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Double degree in Science/Education?
peartroll:
Hey guys,
I'm a year 12 student and am struggling between choosing a double degree in bach of sci/M.teach or just stick with a bachelor of science then head off to do masters.
I guess you can say that I'm not entirely 'mature' yet, and to already be doing placements next year as an 18 year old is a self-doubt, but I'm willing to work on this.
Thanks everyone
Aaron:
I would strongly recommend the Bachelor then MTeach pathway especially if you are in Year 12 at the moment.
I did this myself and started teaching at the age of 22 - while it's great for the experience I couldn't have seen myself doing placements etc. at 18 or 19. It's way too young and honestly i wouldn't be surprised if you didn't get taken seriously. I know I didn't when I started out.
Have 3 years just to get your content knowledge up to date through the BSc, try and ensure you meet the requirements for 2 method areas (if you are doing secondary teaching) and then do your MTeach somewhere. You will be so much better off for it.
Up to you, but just my thoughts as somebody who went straight from school and became a teacher w/out any sort of work exp before hand.
Cheers
peartroll:
--- Quote from: Aaron on September 01, 2019, 06:38:20 pm ---I would strongly recommend the Bachelor then MTeach pathway especially if you are in Year 12 at the moment.
I did this myself and started teaching at the age of 22 - while it's great for the experience I couldn't have seen myself doing placements etc. at 18 or 19. It's way too young and honestly i wouldn't be surprised if you didn't get taken seriously. I know I didn't when I started out.
Have 3 years just to get your content knowledge up to date through the BSc, try and ensure you meet the requirements for 2 method areas (if you are doing secondary teaching) and then do your MTeach somewhere. You will be so much better off for it.
Up to you, but just my thoughts as somebody who went straight from school and became a teacher w/out any sort of work exp before hand.
Cheers
--- End quote ---
Thanks Aaron.
I've decided to just stick with the bachelors first then head towards Mteach. I did a bit of research and it looks like Mteach consists of more theory than there is practical activity... Hm right then, I would have appreciated more practical work tho.
--- Quote from: Aaron on September 01, 2019, 06:38:20 pm ---Up to you, but just my thoughts as somebody who went straight from school and became a teacher w/out any sort of work exp before hand.
--- End quote ---
I'm not sure what you mean by this - did you not have any jobs prior to full-time teaching?
Thanks man
Aaron:
--- Quote ---I did a bit of research and it looks like Mteach consists of more theory than there is practical activity... Hm right then, I would have appreciated more practical work tho.
--- End quote ---
It is unfortunately one of the downfalls. Masters degrees require an inquiry project, capstone or thesis of some kind (applies to most if not all Masters degrees). Some unis do extended placements but most are theory-rich. I personally hated that about the MTeach I did - I gained invaluable experience on placement and really I haven't used much from uni in the 3 years i've been teaching so far. I have a masters and had to do a inquiry project but did I enjoy it, not at all. I viewed the degree as a hurdle and there's so many of them you have to jump - e.g. the CASPer admission test and then the Literacy and Numeracy test by ACER - that's just to graduate.
That's why it's so important to take the placements extremely seriously and get as much as you can out of it - do as much as you can in that short amount of time. It is really an extended job interview - if you don't get a position at your placement school, then hopefully you can use some of the things from it when you apply somewhere.
--- Quote ---I'm not sure what you mean by this - did you not have any jobs prior to full-time teaching?
--- End quote ---
Not really. I did some casual academic work at La Trobe for a year teaching 1st year students programming but that's about it. I wanted to focus on school and was lucky that I had a supportive home (in all aspects, but in this case, financially).
Hope I haven't spooked you too much but it is a pain in the ass just to get into a classroom and teach - it's worth it though.
I really think you've made the right call re: BSc then MTeach. It will give you 3 years to build your academic capacity in the discipline and will also test whether you still want to teach after a 3 year period. Also ensures that you have some time to "grow up" before you embark on this journey (if you still decide to). Just make sure that you strategically pick your majors - you have to satisfy those 2 method areas to enrol in the MTeach. When I did my IT degree I had to strategically pick maths/stats as all my electives to ensure I had enough for the Maths area. Realistically your majors should be the areas you want to teach (that's the thinking you should have if you are certain on teaching) - e.g. Mathematical Statistics and Chemistry (you'd then be qualified for Maths and VCE Chem/potentially General Science 7-10 as an example).
I'd also consider when you go for the MTeach to do an accelerated stream (1.5 years instead of 2 years) - this will allow you (provided you don't fail any units) to have the extra 6 months to do some CRT / cover work / a temporary contract to ease you into it. I did that and while it was bumpy the experience I gained moving around schools early was invaluable.
peartroll:
Legend!
Is it possible for me to be a polymath teacher? I love science and maths, but I am also passionate about IT, LOTE, fine arts. Like you said though, I'm pretty sure I have a limited amount of subjects I can teach.
--- Quote from: Aaron on October 01, 2019, 03:23:47 pm ---Realistically your majors should be the areas you want to teach (that's the thinking you should have if you are certain on teaching) - e.g. Mathematical Statistics and Chemistry (you'd then be qualified for Maths and VCE Chem/potentially General Science 7-10 as an example).
--- End quote ---
I'm not quite sure about the general science one, I've asked a lot of the uni student teachers but I don't understand. How can I become qualified for general science? Is it a subject I do or does it come complementary to me doing bachelor of science?
--- Quote from: Aaron on October 01, 2019, 03:23:47 pm ---Not really. I did some casual academic work at La Trobe for a year teaching 1st year students programming but that's about it. I wanted to focus on school and was lucky that I had a supportive home (in all aspects, but in this case, financially).
--- End quote ---
Wow, don't mean to downgrade you but I'm very surprised someone with only a casual work of teaching could become a full-time teacher! My plan was to graduate with the Mteach then head off to become a CRT (as I doubt I'd be able to get a full-time job that easily).
--- Quote from: Aaron on October 01, 2019, 03:23:47 pm ---I'd also consider when you go for the MTeach to do an accelerated stream (1.5 years instead of 2 years) - this will allow you (provided you don't fail any units) to have the extra 6 months to do some CRT / cover work / a temporary contract to ease you into it. I did that and while it was bumpy the experience I gained moving around schools early was invaluable.
--- End quote ---
Hmm. I've never heard of this before. What's the main difference? Do you learn all the content in the 2 years in the 1.5 years? Or are there parts that are cut (as in less practicum)
Cheers brother
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