advice (1 Viewer)

[kimjuliana]

Hey guys! I'm a bit torn between UAC preference choices... I really want to do education, but I've heard that first year teachers are often placed in very crappy school, i.e. disadvantaged school in areas of violence and what not. I really do like teaching but I'm a bit afraid of being placed in a really bad school. In addition I'm Asian, and from my parents's stories, teachers of a minority background can often face racial prejudice from students. Also people say that teachings is super tough as it is high stress. I'm getting a bit scared from my parents, but I really enjoy teaching. My parents are trying to dissuade me from teaching and want me to do pharmacy... I know pharmacy has better working conditions, but it also has low job prospects... I really don't know what to do? Can someone please answer some questions for me?
1. Can someone whose a teacher give me advice about what its actually like to work in a disadvantaged school... like a really bad school.
2. Also are people that racist against teachers? I know racism is everywhere but is it really bad? Like really bad, I want to quit on the first day??
3. I know private tutoring is a another option for teachers. Will tutoring colleges hire me if I only have a B Sci/ B Ed?
4. Does pharmacy have that of a bad job prospect? I just want a stable career. Money isn't much of a issue to me. Just as long as there is a job out there
5. Where are most of the jobs in Pharmacy? Like is it in industry, hospitals etc...
6. If I were to do a Ba Pharm and then do a Dip Ed, will I still be able to teach science for example?
7. What is the pathway to teaching if you've done a Ba beforehand?

Im sorry for all the questions... I'm just so stressed and tired about choosing my career...

 

[Queenroot]

I'm not a teacher, but of what I've heard pharmacy jobs aren't in their prime right now.

Also, I don't know about putting you in areas of "violence". I don't know why your parents are enforcing the whole stereotyping and racism being an issue with teaching, because I'm sure if you were raised here, you're not really that different? Most rural schools have really nice people, so I don't know where your parents are getting these ideas from. Do what you like, do what YOU want.

Just putting in my 2 cents.

 

[kimjuliana]

Thanks... anyways. Sigh I really really want to do teaching though. The thing is, if I fail to find a job as a teacher my parents will be like "ha I told you so!" Plus I don't think they'll support me if I fail. Anyone else have some other advice or answer some of my posted questions? Esp. someone who has been a teacher or is training to become a teacher?
I'm sorry I sound like a downer it's just that I don't really know what to do...

 

[rumbleroar]

I think if there's a will there's a way. Use the fact you may be placed in "disadvantaged" areas as a positive opportunity to inspire students. Pharmacy is kind of a dead-end street. There's pretty much not many jobs left in pharmacy, and many more opportunities as a teacher. That's my two cents.

Plus, although racism is still somewhat alive, don't let it defer you from your passions of teaching. You sound like you really want to teach, but what your parents are saying are holding you back. Don't let it hold you back and go for teaching

 

[kimjuliana]

thanks sigh but idk I'm so afraid I wont make it anyone got any stories about teaching? cos I've heard jobs there are drying out fast too... I haven't heard anything about teaching? Can someone give me some advice about what it's like to actually teach? Or does someone know a teacher I can contact? I've asked my own teachers but they were quite vague/haven't replied to me.

 

[titaniumwithin]

I don't think you would definitely be placed at disadvantaged school to be honest. Maybe get a higher degree or another one in conjunction with your teaching degree or specialise in something. I know private schools look for teachers who have more qualifications. It really doesn't matter what your race is and getting placed in a disadvantaged school wouldn't really happen and I haven't heard anything like that either. All you need to do is make yourself stand out against others!

 

[kimjuliana]

Hmm Okay.. so what higher degree would you recommend? Like a masters or doctorate? I'm planning for now to do Bachelor OF Education (Secondary mathematics) &Bachelor of science at usyd. How would you specialise in something? Like a certain area of teaching?

 

[cream pirate]

maths teachers in high demand so pick that, and im sure you major in your area of teaching you want

 

[kimjuliana]

hmm okayy thanks guys

 

[kimjuliana]

hmm I've heard that its better to be able to teach the extension courses for maths, how do you get qualified to be able to teach these courses??

 

[BLIT2014]

A newish graduate teacher at our school did a bachelor of marine biology, and bachelor of education


Australia is heading for a teacher glut, but a shortage of maths and science teachers.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/educ...of-teachers-20130829-2ss22.html#ixzz2oFiQ6PYk

 

[kimjuliana]

is there a shortage of math/ science teachers? but I've heard most teacher can't event get permanent jobs... sigh.. what school are in more demand...

 

[kimjuliana]

Is UWS a good uni for education?

 

[ChillTime]

I recently finished a Biomedical Engineering degree and I'm switching to teaching because I'm not satisfied with engineering.

Not all tuition schools have high requirements for teachers and not all of them have great teachers. Most will let uni students teach, especially if they have experience. Only the premier tuition schools like Matrix are firm with the requirement for a Bachelor's degree or higher. A good way to accrue experience is with private tuition (via agency or freelance).

I'd advise against pharmacy precisely due to the lack of jobs, many pharmacy graduates switch to teaching, ironically. Asian parents are often very deluded and think prestige/education equates to wealth/success. Another delusion is that commerce degree = knowing how money works = wealth. I'm Chinese so I'm very familiar with these myths. The truth is, the job market sucks for many professions, many PhD graduates struggle to find jobs too.

Compared to other professions, teaching still has a viable job market for now.

Is UWS a good uni for education? I don't know, but I'll get back to you next year after completing my M Teach there .

 

[kimjuliana]

Okay thanks for your advice Hmm how would I gain experience as a tutor? Can I just apply to some tutoring centre? I just graduated from high school... And also has anyone heard some stories about first year placements? what was it like? bad? good?

 

[hawkrider]

Okay thanks for your advice Hmm how would I gain experience as a tutor? Can I just apply to some tutoring centre? I just graduated from high school... And also has anyone heard some stories about first year placements? what was it like? bad? good?

What subjects did you specialise in during your HSC?

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

 

[kimjuliana]

I did maths extension 1 and 2, they were my best marks! Chemistry I did quite well in too I got band 6's for all 3 of those subs

 

[jessdub96]

Please PLEASE do teaching! I am wanting to become a teacher too after realising this is my passion and my calling (previously I dismissed it due to it's lack of 'prestige' so to speak and what I'd heard in terms of salary etc), but what this country needs more than anything are smart, passionate teachers who WANT to be there and from what you've been saying you sound like you fit that criteria perfectly. As far as I know from talking to teachers and reading, when you start looking for jobs as a teacher you put down your preferences for areas you would be willing to teach in, obviously the more you put down and the further out you are willing to go, the easier it will be for you to find a permanent job early in your career. There are definite positives to this anyway, teaching is about inspiring and educating future generations and imagine the difference you could make in a rural or disadvantaged area- try not to generalise, disadvantaged does not necessarily equate to violent. Also, the life experience that getting outside your comfort zone will be invaluable to your career in education..that's what is exciting about a career in teaching, you will end up experiencing kids from all sorts of backgrounds, some of whom may indeed be nasty and some who you will remember forever.. but it's all good, it will only better you as a person and a teacher. You have to follow what you love or you will end up miserable, possibly hating your career or dropping from your degree... don't think about all those things you are stressing about now anyway, I think you are thinking a bit too far in advance. Follow what you want to do and who knows where it will take you.. uni is not a means to an end Good luck and merry christmas!

 

[Astro551]

Firstly grats on finishing Yr12! Hope it was a blast. And dw bout stressing over UAC, really normal haha. I remember changing my preferences down to the last minute (and I just realised it closes in less than an hour, so not sure how much this will help you )

Many tutoring colleges will hire uni students (cheap labour... usually). Especially if you got a good ATAR, they seem to love to flaunt that to Asian parents that all their tutors got 99.xx and above - it's a cruel world out there (not to say if you didn't get above that you can't tutor people! but higher ATAR doesn't hurt).

My Year 12 Maths teacher always used to say Pharmacy was like being a 'glorified shop keeper' (although not sure if she was being bitter because she didn't get in ). But I was talking to one of my Pharm graduate friends they were working at Chemist Warehouse, the only difference now they said is they'll be more in charge and more stuff to do with actual prescriptions?

It seems Pharm actually does have a few options, you can go into one of the big corp Chemists (e.g. Roy Young, Chemist Warehouse, etc) and set up shop there (apparently the prescription counters there are privately owned by Pharmacists, what my friend told me so not too sure on that). Or set up your own Pharmacy, although this seems to be getting increasingly hard with the bigger Chemists taking up a lot of the territory. Otherwise you can go into a research related job for companies such as pharmaceuticals or drugs.

I'm currently doing a B Education/B Science (Mathematics) @ UNSW. While I too heard that Maths and Sciences (Physics especially) are in high demand at schools, I've also heard about graduated Science subject students not being able to get a job, so it's not easy cruising either. Depends on your expectations as well, the further away you go away from Metropolitan Sydney it seems the demand gets higher; although that would impede on travelling/living situations as well.

And Teaching isn't easy either (or so I've heard). Once got told a story about a teacher who quit period 6 the day they started LOL (again take that with a grain of salt, but you get the idea).

While it's also tough it's also pretty rewarding, shaping the lives of the future generation and seeing people mature from stinky, bad taste in jokes Year 7's to somewhat less stink and even worse taste in jokes Year 12's is something only High School Teachers really get to experience/have a hand in. So if that sounds like what you want to do then go for it!

I too was in your position last year, deciding between Commerce and Education. There are sometimes when I regret because Commerce seems cooler, get to wear a suit, work in a big flashy building and shake hands with the rich and famous (or maybe I'm deluding myself), but there are times when I'm glad I'm doing Education. When you get to think about the change you can make in any one person; that's what makes it worth it for me!

 

[spock2016]

Have you completed your MTeach and are you a Full Time teacher? curious to know your experiences.