Any secondary school teachers out there?

[RHCP]

I've been working in schools for the last 6-7 years as an IT technician, and I'm now thinking about becoming an IT teacher. I've always thought that i didn't want to become a teacher, but recently I've really been considering it.

Are there any teachers out there that could tell me any pitfalls before I embark on this life changing event.

Or anybody in a similar position thinking about going in to teaching.

Also, does anyone know about the Graduate Teacher Program (GTP).

[Von Ryan]

A very good friend spend 20 years as a Engineer, then did a degree via the Open University. He then did a year at a teacher training college and is now a chemistry teacher. He says it's great, he can't understand why all these teachers moan about being over worked. He get more time off to spend with his children, though his wife now finds him more DIY jobs during the summer.

[RHCP]

I know, teachers are on to a cushy number, 3 months off a year!!!

And they have the nerve to complain.

There are really some terrible teachers in my school, thats what made me think, if they can do it - why can't I!!!

[Dan M]

Originally Posted by RHCP

I know, teachers are on to a cushy number, 3 months off a year!!!

If that is what you think teaching is about think again. I've worked many of my so called 3 months holiday. Out of the door for 7, back home for gone 5. Marking, planning, prep some nights and over the weekend. Dealing with groups of youths that most other agencies can't deal with, e.g. Police, Social Services. Pay that is OK but in industry i could earn more.

BUT - i enjoy my job most days. Shaping ideas and helping to prepare pupils for adult life. Anyone who thinks its an easy job, should speak to any good teacher. Although i do know staff that put in the bare minimum, but that applies to all jobs, including IT techies

[RHCP]

Originally Posted by Dan M

I've worked many of my so called 3 months holiday.

Doing what??

I get in to work for 8am well before most teachers, i leave a 3.30pm and the car park is mostly empty.

What subject do you teach for all this planning?

[Stuart Kirby]

Frankly, having taught for a little while in a secondary school (admittedly only 3 classes the rest of the time I spent developing materials and network admin stuff), it isn't so hard. I was teaching 14-15 year olds that included planning, prepping, etc.

Easy? No. As bad as some teachers make out? Not nearly. And to be fair, where I taught, most teachers shared this same mindset. The heads of year were more pressed and over worked and admittedly got more stressed.

As I said, only 3 classes and taught for about 3 hours a day... but I got a pretty good idea of it. And it's a nice thing to do in my opinion. I taught Cisco networking.

[Lawrenzini]

Read "It's your time you're wasting" - Frank Chalk.

From Amazon

'Ask me my three main priorities for government, and I tell you: Education, education, education.' Those were the bold words of Tony Blair, before he became Prime Minister. A decade on, has he succeeded in making our schools the envy of the world? For FRANK CHALK, there's only one answer. Chalk has spent his adult life in the modern education system, so - unlike the Prime Minister - he knows what he's talking about. He is an ordinary teacher in an ordinary British school... a school where the kids get drunk, beat up the teachers and take drugs - when they can be bothered to turn up. 'IT’S YOUR TIME YOU'RE WASTING' is the blackly humorous diary of a year in his working life. Chalk confiscates porn, booze and trainers, fends off angry parents and worries about the few conscientious pupils he comes across, recording his experiences in a dry and very readable manner. He offers top tips for dealing with unruly children, muses on the shortcomings of the staff (including his own) and even spots the occasional spark of hope amid all the despair. His book will horrify (and amuse) millions of parents and will become a must-read for many of the country‘s 400,000 teachers.

[Singh400]

Originally Posted by Stuart Kirby

Frankly, having taught for a little while in a secondary school (admittedly only 3 classes the rest of the time I spent developing materials and network admin stuff), it isn't so hard. I was teaching 14-15 year olds that included planning, prepping, etc.

Easy? No. As bad as some teachers make out? Not nearly. And to be fair, where I taught, most teachers shared this same mindset. The heads of year were more pressed and over worked and admittedly got more stressed.

As I said, only 3 classes and taught for about 3 hours a day... but I got a pretty good idea of it. And it's a nice thing to do in my opinion. I taught Cisco networking.

You don't have a brother do you? I've got a teacher, who teaches Cisco and is called Mr. N. Kirby. But its down in the West Midlands.

As for teaching, I never though I would consider it as a job, but I'm looking at career options and the more I think about it the more it makes sense. I'm only 19 though, gonna do a few other things first.

@Dan M: Wish all teachers were like you then, most the ones I had just couldn't be arsed. This was in the top sets aswell. Good, enthusiastic teachers are like gold dust.

The teachers you always remember are always the good ones.

[RHCP]

Well my application has gone in to the GTTR.

I'm having to sit my Maths and English GCSE's because they won't accept the exams that i've done in the past.

Loads of revising for me, I'm reading Romeo and Juliet at the minute.

Maths is solid, how do these kids sit all these exams at their age?

I just wanted to get drunk when I was young.

[jenic]

Originally Posted by RHCP

Well my application has gone in to the GTTR.

I'm having to sit my Maths and English GCSE's because they won't accept the exams that i've done in the past.

Loads of revising for me, I'm reading Romeo and Juliet at the minute.

Maths is solid, how do these kids sit all these exams at their age?

I just wanted to get drunk when I was young.

Maths is easy, if your doing a higher paper you only need 20% to get a C!

Easiest exam board is AQA for Maths and English, i should know i did them last year. With little revision i got an A* in maths and with no work or revision except in class i got 2 B's in English.

And they say exams are too easy @ GCSE

[Miyazaki]

I sat my GCSE maths in 1996 and thought it was rock solid. Hardest exam I ever sat.

[RHCP]

I'm doing the OCR exam.

Only 20% sounds good. It does look hard, I've got to sit all 4 maths exams in June because I missed my first two at the start of the month.

[t-force]

Originally Posted by Games Guru

I sat my GCSE maths in 1996 and thought it was rock solid. Hardest exam I ever sat.

I also sat my Maths GCSE in 1996 and thought it was ridiculously easy. Mind you, I'd been working through old GCSE and then O-Level papers, so the change in difficulty from papers that were nearly twenty years old to the 1996 was was plain to see!

I also did AO Additional Maths at the time - now THAT was a toughie!!

[RHCP]

OH MY GOD!!

I've got an interview at University for the PGCE in ICT, what will i wear!!!!

I have to do a presentation, sit a literacy exam and have an interview on my thoughts of ICT in the national curriculum.

Wow, this is actually happening, scary stuff!

[hot-fuzz]

My missus has done the GTP thing.
She broke away from doing Scientific Research into Heart Disease as a Dr at Birmingham University and hasnt looked back.
She loves it.
If you want, PM me and i can get her to write to you everything you need to know (she is very clever .... well she married me didnt she )