How to be a Teacher in 2020 | Undergraduate Teacher Training

If you’re considering training to be a teacher, you may feel overwhelmed with the options in
front of you. There’s PGCEs, School Direct, Scitt, Teach First – to name just a few! There are
also many options for both postgraduate and undergraduate training.

But it’s only right there’s such competition. Education is vitally important to all our futures,
and there are few jobs where you can make more of a difference in people’s lives than
education.

We all remember our favourite (and least favourite) teachers – and it’s not just because we
had to spend so much time with them. They’re important figures from pivotal points in our
own development. If you want to be remembered as a positive figure in the lives of young
people, there can be no better path. Good teachers can change the world.

That’s why we take it so seriously at the University of Bolton, and why our Education and
Learning degree is so valuable.

An undergraduate teaching degree

A PGCE is the most common route into teaching – and with good reason. It’s a comprehensive and well-respected postgraduate qualification that will leave you a fully qualified teacher. But what’s the best undergraduate qualification - as required by a PGCE -to ensure your success as a teacher? And what undergraduate degree will leave you best placed for success for a Primary Teacher Training degree?

Many people study a chosen subject area, with the intention of specialising in that subject
post qualification, e.g. maths teachers and science teachers. However, what if you could
focus your years of undergraduate study into teaching itself? What if you could dedicate
yourself to learning that vitally important skill exclusively?

That’s where the BA (Hons) Education and Learning degree comes in. With a focus on
teaching itself, you can edge the competition and ensure your status as a positive force in
your students’ lives.

How to be a good teacher
With good teachers being such an important resource for a healthy society, it’s not
surprising that research is being done all the time on how best to teach one’s students.

Research from JRSM (Journal for the Royal Society of Medicine) found that 12 qualities were
paramount in a good teacher – ranging from commitment to the work (including a focus on
the educational needs of the student and a passion for the job) to provision of positive
feedback (valuing the students and providing constructive criticism).

It’s no surprise that such a vital role is complex in terms of the qualities necessary for its
success, but it could seem overwhelming. That’s why an additional focus on these qualities
is so valuable in the job market.

It’s a difficult job, where you’re tested every day. But by focusing your studies on the skills
necessary to stand out from the crowd, you’ll not only be much more prepared for your
postgraduate teacher training than the majority of people who pass through those courses,
but you’ll have a deep understanding to ensure future success in your teaching career for
years to come.

With such a strong foundation, your creativity will be able to flourish.

It’s not just teacher training
While we have a huge focus on employability at the University of Bolton, our teacher
training courses do not simply focus on the ‘how’. By taking a look at everything from
history of education to the philosophy of its practice, our students leave with a deep
understanding of the ‘why’.

From current educational policy to sociology and psychology, a deeper understanding of a
wide range of issues enables the teachers we train to be able to connect with their students
(and the material they teach) much more deeply.

If you’re interested in helping shape young minds and develop their intellectual curiosity,
the University of Bolton’s BA (Hons) Education and Learning degree could give you the skills
and qualifications you need to move into a successful career in teaching.

With our #1 rating in the North West for Student Satisfaction, and our placement at #5 in
the entire UK for teaching quality, you can be sure of the quality of the teaching you’ll
receive at Bolton.

With one of the best student-teacher ratios in the country, there are no crowded
classrooms and no unreachable tutors – you’ll get the support you deserve, with dedicated
experts there to help you achieve your best.

If you want to ensure your future success as a teacher and dedicate your undergraduate
study to teacher training, don’t hesitate to read more on the course information page, or
even download a brochure, with all the information you could ever want to make an
informed decision about studying at the University of Bolton.