Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Mr Poe]

I'm thinking about the pgce teaching qualification in 2009. Anyone on here done it? Would you recommend it? I'll do it somewhere in the UK, probably Liverpool. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[gazz]

Yeah i did it a couple of years ago.

1. What age group do you plan to teach?
2. What subject do you plan to teach?

If you want any specific info let me know.

[mick]

Hey gazz,

I also hope to do the PGCE in Primary Teaching next year. I'm currently working at a public elementary school here in Korea and was wondering whether teaching colleges in the UK will recognise this as experience or do you think they will insist that I volunteer to work in a school in the UK? This is my 3rd year at this school and although I do understand that the school environment here is very different from that in the UK, I'm hoping the colleges take into account my time here when considering my application.

What do you think?

Cheers.

[nizpaz]

Couple of things I know of:

Primary is deathly difficult to get into, so start applying well in advance.

If you've been here (or out of the UK) for more than 2 years in the last 5 you won't qualify for all those super bursaries and grants but you can still get a student loan. Although I'd check this info out again, but worth considering. Not sure if the rule applies to fees too.

After you finish the course you have to do a period of time in a UK school (can't remember exactly how long I think a year) in order to get QTS. Unless that has changed too. So if you're plan is to get a PGSE and then go abroad to work in an international school, factor in the UK stint to your plans.

There was the other route too of working in a school while training although whether you can do that at primary I can't remember.

Of course, these things change but do your research. It was something I considered a while back but couldn't afford the cost of living in rip-off Blighty. And I never want to teach in a UK school.

[gazz]

Hi Mick. From your name i presume you are male?

This could make a bit of a difference in terms of your application (assuming you tick all the 'other boxes') because there is a shortage of male teachers in the primary school sector.

I am trained in the 11-18 yr age group, so my traning was in a specific subject.

A couple of things from various peoples view points and experiences'.

1. Do sell the fact that you have done ESL but do not over sell it! You need to think about the skills that this has taught you and how you will be able to apply these skills in a UK setting.

Some words for you to look up. Include these in your application!

1. I have knowledge and an understanding of assessment of (and for) learning. These are two different things!!!

2. I am a self reflective learner! They love this word!!!!

3. An appreciation of how children learn (differently). (VARK)

4. Different teaching methods (circle time ect for primary).

5. Different questioning methods (research blooms taxonomy).

An alternative to a PGCE is Ahhhhh i forget the name of it (GTTP???). Anyway it is work based learning. From an employers point of view i know that they prefer someone with a PGCE.

And yes as the other poster stated, after your 1 year PGCE you must complete another 1 full year in a school to fully qualify.

Yes you can fail in your second year and it does happen!

You would be very wise to get this done straight after you finish you r PGCE otherwise employers begin to ask why you went to Korea ect ect without finishing your qualification.

Technically i think you have to complete your NQT year within 5 years i think other wise you need to do your first year again!!!!

Any way good luck if you decide to do it. Be warned it is a lot of work/long hours/stress ect ect!

It personally enjoyed it all and am in Korea for a year or two before i go back to slave it out actually working FULL time marking books ect ect

[whitebeagle]

I did my PGCE in 2005 at Exeter in upper primary maths after 2 yrs in korea.

The application forms were all online which helped. They let me do a phone interview rather than show up in person (which an irish teacher at my hagwon had to do!) and liked the fact I was already teaching. There are banks of questions for interview that you can brush up on on sites like TES.co.uk but it was pretty informal. If you have actual classroom experience then obviously use it (but without sounding like you know it all!)- 'when I noticed a child in my class who didnt get the 'f' sound i got her to pretend to be a balloon deflating'.

I felt I had a definite advantage over most of my coursemates because of my time teaching abroad. The course was intensive but it's more getting used to the paperwork side of things than classroom management/ public speaking which I was already comfortable with but which some genuinely struggled with. The hardest thing for me was getting used to the level of scrutiny that you are subjected to, but that is the case throughout teaching outside of esl.

Being male does help but doesnt guarantee anything. It sucks that they dont do the financial support thing anymore. As for the NQT (qualifying) year, most people started applying during the final months of the PGCE and it is probably best to do it straight away while you are 'still in the saddle' so to speak.

Good luck