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PGDE usefulness

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  1. #1

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    PGDE usefulness

    I'm currently teaching English full time here, and thinking about going through PDGE at HKU to 1) help me be a better teacher 2) for future here(HK) and/or elsewhere (Singapore for example)

    My Bachelor is in IT.

    Will a PGDE in any major help me achieve #1 (ie, PGDE English is closed already, but PDGE in GS, IT would be my next choices).

    If I want my next job to be at an International school (here in HK) would PDGE in GS help me with an *English* teaching position?

    Or would I be better off with PDGE in IT, since it's my Uni major?


  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by AsiaJason:
    I'm currently teaching English full time here, and thinking about going through PDGE at HKU to 1) help me be a better teacher 2) for future here(HK) and/or elsewhere (Singapore for example)

    My Bachelor is in IT.

    Will a PGDE in any major help me achieve #1 (ie, PGDE English is closed already, but PDGE in GS, IT would be my next choices).

    If I want my next job to be at an International school (here in HK) would PDGE in GS help me with an *English* teaching position?

    Or would I be better off with PDGE in IT, since it's my Uni major?
    1.) I'm sure it won't make you a worse teacher and will add credibility.
    2.) It will subsantially increase your employability and salary.

    Wait until next year and do the PGDE English.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by bryant.english:
    Wait until next year and do the PGDE English.
    Thanks -

    so what is the difference between PGDE in say, General Studies vs PGDE in English?
    If I plan on staying in the P3-6 range for teaching English, would PDGE in GS not be useful?

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by AsiaJason:
    Thanks -

    so what is the difference between PGDE in say, General Studies vs PGDE in English?
    If I plan on staying in the P3-6 range for teaching English, would PDGE in GS not be useful?
    I'm not saying it wouldn't be useful, it's a question of salary. I'm presuming that you are looking to continue your career as an ESL teacher, not a general teacher? If you have the PGDE in English you can earn a lot of money on the EDB NET scheme. Not sure the GS would help you there but you should check with them.

  5. #5

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    As is the case for many things, it's just a piece of paper that will open doors for you. Your experience and your background will dictate what jobs you will be doing.

    There's no doubt that the best place to be in HK is an international school preferably one with an IB stream since you get another piece of paper making you more marketable. If you manage to get in ESF or one of the top tier schools like CIS, CDNIS, HKIS, GSIS the wages and benefits are better and the quality of students also tends to be much higher. The downside in some of those, it comes with more pressure, more work and scrutiny.

    If you know your stuff in IT and that's what you want to teach, you'll get there. The piece of paper simply allows you to be hired. I worked for over 20 years in education, more than 10 in HK, in that time, I taught less than two years for what I was initially certified because I had other skills that were more in demand. When I was involved in the hiring of teachers, I always looked at the set of skills and personality they brought in order to see where they could fit best and how much flexibility I would have with each individual. Pieces of paper and skills are often two different things...

    AsiaJason and bbbbbbbbb like this.

  6. #6

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    I understand gilleshk - thanks.

    My next question is this:

    Given:
    1- I'm a native English speaker. I'm also gifted in IT, and have an impressive background to match. (I never thought I'd be in education, but that's what the demand was for me here in HK, so here I am) I don't know what will be more in demand of me in a few years - teaching IT, or simply my native English abilities (here in HK or elsewhere) - for teaching.

    2- waiting another year for PDGE in English is a *long* time...pushing me out until 2014 before I graduate.

    3- it's still unknown to me whether or not I can use PDGE in anything other than English toward NET scheme - I'm still checking.... If I can't I'd have to reconsider waiting the extra year for registration and the next question would be moot...

    So it seems the two next best "fits" for me - PDGE in GS or IT - which would be more valuable to attain? I assume because of my IT background, I won't have trouble *getting* an IT teaching role if I wished, but I have to improve my general teaching skills - so I'm thinking G.S. would be favored over IT. Like you say, which paper I have may not matter as much...

    Would GS be equally helpful in me teaching *English* though (since I don't necessarily plan to teach the GS subject)?

    Last edited by AsiaJason; 01-02-2011 at 08:22 PM.

  7. #7

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    Best scenario is to get experience teaching, that's really what matters... You can complete your PDGE or any other recognized education certification while you working. There are also many institutions that offer it online along with summer sessions.

    The NET scheme sometimes hire uncertified teachers as long as they have a degree though you're likely to get the dregs, you might also be lucky and find work in third tier international school while you are completing your education certification. There was a fellow I knew that did that at CDNIS a few years back when the school was less established.

    As to demand, it's 4 quarters to a dollar... There are far more english teaching jobs available(many of them crap) but there are also far more candidates than for IT. The bottom line is that if you are good, you'll find work in either field, you should do what you do and like best, that will make you a better teacher.

    AsiaJason likes this.

  8. #8

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    Thank you Gilleshk!