Where could they take me?

[MissLydia]

I'm in year 9, taking an art GCSE now and for next year I've picked Italian, history, fine art and food technology. I've always wanted to be an English teacher, but tonight at parents evening my English teacher has told me to rethink my choice of career.

I've already chosen my options, and am keen to know where else I could go with them. Like an art historian?

Thanks :)

[Francis Asis]

I'd be interested to know why your teacher has said this. If its what you want to do then go for it.

[MissLydia]

She said I might be more interested in other career choices like an art historian, that could take me places she's not had the chance to visit while teaching and other highlights such as meeting different people, travelling etc.
She did say they were a good combination.

[dozeydo]

Your teacher sounds very sensible! Teaching is a great job if it suits you, but the are many other jobs you may enjoy more. Perhaps you could leave your decision until you're at uni, and you could do some youth work while you're there to see if working with children is for you. Also, remember, you could do something like art historian and then change to teaching later - you'd have more life experience and so would be better placed to help your future pupils.

[MissLydia]

Thanks :)

[Lil O'lady]

Art Historian.....now in reality that means becoming a lecturer in a university department (not so many posts); working for an auction house (they prefer sloanies who don't need the money); working in a museum / art gallery (OK but poorly paid); writing books about your subject - which people in all the above options do, some more successfully than others.

Interesting that your teacher is suggesting you choose something that she never had the chance to do.....have a good long think about this. You should not be making choices to fulfill her ambitions, but your own.

And if anyone is telling you that you need to know what career you want at your age, and that you should stick with that choice, they are deluded. You may well find in a few years time that you are totally brilliant at management or want to be a primary school teacher.
You don't need to decide yet, but you need to get some GCSes and further qualifications to help you make your choices and to show future employers you have the determination to see a course through successfully.

[Suzyboo]

You could also teach English in Italy

[SunshineCaz]

Yeah, i'm choosing my options and jobs too. To be honest, you can't really choose till you've had the experience, Life will become clearer after work experience but even then, you may not even like the subjects you chose. In our school, if we don't like it after a term, we can swap to another course. I'm sure that is you are really unhappy you can always ask if you can swap.

[mtanner]

when i was at school i joined a programme where by pupils taught other pupils.

ie... i used to read once a week with a girl in my lunch hour. she could not read very well and i used to help her with her reading. also we used to help out with some of the kids in the classes who needed special attention. this is a really good idea to do if you think you might want to be a teacher as its a bit like work experience. i think i we a bit older than you at the time though as i used to help in a 1st year science class which would have been ages 11 or 12? and i think i was 5th year or sixth form. we used to help in the lesson in a free period. i can still remember the kid i worked with now, his name was peter. looking back on it i think he had adhd as he was fairly bright but struggled to concentrate preferring to cause havoc in the classroom instead. i used to sit next to him in the class and help him focus on the teaching and the questions the teacher was asking and talk answers through with him and help him get them down on paper. it used to work pretty well and was a very satisfying job to do.

do you have a scheme like that in your school? its worth joinging if you do. it will help you decide if you like teaching.