Looking for advice: PGCE, PGCiE or M.Ed.

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julie_id
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 26, 2020 11:02 am

Looking for advice: PGCE, PGCiE or M.Ed.

Post by julie_id »

Dear all,

I would like to ask you for your advice on how to improve my chances on the international teacher’s job market.
I am an Italian passport holder and have a BA in Science of Education from the University of Vienna and a CertTESOL from Trinity College London. I have been working as a primary school teacher in two international schools in Indonesia for the past 7 years. Currently, I am working as a Year 1 PYP teacher at a well-known IB school in Jakarta.

I would love to teach in different countries within the next few years and am also thinking of eventually returning to Europe. However, since I am not a native English speaker nor a certified teacher I am worried that I won’t be able to find good teaching jobs outside of Indonesia.

So I am now looking for online university courses which will get me the needed qualifications. I am considering to enroll in the PGCE course as an independent distance learner by the University of Sunderland but am wondering if it is worth the extra cost compared to the PGCiE course by the University of Nottingham, Sheffield or Bath. I understand that Sunderland includes teaching observations and a mentor at my school which I find very interesting. However, considering the extra cost, will recruiters value a PGCE from Sunderland more than a PGCiE from Sheffield/Bath?

A different option I have been thinking about is getting a MA of Education from the University of the People. It would be a lot cheaper and I have been planning to get a master’s degree in the near future. I am however worried that a M. Ed. does still not make me a certified teacher.

Do you have any thoughts or recommendations for me?

Thanks a lot! Any comment is highly appreciated.
shadowjack
Posts: 2138
Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: Looking for advice: PGCE, PGCiE or M.Ed.

Post by shadowjack »

You need certificaion. neither of the PGCEs will give you QTS in the UK. I would recomment TeachNow out of Washington DC, which will get you US certification. You can then explore whether this transfers over to Italy, where you might want to park your certification afterwards. Otherwise, it is a whole dance in the US to maintain certification.

Good luck!
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

You are very fortunate to have the position you have now, the vast majority of non FL positions want or require NESs. Programs such a Teach Now (Yes, Teach now changed it name) and Uni programs require English language proficiency.
The PGCEi/PGCE programs need to provide you QTS or thy arent credentialing programs regardless of the Unis reputation. Though a PGCEi can be a working qualification in a number of areas, they arent going to meet your need for a credential. Distance/Online programs from the UK generally dont award QTS.
Unless your going to Global Ivy such as OxBridge (maybe LSE) and as long as the program is accredited by a Governing authority a Masters is a Masters is a Masters.
An M.Ed is not a credential though it has more utility than a PGCE.

A skills based pathway such as Teach Now will not qualify you for anything in Italy. You must have a substantial body of coursework in meds/peds/asst such as bachelors/first degree, PGCE or Masters. Italy requires you to have supervised field work equivalent to a year (such as your induction year) in your certifying subject matter regardless of the subject in your course of study. Teach Nows (certification program) will not provide you the academic coursework nor a sufficiently long enough term of field experience. The PGCEi nor distance PGCEs will provide you with a professional grade credential such as QTS nor a sufficiently long enough term of field experience.
If it must be a distance/online route with the outcome being Italian certification then an EPP/ITT program such as Teach Now, and MAYBE obtain QTS as an OTT, then competing a year of supervised field experience at a BSO, being sure youre rated. The problem is going to be doing induction, it is not technically possible to have QTS and compete induction in such a way as to have it reflected on your TCL/TRA profile. However, the Italian requirement is supervised field experience, and a sort of post credentialing fellowship which could be accepted.

If Italian credentialing is not an issue than I would consider either doing the M.Ed from UPe at its very low cost compared to the PGCEi/PGCE, and then obtaining the MA Provisional (entry grade) credential which is available as an assessment route, or pursuing your choice of edu Masters and go through the AO route to QTS, if QTS is your preferred credential. While it MAY be possible to take one of the professional grade credentials through Teach Now and obtain QTS as an OTT being an EEA national. Its a more costYou are very fortunate to have the position you have now, the vast majority of non FL positions want or require NESs. Programs such a Teach Now (Yes, Teach now changed it name) and Uni programs require English language proficiency.
The PGCEi/PGCE programs need to provide you QTS or thy arent credentialing programs regardless of the Unis reputation. Though a PGCEi can be a working qualification in a number of areas, they arent going to meet your need for a credential. Distance/Online programs from the UK generally dont award QTS.
Unless your going to Global Ivy such as OxBridge (maybe LSE) and as long as the program is accredited by a Governing authority a Masters is a Masters is a Masters.
An M.Ed is not a credential though it has more utility than a PGCE.

A skills based pathway such as Teach Now will not qualify you for anything in Italy. You must have a substantial body of coursework in meds/peds/asst such as bachelors/first degree, PGCE or Masters. Italy requires you to have supervised field work equivalent to a year (such as your induction year) in your certifying subject matter regardless of the subject in your course of study. Teach Nows (certification program) will not provide you the academic coursework nor a sufficiently long enough term of field experience. The PGCEi nor distance PGCEs will provide you with a professional grade credential such as QTS nor a sufficiently long enough term of field experience.
If it must be a distance/online route with the outcome being Italian certification then an EPP/ITT program such as Teach Now, and MAYBE obtain QTS as an OTT, then competing a year of supervised field experience at a BSO, being sure youre rated. The problem is going to be doing induction, it is not technically possible to have QTS and compete induction in such a way as to have it reflected on your TCL/TRA profile. However, the Italian requirement is supervised field experience, sort of a post credentialing fellowship which could be accepted.

If Italian credentialing is not an issue than I would consider either doing the M.Ed from UPe at its very low cost and then obtaining the MA Provisional (entry grade) credential which is available as an assessment route or pursuing your choice of Edu. Masters and go through the AO route to QTS, if QTS is your preferred credential. While it MAY be possible to take one of the professional grade credentials through Teach Now and obtain QTS as an OTT being an EEA national, its a more costly and resource intensive route.
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