bored, we had a quick chat about things on cup final day, but with it being cup final day and you turning up for a 'try to look like a complete c**t competition' it was brief

i have been teaching 14 years, rose to HOD now on the SLT. love every second. loads of wankers in teaching and its so rarely 'about the kids'. but having had an office job previously looking at my watch every 2 mins, teaching is amazing.. you never get bored, the kids are always amazing. pay is good, 13 weeks holiday, pension etc

think you would be great and c'mon, if a mutual mate can do it!! yea the one who bought some e's off an ex student at wembley!

[Bored Of Education]

So, teaching, then

AS I pointed out to you, I am doing it as a vocation, actually doing a degree in teaching rather than adding a teaching qualification to a degree I got at 21 in order to delay having to get a proper job.

(Well, you did say I looked like a complete cunt but cheers for the encouragement anyway)