Question about teaching degrees in general (1 Viewer)

[mamehapumpkin]

I want to teach science (with a focus on biology) and also agriculture. I am currently completing a science degree at usyd, majoring in biology.

I was looking at the M teaching (secondary) at WSU. It is one of the few I can find which offers agriculture for teaching.

So my question is basically what do they teach in teaching degrees? Will you go through the whole syllabus of the subject you want to teach and learn it? Because obviously I don't know everything.. for example I guess I'd have to teach junior physics but I haven't done a physics unit at uni and don't remember anything from HS. And I want to teach ag, but haven't done an ag degree (although I'm doing relevant units? Plant and animal science?)

I'm nervous.. I don't know what I'm doing.. and don't know what's required of me and what I need to do. I think I need an ag degree?? But I don't wanna do another degree... could I do a diploma for a year? or is my science degree enough?

 

[mamehapumpkin]

bump

 

[Drongoski]

Why are you contemplating teaching Agriculture? Is there a big demand for an Agriculture teacher? Do you really want to teach Agriculture? Even at James Ruse, students do it because they have to do it, just like Catholic schools force their students to do SOR.

Assuming you are not concerned about Agriculture, you have the ideal pathway to teaching Biology. Why? Because, in my opinion, a good teacher in Biology is one who has done a degree majoring in Biology. After that, you do a teaching qualification, just because it is a requirement for teaching (not necessarily because you learn much to make you a better teacher). That was the way it was 50 or so years ago. A maths teacher would have done a degree majoring in maths (often up to an additional Honours year) followed by a 1-year Diploma in Education (Dip Ed). In this way, he has a solid foundation in the discipline of mathematics. Contrast this with a lot of half-baked teachers being churned out thru a B Ed programme. So you would find many of your older teachers have a more solid background in the subjects they teach, because they have acquired a degree in those disciplines.

So, if you are not preoccupied with teaching Agriculture, why would you consider doing an M Teach at UWS of the ACU rather than USyd - which is more prestigious.

 

[mamehapumpkin]

Why are you contemplating teaching Agriculture? Is there a big demand for an Agriculture teacher? Do you really want to teach Agriculture? Even at James Ruse, students do it because they have to do it, just like Catholic schools force their students to do SOR.

Assuming you are not concerned about Agriculture, you have the ideal pathway to teaching Biology. Why? Because, in my opinion, a good teacher in Biology is one who has done a degree majoring in Biology. After that, you do a teaching qualification, just because it is a requirement for teaching (not necessarily because you learn much to make you a better teacher). That was the way it was 50 or so years ago. A maths teacher would have done a degree majoring in maths (often up to an additional Honours year) followed by a 1-year Diploma in Education (Dip Ed). In this way, he has a solid foundation in the discipline of mathematics. Contrast this with a lot of half-baked teachers being churned out thru a B Ed programme. So you would find many of your older teachers have a more solid background in the subjects they teach, because they have acquired a degree in those disciplines.

So, if you are not preoccupied with teaching Agriculture, why would you consider doing an M Teach at UWS of the ACU rather than USyd - which is more prestigious.

Thank you for your response. And well, I wanted to teach agriculture because it is another subject area that I enjoy. In fact I would have probably preferred to do an agriculture degree, but back when I started uni I didn't know what I wanted to do (other than knowing I wanted to do something with science) which is why I started with a science degree. I know it's not really a popular subject although I know in some schools (such as my own) it's an elective and there are actually a good amount of students who pick it. And we had about 25 students in our senior agriculture class as well. I don't know, if there are too many issues or obstacles in getting to teach agriculture as well I might just forget about that, but I don't mind going to UWS for it if I had to.

Thanks again

 

[Queenroot]

Thank you for your response. And well, I wanted to teach agriculture because it is another subject area that I enjoy. In fact I would have probably preferred to do an agriculture degree, but back when I started uni I didn't know what I wanted to do (other than knowing I wanted to do something with science) which is why I started with a science degree. I know it's not really a popular subject although I know in some schools (such as my own) it's an elective and there are actually a good amount of students who pick it. And we had about 25 students in our senior agriculture class as well. I don't know, if there are too many issues or obstacles in getting to teach agriculture as well I might just forget about that, but I don't mind going to UWS for it if I had to.

Thanks again

Is there an agriculture major under your science degree?

 

[mamehapumpkin]

Is there an agriculture major under your science degree?

There is only agricultural chemistry. However looking through the units, most aren't really that relevant to the agriculture syllabus (from memory, as I've done agriculture most of my junior years, and also for senior year). Even my bio major is more relevant, as I'm doing units on plant science, animal science, and even soil science.