Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher

Aug 15, 2011
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Cheers OldMav

Its good to hear good things every now and again, because of late i have been second guessing myself and whether i can do it or not. If it was anything else other than PE teaching than i wouldn't do it. But i enjoy kids, being a role model and helping others. I enjoy most/just about all sports.

For the first week i will be just observing which in this time, i am going to look to build some strong relationships with the kids and also learn names as much as possible.

At the start i will certainly make sure i discipline kids for inappropriate behaviour and make sure they know where i stand with rules. I will have to learn the school policy about inappropriate behaviour.

If i have anymore question i will certainly ask the board or PM you. Your in your 3rd year how many weeks is your prac, next year (my 3rd year) we do 5 weeks.

Also by getting a bachelor of arts and science which is my degree, what else can you get into if teaching isnt for you? Im starting to warm to it, but just have to make sure i enjoy myself instead of worrying about controlling a class ect.
 

THRILLHO

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In my second year and about to start my first prac which goes for 3 weeks. From reading this and talking to others this is probably the worst part of it, as students know your not yet a teacher and you dont have the power a teacher at the school has. Im worried about controlling a class, im secondary so im teaching years 7-10 so probably some of the harder years.

Im not sure many others that have studied or are studying now, but do you talk about SEPEP, MAP, CGD models ect?

I think there are so many pros to teaching. I live in WA so the pay base as mentioned earlier in the thread is 85k after 5 years and i know someone that started on 60k. Which is damn good for a first job. Also if you become a level 3 teacher (which is apparently easy to get) than you go up another 10-12k. Teaching is a government job so your always gonna have a job (with the tough times some tradies and others lose jobs) and pay is continually rising each year. You get 13 weeks off a year, plenty of time to get into a hobby (eg: im really keen on doing renovations when im older, so this time would be ideal to do this). The work days arnt 9-3 but lets be honest its about avg or just better than the norm.

Also something im very keen to get into is coaching state sides or scouting for state/afl teams. This can be a nice little wager on the side and something you can do on the weekends, a teaching degree helps with this especially with state coaching/selecting/scouting.

The cons are probably the stress of managing a class, but you will soon learn how to do this after a few years of experience and also all those lesson plans you do in uni go out the window once in the real thing.



It's a little worrying that in that entire paragraph listing the positives of teaching you didn't actually once mention anything about teaching and is merely focused on the lower hours, increased holidays, better lifestyle and good pay and job security.

All those are great perks, but surely your number one reason for becoming a teacher is because you're passionate about teaching and helping shape and influence children into young adults? :confused:

Also, I wouldn't worry about the hours if you're a PE teacher. From my experience, having been placed in the PE Staffroom while renovations were going on, they're usually the last ones in in the morning and the first ones gone. By 4pm, I'm pretty lonely :p

I'm actually looking at re-training to become a PE teacher for the junior years, so I could have a half English, half PE load. Would be a dream.

I studied at Melb Uni and one thing they do really well is getting you into the schools ASAP. Every week of the year you're there Thursday and Friday. By the time you start your three week block, you know all the kids and have even started teaching a few lessons here and there. Before you start teaching you need to work out with your supervisor what sort of role they are going to have. Will they sit at the back impassively and let you sink or swim or will they get involved, team teach and discipline?

I wanted my supervisors to be impassive and let me do my thing as I didn't want to be undermined by them disciplining and the kids thinking I can't do the discipline and I look for the "real teacher" to help out. But I was happy to bounce ideas off the teacher, ask for input during the lesson and work the room together so we could spend more time with students.

Make sure you know what role they are going to have because I've observed other supervising teachers dominating the room and drawing the focus away from the student teacher, creating confusion in the classroom.

If you're young, you shouldn't have a problem. Kids love The New Thing On The Block and usually beg you to take the class so they can have a break from their usual teacher. In my first year as a teacher, my year 7 kids were jack of me and begged the student teacher who was observing to hang around next class and teach it. I became old hat pretty quickly.

Best advice is to get involved with everything. If there's excursions or anything, jump on them if you can. Great experience and you'll have a ball.
 

alex_is_on_fire

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Your second practicum should be very cruise if you get a good mentor in a good school.

Good luck, enjoy yourself and just remember that you are a teacher.

The best advice I ever received was - we are all teachers, it's just that some teacher have had more training and are further up the ladder.

None of this preservice crap or teacher in waiting - any teacher who says that crap, is a bonafide w***er. :thumbsu:
 

iDon

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Cheers OldMav

Its good to hear good things every now and again, because of late i have been second guessing myself and whether i can do it or not. If it was anything else other than PE teaching than i wouldn't do it. But i enjoy kids, being a role model and helping others. I enjoy most/just about all sports.

For the first week i will be just observing which in this time, i am going to look to build some strong relationships with the kids and also learn names as much as possible.

At the start i will certainly make sure i discipline kids for inappropriate behaviour and make sure they know where i stand with rules. I will have to learn the school policy about inappropriate behaviour.

If i have anymore question i will certainly ask the board or PM you. Your in your 3rd year how many weeks is your prac, next year (my 3rd year) we do 5 weeks.

Also by getting a bachelor of arts and science which is my degree, what else can you get into if teaching isnt for you? Im starting to warm to it, but just have to make sure i enjoy myself instead of worrying about controlling a class ect.

We do plenty of teaching. First year first semester 10 x 1/2 days primary school. 2nd semester is 10 x full days primary. Then in 2nd year we repeat that but it goes to high school. In 3rd year we do 10 x 1/2 days of primary school again but its unsupervised. and end of 3rd year we do a 2 week block of high school. (incidently I am looking at perhaps coming to WA for a few weeks of teaching at a private school). Finally in year 4 we do an 8 week block. So plenty of variety.

Actually not sure if you can do much else with the Applied Science degree (which is what it is over in Victoria). If your passionate about sports, kids, being a leader then this is the job for you.

Have you done teaching rounds before? I had the same feelings prior to my beginnings but that quickly went with the enjoyment of making the brats in the class runnnnnn. hehe
 
Aug 15, 2011
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Im going to be mainly teaching hockey in my prac and the one getting watched. So if anyone has any tips on hockey regarding rules, cool warm up ideas and anything which may make my class better.

Or any sites you may recommend. Hockey is probably the sport i have the least knowledge in at of all of them.
 

TigerGlory

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I know im jumping the gun a bit here. But would you guys know what you have to study to be able to teach another method?

At the moment, im studying Humanities and English as my two methods. But would like to be able to eventually end up teaching PE as well. What would I have to do to be able to get qualified to teach another method?
 

alex_is_on_fire

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I know im jumping the gun a bit here. But would you guys know what you have to study to be able to teach another method?

At the moment, im studying Humanities and English as my two methods. But would like to be able to eventually end up teaching PE as well. What would I have to do to be able to get qualified to teach another method?

I not sure what it's like in other states but in South Australia, I would imagine the same amount of units as your doing for either Humanities or English.
 
I know im jumping the gun a bit here. But would you guys know what you have to study to be able to teach another method?

At the moment, im studying Humanities and English as my two methods. But would like to be able to eventually end up teaching PE as well. What would I have to do to be able to get qualified to teach another method?

Are you talking about whilst you're still studying or once you're employed in a school?
 

Loose Cannon

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Tough gig! Don't do it unless you love kids and have a thick skin. I have been in 15 years and am now getting out and going mining! Great to hear that so many love it. I never did, the classroom was always a chore for me. I actually enjoyed teaching most when I was doing a 0.5 load and admin for the other 0.5 - including timetabling - which I loved. Used to take up my whole holidays some years though.Taught in the NT and now in NSW. The NSW system with it's institute of teachers really suck. I much preferred my former systems I used to teach under, the IB and SACE. BTW I am Maths/science but I ended preferring Maths.I'll say it again, don't get into it unless you love it, it will burn you out!!
 

cAsEy_18

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Hey guys, I haven't posted in or read a whole lot of this thread, but I have just finished my first year of uni and am very keen on becoming a teacher. I initially enrolled in an Arts/Education course, but made a late change to Arts/Commerce with the intention of doing a DipEd at the end of my degree, and that remains my intention. I thought for an extra year and getting an extra major in another area it was worth it.

But as I have the intention of completing a DipEd and because completing a double degree means you have less units to play with in each area, I am being forced to be very precise with the units I'm choosing. To complete your DipEd you have to be eligible to teach 2 disciplines, and my intention is to do Accounting under Commerce and English under Arts. Accounting does not seem to be an issue, but the guidelines of what you must do to be qualified to teach English are extremely vague. I'm at Monash Clayton, and although the guidelines say a minor in English Literature or Literary Studies is required, there are no such areas available at Monash. I've completed a few writing units under the Area of Study titled "English" but after much back and forth with both the Education Department and the Arts Faculty it seems this was a waste of time as these subjects don't meet the requirements.

After almost a year of back and forthing with mainly the Education department, I have pretty much been told that there is noone who will be able to give me 100% clarity and that it is ultimately VCAT's decision in the end when you go to apply for your DipEd. So here are a few questions for you guys:

- Has anyone been to, or is currently attending Monash University that is, or intends to become a teacher?

- For those of you that are teachers, specifically English teachers, what should my next move be?

- Anyone who has gone down the Diploma of Education pathway, how strict is VCAT on what you are and are not qualified to teach?

- And (I'm not sure if this is an issue considering it all goes through VCAT but) if I were to complete my degree and then Monash say that they don't think I've done enough for English, could I then complete my DipEd at another University, say Deakin?

I understand that this is a post more appropriate for the Tertiary Studies board, but seeing as this thread is here I thought it better to post it here. Any help would be greatly appreciated guys.:thumbsu:
 
Oct 2, 2008
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If you're doing a DipEd, I think its unnecessary to study a double degree, it will only mentally strangle you and take you longer to actually get in the classroom.

Side with either one or the other and choose disciplines that you can major in. Arts = English, Legal, Philosophy, History, ect.

I think it will benefit you in the long run.
 

Tigerman20

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This probably hasn't been addressed in this thread, I've read most of it

How do you deal with bullying issues? Everyone always says that teachers should do more and that if you standby and do nothing your saying it's ok with you.


However although i do tend to agree with this, it must be really hard from the teacher's perspective as I have never done it before. Any insights from teachers?
 

azreal

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This probably hasn't been addressed in this thread, I've read most of it

How do you deal with bullying issues? Everyone always says that teachers should do more and that if you standby and do nothing your saying it's ok with you.


However although i do tend to agree with this, it must be really hard from the teacher's perspective as I have never done it before. Any insights from teachers?

There is no one way of dealing with bullying as all the situations and people involved are different. The only things you can consistently do are be aware and be involved. You need to know of the relationships of the children in your care and they need to know they can come to you for help. You need to know how the kids behave when they think no one is watching. You need to know where bullying hotspots at school are and you need to be there. Educating in the class helps but that can only do so much.
 
This probably hasn't been addressed in this thread, I've read most of it

How do you deal with bullying issues? Everyone always says that teachers should do more and that if you standby and do nothing your saying it's ok with you.


However although i do tend to agree with this, it must be really hard from the teacher's perspective as I have never done it before. Any insights from teachers?

Since the relationships the student/students have extend further than your own relationship with the student, you really need to involve more than just yourself. Their year level co-ordinator should be your first point of call and from there you can discuss what needs to be done - there's a lot of effective strategies out there and most experienced (and quality) teachers should be fairly knowledgeable in these.

What type of problems are you experiencing? Are they in your classroom, something you've noticed in the yard or some sort of cyberbullying that you've heard about?
 

Knowlan

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I'm interested if any teachers have had issues with social media or know of any one who has? This also applies to anyone currently studying, what steps do you take to protect your image on the internet?

I'm currently in my second year, and I've got my facebook locked down like fort knox. I rarely post status updates and always think about what I do post.

Just curious about other peoples ideas and actions.
 

azreal

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In WA teachers aren't allowed to have any social media friends who are students so really it is just a case of making sure everything on Facebook is as private as it can be. I make sure Facebook is only for close friends and family anyway.

The biggest problem for us is the online bullying that the kids get up to. We can't control what the kids re doing at home but some of the parents expect us to solve these problems.
 
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I graduated in 1993, and had a part time job at Launceston College while I was doing my last year. Two more years after that as a part-time temp, and I decided to quit education altogether and try my luck on the mainland in bands (I teach music) and then see how I went. Let's just say I rejoined the profession 5 years later!

If I was going to impart any wisdom for what it's worth, having done ten straight years full time in the Qld system as well as the above mentioned stuff, it's that the job is all about people and personal interaction. Every disciplinary theory can be brought undone, and at the end of the day it's about bringing desired results from the kids by the way you interact with them. Consistency and fairness go a long way, and you never get malicious. You're an umpire - you enforce the rule when they break it, and you interpret the situation. You're there to enforce the party line, even if there are one or two things you don't agree with. They need to know you're listening, and they alternatively need to know you're the boss - you do that simply by doing the job by the book, and immediately.

Be positive, and don't ever give the impression you're having a bad day or you don't want to be there. You're also an actor! You're there to inspire and help, and the kids will respond if they can see they'll get your time even if every other teacher tells them "how bad they are". Always look for ways to set the example (e.g. never swear, never do something with your appearance that they'd get in trouble for, etc). Push them into things as well - kids are inherently lazy, shy, ignorant, or "too cool"...tell them something's awesome on their level, and make them do it before they can get a good whinge in, and you'll make inroads.

The job's not that hard, if you ae prepared to listen and learn and put the work in.
 

MO1PAFC

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Pros:
-Can continue being a learner yourself. Study your discipline further.
-Multi-faceted. You could be teaching Maths in the morning, Sose in the arvo then coaching sports after school. Its always different.
-Despite what others say, teachers do care and are very helpful to other teachers.
-If you're good at it, and go in for the right reasons, you will get lots from it.
-You have lots of freedom on the job.
-The money is pretty good particularly if you dont want a family, and can get into a leadership position

Cons:
-It is hard work. Sometimes the lessons are the easy part.
-Some kids can be awful (especially in the govt sector) but good schools should have processes in place
Cons:
A lot of kids are ar5eholes
A lot f parents are ar5eholes
A lot of management are ar5eholes
A lot of teachers are ar5eholes
The amount of contact hours also equals to the amount of planning and marking hours (as in, we frequently have 12 hour days)
Any time you see a kid (even at the shops, or as you drove along a street) your mandatory Duty of Care kicks in - meaning you may never actually have down time
You can not rely on actually getting your non-contact time - most school provide their teachers extra duty as a relief to cover management being out of school on a conference
If a kid decides to ignore your instruction and injures themselves, you are liable
You are legally obliged to attend meetings.

Break down a teacher's wage into an hourly rate, and it equates to $26 per hour.
Less than $1 per kid, per hour. Slave labour quite frankly.

By the way, I am now in my 12th year of teaching, have been assaulted (let alone insulted) by students on a minimum of 7 occasions where I have had my leg gashed open, my collar bone broken, pushed down a stair well, hit from behind with a drama sand bag, hit from behind with a chair, and assaulted with flying objects.

The main problem is, once you are in the teaching game, it becomes nigh on impossible to get out.
 

MO1PAFC

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Cons:
A lot of kids are ar5eholes
A lot f parents are ar5eholes
A lot of management are ar5eholes
A lot of teachers are ar5eholes
The amount of contact hours also equals to the amount of planning and marking hours (as in, we frequently have 12 hour days)
Any time you see a kid (even at the shops, or as you drove along a street) your mandatory Duty of Care kicks in - meaning you may never actually have down time
You can not rely on actually getting your non-contact time - most school provide their teachers extra duty as a relief to cover management being out of school on a conference
If a kid decides to ignore your instruction and injures themselves, you are liable
You are legally obliged to attend meetings.

Break down a teacher's wage into an hourly rate, and it equates to $26 per hour.
Less than $1 per kid, per hour. Slave labour quite frankly.

By the way, I am now in my 12th year of teaching, have been assaulted (let alone insulted) by students on a minimum of 7 occasions where I have had my leg gashed open, my collar bone broken, pushed down a stair well, hit from behind with a drama sand bag, hit from behind with a chair, and assaulted with flying objects.

The main problem is, once you are in the teaching game, it becomes nigh on impossible to get out.
I forgot to add, in every school I have taught, I have been one of the most liked and respected teachers by the students.
You work it out...
 

azreal

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Oct 17, 2007
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Cons:
A lot of kids are ar5eholes
A lot f parents are ar5eholes
A lot of management are ar5eholes
A lot of teachers are ar5eholes
The amount of contact hours also equals to the amount of planning and marking hours (as in, we frequently have 12 hour days)
Any time you see a kid (even at the shops, or as you drove along a street) your mandatory Duty of Care kicks in - meaning you may never actually have down time
You can not rely on actually getting your non-contact time - most school provide their teachers extra duty as a relief to cover management being out of school on a conference
If a kid decides to ignore your instruction and injures themselves, you are liable
You are legally obliged to attend meetings.

Break down a teacher's wage into an hourly rate, and it equates to $26 per hour.
Less than $1 per kid, per hour. Slave labour quite frankly.

By the way, I am now in my 12th year of teaching, have been assaulted (let alone insulted) by students on a minimum of 7 occasions where I have had my leg gashed open, my collar bone broken, pushed down a stair well, hit from behind with a drama sand bag, hit from behind with a chair, and assaulted with flying objects.

The main problem is, once you are in the teaching game, it becomes nigh on impossible to get out.

Just to balance this out a bit...

I am in my 13th year of teaching, but I teach year 7 in a primary school.
My school is great.
The teachers are fantastic (most).
The majority of my parents are good.
My class is one of the best I have had.
My boss is excellent and my previous boss was the best I have ever worked with.
Our admin is very supportive and our meetings are quite casual and sometimes productive.

I know from my own experience that teaching can be quite tough at times, but sometimes it is really enjoyable.
 

Clokey34

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Taught for one year full time at secondary school. It was okay, but there is too much inconsistency between teachers IMO. I was also planning lessons at home and always had school in my head. So I moved to business and find it suits me more.
 

cAsEy_18

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Taught for one year full time at secondary school. It was okay, but there is too much inconsistency between teachers IMO. I was also planning lessons at home and always had school in my head. So I moved to business and find it suits me more.

Without trying to pry mate, I'd be interested in your story, because it sounds a similar path to me. I've just finished my 2nd year of an Arts/Commerce course. Only did Arts to have a degree in Journalism, but I've realised I probably won't go down that path. Still, I'll see it out and get the qualification.
But I was initially going to do an education course, and changed to this with the intention of doing a Dip Ed at the end. I still plan on teaching at this stage, as I feel it's the one I'd enjoy most. I've basically got a choice out of that, or whatever I decide to major in under Commerce. Commerce suits me, I'm good at it, but struggle to find it interesting, or picture me doing it for 30+ years.
 

Clokey34

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Yeah, no worries. Dip Ed is a good way to go. Only takes one year, and supply teaching is super easy for some quick cash as part time work.

I didn't see room for much career progression in teaching, and truthfully I fell into teaching in the first place. Certainly I think I have a balanced view, and can see many of the pros and cons, most of which have been highlighted already.

I don't necessarily regret doing it, because I also developed some transferable skills working there. After doing pracs at a couple of different school you should get a good idea if it suits you or not.

Feel free to shoot any questions.
 
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