A Teaching Career Withstands the ‘Credit Crunch' Turmoil!

I graduated in Pure Mathematics and, after spending 25 years working in commercial accountancy, I decided that I needed a change of career. Teaching was high on my priority list. I was offered a position to lecture in accountancy at my local Adult Education College and this then led me to pursue Qualified Teacher Status.

I have always wanted to teach Maths because of my Cost Accountancy background. The PGCE Secondary course was centred around teaching Mathematics using ICT and the ‘tried and tested' methods of teaching modern Mathematics to secondary pupils around the Key Stage 3 and 4 curriculum. The course is quite different to undergraduate study as a lot more self-motivation is needed, as well as good time management to ensure that you are able to focus on the demands of this highly intensive academic programme as well as creating time for your family commitments.

The University of East Anglia came highly recommended, and in light of the current ‘credit crunch', it gave me confidence to achieve a good teaching position at the end of the course. When I was a teacher trainee, my working day was no different from a normal teacher. In fact a trainee's day seems to be even more demanding as we are continuously juggling lesson plans and actual teaching with meeting assignment targets.