Teaching

[Stick]

No, not at all, but I can't say that I know enough about being a doctor to make a decision at this stage, and either way, I have 4 years left of MBBS. If I were to transfer to a Science degree now, I won't get credits for MED1011 and MED1022 (which is pretty dumb if you ask me), so I'll need to do 3 years anyways, so the difference in the end is 1 year. But I'd like to at least experience what it's like to be in a hospital full time and see the more clinical side of things first.

Making an informed decision is something which I find pretty important as well. And oh, I do need to mention as well, I can become a Teacher 20 years down the track if I become a doctor now, but I can't become a doctor if I decide to not do MBBS, so either way, it's a good position to be in

I'm sorry if I'm coming across as pushy because that's not how I intend to. It's just that you sound like you're giving yourself reasons to stay in the course when perhaps you know deep down otherwise. I'm sure you will make the right decision in the end.

[kenhung123]

That's the wrong mentality, it doesn't matter if you get a high score or a low score, you go for what you want, you don't go into a course just because it's hard to get into.
Oh, you don't understand how teaching works then.

With teaching, you do an undergraduate degree, and then either a Diploma or Masters of Education (1 or 2 years). That undergraduate degree can be anything, including an MBBS.

I never said you should/shouldn't stay for that reason. I was explaining why I was surprised as you asked. Please explain why I don't know how teaching works? My point is being why continuing doing what you're doing when you are saying how much you would love to be a high school teacher.
"That's the wrong mentality, it doesn't matter if you get a high score or a low score, you go for what you want, you don't go into a course just because it's hard to get into. " Umm is it a bit ironic when you're telling me this when it looks like you've fallen in to the same hole?

Hey, but are you the one currently doing Med right now? You seem to think you know quite a fair bit about what's in Med and what makes sense and doesn't make sense. I never said that I didn't want to become a doctor. I'm just saying I was considering a career in teaching. I said I was considering, which means I'm thinking about it, but that could be in the far future. Right now, I'm in a course where I'm happy to be for the next 5 years. So I'll see what happens as I move into hospitals and experience more of medicine in general.

No, I'm not in med. I study dent and am aware that most professional degrees have a similar structure.

[ProtonStar]

I have been all over the place working out what career I saw myself in, and it was during my stint in a Science degree last semester that teaching was exactly where I needed to be. It's up to Paulsterio whether or not he'd like to finish his MBBS and pursue teaching... at least then he will still have the option of becoming a doctor if he decides to not continue teaching.

I do think that teaching is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling careers imaginable. I want to start a family one day, and I would like to be there for them as often as I could (which is possible with a teaching career, as opposed to say, law or specialist doctor). The pay rate may not be as high as it should, but at least I do not have to devote my life to a career that I'm only pursuing because of money.

I'm gonna be a teacher, and I'm gonna bloody enjoy it! And Paul, I've seen you all over these forums consistently helping people out if they have any questions. If it makes you feel good helping others in such away, then teaching will be absolutely perfect for you  

[Soul_Khan]

My Chemistry teacher who also teaches Methods, Specialist, Physics and Biology is a certified doctor (I believe she's a surgeon but I'm not completely sure, I will ask her if you want) and has completed MBBS, she does teaching and tutors students for $35-50 per hour casually. She's considering going back to either doing medical research or working in a hospital after her kids grow up. She's also the highest payed teacher in our school given her credentials and is also by far the best teacher I have ever had.

So there's no reason why you can't switch between both career options anytime you want.

[brenden]

Big respect, Paul, for not being sucked into the prestige of things and acknowledging you might want to change. Shows integrity and a degree of courage. Can't understand the uproar that your measure of success differs from other people's.
Bugs me when people throw their nose up when I say I want to educate because it's "a waste of talent".

[max payne]

Paulsterio, Im in the same boat as you. Im planning on doing an engineering degree, although I am planning on teaching sometime in the furture, don't know when though . I don't know why everyone is making such a big fuss about this?

[paulsterio]

Paulsterio, Im in the same boat as you. Im planning on doing an engineering degree, although I am planning on teaching sometime in the furture, don't know when though . I don't know why everyone is making such a big fuss about this?

Exactly, I agree with you, what I'm just saying is that I am considering a career in Education in the future, I never said that I didn't want to become a doctor. I fully agree - I don't see why there is such a big fuss, teachers come from all walks of life and different backgrounds.

It's just something that I think I would enjoy and wish to do some time in the future.

Big respect, Paul, for not being sucked into the prestige of things and acknowledging you might want to change. Shows integrity and a degree of courage. Can't understand the uproar that your measure of success differs from other people's.
Bugs me when people throw their nose up when I say I want to educate because it's "a waste of talent".

Hahah, I fully agree with you, if the world was an ideal place, the most talented would go into teaching and education because we want the best for our future generations. But of course, that's not how things work

I never said you should/shouldn't stay for that reason. I was explaining why I was surprised as you asked. Please explain why I don't know how teaching works? My point is being why continuing doing what you're doing when you are saying how much you would love to be a high school teacher.
"That's the wrong mentality, it doesn't matter if you get a high score or a low score, you go for what you want, you don't go into a course just because it's hard to get into. " Umm is it a bit ironic when you're telling me this when it looks like you've fallen in to the same hole?

No, you've just misunderstood my intention. I never said that I want to be a teacher right here and right now, it's something I am considering - I don't see what is so wrong with that, I know teachers who come from different background professions. I know a Maths teacher who is a PhD. in some area of linear algebra. Of course he wasn't a teacher all his life, but the same goes for many other teachers as well. I don't see why you find it so strange that I consider a career in teaching. I never said that I didn't want to become a doctor now did I?

[werdna]

I had an interesting talk with my principal about careers and courses about exactly this. I have a passion and interest in teaching however I'm not 100% keen on it just yet... I want to expose myself to an external work environment first, instead of being 'holed up' in a school environment forever. And the advice he gave me was that you can become a teacher whenever you want, complete a diploma and you're set in a year's time.. do something big and exciting with your career first, it's not something you'd want to dive into straight away if that makes sense. I think you got it exactly right when you said you can become a doctor before becoming a teacher, but you can't do it the other way round (you can but it'd be tougher).

But, do whatever your passion leads you to... :p

[abeybaby]

theres a fair amount of talk here saying that perhaps teachers are undervalued and perhaps underpaid, but i mean, im sure we've all had some amazingly pathetic teachers in our time at school. the atar requirements for secondary teaching range from ~63 (la trobe) to ~80 (uni of sydney), and i obviously cant make a definitive statement, but how can someone who's scoring in the 60s/70s teach someone who may be aiming for the 90s? it doesn't make sense, and you can be near certain that they'd do a terribly job at it. so i dont think its justified to raise the wages across the board, but maybe goal-based salaries could work better? perhaps have some kind of way to gauge whether a teacher deserves a pay rise, cos there would be plenty of cases where they wouldnt.

[abeybaby]

I know a Maths teacher who is a PhD. in some area of linear algebra. Of course he wasn't a teacher all his life, but the same goes for many other teachers as well. I don't see why you find it so strange that I consider a career in teaching. I never said that I didn't want to become a doctor now did I?

is that dr dave coulson?

[enwiabe]

theres a fair amount of talk here saying that perhaps teachers are undervalued and perhaps underpaid, but i mean, im sure we've all had some amazingly pathetic teachers in our time at school. the atar requirements for secondary teaching range from ~63 (la trobe) to ~80 (uni of sydney), and i obviously cant make a definitive statement, but how can someone who's scoring in the 60s/70s teach someone who may be aiming for the 90s? it doesn't make sense, and you can be near certain that they'd do a terribly job at it. so i dont think its justified to raise the wages across the board, but maybe goal-based salaries could work better? perhaps have some kind of way to gauge whether a teacher deserves a pay rise, cos there would be plenty of cases where they wouldnt.

I completely agree that the level of teaching quality is complete rubbish (on average), and I think it stems from teaching being undervalued and underpaid.

ATAR entry requirements are purely supply and demand. If teaching were paid extremely well, lots more high achievers would want to undertake Bachelors of Education and the entry reqs would shoot up and we'd have a much higher quality teaching workforce as a -direct result-

[abeybaby]

ATAR entry requirements are purely supply and demand. If teaching were paid extremely well, lots more high achievers would want to undertake Bachelors of Education and the entry reqs would shoot up and we'd have a much higher quality teaching workforce as a -direct result-

very good point, didnt think of that...

[max payne]

Im just wondering is it possible to get a diploma of education while working full time? What about online?

[meganrobyn]

You can absolutely do the Dip Ed while working - but you'd need flexibility from your workplace for the teaching placements.

With the ATAR-debate and quality of teachers, I think it's faulty to assume that people who scored highly in school will be better teachers.

Firstly, I've met many people who are brilliant in themselves, but unable to manage a classroom, communicate their knowledge, explain the basics in order for someone else to work their own way up to the teacher's knowledge, or figure out how to help someone learn who isn't as clever as they are.

Also, when you're teaching below VCE, the content really isn't that hard. Granted, at VCE level it can really help to know the material well, which is where a more academic teacher might come in handy. But! That's not going to be the same for all subjects. Does a highly-qualified Physics teacher need to have done well in every subject? Does an excellent artist and Art teacher need to have scored highly in more traditionally academic subjects? And teaching extends all the way down to 3yo kinder, too. I want a loving, supportive, patient and firm person teaching my hypothetical 3yo; I don't really care about their ATAR as long as they can read an analog clock and have received their 'pen licence'!

Lastly, I was surprised when I started teaching how much the success of the class depends on the coherence and energy of the class rather than the content. At the end of the day the teacher isn't the one sitting the exam - it's more about what the student can do than what the teacher knows. And being able to create an enthusiastic, hungry, inquisitive, high-achieving mindset across a group of 10-30 people is really difficult - and an ATAR doesn't help much with that.

You know, I worked in law before teaching, and the best lawyers I knew were often the ones with the low ATARs, who couldn't get into the prestigious unis. Since I got a good ATAR I should probably care about it more. I cared about it more when I got it, I guess!

[Stick]

theres a fair amount of talk here saying that perhaps teachers are undervalued and perhaps underpaid, but i mean, im sure we've all had some amazingly pathetic teachers in our time at school. the atar requirements for secondary teaching range from ~63 (la trobe) to ~80 (uni of sydney), and i obviously cant make a definitive statement, but how can someone who's scoring in the 60s/70s teach someone who may be aiming for the 90s? it doesn't make sense, and you can be near certain that they'd do a terribly job at it. so i dont think its justified to raise the wages across the board, but maybe goal-based salaries could work better? perhaps have some kind of way to gauge whether a teacher deserves a pay rise, cos there would be plenty of cases where they wouldnt.

If you can, do; if you can't, teach. So many teachers at my school fall under this category. :/