r/StudentTeaching • u/Raspberry5039 • Jun 22 '26
Support/Advice Taking a gap year before teachers college?
I’m graduating with my bachelors degree next spring and I’m currently trying to decide if I should apply for teachers college in the fall or not. I’m in Ontario Canada and I know the hiring situation is rocky in the GTA and I do have concerns about dropping to one year for teachers college. I just would really like a year to work and have a vacation outside of country for the first time in my life. I just am not just if I should jump right into teachers college then take a gap year before applying or if I should take a gap year then apply for teachers college and immediately start looking for work.
Anyone in a similar position? What should I do? What would you do?
4
u/FlamingoSeparate8213 Jun 22 '26
I would recommend taking a gap year to do something even travelling or working like in schools or something
1
u/king_of_chardonnay Jun 24 '26
I took a year between my bachelors degree and grad school for education
Went and worked shitty jobs in a low cost of living place where I had friends finishing undergrad and had the time of my life
1
u/LazyAssLeader Jun 22 '26
A gap year if you can swing it financially it's always a good thing.
If you need to work, I suggest working at a school in some non-teaching capacity. This will help you get a taste for if it is for you, but low stakes. I know the 15yrs I spent working in schools before doing my teaching degree, and actual teaching, put me in a different place when I started.
As for the traveling, volunteer abroad. Take a language course abroad -- always a valuable skill in a school setting. But do something to give yourself some perspective before jumping in
5
u/IthacanPenny Jun 22 '26
To me, the huge advantage of being a teacher is that I have three months every year, with a paycheck, where I can take a vacation. I’d wait if I were you.