Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher

Remove this Banner Ad

Just remembered this thread and had a look - the recent discussion about PSTs is pretty interesting and I've just finished by first placement.

Quick recap for those playing at home: have been military for 15 years now (last 4 as part-time to do this career change to be a teacher, working around .6 equivalent around uni), did a three year BArts in History and English and now one year of the two-year Master of Teaching (Secondary) is complete.

The placement I just did was at a category 2 school in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. Had about 1300 kids from reception (prep) to year 12. I found the experience to be excellent. The mentor teacher I had was very good, and despite a little disorganisation between the uni and school (and myself) in the initial phase, everything went really well.

This placement is the first of two for my degree and is five weeks long. The requirement is to build up to a 50% teaching load equivalent by the halfway mark of the placement, but I found that to be a kinda shit way to do things. So instead, I used the first week to observe and plan two units of work that I would teach entirely for the next four weeks, including a co-teaching thing with the mentor for another class. Everything went really well and I got a lot out of it. The mentor teacher gave some really great pointers and advice, giving feedback each double-lesson I taught. He had a really good attitude and was someone who genuinely cared about teaching, so I lucked out there.

One year of this shit left to go and I can actually get paid to teach lol. Probably the biggest positive after the placement is that I can say I am more certain I've chosen the right career path.
 
ShanDog said:
Just remembered this thread and had a look - the recent discussion about PSTs is pretty interesting and I've just finished by first placement.

Quick recap for those playing at home: have been military for 15 years now (last 4 as part-time to do this career change to be a teacher, working around .6 equivalent around uni), did a three year BArts in History and English and now one year of the two-year Master of Teaching (Secondary) is complete.

The placement I just did was at a category 2 school in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. Had about 1300 kids from reception (prep) to year 12. I found the experience to be excellent. The mentor teacher I had was very good, and despite a little disorganisation between the uni and school (and myself) in the initial phase, everything went really well.

This placement is the first of two for my degree and is five weeks long. The requirement is to build up to a 50% teaching load equivalent by the halfway mark of the placement, but I found that to be a kinda shit way to do things. So instead, I used the first week to observe and plan two units of work that I would teach entirely for the next four weeks, including a co-teaching thing with the mentor for another class. Everything went really well and I got a lot out of it. The mentor teacher gave some really great pointers and advice, giving feedback each double-lesson I taught. He had a really good attitude and was someone who genuinely cared about teaching, so I lucked out there.

One year of this shit left to go and I can actually get paid to teach lol. Probably the biggest positive after the placement is that I can say I am more certain I've chosen the right career path.
Click to expand...

This might come off as a naive question, but how do you approach teaching after coming from a military background? I assume regimentation, organisation and strictness are built into you given the time you’ve spent there. If so, does that transfer across to your teaching style?

The reason I ask is because I’m at the other end of the spectrum - I’m very organised, but also very relaxed in the class. I’m very discussion based with my teaching, the kids in the senior school can call me by my first name if they want, and I like to have a laugh and joke during class. I had some really good results last year - my year 11 class averaged high 70% for the year and I had 8 kids average over 90. A few of the teachers didn’t like that - they saw me as lazy and too friendly, but that’s what worked (for me).

Interested to hear your thoughts - i have a good mate who was a reg in the army for 10 years who’s now teaching - and I’d be shit scared to be in his class!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
wadistance said:
This might come off as a naive question, but how do you approach teaching after coming from a military background? I assume regimentation, organisation and strictness are built into you given the time you’ve spent there. If so, does that transfer across to your teaching style?

The reason I ask is because I’m at the other end of the spectrum - I’m very organised, but also very relaxed in the class. I’m very discussion based with my teaching, the kids in the senior school can call me by my first name if they want, and I like to have a laugh and joke during class. I had some really good results last year - my year 11 class averaged high 70% for the year and I had 8 kids average over 90. A few of the teachers didn’t like that - they saw me as lazy and too friendly, but that’s what worked (for me).

Interested to hear your thoughts - i have a good mate who was a reg in the army for 10 years who’s now teaching - and I’d be shit scared to be in his class!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
It's a fair question and I've been wondering the same thing leading up to the first prac lol.

I'm a pretty laid back person in general, particularly as I've gotten a bit older I think. My job in army at the moment is training and managing recruits - if I'm honest with myself I could be a little harder on them but it's just not my go. Everyone's leadership and instruction style is different. As long as I'm being paid respect, I'm pretty chill and like to have a laugh. I do have a temper though - inherited that from my old man and had in reinforced over the last 15 years wearing the uniform lol.

I definitely like structure - I'm very methodical in everything I do. A silly example is I like doing the dishes at home because I sort them in order of how I want them stacked with a secord sort order of cleanest to dirtiest, and wash them all in silence so I can concentrate only on that. It centres me.. lol. So I do like to have structure in a lesson, but I'm not so rigid that unstructured learning is an issue. Particularly if I plan for it... At the end of the day I'd rather have students engaged and asking questions on a tangent than sitting there with thumb in bum.

I guess th best example I can give is the very first minute of the first class I taught on prac. They wandered in haphazardly and didn't drop the volume down for me to call the roll. I tried getting their attention but they just weren't listening. The mentor teacher had ducked out to go to the toilet too - perfect timing. I'd like to say it was a tactical move on my part, but really, I just saw red immediately (that respect thing) and blasted them. Never seen 25 kids simultaneously shit before, but I have now. Moved straight on like nothing happened (as we do in army) and for the next 4 weeks they told each other to shut up when I wanted their attention. For some context there, I'm 195cm and 100kg with a big voice which I'm sure they weren't expecting lol. But they enjoyed the class and were generally keen on the topic and how I was running the class, particularly once I sussed out how they worked best etc. Mentor teacher told me he thought I spoke too abrasively to the younger classes at the end of the first week, and I definitely was without realising it. Probably a mixture of nerves and falling back on what I know, but after adjusting that he thought I was pretty much spot on.

Long reply sorry, but the short version is I don't think we'd be too different in how we operate to be honest. Main difference is probably me being a little quick to get angry at things that others (in general) might not. Not sure how much of that is military and how much is just me though!
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Breustiful said:
Thanks mate for the response, last paragraph is 100% correct!

Kids do love the stupid stuff and also, funnily enough, the gory stuff. Piqued a lot of interests when I mentioned the Black Death.
Click to expand...
On a retrospective reread of past threads on the ipad as I grimace through Richmond's dismantling of us tonight in the QF...

Just after this post of yours that year, I supervised a Y8 history class who was studying the Black Death. Young Rhys, a possibly ASD class clown with high intelligence and no sense of social appropriateness, was in the group. As I was leading the reading of the text, the word "flagellants" came up, and I emphasised it. Massive grin appears on Rhys's face. A few lines later, I said it again. He's laughing at this point, and turning to his bemused mates. My favourite type of humour in social situations is where a few people get it and for the rest it goes over their heads - kids in the room were grinning nervously, not wanting to look dumb, but not understanding the joke. I emphasise the word again when it comes up - Rhys at this stage is face down, slapping the desk in tears, and now the kids are laughing at him. We had a great time messing with the heads of his fellow classmates, refusing to divulge what it all meant, but with the class knowing we knew they didn't know...!
 
Can’t stand the requirement that PSTs sit at the back of the classroom and take notes. That quickly evolves into teachers that sit at the front on their computer checking their stock options while the kids complete a worksheet.

This year I’ve had my first PST and before that I had numerous PSTs come into my class to observe a lesson. You’re either engaging with the kids or helping them with their class work. You get much more out of practicing your social skills with students than you do sitting at the back writing dot points that you’ll never read again.
 
TigerGlory said:
Can’t stand the requirement that PSTs sit at the back of the classroom and take notes. That quickly evolves into teachers that sit at the front on their computer checking their stock options Bigfooty while the kids complete a worksheet.

This year I’ve had my first PST and before that I had numerous PSTs come into my class to observe a lesson. You’re either engaging with the kids or helping them with their class work. You get much more out of practicing your social skills with students than you do sitting at the back writing dot points that you’ll never read again.
Click to expand...

EFA
 
TigerGlory said:
Can’t stand the requirement that PSTs sit at the back of the classroom and take notes. That quickly evolves into teachers that sit at the front on their computer checking their stock options while the kids complete a worksheet.
Click to expand...
That's a bit of a generalisation. I have been guilty of sitting at the front completing work that they do not get to complete during the work day.
 
Jack Richards said:
That's a bit of a generalisation. I have been guilty of sitting at the front completing work that they do not get to complete during the work day.
Click to expand...

Not talking about occasionally multi tasking while the kids are doing something.

I’m talking about consistently sitting at the front of the room in another world having no clue what your students are doing.
 
Hi guys, I’ve read through this thread and have really enjoyed the insight into teaching life.

I’m currently doing a BA majoring in history. It's a broad degree because I did not know what career I wanted to pursue, but I am super passionate about the study of history. I'm on the dean's list and I conduct peer-tutoring lessons to assist other students in subjects I had previously performed well in. This little taste of teaching really promoted the idea of teaching as a potential career path for me. However, I was not sure if it was a big enough sample size to gauge that it was the career for me.

So, basically, what I am asking is, should I pursue secondary teaching as a career? What is the most rewarding aspects of the job? Most difficult aspect? Does behaviour management take up most of your time? Is it a fulfilling career?

Thank you :)
 
Teaching can be a great job or it can be a stressful job- depends on a few things. I have been a teacher for 23 years, when I first started teaching was fun and enjoyable, these days its all about scores and data and less about actual teaching. Then you have to hope you have a good school which addresses discipline issues and a strong principal and leadership group. I was always told by my first principal to teach the kids who want to be taught. Teaching these days seems to be a tough job, especially in secondary schools- you end up dealing with unruly students rather than actually teaching. Give it a go- see if you enjoy it, like most jobs you have your good days and bad days. I feel that teachers these days are under paid, over worked and un appreciated. The longer you stay in the system the more you realise the government dont really give a shit about teachers. The holidays are great but they dont compensate for what teachers do- most importantly your mental health is the most important thing. Good luck
 
jameses said:
Hi guys, I’ve read through this thread and have really enjoyed the insight into teaching life.

I’m currently doing a BA majoring in history. It's a broad degree because I did not know what career I wanted to pursue, but I am super passionate about the study of history. I'm on the dean's list and I conduct peer-tutoring lessons to assist other students in subjects I had previously performed well in. This little taste of teaching really promoted the idea of teaching as a potential career path for me. However, I was not sure if it was a big enough sample size to gauge that it was the career for me.

So, basically, what I am asking is, should I pursue secondary teaching as a career? What is the most rewarding aspects of the job? Most difficult aspect? Does behaviour management take up most of your time? Is it a fulfilling career?

Thank you :)
Click to expand...

ask any normal male who has taught secondary and primary they will tell u go secondary in a minute.
 
Yeah. My preference is primary.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Angus Young said:
weird is normal straight males that want to be in the same room as 30 6,7,8 year old children all day every day of their lives reading them picture books and singing songs and then having lunch with fat middle aged women talking shit.
Click to expand...

Primary school generally goes to 12 years of age. And one thing I prefer about primary is having your own classroom where you can spend lunch times doing work rather than talking to fat middle aged women like I have to do now in secondary.
 
Angus Young said:
weird is normal straight males that want to be in the same room as 30 6,7,8 year old children all day every day of their lives reading them picture books and singing songs and then having lunch with fat middle aged women talking shit.
Click to expand...

yeah thats more Junior Primary...

and you're right...´men´down there usually aren't right.
 
Angus Young said:
weird is normal straight males that want to be in the same room as 30 6,7,8 year old children all day every day of their lives reading them picture books and singing songs and then having lunch with fat middle aged women talking shit.
Click to expand...
I sincerely hope you're not a teacher because there are so many things wrong with your view.

How is gender even relevant to the discussion? I suppose the men should be out doing manly jobs in the yard and the woman in the kitchen too? Are woman who teach primary weird too, or is it okay because they are female?

What is normal? I'd argue it's not normal to want a job where you're in an office with four walls from 9-5, eyes glued to the computer screen.

I teach 12 year olds and I teach primary, haven't sung a song or sat with "fat middle aged woman" or fat middle aged men for that matter. I see it as a very different job to teaching junior primary, but also a very different job to teaching senior high school.

If you're suggesting it's weird for someone (male in your words) to be near kids, then I'd suggest you're the weird one for having those insecure thoughts. Arguably, it is no more weird than being around hormonal 13 and 14 and 15 year olds craving attention, or being a speech therapist or child psychologist.

Grow up, and have a think about your view, because it's pretty disgusting.
 
footy75 said:
yeah thats more Junior Primary...

and you're right...´men´down there usually aren't right.
Click to expand...

That's pretty unfair to claim that male primary teachers are pedos. It's not my cup of tea but FFS. No wonder the teaching profession can't attract male teachers.
 
Angus Young said:
weird is normal straight males that want to be in the same room as 30 6,7,8 year old children all day every day of their lives reading them picture books and singing songs and then having lunch with fat middle aged women talking shit.
Click to expand...

a) what does sexuality have to do with anything? whether someone is gay, straight, bi, trans or whatever does not mean they are better or worse a teacher than anyone else.

b) Your a dick
 
scotty13 said:
a) what does sexuality have to do with anything? whether someone is gay, straight, bi, trans or whatever does not mean they are better or worse a teacher than anyone else.

b) Your a dick
Click to expand...

a) Have a cry Scotty... Just saying most blokes I know hate hanging around with young children, including current and x teachers....Stop being so sensitive and PC.

b) How do you know? You haven't met me. I might be a good bloke. When your period finishes let's catch up for a beer and have a laugh.
 
Last edited:
raskolnikov said:
That's pretty unfair to claim that male primary teachers are pedos. It's not my cup of tea but FFS. No wonder the teaching profession can't attract male teachers.
Click to expand...

Sorry mate that's not what I meant. You have misconstrued what I´m saying or inferred incorrectly.... perhaps that´s my fault with my wording.

Firstly male primary school teachers are the biggest assets schools have. Especially in this day an age children need positive male role figures more than ever.

I said male JUNIOR primary teachers ´aren't right´...possibly the wrong words. But I certainly I didn't mean pedos for a second. I just meant the ones I have met are a bit loose, quirky, different etc.. not even suggesting that's a bad thing, just an observation. Hats off to them for doing it.

Peace.
 
Angus Young said:
ask any normal male who has taught secondary and primary they will tell u go secondary in a minute.
Click to expand...

Angus Young said:
weird is normal straight males that want to be in the same room as 30 6,7,8 year old children all day every day of their lives reading them picture books and singing songs and then having lunch with fat middle aged women talking shit.
Click to expand...
So, you're not a teacher then?
 
Hard Ball Get said:
I sincerely hope you're not a teacher because there are so many things wrong with your view.

How is gender even relevant to the discussion? I suppose the men should be out doing manly jobs in the yard and the woman in the kitchen too? Are woman who teach primary weird too, or is it okay because they are female?

What is normal? I'd argue it's not normal to want a job where you're in an office with four walls from 9-5, eyes glued to the computer screen.

I teach 12 year olds and I teach primary, haven't sung a song or sat with "fat middle aged woman" or fat middle aged men for that matter. I see it as a very different job to teaching junior primary, but also a very different job to teaching senior high school.

If you're suggesting it's weird for someone (male in your words) to be near kids, then I'd suggest you're the weird one for having those insecure thoughts. Arguably, it is no more weird than being around hormonal 13 and 14 and 15 year olds craving attention, or being a speech therapist or child psychologist.

Grow up, and have a think about your view, because it's pretty disgusting.
Click to expand...

Agree. I teach 9yr olds. Have a ball singing songs and having a laugh/kick the footy.

I hang out with the other male teachers (8 of them) and am happily married and straight.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher

Similar threads

Wormkilla
Any teachers out there changed careers or considering doing so?
Replies
11
Views
1K
Wormkilla
Wormkilla
Wormkilla
Anyone work in the medical field?
Replies
0
Views
69
Wormkilla
Wormkilla
cleveland
Real estate agents course online
Replies
0
Views
1K
cleveland
cleveland
N
Employment Applying to jobs outside your quals/experience
Replies
7
Views
1K
Kwality
K

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top