So many options...

[happybunny]

Hi

I'm in 2nd Year currently (i'm 13) and have to pick my options for 3rd and 4th year so that I can do my Standard Grade exams. there is so much to think about ; what subjects to take, what careers they can lead me to...

The subjects I was thinking of taking were

English (compulsory)
Maths (compulsory)
French (compulsory)
History
Biology
Art & Design
Home Economics
Chemistry
and 2 periods P.E, 1 Period R.E and 1 Period S.E (compulsory)

I think I want to a teacher - probably English or History
Is anyone here a teacher, who can give me advise, or people in other jobs, who can supply words or wisdom???

Ta very much

[piskieinboots]

oooh Stacey hun - if only I were your age again....I would move heaven and earth to ensure I had a career in Horticulture....but that doesn't help you non does it

can you wield a cane? if so, you will make a great teacher

[jaykay]

Do you need to include ICT in your subject choices? My daughter didn't want to do ICT to GCSE but HAD to complete the key skills curriculum. Apart from that, good grades in English and Maths are required for entry into teacher training. Your school/college will probably advise you to select a range of subjects which you look as if you've done. Good luck with your studies.

[lynda66]

definitely will need ICT ....... i'd dump the home ec and go for that. other than that, if you're good at the subjects, it's a good choice i think, it keeps your options open, but covers you if you do want to be a teacher ........ also make sure you have picked the subjects you will be doing at A level. xx

[seasprout]

When i came to choose options, i picked subjects i was interested in, or was good at.
None of these were any help in my 'now career' Horticulture.

However when i choose my options i still had no idea what i wanted to do after school.
Everything i needed for this career i learnt after school at different college's.

What ever you pick make sure its somthing you can stand for the next 2 years.

[di]

Don't ditch Home Ec!!!Maybe history or chemistry,but home ec should stay!((Wanna fight Lynda?!))
Really tho,I think as Seasprout said~make sure you pick subjects you enjoy~makes learning a heck of a lot easier!
Good Luck!

[zazen999]

You've got a pretty good selection there - A good grounding in Maths and English will help in any career. I personally think Home Ec is a good thing, if if teaches you how to run a home, which we all do. I thought some ICT or whatever they call it these days was compulsory and it will be included when you go to higher ed anyway. So, as long as there isn't anything in there that you really don't like; whatever you choose should stand you in good stead.

I changed career in my late 30s, and it was the best move I ever made. I ended up doing an English Degree, whereas at school I Hated English - you never know how you will change once you get older. The options I chose [which were based around engineering] led me to do what I loved, but was the worst decision as I ended up in a job where women were paid significantly less than the men; and it took years and alot of my own study to make up the lost ground. Although I'm a neat woodworker to this day and do all the DIY round the house.

ETA: Snap - Home ec is so valuable.

[Rocketron]

Hi

I'm in 2nd Year currently (i'm 13) and have to pick my options for 3rd and 4th year so that I can do my Standard Grade exams. there is so much to think about ; what subjects to take, what careers they can lead me to...

The subjects I was thinking of taking were

English (compulsory)
Maths (compulsory)
French (compulsory)
History
Biology
Art & Design
Home Economics
Chemistry
and 2 periods P.E, 1 Period R.E and 1 Period S.E (compulsory)

I think I want to a teacher - probably English or History
Is anyone here a teacher, who can give me advise, or people in other jobs, who can supply words or wisdom???

Ta very much

"Advise" is a verb, The noun you require is "advice".
Thank me later.
Yours sincerely,
Miserable, pedantic, old Bu##er.

[vicky]

I really like your choice - a good mix of 'proper' science/math/english and enjoyable stuff!
I did a level english, biology and chemistry and it's a surprisingly good mix!
ALL of which help me now in a horticultural career!

[squashysu]

good for you happybunny because at 41 I am currently taking my degree to become a teacher and i wish i had done this at your age, you are so responsible, my daughter is 13 and all she is interested is lipstck and heels!!!

Anyway at present in order to become a teacher in primary and to get onto a teacher training programme you need a degree and also GCSE grade C and above in English, Maths and Science (doesnt matter what one)

there are loads of ways to do all of this, but if you want secondary education teaching you need to have the degree in the subject you are gonna teach ie: English for English etc......

Hope this helps, there are many routes, but so glad you starting early and i so wish i had.....but in 4 years i should be there as I doing my B A Hons!!!!
(help!!! lol)

good luck xx

[Pootle]

Do you want to teach primary or secondary? If primary, I would think about what you could be a specialist in too - you get extra pay for being (say) the ICT co-ordinator or MFL. Likewise, some secondary subjects attract better bursaries when training and added pay in school to encourage good teaching. Otherwise, my advice is along the same lines as the others - pick subjects you are good at or are interested in! A good balance will stand you in good stead for life and education isn't all about getting a job.

You also don't have to do a teaching degree - as long as you have a national curriculum subject in your first degree you can do a PGCE and train as a teacher that way.

I would try to speak to your form tutor/head of year or arrange to visit a primary school (if that's where you'd like to teach) to speak to the teachers there for some advice.

Whatever you decide, good luck! It's a really exciting (and scary) time

[jackie j]

Good luck happy bunny good choices only wish I had been able to take exams I'm afraid I left school at fifteen with no qualifications as I always panicked when it came to exams. My daughter who is 12 will be doing this soon. she wanted to be a teacher then a french teacher lately cos she saw the red arrows she wants to fly one but I think she was joking not that I would stop her if thats what she chooses to do. Its always good to have some qualifications to help you in whatever you choose to do and you can always do more later if needed.
The saying is this is the best time of your life make the most of it.

[ailsasyl]

Ha Ha Jackie Stacey(Happybunny) also wanted to fly with the red arrows she saw them when she about 5 0r 6, but only on her day off from being a surgeon!! Even funnier when she told her nursery teacher she wanted to be a silver service waitress in a chinese restaurant, the reason my sis was silver service waitress at the time but her favourite food was chinese!! (makes perfect sense to a 4 year old)

She is thinking off ditching home ec for computer skills, she already cooks at home she is bored as what they do at school is too easy, she spoke to some 4th years and it looks like it dont get much more involved, Home ec in Scotland consist of cooking and some sewing, they dont get house hold management stuff.
It is a Secondary poss english or history, her problem is she loves learning an likes most subject and is both academic and creative, she has had so many teachers encouraging her to take their subject that she a bit confused!!

[jackie j]

Its the same with Freya all her tachers wanted her to take part in after school activities as well as lunch time ones if she did them all she would be there all day and all night. She does balletand jazz dance at school as well as hockey and netball these are during lunch or after school, she plays the clarinet goes to tap on saturdays guides on wednesday's and horse riding some sundays, on top of wich she has loads of homework and she's only in year eight. Cooking was one term only, soup every week, sewing was last term had to make a hat but not one to fit to wear because it wastes too much material as she took her own in does it matter how much she used it was only scrap bits left over from her bridesmaids dress and I have loads of scrap material.
Freya hates the school holidays and would rather be in school. She is also very creative good at art.

[lynda66]

actually i had to laugh at my son the other week, he got A* in maths GCSE got A at Alevel in maths and further maths ...... then he had to take a maths test at uni (they all did) and he failed it ....... and is now in the group for people who aren't good at maths lol ..... really when it comes to uni, they are more interested in your Alevel results/subjects, than GCSE, but it's good to do the subjects you want to do at A level if possible.

He's doing engineering now at uni (only got a C at GCSE, mostly cos they had different suppy teachers every week ) ..... he did chemistry and physics A level ....... so whatever you choose, you can still change your mind later on ...... so if you enjoy it .... do it