New BA in English Literature - Career Advice as a Single Parent of 4 with Complex Nee

Get onto your PGCE for your teaching cert, have you considered teaching functional skills? You leave work at work and home at home. Gives you freedom while the kids are young and the experience will have you walking into a school when they are older?
But no, teaching is not unachievable for you at all. You have done amazing!
 
Congratulations! I'm a single mum of two teen girls and about to start the final year of my dual honours creative writing and Humanities degree; I also have no idea what I want to do when I grow up 😂 I started the degree 11 years ago with the intention of doing post grad teacher training but I took a 7 year break while I ran my own event business. Post lockdowns I went back to studying and wrote my final paper of this module whilst I had shingles - it definitely takes dedication.
Good luck with whatever you choose x
 
I have a degree in English Language and Literature and didnt know what to do and I have just landed my first job as a teaching assistant x you could do that first and then decide if you want to become a teacher x
 
I would look at 16 to 18 education where you may not need a teaching qualification. You sound like you must have amazing organisational skills which are valued in many careers. Colleges have jobs for things like progress tutors to help pupils through applying to university as well as keeping them on track with their studies. I did an English degree like yourself and then worked in the civil service for 20 years and they were pretty good and flexible when I had my kids. Good luck x
 
I think if you can work while in labour & also have children with varying needs you would cope fine with teaching. The issue is school drop off & pick up but if your older children can manage getting themselves to school then that should be manageable. It’s hard work but the holidays are decent & it’s never boring.
 
Have you done any teaching interns? I've got a degree in eng lit and thought I'd go into teaching but after doing a couple months of intern at the local academy, quickly realised teaching wasn't for me 😂😂 apparently there a 40% drop out rate for teaching in the first year. I went on to do a pg conversion and now a chartered surveyor.
 
How about looking into tutoring English GCSE or alevel students? You can pick you own hours and the pay is decent. You can even do it remotely. Problem with ta work is it's barely above minimum wage....
 
I taught pre kids and did a stint after baby number two. My husband also taught and after a year we decided both of us teaching didn’t work - with that in mind and your children being younger, I wouldn’t recommend it. English teaching requires a lot of marking outside of your teaching hours plus your lesson planning.
 
If you want a taster of what working in Education is like become a Ta. The pay is awful! But it’s a good foot in the door and you might be able to do teacher training through the school you work for- but I would recommend waiting until your youngest is a bit older.
 
Get into teaching assistant, working with kids with SEND. It will give you an insight into classroom teaching and prepare you with skills to help if you did move into teaching once the children are older.
 
Congratulations on your degree! As a teacher, my advice is to look carefully at your options. For me, full time teaching (English at secondary / A Level) was not compatible with a healthy family life. I work part time and have two children (0.5 FTE - I would increase my hours slightly but I pay more in nursery than I make so I can't do this yet). I would recommend you spend time in the classroom first to make sure it is for you. I did a year as a TA before applying for my teaching qualification. In the autumn term, perhaps see if you can volunteer or observe in a secondary school. In my first years of teaching, I was working most of Sunday as well as long hours in the evening. English is a subject with a hell of a lot of marking. However, it certainly can be done, but you have to love it and find a supportive school. If you aren't sure it is for you, don't put yourself through it. 🙂 good luck! Enjoy some time to relax a little bit and celebrate your achievement!
 
I’m exhausted just reading this! Amazing! Well done you…. You obviously have energy and total dedication you could easily be a teacher! I’m a teacher of 25+ years and still love teaching (not so much school politics but hey kids that count)
Remember you don’t have to stay in secondary or main stream teaching once you have your teaching qualification you can move around to different teaching opps…. Especially as a ‘cheaper’ teacher.
I’ve taught in a pru for the last 15 years and it beats mainstream hands down!
 
Amazing achievement, that’s so wonderful!! You have a lot on with your family and I can see why your asking this question. I’m wondering if you could be paid to proof read, mark assignments, look into writing blogs or articles. This way it all could possibly be done at home like you have done your studies, as this seems to have worked for you. There’s also the option of tutoring.
I’m a TA and I’m currently half way through my Bachelor in Education degree, doing this part time. I have five children and I’m married. My husband has been very supportive and we have juggled the family between our jobs and my studies.
If you have a really good support system you could do teaching and it doesn’t need to be full time. You could start covering a few days a week once you have PGCE.
Enjoy that tiny baby!! Rest up and give yourself time to relax with friends as well. We can give ourselves countless tasks and forget to recharge.
Well done you are amazing x
 
Firstly and foremostly, congratulations!!! What a fantastic achievement under such odds! Proud of you!
Try tutoring to start with - you can teach remotely and to your own schedule. That way you gain experience and understanding what kind of age group and approach works for you. With your additional experience as a parent of a child with additional/special needs, it gives you an insight which you could use professionally. Just this morning in my local community group, a lady was asking for a english and maths tutor for her y4 child with SEND needs. This can be a lucrative and rewarding niche.
Also tutoring for home school or excluded children.
My child's in a special needs school - they have full time and part time LSAs as well as fully qualified teachers. Again, something you might consider - term time hours advantage.
 
Can you teach online? We home educate and I'll tell you this... I believe there are loads of former teachers out there trying to teach how they taught at schools online. It's boring as anything and not engaging. Without that "experience" of teaching, you could bring something completely unique and awesome and inspirational to kids of all ages, and do it your way (including schedule wise around your family). If you check out some of the Theatre of Science videos, now that's a science teacher we love because she's different. Just an idea...
 
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