Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science

Level 2 Intermediate
(to be) disillusioned: (adjective) to be or feel disappointed because you have found out that someone or
something is not as good as you had believed
Note: InBritain,whensomeonetalksorwritesabouttheCitytheyarereferringtotheCityofLondonand
inparticularitsbankingandnancialsector.

Warmer

a) Why do you think British bankers are feeling disillusioned?

b) All these words appear in the article. Which is the odd word out? Why?
test tube

laboratory

Ferrari

Bunsen burner

Key words

Find the key words in the article.

recruit

inspire

tradingoorthrill

maternity leave
quit

mature
attract

stockbroker
rewarding

graduate

creditcrunch

1. To leave a job or stop doing something. ____________________ (title)

2. Someonewhohasnishedtheirstudiesatahighschool,collegeoruniversity.____________________
(subtitle)
3. Afeelingofbeingexcitedorverypleased.____________________(para1)
4. Aplacewheretradersorstockbrokersmeettobuyandsell.____________________(para3)
5. Someonewhosejobitistobuyandsellsharesforotherpeople.____________________(para5)
6. Atwowordtermwhichdescribesthecurrentdifcultnancialsituationwithareductionintheavailabilityof
loans. ____________________ (para 6)
7. A verb meaning to make someone interested in something. ____________________ (para 7)
8. A verb meaning to give someone the enthusiasm to create or do something. ____________________ (para 7)
9. Anounmeaninga new member of a company or organization.____________________(para10)
10. Anadjectivemeaning older,butinapositiveway.____________________(para10)
11. Whensomethingis____________________,itgivesyousatisfactionand/orpleasure.(para13)

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NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Intermediate

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12. Atwowordexpressionforthetimeawomantakesoffworkwhenshehasababy._____________________
(para14)

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science

Level 2 Intermediate
Disillusioned bankers quit the City for
the rewards of teaching science

Scienceteachinghasbeenaproblemfor
educationexpertsfordecades.TheCityhas
attractedlargenumbersofsciencegraduates
whoareemployed,oftenwithhighsalaries,as
businessanalystsandITexperts.Asaresult,
fewergraduateswithtopdegreeshavebecome
teachers.Physics,chemistry,biologyand
mathematicsclasseshavesufferedandfewer
childrenhavebeeninspiredtotakeupscience.

TheBritishgovernmenthasintroducedanumber
ofwaysofstoppingthistrend,includingbetter
salariesforscienceteacherscomparedwith
thoseinothersubjects.

Atotalof3,114sciencetraineesenteredcolleges
duringtheacademicyear200809,ariseof
2.5percentonthepreviousyear.Thatisthe
highestnumberofscienceteacherssincethe
TDAbegan13yearsago,saidHolley.

Hundreds of university graduates are moving

fromnancetoeducation
Robin McKie, science editor
November 23, 2008
1 ThethrillofCitylifeappearstobefadingfor
hundredsofinvestmentbankerswhoareleaving
thenancialsectorforacareerinscienceteaching.
2 TheTrainingandDevelopmentAgencyfor
Schools(TDA)hassaidthatinquiriesabout
scienceteachingpositionsrosebyathirdlast
Septembercomparedwiththesamemonth
in2007.Theagencyhassaidthatformal
applicationsforscienceteachingpostshave
reachedrecordlevelsandthatfurthersignicant
risesareexpectednextyearduetotheworld
nancialcrisis.Manyofthoseapplicantsare
comingfromtheCity,itsays.
3 ElizabethBaldwinisswappingthetradingoor
fortheschoollaboratory.The44yearoldworked
foralmost20yearsformajorbanks,including
MerrillLynchandLehmanBrothers,untilshe
found,afewmonthsago,thattheexcitementof
the job was disappearing.
4 Ihadjusthadmysecondchild,Thomas,and
goingbacktotheCitybecamelessandless
attractive,shesaid.Thehighpaynolonger
madeupforthelonghoursandlackofsociallife.
5 Sothebusinessanalystwhohasadegree
inchemistryandbiologyfromKingsCollege
Londonquitandisnowapplyingtojoina
trainingcoursetobecomeascienceteacher.The
Cityisamajoremployerofsciencegraduates.
Astherearenowfewerjobs,andasmorepeople
likeBaldwinbecomedisillusionedwiththenancial
sector,thenumbersofscienceteachersaresetto
soarasstockbrokersandanalystsquittheirFerraris
fortesttubesandBunsenburners,sayexperts.

10 Mostofthesenewrecruitshavebeen
encouragedbysalariesthatstartataround
24,000forscienceteachers,andwhichcan
eventuallyriseto50,000formoremature
teachers,accordingtotheTDA.
11 Itisagoodsalary,butitcertainlydoesnotmatch
whatasciencegraduatecanearnintheCity,
Baldwin stressed.
12 IwillbeearningathirdofwhatIwouldhavegot
hadIstayedintheCity,shesaid.Butmoneyis
noteverything.Insteadofgoingtoworkearlyand
leavingverylate,Iwillgetachancetocomehome
andbewithmyboys,MatthewandThomas.
13 Myfatherwasateacher,soIknowwhatto
expectandwhatIwillgetoutofthejob.Iknow
teachingwontbeeasy,butIknowaswellthatit
canbeveryrewarding.
GuardianNews&Media2008
FirstpublishedinThe Observer,23/11/08

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NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Intermediate

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6 Thereisnodoubtthatthecreditcrunchhas
ahugehiddenbenetforscienceeducationin
Britain,saidGrahamHolley,theagencyschief
executive.Itisgoingtodoalotofgoodforthe
teachingofchemistry,physicsandbiology.

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science

Level 2 Intermediate
3 Comprehension check
Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the article? Correct any false sentences.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Manysciencegraduateshavebeenworkinginthenancialsectorinsteadofinschools.
Thefourschoolsubjectsthathavesufferedfromlackofgoodteachersaremaths,science,sportsandEnglish.
Thisyeartherehavebeenathirdfewerapplicationsfrompeoplewantingtobecomescienceteachers.
TheBritishgovernmenthavedecidedtopayscienceteachersmorethanteachersofothersubjectsto
encouragesciencegraduatestobecometeachers.
ElizabethBaldwinisleavingthenancialsectortobecomeateacher.
ElizabethBaldwinsfatherandsisterarebothteachers.
Asascienceteacher,shewilltakehomeabouthalfofwhatsheearnedintheCity.
ElizabethBaldwinthinksthatspendingtimewithherfamilyismoreimportantthanahighsalary.

4 Writing:Apersonalprole
a)WriteashortproleofElizabethBaldwin.
Elizabeth Baldwin
Curriculum Vitae

Personal details
Age:
Sex:
Familystatus:
Familybackground:
Qualications:
Currentposition:
Previousposition:
Reasonsforcareerchange:
Experience

b)Createasimilarproleforyourselforsomeoneelseinyourclass.Changethecategoriesifnecessary.

5 Discussion: Change of career

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NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Intermediate

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In yourownwords,explainElizabethBaldwinspersonalsituationandthereasonsforhercareerchange.
Do you know anyone who has made a dramatic change in their career?
Would you like to change your career path? Why / Why not?

Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science

Level 2 Intermediate
6 Webquest: Job search and salaries
a) Type currency converter into a search engine and convert the salaries mentioned in the article to
your currency.
b) Find job advertisements online for investment bankers and science teachers.

Whatqualicationsarerequired?

What salary is offered?

Where is the position available?

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NEWS LESSONS / Disillusioned bankers quit the City to teach science / Intermediate

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c) How do the salaries for investment bankers and science teachers in your country compare with the
salaries offered for similar vacancies around the world?