PGCE in UK OR USA OR Australia

M

Hi
I'm an Egyptian Mathematics teacher in a school but I'm looking forward to promote my skills so that I can be recruited in "International Schools" In Egypt who recruit certified teachers ONLY with minimum 2-3 or more of teaching experience.

For that, I'm looking forward to acquire the PGCE certificate through online means (to reduce costs to the minimum and save the hassle and complexity to study abroad which is not an easy thing that is issued to Egyptians in general - may be because of illegal immigration issues...etc)

My question is: Is there a university that can allow me to do that certificate online and then after completing it, it offers me an opportunity to be trained in a school over there for - may be - 2 years as a minimum to get the minimum experience required here by schools here???

Appreciating yr sincere feedback...

P.S. I can use the English language fluently in teaching to my students but I do not have the Academic IELTS nor the TOEFL test but ready to do any of them if required.

H

I'm not sure it's possible. The PGCE involves placements in schools, which obviously you wouldn't be able to do online. I may be wrong, but I don't think it would work, sorry.

E

Have you looked at the Open University? They are quite geared up for online learning and may have something available.

M

Quote From hazyjane:

I'm not sure it's possible. The PGCE involves placements in schools, which obviously you wouldn't be able to do online. I may be wrong, but I don't think it would work, sorry.

Thank you because I doubted myself that it can done online. I thought it could be done online because I didn't start searching the internet thoroughly to tell that but I agree with you in your doubt that it can done online because my searches failed in finding something like that.

One last question: Because I'm tight on budget, I'd really like to join such study program but what I can't easily tolerate is the weekly costs of accommodation related stuff...etc so:

Is there any university you can recommend me I can join that is the cheapest possible for international students. I'm not really into luxurious welfare living. I can endure a very basic living standard for a year - which is the duration of that PGCE - till I get paid in my training or something. Of course I assume it's not possible for me to legally work while studying which is fine with me so that's why I want to keep other living costs to the MINIMUM POSSIBLE.

Many thanks in advance :-)

M

Quote From Ergogirly:

Have you looked at the Open University? They are quite geared up for online learning and may have something available.

Thank you for your input but when I checked your suggestion, I found out the following sentence which disappointed me:

"Please note that we can only accept applications from residents in the UK. "

Source: http://www3.open.ac.uk/employment/tutors/courses/EXM880.shtm

P

The PGCE is a one year course that involves placements in Schools. Most places will only take you if you intend to teach in the UK state system after your year of studying. Generally you will be expected to have a couple of weeks observational experience in the UK state system BEFORE applying. Then you'd do the course along with placements for approximately nine months, during which you'd be expected to pay International fees (in the region of 10-15k) and your own subsistence costs.
There's no way of guaranteeing several years experience after your PGCE. You'd have to go through the same mechanisms as everyone else; i.e. apply for a job, hope you get it, and then work in it for a couple of years. I suspect the VISA arrangements for this are fairly complex though, and the pay for newly qualified teachers is pretty poor. With Maths you may do better than most. Even so-called distance learning PGCEs offered by a number of Universities require you to do many months of placements in this country.
I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but I don't think the PGCE will do what you want it to.
If you can arrange a VISA to work in this country it might be worth seeing if you can do the Graduate Teaching Programme. This is two years on-the-job training. The pay isn't great but you wouldn't be expected to pay fees..... but you'd effectively have to find a post at a School that would be willing to sponsor you.

M

Quote From pamplemousse:

The PGCE is a one year course that involves placements in Schools. Most places will only take you if you intend to teach in the UK state system after your year of studying. Generally you will be expected to have a couple of weeks observational experience in the UK state system BEFORE applying. Then you'd do the course along with placements for approximately nine months, during which you'd be expected to pay International fees (in the region of 10-15k) and your own subsistence costs.
There's no way of guaranteeing several years experience after your PGCE. You'd have to go through the same mechanisms as everyone else; i.e. apply for a job, hope you get it, and then work in it for a couple of years. I suspect the VISA arrangements for this are fairly complex though, and the pay for newly qualified teachers is pretty poor. With Maths you may do better than most. Even so-called distance learning PGCEs offered by a number of Universities require you to do many months of placements in this country.
I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful, but I don't think the PGCE will do what you want it to.
If you can arrange a VISA to work in this country it might be worth seeing if you can do the Graduate Teaching Programme. This is two years on-the-job training. The pay isn't great but you wouldn't be expected to pay fees..... but you'd effectively have to find a post at a School that would be willing to sponsor you.


Hi again, I am now not optimistic after reading this but I'm sure what you are saying is not far from truth. In fact, I'm not looking for wonderful salaries. I just focus on getting the PGCE and get some experience for 2 or 3 years in the UK for example but again, when u mentioned that it may be complex regarding Visa issues, I feel like I'll have hard time planning for the whole thing since I'm not married yet (which is one of the imp. criteria on which visas are issued where they don't have trust with unmarried people thinking that they may aim to marry there or something)

Anyway, It's my first time knowing about the "Graduate Teaching Programme" - never heard of it before. Is it more feasible than planning for the PGCE. From your experiene, what should be my correct starting point? (other than obtaining the IELTS certificate which I'll do anyway)
Should I - for example - contact individual schools in the UK and beg each one individually for sponsoring me or what I should do in that case?

Thanks a lot for yr time

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