Hi everyone.
I currently taught at a bilingual school in Asia for two years. It's accredited by Cambridge (IGCSE) and IB. I taught both IGCSE and IB math (AA HL/SL), full-time. This two-year experience is my only full-time teaching experience. I had other work experience prior to teaching.
I was hired despite not having a teaching license. I have a BA and an irrelevant MA in the humanities. My BA is in a humanities major + math minor; so about 1/3 of the credits in math.
1. After weighing my options for qualification, I'm leaning towards getting a PGCE + QTS for secondary math, e.g. from Bristol or Manchester. I'm Canadian and am qualified for Youth Mobility Visa (UK). My first concern is that my degree was not in math and 2/3 of it was in the humanities. Bristol and Manchester claim that you could do Subject Knowledge Enhancement. But I fear that I won't even have a chance at getting accepted to the program in the first place. How competitive is the PGCE + QTS for secondary math?
I was able to teach grades 9-12 math, including IB math, without much problem. But I would be much more comfortable if I had 2-3 more courses in math, just to be able to answer some gifted students' questions. The only cohort I taught had 7s and 6s in Math AA HL.
2. Suppose I got admitted. My plan would be to get QTS and find any school that would hire me in the UK. Since the UK Visa is only valid for two years and I'd be using my first year for QTS, I'd need my school to sponsor a visa for my second year working for them, if I signed a two-year contract. Is this understanding correct? And if so, how feasible is this plan? I.e. to work in the UK initially with Youth Mobility Visa and as a Canadian, then transfer to a 5-year visa?
3. Another option is to get a B.Ed. in Canada and teach in Canada, before moving to the UK or other countries. The thing is, since I got my BA more than 5 years ago, B.Ed would be considered a second degree and I feel like I'm even less competitive than for the PGCE. Plus, my goal is to teach in an international school and have no interest in teaching the Canadian curriculum. Should I still consider B.Ed.?
4. If, after teaching a few years in the UK, I'm interested in applying to schools in Europe (Western/Eastern, doesn't matter), will they recognize PGCE/QTS? Or will a B.Ed. from Canada better recognized? I've read that Brexit is changing how European schools are viewing QTS and are accepting them less?
5. If I don't get accepted to any qualification program this round, what should I do to increase my competitiveness?
Ultimately, I have to admit, I just want live in Europe (Germany) at least for a few years. I think Canadians could get French and German Youth Mobility Visa before they turn 35... But I understand that it's very competitive.
Anyway, I've read so many things online but am just feeling more confused and less confident. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
PGCE acceptance rate & very worried
Response
Inquiries:
1) Why do you think you need further qualifications or a credential?
Youve already made it to an IB IS and taught DIP.
2) Why a PGCE+QTS?
There are far easier ways to get a credential. If your concern is a few more classes for your own well being and PD you could just do some courses on Coursera. University curated content with classes in everything from Algebra to Calculus and a pretty certificate. Its not like anyone is going to care if you have a few supplemental enhancement courses on a transcript. If someone wants to see something just show them the Coursera certificates. Would be a lot less work and coin.
3) Why would you use a youth mobility visa to study when you can qualify for a student visa?
Its not like your going to have the time anyway. I get the impression you read about youth mobility visas and decided that was the way to go regardless of other options or direction.
4) How is getting a second degree, even a B.Ed in maths in CAN really a challenge?
They arent saturated with maths DTs.
5) Why wouldnt a EU IS recognize a PGCE and QTS?
Sure there are some grumbling issues with EU DSs but for IE that would be suicidal nonsense. BSOs are inspected by H.M. Dfe inspectorates, not accepting ITs with QTS would be an end to the BS presence in the EU. Which is tantamount to decalring no UK peeps allowed.
6) Why havent you considered an M.Ed or Masters?
I get that a B.Ed and a PGCE seem like a natural course moving forward but again there are easier ways to get a credential and a Masters will get you more coin and raise the status of your resume. You know what 2 Bachelors or a Bachelors and a PGCE mean? Doesnt have a Masters.
7) So why not just go to Germany or the EU, wherever you want to go. You can travel around the Schengen area as a tourist just fine. Germany offers a freelancers visa that applies to edus. Its a one year visa but you can renew it until you are able to apply for settlement after 3 years and citizenship after 8 years. You can teach online including ESOL to qualify. The advantage to this is it opens up a wide array of DSs/ISs that are off circuit and only recruit locally. You can then convert your freelance visa into a work visa.
If you dont want to do that than go to Germany in the Summer for holiday as a tourist and use it as a recruiting trip. Arrange interviews with local off circuit DSs/ISs up selling the "math edu" angle. There is bound to be DSs/ISs who need a proven maths DT/IT. If youd be more comfortable with a credential in hand by summer you can schedule the exams for the MA Provisional (Entry grade) credential before leaving.
In response to your inquiries:
1) Maths isnt a hard PGCE to get into at all. If youve got a handful of credits, are comfortable with the material, and have taught it youre going to get accepted somewhere. The UK has a huge shortage of maths DTs and its not because the PGCE programs are too selective.
2) No you need your Uni to sponsor you for a student visa, then look for a DS that will sponsor you for a work visa and if you cant get that then apply for the youth mobility visa.
3) Contracts in UK DSs are renewed annually.
4) While there are far more ISs using the UK NC there are a handful of ISs using a provincial CAN curriculum and those ISs really need CAN credentialed ITs more so than BSs need UK credentialed ITs.
Further, you can use a CAN B.Ed and registration to get QTS rather easily (currently) it would not be nearly as easy to use a PGCE and QTS to get CAN registration and a credential.
5) In IE there are 3 pillars to an ITs resume: (1) what they can teach (degrees, qualifications, credentials, etc.). (2) What they have taught (experience, exam scores, etc.). (3) Special Skills. The rule is, of those, experience is king, its the whole cupcake and the hello kitty sprinkles. So anything youre going to do that takes you away from the classroom and increasing your experience and the corresponding exam scores year after year has to worth losing that. Id advance that getting a credential with a substantial field experience component is worth that year. It would be better if you could do a PGCEi and iQTS or AO, or an M.Ed (and an assessment pathway to a credential) while in a classroom as the TOR since you dont lose that experience and you get the qualification and credential, but if your going to lose a year (and you can leave IE and do anything for a year with out harming your marketability) than thats worth it. If you dont do that than stay in IE and keep adding that experience with doing what you can, or which there are a lot of options from online PD courses (think Coursera), a US credential (such as the MA Provisional credential which is an assessment based pathway), an online/distance PGCEi/iQTS, online/distance Masters, AO, Teach Now (a US EPP/ITT program leading to a credential), etc.
1) Why do you think you need further qualifications or a credential?
Youve already made it to an IB IS and taught DIP.
2) Why a PGCE+QTS?
There are far easier ways to get a credential. If your concern is a few more classes for your own well being and PD you could just do some courses on Coursera. University curated content with classes in everything from Algebra to Calculus and a pretty certificate. Its not like anyone is going to care if you have a few supplemental enhancement courses on a transcript. If someone wants to see something just show them the Coursera certificates. Would be a lot less work and coin.
3) Why would you use a youth mobility visa to study when you can qualify for a student visa?
Its not like your going to have the time anyway. I get the impression you read about youth mobility visas and decided that was the way to go regardless of other options or direction.
4) How is getting a second degree, even a B.Ed in maths in CAN really a challenge?
They arent saturated with maths DTs.
5) Why wouldnt a EU IS recognize a PGCE and QTS?
Sure there are some grumbling issues with EU DSs but for IE that would be suicidal nonsense. BSOs are inspected by H.M. Dfe inspectorates, not accepting ITs with QTS would be an end to the BS presence in the EU. Which is tantamount to decalring no UK peeps allowed.
6) Why havent you considered an M.Ed or Masters?
I get that a B.Ed and a PGCE seem like a natural course moving forward but again there are easier ways to get a credential and a Masters will get you more coin and raise the status of your resume. You know what 2 Bachelors or a Bachelors and a PGCE mean? Doesnt have a Masters.
7) So why not just go to Germany or the EU, wherever you want to go. You can travel around the Schengen area as a tourist just fine. Germany offers a freelancers visa that applies to edus. Its a one year visa but you can renew it until you are able to apply for settlement after 3 years and citizenship after 8 years. You can teach online including ESOL to qualify. The advantage to this is it opens up a wide array of DSs/ISs that are off circuit and only recruit locally. You can then convert your freelance visa into a work visa.
If you dont want to do that than go to Germany in the Summer for holiday as a tourist and use it as a recruiting trip. Arrange interviews with local off circuit DSs/ISs up selling the "math edu" angle. There is bound to be DSs/ISs who need a proven maths DT/IT. If youd be more comfortable with a credential in hand by summer you can schedule the exams for the MA Provisional (Entry grade) credential before leaving.
In response to your inquiries:
1) Maths isnt a hard PGCE to get into at all. If youve got a handful of credits, are comfortable with the material, and have taught it youre going to get accepted somewhere. The UK has a huge shortage of maths DTs and its not because the PGCE programs are too selective.
2) No you need your Uni to sponsor you for a student visa, then look for a DS that will sponsor you for a work visa and if you cant get that then apply for the youth mobility visa.
3) Contracts in UK DSs are renewed annually.
4) While there are far more ISs using the UK NC there are a handful of ISs using a provincial CAN curriculum and those ISs really need CAN credentialed ITs more so than BSs need UK credentialed ITs.
Further, you can use a CAN B.Ed and registration to get QTS rather easily (currently) it would not be nearly as easy to use a PGCE and QTS to get CAN registration and a credential.
5) In IE there are 3 pillars to an ITs resume: (1) what they can teach (degrees, qualifications, credentials, etc.). (2) What they have taught (experience, exam scores, etc.). (3) Special Skills. The rule is, of those, experience is king, its the whole cupcake and the hello kitty sprinkles. So anything youre going to do that takes you away from the classroom and increasing your experience and the corresponding exam scores year after year has to worth losing that. Id advance that getting a credential with a substantial field experience component is worth that year. It would be better if you could do a PGCEi and iQTS or AO, or an M.Ed (and an assessment pathway to a credential) while in a classroom as the TOR since you dont lose that experience and you get the qualification and credential, but if your going to lose a year (and you can leave IE and do anything for a year with out harming your marketability) than thats worth it. If you dont do that than stay in IE and keep adding that experience with doing what you can, or which there are a lot of options from online PD courses (think Coursera), a US credential (such as the MA Provisional credential which is an assessment based pathway), an online/distance PGCEi/iQTS, online/distance Masters, AO, Teach Now (a US EPP/ITT program leading to a credential), etc.
Re: PGCE acceptance rate & very worried
A US license will be way easier to get than the PGCE.
If I were you i'd do TeachNow or TeacherReady.
Or if I didn't mind going back to school do a Masters in Math Education that comes with a license.
If I were you i'd do TeachNow or TeacherReady.
Or if I didn't mind going back to school do a Masters in Math Education that comes with a license.
Discussion
A US credential will be easier if you are only considering assessment pathways such the MA Provisional (Entry grade) credential.
If you compare a PGCE (an academic pathway) to a skills based pathway such as Teach Now or Teach Ready the work and effort required are comparable. What Teach Now/Ready offers is convenience over the personal contact that you will get in a PGCE. Teach Ready doesnt lead directly to a credential, what it will get you is a completion letter which would normally be useless but the current version of the DC rules (the regulating authority for Teach Now) will accept an EPP/ITT completion applicant for the standard credential. Teach Ready has a much shorter field experience than Teach Now, though Teach Now uses the PRAXIS which is a much easier exam to schedule. A PGCE that includes QTS will also have greater utility in recognition than a DC credential obtained through Teach Now/Ready. This is pretty much academic though since the LW actively wants to travel to Europe.
I would concur with @cdmxpaisa regarding the Masters. Though that pathway is going to take about 2 years given the complexity of field experience on top of the typical course load for a Masters.
If you compare a PGCE (an academic pathway) to a skills based pathway such as Teach Now or Teach Ready the work and effort required are comparable. What Teach Now/Ready offers is convenience over the personal contact that you will get in a PGCE. Teach Ready doesnt lead directly to a credential, what it will get you is a completion letter which would normally be useless but the current version of the DC rules (the regulating authority for Teach Now) will accept an EPP/ITT completion applicant for the standard credential. Teach Ready has a much shorter field experience than Teach Now, though Teach Now uses the PRAXIS which is a much easier exam to schedule. A PGCE that includes QTS will also have greater utility in recognition than a DC credential obtained through Teach Now/Ready. This is pretty much academic though since the LW actively wants to travel to Europe.
I would concur with @cdmxpaisa regarding the Masters. Though that pathway is going to take about 2 years given the complexity of field experience on top of the typical course load for a Masters.