Best way forward?

[David Matthew Baker]

Well I'm now confused as what to do. Was trying to get references, etc... sorted to reapply to teacher training this year but now at a bit of a loss what to do. Partially from talking to this specials schools head teacher. He suggest that I could do a part time course and stay on supply at this school. He also seemed to suggest that they would happily let me do one of my placements here (his words were that they have had people do this in the past). I also have been told by other staff that there are permanent positions coming up in the summer. On top of that I'm yet to decide which scheme would be best for me. I'm even back to my old position of trying to decide whether I'm right to go in at secondary. He said due to what my long term plans are in wouldn't make much difference if I train at secondary level or at primary. (Long term plans are to get into special needs as quickly as possible.)

 

The various things to decide seem to be between:

 

Full time and Part time

Secondary and Primary

All the different courses

 

I've also been wondering whether I might be better waiting a year and going for one of the permanent positions and then changing in a years time to working part time. Will try and fill in some more details later. As you can probably tell I rather feel like I'm right back at the begining of the whole decision process again. Argh!!

 

What is the best route into special needs teaching. What do you have to do on each route to get there?

[Mumble]

What is the best route into special needs teaching. What do you have to do on each route to get there?

It's absolutely mad, but to get into special needs teaching, even if this is your vocation and something you're more suited to than the general classroom, you have to go through mainstream training and teaching in mainstream settings first. I suspect that this puts off some applicants who would be fantastic special needs teachers but who may struggle with some aspects of mainstream.

 

I can see one potential way round this though it would probably involve some protracted negotiations with your training provider. You enrol on a general PGCE but prior to enrolling have particular placements lined up already. You would probably have to do one mainstream (though perhaps you could find a mainstream with a special unit) and could do one at the special school you currently have links with. I think it would involve having some quite open talks and discussions with various training providers (I suspect unis, rather than SCITT etc. would be more flexible). Once you have your PGCE, one way to get a couple of years experience before applying for SEN schools like that you're working at might be to look to the private sector - even a mainstream private school that has specialist provision (there are several).

 

As to primary/secondary, it depends what you want to do in SEN and at what level. The advantage of primary (or what about middle) training is that it gives you experience of all subjects and a specialism. The advantage of secondary is that it makes you a specialist.

[bid]

You probably already know this, but if you qualify for secondary you are also qualified to teach in primary, but not vice-versa.

 

Mr Boho qualified for secondary, taught there for a few years, then went into primary for a few more years, before ending up in his dream job as a head of department in a secondary special school. When he was in mainstream he always had a finger in special needs (rewriting SN policies and IEPs, mentoring a lad with AS, etc, etc).

 

Good luck with all these decisions!

 

Boho

[summertime]

would the head be in the position to take you on as a graduate teacher, I'm not sure if this can be done in a special school but may be worth investigating

[David Matthew Baker]

I've wondered about middle schools. Main reason I haven't properly considered it so far is that a couple of friends seem to think it would cause me problems if I ever decided to go into mainstream as there aren't many around. The age range however covers the ones I would say I most enjoy working with. I always have liked the lower secondary and upper primary ages. I think because I tend to find these age groups still have some entusiasm left for school which sadly too often seems to go missing by the end of secondary. Early years primary I'm never sure how I'd cope with. I've been okay when in the year groups as support (and actually Class 1 at the special school I work at is one of my favourite groups [only class below it is reception]).

 

I think from talking to others that I could only do my shorter placement in a special school and have to do the long placement in mainstream. I like having a specialism but also like having an active role across the whole range of subjects and helping students progress in general. I guess I need to chew (not literally) on some of the other teachers ears at the special school and ask them what they'd suggest too. Also have one of SVs collegues to phone at somepoint as I also appreciate the advice she has give me in the past. I think the main problem is I thought I'd got this all sorted and now keep been given more and more options. Some of which look like they'd probably work better for me.

 

Do you think the SEN department of my local LEA would be able to offer any useful advice?

[pearl]

Mr p trained as a middle school teacher & had tremendous problems finding a job post training, all he got was supply, & in the end gave up & went into the Civil Service. Was a long time ago though.

 

S is also having probs finding a college that will take her on for PGCE, she is now thinking of speech therapy as an alternative way of working with special needs.

 

Hope you find something suitable David.

[Mumble]

I've wondered about middle schools. Main reason I haven't properly considered it so far is that a couple of friends seem to think it would cause me problems if I ever decided to go into mainstream as there aren't many around.

It is a big problem - there aren't many areas now with middle schools. Also now, I think, it's much harder to get onto primary PGCE (less hard in shortage subjects in secondary). I began my training in the first year doing 3 - 12 as everyone did, then focused on 7 - 12 2nd year onward for all subjects and also lower secondary for maths (my subject). It was one of the reasons I went into prep schools, because I could be a general subjects teacher at year 3/4 but also do maths up to 13 (which in prep schools - common entrance - is roughly equivalent to GCSE).

 

Do you think the SEN department of my local LEA would be able to offer any useful advice?

I guess it can't hurt to ask.

[David Matthew Baker]

My sex (male) might (unfortunatally as I don't believe it should be the case but can see why it is [male role models]) might help me get into a primary scheme. However I expect it would be still easier to get onto a secondary science or physics programme. There are some well funded distance learning programmes for science available. I belive one is from Cambridge. There is also an O.U. PGCE. Only problems with them is I often work best with some motivational help from external sources. At times I'm afraid I can be a bit lazy. At others I go rather over the top.