Supply teaching

Advantages: Well paid, can work when you want, no planning
Disadvantages: Behaviour, unpaid holidays, lack of social side

...I have been doing supply teaching for over a year now. I thought I?d write about my experiences and give some advice to those who might be thinking of supply work. BACKGROUND: I trained to be a teacher in 2006-7. I had never wanted to be a teacher, it was never something I always dreamed of being. I had always planned to be a lawyer. However, after studying History at university I knew that I wanted to work with the subject. I went on to do a Masters in museum studies and thought seriously about working in that field but the money was really bad and there were a lot of people trying to get very few jobs. I took a year out to think and to earn some money. The ex-Mr Tart wanted to go into teaching (he was also a historian) and I thought that seeing as I wanted to work in History there were worse things I could do. Not...

tartlette83 06.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Supply Teaching

Teaching for Beginners

Advantages: Great all round assessment of skills
Disadvantages: None

...This book would make a great introduction for anyone considering taking up a career in teaching, or interested in acquiring skills that would help them in their Teacher Training coursework. In fact, I suspect it may already be a set work, if not, it should be. The chapters cover the following topics: Developing your teaching skills Planning and preparation Lesson presentation Lesson management Classroom climate Discipline Assessing pupil's progress Reflection and Evaluation. It is all presented in a no-nonsense way, with the emphasis on developing and evaluating practical skills acquired during teaching practice. This is firmly backed up with constant reference to other textbooks and teaching theory. For example, lesson management is considered from the point of view of the experienced teacher who knows from past...

aspebbles 18.01.2009 (20.01.2009) · Read review
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Review of Essential Teaching Skills - Chris Kyriacou

Do you want to teach

Advantages: Ultimately satisfying in the long run
Disadvantages: Can be gruelling, tiring and pressured hard work

...Ok – I know that some of you are by now fed up of my constant references to teaching (and languages) but a couple of people out there have actually followed-up the teaching bit of my random personality as they have aspirations of becoming a teacher themselves (good luck to them – I would always encourage people to go for it!). In this case, what I propose is a quick run down of the basic training you need to go through in order to get qualified as a teacher in secondary education (sorry, but I can’t comment on the primary sector). THE BASICS First things first though, before we even get to the qualifications bit – before becoming a teacher you have to ask yourself some basic but obvious questions. Amongst others, you have to ask yourself if you see yourself actually ‘being’ a teacher...

julietta 28.08.2001 (30.08.2001) · Read review
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Review of Teaching

Primary teaching

Advantages: interesting, enjoyable, rewarding, fun
Disadvantages: huge workload, irritating children

...I am in the fourth and final year of my teaching degree, which will qualify me to teach in both a primary and secondary school setting although my specialist subject is ICT. As part of my teacher training I have spent two placements teaching in Primary Schools and two teaching in Secondary Schools. This review will take a look at what it is actually like teaching in a Primary School based on my experience. My first primary placement was for several weeks in a year three class in Portslade. All pupils were from a very socially deprived area. My second primary placement was in a school in Hastings where the children were also from a socially deprived area. Curriculum & Planning The primary curriculum can be quite enjoyable to teach although planning in a primary school is exhausting. Being with a class all day means that you end...

ilusvm 10.02.2009 · Read review
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Review of What is it really like to teach in a primary school today?

  Teaching, part of life's rich tapestry.

Advantages: Satisfaction, holidays, pay
Disadvantages: Some snotty parents, ribbing about holidays

...Ah teaching, my friend and enemy all at once. Before I launch into the finer details of Primary Education I first need to stand up and say...'Hello, my name is MiniMinx and I am a teacher. My Mum is a retired teacher. My dad is a retired Headteacher. My brother is a teacher. My mother-in-law is a teacher. My sister-in-law is a teacher.' So I am kind of an expert... ~Making the Decision~ Teaching is something that you really want to do. It is a vocation. Anyone who tells you that you will grow into it is wrong. There are very few teachers who grow to like it. It's either in your veins or it's not. We don't LOVE children and so want to be with them constantly; we are educators whose job it is to impart knowledge and keep discipline at the same time. Please don't choose to pursue a career in teaching because you can...

Mini_Minx 03.08.2004 · Read review
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Review of Teaching

Teaching me ECDL? Well, sort of...

Advantages: Clear instructions, Interactive, Inexpensive
Disadvantages: Variable sound quality, Uses older version of Office

...Over the last three months (November 2007 to February 2008), I have been using my spare time to study for my European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL - for more details see my previous review, "I've passed my driving test"). One of the great advantages of this course is its flexibility, which meant I was free to teach myself the syllabus using materials of my choice, rather than attend classes, be formally tutored by distance learning, or have to buy expensive set texts. This made gaining the qualification a good deal cheaper for me, and meant I could work at my own pace rather than the pace of someone else's course. I also felt I had sufficient prior knowledge to be able to teach myself the bits I didn't know or was less confidant about. I bought myself a textbook ("The Complete Coursebook for Office 2000" for £15, currently £20, see...

Collingwood21 23.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Teaching You ECDL

Teaching For Dummies

Advantages: challenging and gratifying
Disadvantages: not very well paid and tiring

...I have been teaching languages for children, teenagers and adults in private language schools for almost five years. I have also taught in a public school for a very short time just after the university. One of the best things you can use in the teaching profession is a genuine interest. One of the worst things you can possess, and more so if you are thinking of teaching children or teenagers, are illusions. Young children might be innocent, but they are essentially disorganized, their attention is often distracted, and some of them are lazy. For all that, they usually love you. Working with children from 5 to 9 years old is enormously gratifying if you are good at explaining simple things in a simple way and playing games. They love games, and they usually learn fast. Try not to be false or tense, be cheerful and relaxed, be firm...

happy_hamster 24.03.2001 · Read review
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Review of Teaching

CONTROVERSIAL - Why teaching is not so bad...

Advantages: Guaranteed holidays and short days
Disadvantages: national curriculum which is inflexible, poor entry standards

...I am going to do something radical. I am going to challenge the assertion that teaching is one of the most stressful professions that can be followed. I am going to challenge, at the same time, the status quo and argue where teaching as a profession is failing and suggest why. In doing that please do not take offence at what I say, to a degree I am playing devil's advocate although what I say is my opinion, even though that opinion may be held in ignorance. I was prompted to write this opinion after reading pagan's excellent opinion on the subject. This opinion is not intended to be a response to her opinion although I do cover many of the same points. The topic of "teachers" has often been a hot-bed in our house with many a frustrated Victor-Meldrew-type cry of "I don't believe it…." In response to the cry of the stressed...

CareBear 27.04.2001 · Read review
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Review of Teaching

Primary teaching in Scotland (male probationer)

Advantages: Holidays, better pay than you'd think, relatively short wkg hrs overall
Disadvantages: Long hours at times, time constraints...

...Having always wanted to pursue a career in teaching I'm delighted to say I've realised my dream and I'm very happy to share my thoughts and views on the profession with you now. Having studied social sciences at the University of Glasgow (so as to allow me to teach in a secondary school if I wanted to at the end of my degree) I decided to apply for the PGCE course in primary teaching at Glasgow. Firstly, I decided to go down the primary route because I really wanted to have one class to focus on for a whole year, each and every year, as opposed to teaching a variety of classes in one day as is the norm in the secondary sector. Furthermore, it is a common misconception that secondary school teachers get paid more than their primary school counterparts. Let me set the record straight and tell you that unpromoted teachers in both...

The_Honest_Truth2006 09.11.2006 · Read review
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Review of Teaching

Teaching in Vienna

Advantages: text
Disadvantages: text

...Hello! Firstly I have to tell you that I am a native German speaker and from Vienna that's why my grammer isn't the best one in English. I made my final exam last year and thought a lot about what I should do for the rest of my life - I mean the job, so I decided to become a teacher. I'll start studing at the University of Vienna this October: German, History and Geography - for Grammerschool (called "Gymnasium" in Vienna). So why have I decided to become a teacher? 1. I like working with children 2. I love Literature (German and English) 3. I grew up with History I think teaching children isn't easy but it's an exercise for live and I hope that I'll take it! We had many young practicants during the 8 years of "Gymnasium" and only less wanted to teach after us eighter. Why ? *lol* Well it's not easy during...

Lilian-the-Great 06.09.2001 · Read review
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Review of Teaching