Teaching

[milo1978]

Ive decided I want to train as a teacher. I have GCSE's, A'levels and a bachelors degree so I have all the relevant qualifications.

Im undecided though as to whether to go in for primary or secondary.

Im put off secondary just because of how horrible my school was & how disrespectful and rude the kids used to be, my teachers really had to put up with some very unacceptable behavior with very little support.

However I love History and would love to teach it at GCSE level. Also I am a native spanish & speak and write it fluently so I would like to do that too.

Eventually me & my boyfriend want to move to Australia but want to work in UAE (The United Arab Emirates) first (he works in construction & gets offered handsome packages)

Does anyone have any advice? or does anyone know the difference in salary between secondary & primary teachers? private or state schools?

or teaching abroad?

Thanks in advance xx

[chrisrob]

I was in the same dilemma as you when I trained for the profession 40 years ago. (Am I really that old?)
Then I had the option to train for Junior/Secondary for the newly emerging middle schools. That gave me a taste for both with teaching practices in each. It didn't take much to convince me to go for Junior. I preferd to have greater contact with the children rather than repeating the same lesson half a dozen times to different classes.
Pay scale is the same. Odd though how many people used to ask me whether I had had to start as a Junior teacher to work my way up to secondary.
At the end of the day the call is yours. There are advantages and disadvantes with both. Do you like children or your subject more? Do you think you can cope with covering areas of the curriculum you yourself are weak at?
The most important thing though is that you are able to motivate children and have a sense of humour. (Or is that two things?)

[chrisrob]

I was in the same dilemma as you when I trained for the profession 40 years ago. (Am I really that old?)
Then I had the option to train for Junior/Secondary for the newly emerging middle schools. That gave me a taste for both with teaching practices in each. It didn't take much to convince me to go for Junior. I preferd to have greater contact with the children rather than repeating the same lesson half a dozen times to different classes.
Pay scale is the same. Odd though how many people used to ask me whether I had had to start as a Junior teacher to work my way up to secondary.
At the end of the day the call is yours. There are advantages and disadvantes with both. Do you like children or your subject more? Do you think you can cope with covering areas of the curriculum you yourself are weak at?
You may be able to help out as a volunteer at a local secondary and a local primary school which would give you a deeper insight into how they work.
The most important thing though is that you are able to motivate children and have a sense of humour. (Or is that two things?)

[Lil O'lady]

While I think Chrisrob has a good point about middle schools, they are not widely available as an option. I would suggest Milo that if you love History you might find its current status in most secondary schools very depressing - being dropped like mad at GCSE, crummy schemes of work dictated by DCFS and down to one lesson a week in year 9. On the other hand, in the primary school environment you have more flexibilty about how you teach, and your langage skills will be greatly appreciated as MFL is now compulsory in primary schools.
As you have observed, there are now many negative behavioural issues in secondary schools - I am not saying these are the fault of these schools, but circumstances are conspiring to turn young people off in KS3 / KS4. I would give primary teaching a go if I were you.

[EngTeach]

I have taught at both levels and enjoyed each one for different reasons. In the lower grades I enjoyed being with the same group for most of the day and being able to do in class long-term projects. They are so cute and just love you to death.

On the secondary level if I have a difficult student I am not forced to spend all day with them. I like that they are older and inquisitive about the world at large and you can have good lessons and discussions with them. I can see how I and the others really help shape the adults they soon become. That's the good part.

You are right to be concerned about the discipline and rudeness and the lack of support. From the bit teachers and parents have posted on here, I see the educational system there is as bad as it is here in the states regarding disciplining students

You must have sense of humor and feel comfortable making an ar$e of yourself from time to time as you are vulnerable when up in front of the children, especially the older ones. I prefer the upper grades and as frustrating as it is at times would not change my profession.

As a principal once told me: The children are all horrible and they are all wonderful. That is pretty accurate.

Good Luck