This is about teaching music as a subject rather than instrumental lessons, I don't know if this is the place to ask but I would be grateful of any advice if anyone knows.

Basically I am just finishing my second year undergrad (in music obviously), and am looking into the Graduate Teacher Programme. I want to go into this rather than the PGCE for two main reasons; firstly that I think the only way of learning to do a job is to physically do it, and secondly because you earn a salary from the school whilst training and I like the independance I have living away from home so need some way of funding it when student loan runs out.

So... I have looked into it and read that although they can find you a school to support you (if you're accepted onto the programme), you can also find one yourself. I think I would have more chance of being accepted if I went to them and could say yes I established a link with this school myself, they are happy to support me (not to mention I already have teaching experience from teaching flute).

My question is how exactly do I go about establishing a link with a school? I looked on the website at schools in the area that have supported people in the past and there are 115 near me so there's a high chance of finding one I think. I was thinking as I still have third year project left (which doesn't have to be a dissertation in my case), trying to link that in with this. The only real idea I have is that I have a pretty big repertoire so to make the most of it and see about going around a few schools giving recitals to try and raise interest in classical music, and the assessment for degree side could come from programming and finding schools that would be happy to do that and writing a mini dissertation type thing on the whole experience.

Saying that, whilst it sounds good in theory to do that and then just drop the GTP in whilst in schools and ask if they would be able to take me, I don't want to risk my degree over it as I am on track for a 1st and don't want to kill it by trying to move on to the next thing before finishing uni.

That's a bit of a long post, but if anyone has anything to say I would be really grateful =]

I think it would be better to be up-front about your plans to do a GTP when you initially make contact or whomever you deal with may end up feeling misled. A school may well be interested in your idea of giving recitals, but that will require a certain amount of planning on their part and could be surplus to requirements in a well-established music department.

The obvious thing to do, it would seem to me, is to see if you can get some work experience in a school, perhaps for one morning or afternoon a week (given that you're a music student you presumably only have about eight hours of lectures, so you should be able to fit that in!). That way you get a good idea of whether you're cut out to be a class teacher, you build a relationship over a period of weeks or months, and they can also assess your potential at the same time. If you do a good job then you would hugely increases your chances of being taken on as a trainee teacher.

Good luck!

I would be up-front about it; I would say something along the lines of I am looking to get experience in schools for GTP so am planning some recitals etc. I see your point though, also about them being interested but having to plan etc. I am discussing the idea with my tutor tomorrow; mainly for 'if i do this can i get a good mark' reasons, but if I get the go ahead I will talk to him about practicalities etc.

That's a good suggestion about work experience (you're right about lecture hours xD), do you think I should just directly email the schools on the list I mentioned (not all 115 at once, a few at a time based on distance) and tell them I am planning on a GTP and could I get work experience with them?

That's good. It was just your comment that you would "just drop the GTP in whilst in schools" that worried me slightly!

I guess there's no reason not to email the schools - it may be worth finding the name of the Head Teacher or Director of Music if you haven't already done so. I would also mention any relevant skills or experience such as your flute teaching and perhaps go along to a school concert to get an idea or what goes on there.

You haven't said whether this is primary or secondary teaching, although I'm assuming it's primary since you mentioned there are 115 schools nearby?

If this is secondary teaching then I'd try to target the schools where there is only one member of staff in the Music department. You may have more chance of getting work experience initially under those circumstances.

Secondary teaching needs good people wiht strong musical background. I wish you the best of luck.

Yes, it's secondary teaching. Basically with the 115 schools nearby thing, I'm lucky where I live, there are buses to take me in a couple of directions, as well as a station linked to two tube lines. So yeah easy to get to the majority of them in under an hour.

That's another helpful point about finding out about the staff and going to concerts. Also notmusimum that is a good point; I remember my school only having three music teachers which soon fell to one and a random supply teacher they grabbed who wasn't that musical.

What do you mean by 'strong' musical background? If you mean in terms of exams/qualifications I may not be the strongest candidate, all I have are 3 grade 8's... well probably at that point I will have 4 as I am doing the theory exam in the summer.

If you mean in general, then I used to teach flute, I take part in a lot of music festivals and win the majority of them, I'm doing a degree on track for a first, I compose, I do all the accompaniment for other students in my year, I am looking into taking a conducting course over the summer and I have links with RNCM via my piano teacher who did the joint course there, links with RAM via my tutor who is also a concert pianist, and links with Trinity via another professional pianist who has played a composition of mine.

Is that the kind of musical background you mean?... I fear that may have come over in an argumentative kind of way, when that wasn't the intention; I just have no idea about these things so I am information gathering at the moment and if I don't have the background I need to use the next year to think about building it up a little.

I've not quoted all the post. You look like you have a strong musical background to me

I think having an interest in music is a big plus when teaching in school (well from our experience it is). I would think you are more than qualified but I have no idea what the requirments are.

Why not consider the Student Associates Scheme for your third year?

www.tda.gov.uk/Recruit/experienceteaching.aspx

My son is doing this scheme in County Durham for Maths, and it's a really good entree if you want a GTP place. All you have to do is impress the school you're allocated to. You get paid about £8 an hour whilst on the scheme too.

All sounds like good advice.
One thing to add, I notice you are grade 8+ piano? Play that one right up, secondary school music teachers with advanced piano skills are like gold dust, round my area anyway, and they will find a million and one uses for you with that alone!
Good luck!

Student Associates Scheme (SAS) is a great way in- they pay you too. Ask the careers department to see whether your college supports the scheme. I did a PGCE but plenty of my friends did the GTP route- some found their schools through SAS others just contacted their local school and asked whether they could do some voluntary work- observing and assisting in the classroom etc. Basically, you need to prove yourself to the school and convince them that they want to take you on for a year. If you're still in 2nd year though you don't need to worry about this really until September. Although- if you have a long summer then take the opportunity to get into schools and get experience- universities LOVE experience

Hi! It sounds like you have a really strong subject background for teaching. I took the PGCE route (drama not music) and I would just offer a word of caution about the GTP. On a PGCE you have a huge amount of support and teaching from university, on a GTP you are so much more reliant on the school. While this is good in a 'hands on' way it can mean that you're abut limited. For example, none ofthe teachers on my first placement were very good and if I'd have been reliant on them teaching me, I'd have huge gaps in my knowledge and a really limited range of skills. I guess all I'm saying is be very careful when choosing a school that the music department is really good and hopefully has more than one teacher to learn from. Also the tes forum is well worth a look. Good luck!

I have been reading replies then forgetting to thank people because of looking into everything I'm being advised >.<

I managed to find somewhere running the S.A.S and have applied, though have been told it is most likely I would be in the next academic year now because of CRB checks and stuff. But yeah thanks for that that would be a brilliant stepping stone =]

angelvoice- how would I go about getting voluntary work? literally emailing potential schools saying my intentions and asking if I could go in say one day a week to get experience?

Maria- that's a good point I will bear it in mind. At the moment, to be totally honest, I'm not going to deny that the main reason for ruling out PGCE is I would not have the money to live here in London anymore, I would have to go home to Birmingham- at least for a year. And all of the things I mentioned in terms of networking are in the London area so it is better for me in the long run to be here where I've started laying foundations career wise.

Hey- yeah, that's probably the best way. I got mine by going to a local school's christmas concert and talking to the head of department at the end about wanting to train but needed some experience. I then emailed him the following day and sorted it out.

You'll probably find that some schools will reply and be really keen, but others will never reply to your email...don't take this personally- secondary music departments are really mad places to be and sometimes you mean to reply but just forget!

I'll chime in on the GTP aspect. I was head of ICT in my previous teaching post and we had a GTP student, well two actually. It is better in one sense since you are in school full time and get a much better sense of the teaching experience. On the other hand, as another poster said, you don't always get the support and guidance you would get on the PGCE.

In order to get the Qualified teacher status you still need to do all the paperwork and jump through the hoops. One of the GTPs at my school simply could not cope with the paperwork - he was good at his teaching, but after a year and a half he left for something else (without his QTS) because he really couldn't get a handle on all the written stuff.

With GTP you are very much at the mercy of the support given by the school. In my school it was run very well and the role was split between the head of subject who acted as mentor, chose lessons and so, and another person who was in charge of the new teachers and other staff development.

My final point, it can be quite hard to find a school that is willing to take you as a GTP. It is a lot of extra grief and hassle for the school. Ideally they train you up and you stay and get a job with them, but a lot of schools really won't be motivated to do it. On the other hand, if you can make contact with a head of subject (and ideally a head teacher too) and convince them how great you are, then they may be prepared to do it.

In my case I eventually gave up on GTP, took the financial hit and did the PGCE.

Actually, having read back over this post, it all sounds a bit grim! Don't despair! It can be done, but it involves a lot more work than the PGCE (and a PGCE was quite hard work too as I recall).

Good luck,
N

I have had a busy week but have managed to get myself accepted onto the S.A.S!

I have to go to a training day in May, then whenever they get the CRB check back they will find me somewhere.

With GTP, I can do paperwork and am willing to jump through any hoops I need to. But I need to try and find a decent place; maybe volunteering and getting an idea of the music department or researching the schools to see how active it is would help with this.

In terms of finding a school who would be willing to go through all that effort, well I have 115 in travelling distance according to the site, all of which have taken GTP students before and if I have to email all 115 of them and be in the face of all their headteachers and heads of music, then I guess that's what it takes so I will do it.

I have faith that I'll impress someone somewhere enough =]

Well done! I hope your CRB check won't take long and that you'll enjoy the experience.

Just a thought.... could you get some info on the schools from the Head of the Music Service they work with. I doubt that they will tell you anything negative but they may be able to suggest which ones are good places to work.

The best of luck with it all.

That's a really good idea actually. I am not familiar with music services in this area because I didn't go to school here, but that can be easily researched.

I met with the careers advisor for music at uni today who told me quite a lot of music students go into GTP and music is a shortage subject so I stand more of a chance. She basically just said apply as soon as possible because apparently they allocate places as and when they recieve an application that impresses them. She also said try and get into schools just to do some observation for now because until my CRB check is done I won't get any work experience anywhere as such but they don't mind for observations because at no point are you going to be left on your own with any children you're just watching.

Also she said once I have 2 weeks experience either through contacting a school or through S.A.S. then to start approaching schools and it would be better to do it via phone or written letter than email.

So yeah that was useful; I sort of knew I had to think about that stuff but it's good to have someone practically give you an action plan =]