H.Dip vs Concurrent Teacher Training.

sunnyjim

Which do you prefare? What advantages and disadvantages do you see with each system?

I'm doing concurrent teacher training, so I get all my teaching modules done over 4 years, compared to the H.Dippers who only get 12/18months (feel free to correct me). I think that that is a good advantage.

Ladies and gents, your views...

spurious

I did concurrent training. I think one advantage of it is that it lets people find out sooner rather than later if they're not suited to the teaching game.

The courses are as good as they are to be honest. There are many people teaching in education departments who couldn't hack it in the classroom - what sort of teachers they are training, we can only wonder about.

The H. Dip courses that people can do in the evening now (DCU?) are a great development I think. It will allow people who are working (often doing deputies) access to teaching. This should hopefully widen the social base teachers have traditionally come from.

sunnyjim

The courses are as good as they are to be honest. There are many people teaching in education departments who couldn't hack it in the classroom - what sort of teachers they are training, we can only wonder about.

Sort of like, those who can't do, teach; Those who can't teach, teach how to teach . Like all courses, there are the good and the bad. I've come across great ones - and some absolutly terrible ones.

One disadvantage of Concurrent TT, is the lack of interviews etc. The Dippers have to go through interviews and tests to get their place - whereas Concurrents only need points. Not really an ideal system.

spurious

Not sure where you're talking about for the Concurrents but in my day we had to sort our own placements for 3rd and 4th year - admittedly that's almost 25 years ago now. A Dipper might get lucky and get a school that can accommodate them the first time they drop in their CV.

Points are absolutely no indication as to how good a teacher someone will make, indeed they're not much use of an indicator all round.

sunnyjim

spurious wrote:

Not sure where you're talking about for the Concurrents but in my day we had to sort our own placements for 3rd and 4th year - admittedly that's almost 25 years ago now. A Dipper might get lucky and get a school that can accommodate them the first time they drop in their CV.

Points are absolutely no indication as to how good a teacher someone will make, indeed they're not much use of an indicator all round.

I think I was unclear.

By interviews, I meant to actually get a place on the course. Someone with a degree can't just walk into a college and say "I'm doing the HDip", they have to get a place on the course through interviews etc - now compare that to someone right out of secondary school: All they need is points. No interviews, nothing at all. Just points.

I think ya read me wrong

spurious

Ah I see. My course involved an interview too way back when - I didn't realise not all teaching courses do.

Why anyone ever thought high points would make a good teacher is beyond me.
Some of the best and most inspiring teachers I have ever worked with got into college on the bare minimum and often repeated a year too.

slickmcvic

I did the concurrent training in UL. IMO its away better then doin a degree followed by a H.Dip.
Advantages.
1.Its a bit of a lottery tryin to get into a h.dip after doin your degree.you need to have a top degree to be considered & build up hours teaching and stuff
.This isnt easy when you've already done 3/4 years at college and ya wanna start making money.
2. often doin a h.dip you have to go to lectures at night after a hard days teaching (it depends where ya do it)but it aint easy.
3.your science content will be more geared towards teaching during your course and youll have more time to do related practical material rather than trying to squeeze it into 1 year of a Dip.
4.you can go straight into working after a college degree and make decent money.
5.Your teaching practice will be doin in 2 blocks of 6/10 weeks(Ul anyways!) this gives you a better idea about planning etc. As opposed to goin in 2/3 days a week.
Disadvantages
1.you'll need 2 be sorta sure teaching is whatcha wanna do.
2.Normally you wont get paid for TP
Hope this helps!!

funktastic

''Someone with a degree can't just walk into a college and say "I'm doing the HDip"

UCD (and maybe more colleges) don't do an interview, so if you have a good degree it more-or-less is a case of walking into it.

sunnyjim

Really? My mistake. Do they look for previous teaching experience?

funktastic

No, UCD have nothing to do with choosing candidates. The CAO h.dip application give you a number of points for your degree and then another number of points relating to the amount of teaching experience you have.

Mrs. MacGyver

I did concurrent teacher training for 4 years and found it worhwhile. After the first year i didn't think i'd sticjk with it but i adapted and fgot a great degree in the end. The dip educates yuo in the practice of teaching in one context only where as concurren educates you in single sex boys/girls and community and primary school settings. Great Variety.

Catari Jaguar

Eh, I believe the difference is that one gives a DEGREE and one gives a DIPLOMA. So about 5000e wage difference means go for the 3/4 year course! Which is less rushed/ stressed and you get preference in a job interview.

spurious

Lil Kitten wrote:

Eh, I believe the difference is that one gives a DEGREE and one gives a DIPLOMA. So about 5000e wage difference means go for the 3/4 year course! Which is less rushed/ stressed and you get preference in a job interview.

There is no difference pay-wise.
The B.Ed./B.Rel Sc. from a concurrent is a primary degree just like the B.A is for a H. Dip. person.

B.Ed./B. Rel. Sc. people are paid exactly the same as B.A. (H. Dip.) people are.

In the past 4 year degree people started on one point higher on the scale but I don't think that is the case any longer.

Trotter

Lil Kitten wrote:

Eh, I believe the difference is that one gives a DEGREE and one gives a DIPLOMA. So about 5000e wage difference means go for the 3/4 year course! Which is less rushed/ stressed and you get preference in a job interview.

Lil Kitten, Im starting to get a little annoyed at the tone of some of your posts. Posting in capitals is against the rules here as its considered shouting down somebody else. Also, your information is unclear at best, completely inaccurate at worst. You cannot generalise about job interviews, and such a statement is bordering on ridiculous.

I dont allow disrespectful posts in this forum.

Spank

Hey, I'm a sixth year student hoping to become a second level biology teacher, just wondering if my best route is a science degree and a postgrad in education afterwards, or what are my alternatives? My guidance counsellor is uninformed to say the least.

gaeilgegrinds

I did the H.Dip. Is it not correct to say both types of courses have their merits? Looking to put another course down is not the same as boosting your own. Given my subjects I could not have done it concurrently so it is a rather futile argument for many people.

spurious

The only real difference is that those who do a concurrent need to be pretty sure teaching is what they want to do as their degree is tailored to teaching.

A primary degree followed by a H.Dip. means you can still pursue other (non-teaching) avenues based on your primary degree.

spurious

Spank wrote:

Hey, I'm a sixth year student hoping to become a second level biology teacher, just wondering if my best route is a science degree and a postgrad in education afterwards, or what are my alternatives?

Science degree and a Dip sounds like the way to go.

Make sure you get in some hours teaching before you decide for sure on it as a career. For many people the reality of the classroom is not what they expected.