Teaching as a Career

[bliss_ang]

Dear cotters,

I am thinking of applying to be a teacher if I do not get any job by April. Are there any current teachers out there who can comment on the job environment. the recruitment process and the career advancement?

Or simply share your experiences with me...

If you have friends who are teaching, please share their experiences too if you don't mind.

Thank you!

[snow angel]

Hi bliss.. Am also considering of applying to NIE under the PGDE prog.

Anyway, would like to ask. For those who are in NIE, pursuing your PGDE, what are your normal hours like? Are they fixed like 8 to 5 kinda thing or flexible like in the uni? TIA! *smiles*

[bliss_ang]

Yes. I am interested to know too

Snow Angel if we both really going to NIE perhaps we can even become friends!

Anyway which university were you from?

[Jenine]

Originally posted by snow angel
For those who are in NIE, pursuing your PGDE, what are your normal hours like? Are they fixed like 8 to 5 kinda thing or flexible like in the uni? TIA! *smiles*

Flexible, like in the Uni. It all depends on what subjects you are taking.

bliss_ang, I don't mean to be rude, but why apply to be a teacher only "if you do not get any job by April"? If you go into teaching as a last resort, I can assure you that you will not be happy; with the pay, with the workload, with how much work you have to put in. Please don't get me wrong here, I'm not discouraging you from applying to be a teacher, but you must know that teaching is more than 'just a job'.

[magical]

agree with Jenine that one shouldn't apply for teaching just because you couldn't find a job. it's a huge responsibility to be a teacher and you need to be fully committed to the career. thus, when one decides to be a teacher, be prepared to stay in school for about 10 hours most of the days, as there are many other duties to fulfill other than teaching and spend hours outside schools for courses, seminars etc. and mostly importantly, remember that teachers still need to be back in schools during the holidays usually for two weeks (depends on the school you are posted to).

snow angel, the timetable are not fixed. rather, it is flexible as in, you can have lesson that begins at 10.30am and some tutorials and/or lectures can even end as late as 6.30pm.

snow angel and bliss_ang, welcome to join teaching if you have what it takes to become one and be prepared of the huge responsibility on your part.

[saresha]

I would suggest that anyone who's interested in the profession try relief teaching first. Not those 1-2 days, or even 1-week stints, but a month or longer. While it doesn't give a full picture of what teaching is about, you could at least observe your colleagues, and have a taste of life as a teacher.

[snow angel]

bliss: I was from SMU. *smiles*

jenine & magical: Thanks for the reply.

saresha: I have actually tried applying to be a relief teacher. However currently, there are no vacancies and my application was unsuccessful.

I have actually went for the interview and I should be getting the results within this week.

[saresha]

Originally posted by snow angel
saresha: I have actually tried applying to be a relief teacher. However currently, there are no vacancies and my application was unsuccessful.

Were you actually rejected, or were you told there were no vacancies? That's not how it works. There is no reason why your registration should not go through; once you get that done, you can proceed to call up schools that you're interested in for vacancies. MOE will not contact you about assignments. Schools may contact you if you are in the relief teaching database, but a faster way to get assignments would be to call up schools that you're interested in instead (even if there are no vacancies right now, you can leave your contact info with them).

[creepcake]

Many schools are indeed overstaffed, because many of my colleagues (ex-school teachers) are not able to get many relief teaching assignments now. To increase your chances of getting called up for relief teaching, you may like to apply directly at your alma mater. It certainly helps if you know somebody in the school!

[snow angel]

Hi Saresha,

This was what the site said after I logged in to check my status: "Sorry, your application for registration as a relief teacher is unsuccessful."

Yeah, I find it to be weird too 'cause that's not how it works, right? We register, our particulars gets in the database, we call up schools, etc. But that was how it happened.

Anyway, am now waiting for the results of my interview.

[magical]

hope your interview is successful. Do feel free to ask us if you have doubts.

[brainspoil]

If you really want to try out teaching as a profession Why not try contract teaching first? It's offered by MOE as sort of an experience for those who aren't so sure about whether they want to take the plunge.Think it's 6 months but im not sure. I've had friends who tried it and in the end they decided that the teaching life is not for them. IMO i think its important that u understand what u're in for, if not, the time spent serving your bond of 3-4 years is not going to be very pleasant!

[bliss_ang]

Snow Angel: I was from SMU too, graduated in Dec 2004. What's your real name actually ? Maybe you can PM me.. we might have known each other!

Snow Angel and Saresha: Actually I think the reason why Snow Angel's application as a relief teacher failed because she has previously applied as a Teacher already? Could this be the case? Usually it would not fail. I applied for it last time too, but did not have any chance to get assigments as my time frame was too short (had a wisdom tooth surgery scheduled)

Jenine: Don't worry, I will consider properly first before commiting to a career in teaching. It looks like I will most likely not apply for the time being. Might try out other jobs first because I am quite intimidated by the 3-year bond. I am expecting to get married soon (I hope) and won't want any possible pregnancy issues to affect the bond. Thanks for your "reminder".

Magical: Yes, I will consider properly before committing to it

To all: And yes, Snow Angel do keep us updated about your interview results.

Brainstorm: thanks for offering the suggestion about contract teacher, do not seem to have heard of it. Will find out more if I need more information.

[snow angel]

bliss: Have PM'ed you! And yeah, I think the reason why my application for relief teaching was rejected was because I had already applied to be a teacher. But when I asked the staff at MOE when I went down for my interview, they said it was because there are no vacancies at the moment - something about MOE giving priorities to those JC students. :eh:

brainspoil: Yeah, I have not heard of this contract teaching scheme as well. The only one that I've heard of is the one where you go for prior to waiting to go into NIE (after having been offered the position and signing the bond contract).

Oh ya, I have a question here. Is it true that after completion of the course at NIE, MOE will post you to a school near your registered address and you cannot ask for a transfer for the first 2 years? I'm asking because I'm gonna move house next year Dec. I do not want to be posted to a school near my current house even after I have moved. I was wondering if it's possible to be posted to a school for 6 months only (from July-Dec 06) and then ask for a transfer nearer to my new place? Or should I simply inform MOE of my new address before I graduate from NIE - so that they can make a better posting?

[bliss_ang]

Hi Snow Angel,

Regarding your question, i do not think MOE will post you to any school just because it is near your house.

My friend's friend actually works as a teacher, there is a school near her house but she got posted to somewhere rather far from her house.

Maybe you can liaise with MOE when you shortlise you

Good luck!

Will PM you later