I’m not entirely going back to school, but I’m certainly going to invest in a few clear plastic binders, just to be on the safe side!!!What I have done is enrolled onto a PTLLS course, which for those not in the know, is a ‘Preparing to Teach in The Lifelong Learning Sector’ qualification. It just glides off the tongue 😯 The course is mostly done online, but I will have to deliver an assessed lesson of my choosing somewhere in Manchester. Now, not wanting to blow my own trumpet here, but over the last 11 years I’ve taught classes in Infants, Junior, Primary and Secondary schools up and down the country. I’ve taught adults at Universities, I’ve taught in residential homes, youth-clubs & family centres, and I’ve even taught teachers on training days. I have rather a lot of teaching experience, which does beg the obvious question… Why take the qualification?
The simple answer is to try and secure a bit more work. It’s getting harder to come by. And even though I am currently teaching adults at Leicester University, every other local authority or organisation I’ve come across is now asking for it’s tutors to have some kind of teaching qualification. I have none. Years of experience and a degree, but no formal teaching certificate. Our waste of space Government (bless ’em) is now encouraging authorities to employ professionals without teaching qualifications, which has gone down predictably well with all of the qualified teachers 🙄 So who really knows what will happen? It’s been a bloody nightmare sifting through all of the courses available and trying to decide which ones (if any) it would be good to have. So for now, with pencil-case, plastic-wallets and thesaurus at the ready, it’s the PTLLS course for me.
