Serious Advice Needed re Primary School Teaching

TradMick84

Hi to all,

Basically I'm thinking of becoming a primary school teacher and applying to do the Hibernia course as i've missed all other date deadlines.
I'm pretty lost as for what to do career wise as i've trained in GIS systems and its pretty specialised with an apparent lack of job availabilities, or if there's ones out there i cant find them!
I'm 24, male, into sport and play heap loads of traditional Irsh music (guitar, uilleann pipes, whistles). i enjoy teaching music, however i really want advice from people who teach. is it an enjoyable career? It is serious work... so i'm not in it just for the holidays.
Also, is it a wise decision to spend close to 10k when teaching is being cut again and again by the current government. i have fears of doing the course and coming out to find no work around.
Also has anyone any info into how tough the oral Irish aspect of the Hibernia interview is? i have fair enough irish, as in i can hold a basic conversation but do i need to be liofa, tríd is tríd?

Any advice from anyone would seriously be welcomed?

absorbentmind

Repost this thread in educationposts.ie and you will get better feed back.
Just a few quick points. As a firm believer that only teach if you love children and you love that process of imparting of knowledge especially as you might encounter teaching children with Special Needs, high student ratio, lesson plans, following the curriculul etc.. Yes there will be a lack of jobs by the time you finish, a lot of teachers planning on going to England but you will have a better chance at securing a job than female teachers in the same position.
as I said repost your comment on educationposts.ie and you will get good feed back.

BoozyBabe

Yes, educationposts is the place to ask these q's. It's a great site.

RE the Irish part of the interview:- they're just looking for you to be able to hold a conversation in Irish, so I'd say you'd be fine.
I'm far from fluent & I secured a place at the beginning of Nov.

I know your fears bout forking out apporx 10k for maybe no job at the end of it, but there'll always be something, whether that be maternity leave of resource positions for a while.
If it's really what you want to do, then it'll all work itself out eventually, & the money aspect of it shouldn't put you off.
Getting a place on Hibernia is like getting Willy Wonka's golden ticket, & for me, I couldn't turn that down over money issues when so many people were bitterly disappointed about not securing the opportunity.

Best of luck with what you decide.

TradMick84

seriously many thanks for the replies... still lost!! but thanks.. Wondering should i just meander the world for a little... might make me a more wiser and rounded teacher when i return, hopefully! what would your thoughts be on that. are older teachers without experience in a more difficult situation to get a job? i'd say i'm defo too late to send in an application for the Hibernia now so maybe i might make efforts to attain sub work and then apply, at least that way when i'm in an interview situation i'l have some idea of what i'm taking about instead of bluffing my way through..

byhookorbycrook

sub work will be harder to get from now on and there are lots of qualified teachers looking, so you could be passed over. Why not see if you can do some work experience in a local school, working unpaid def proves your interest!

BoozyBabe

Hibernia accept applications all year round, so there's no such thing as being too late to apply. They are currently accepting applications for Oct '09
Hibernia, along with all other post grads in Ed must seek approval from the DOE each year before the course can go ahead. With the way things have gone lately, & with the amt of qualified teachers being churned out each year, & the fact that jobs are now starting to be very hard to come by, I'm not sure that Hibernia will still be running in a few years time.
How would you feel if you went travelling, & then came back to find Hibernia were no longer offering the post grad in primary ed? If you'd be gutted, feeling you'd missed your chance, then apply now.
So, you're still undecided. Big deal! It costs €70 to apply. Send in the application. you'll be called for interview in about 3 months, i.e. Feb, Mar. You'll find out within a few weeks. If you get refused, well then maybe that's the answer you needed. If you get accepted, you can refuse, you can consider it, like you've still 6-7 months before the course starts, where you could travel for this time, you could defer your place until the next intake, being Feb '10, giving you more time to travel if that's what you want, but atleast you'll know it's there for you if you want it.

In your shoes, that's what I'd do. What's there to lose?

Pavillion

I'm in same boat as TradMick84. Looking at going teaching as well. I dont have honours Irish though. Does anyone know a college that offers a quality course? Would it be possible to do this years Leaving Cert or would it be crazy. I was an average student at Irish.

I am going into a primary school in January for a few days to see if I like it....

TradMick84

thanks boozybabe for the replies... you most defintitely have a point. I think all work at this stage will possibly be voluntary, especially as of January when Mr Roche hacks the subbing hours down. I'm giving it serious thoughts. however when i seen some of the threads about the hibernia questions i realised i was seriously ill-equiped to answer them... as in i knew very little about cirriculums and what really is thought..
i think foe the sum of €70 quid its worth having a shot at it, just to see in any case.

Pavillion

Has any-one any exprience of doing a primary teaching course in England/Wales?

- what colleges do this course?
- what is the duration/cost?\
- Any other things I need to know?

byhookorbycrook

Pavillion, as already suggested here, educationposts.com is your best bet.Lots of people who went "over the water "there.


http://www.educationposts.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=8

thehamo

Hi all

I am currently in the middle of Hibernia course, due to start tp3 on wednesday!

I dont like to be a scare mongerer but I have to say the sheer amount of people applying to become primary teachers frightens me to be honest especially with Hibernia having 2 intakes a year of 250 each time. So much so that tryingto even find teaching practice in a school is a pure nightmare. Principals have told me that they have never seen anything like it before and that they are getting inundated with people asking for tp!

From what I have been told, the ratio for places in Hibernia i.e. people appplying/places available is 10/1 at the moment. So many people have applied that it is next to impossible to get a place.

As regards subbing, I think you may as well forget about it if you are not qualified. The budget mixed with the amount of people looking for subwork these days means that it is pure luck f you do get any work.

As I say, I dont want to frighten anyone from a career in teaching, but I have to say, im doubting if I will even get a job by the time I finish.

Im male too by the by....

BoozyBabe

Yea, it's scary alright thehamo.
I'm due to start Hibernia on Valentines day & I'm also V concerned about the numbers!
I'm hoping that even if it's difficult to get a job to begin with I'll still have my IT to fall back on while looking for temporary, maternity, etc positions.

But it is worrying. I've to look shortly for my 1st TP school & I'm dreading the thought!

buzzybee

Being a teacher is one of the most rewarding jobs you could have but there some days when i go home and i could just pull out my hair because it can be very difficult at times for many reasons. You will need to very patient and understanding. Being a male you will find it easier than a female to get a job but be prepared it will be difficult to find a job, espcially now with all the cuts.:)

star-bright

If you're in no rush I would just wait and aaply next year for Froebel,Marino,CICE,Pats or Mary I. While as it was pointed out the Hibernia course may not be around for much longer these colleges will be around, also a lot of people have concerns about the quaility of the hibernia course, not my opinion I don't know enough about it to have a real one but I have heard a lot of negative things

Calcio

Just woundering there tradmick84 about doing a masters in GIS and RS, how hard is it to get jobs and is it worth doing for a year. I have a degree in civil eng but like yourself i am totally lost as to what to do very hard to get good advice on the subject. The guy running the course is all talk about it but he is obviously pushing it. I was thinking about primary teaching as well but the comments have turned me off. I wish i had a time machine.

overmantle

With the number of reported applicants (highly qualified) for even substitute positions, it is going to be very tough to gain employment in teaching for the foreseeable future.

overmantle

Also, if doing a post grad in primary teaching, Hibernia would not be the one that would not be the one held in the highest regard, with a view to incresing your chances of employment. Sure, if you are absolutely excellent, it won't make that much difference.

overmantle

Job situation in Primary Teaching is uncertain at present. Ithink lots of people would like that time machine you mentioned.

TradMick84

Calcio wrote: »

Just woundering there tradmick84 about doing a masters in GIS and RS, how hard is it to get jobs and is it worth doing for a year. I have a degree in civil eng but like yourself i am totally lost as to what to do very hard to get good advice on the subject. The guy running the course is all talk about it but he is obviously pushing it. I was thinking about primary teaching as well but the comments have turned me off. I wish i had a time machine.

About the GIS and RS, i would seriously revaluate your situation if you are doing the course to get a job at the end of it. If your doing the course because you like it or to broaden your current range of skills i would say definitely persue it. However, i know a number of my friends from the course who are seriously persuing work in differerent countries with the same result... sorry no posts available. Its proving a tough field of employment. i remember on the course handout saying almost 95% of people got work... it may have been true in the hayday of the celtic tiger however i'd say only 5% have full time, permanent employment after leaving the course today....

Fairdues

Finding employment in most sectors is going to be a challenge in the near future. Seems to be the same in teaching, from what we're hearing.

Calcio

Thanks for that tradmick84, i would only be doing the course to get a job from it I don't really know anything about the subject and if there are not many jobs in it there's no real point in going for it.

TradMick84

i think basically all anyone can do now is to put the heads down and get on with things... all things eventually work themselves out in the end (hopefully).... as the dad says, the sun will always rise tomorrow whatever happens.

overmantle

Well said Tradmick.

overmantle

Incidentally, it's a while since Tradmick originally posted this thread with the original question. What did you eventually decide to do??

TradMick84

I'm actually doing the Hibernia course.. well just about to. I did the interview at the start of the summer and got accepted for the Febuary 2010 course. However i got a late offer of a place starting in this October so i took it. I have my fears about a.) the expense of the course and b.) the apparent lack of positions/posts if and when i finish it... however, i thinks its worth training and just doing my level best when i qualify to get a job..

dungeon

Best of luck.

BoozyBabe

Best of luck Tradmick.
Prepare yourself for not having a life for the next 18 months!!!

Nah, 1st term's alright, & actually the Oct group get a nice long build up to TP1, unlike us poor Febs thrown in at the deep end!!!
After that, it's HECTIC!!!

You'll love it

Cinders84

Hey

Im new to this boards thing and for the love of me I can't start a new thread so sorry for butting in on yer's!!! Im in a tricky dicky situation and dont know what to do , basically well over a year ago I decided to go back and do my Honours Irish for Levaing cert - done and dusted now and did better then expected, now my next step is applying for the course. Thing is Im in a full time job that I dont mind, its grand ,now they are offering voluntary redunancies, if I take it it will cover my course cost if I take Hibernia, or living expenses if I go elsewhere. I need to decide by this Friday and im literally lossing my mind, what if I aply for it and never get the course???
I know its pratically impossible to get into Pats and they actaully haven't got permission to even go ahead with the course next Feb next yr, so my next option was Hibernia. I know 1 person who has done this course and has a job, I know 3 others who are currently doing it , but now I rang a few school principals and they told me they think it'd be better to go to Wales, get qualifed there in 9 months, than forking out money for Hibernia and one principal said she would never hire stduents from this course, she'd pick someone who studied in Wales first , NOW i am in no way dissing anyone that has done or is doing Hibernia, it's just a few opinionsI have heard, and I have friends doing it and trust me I know its hard work ,

I just dont know what to do, plod along in work getting my wage ever month , or take this oppertunity and apply for primary teaching ,

I have no experience in schools and i know this is great to have on your CV when applying for the course, so Im thinking if I take the VR i'll have plenty of time to observe ./sub

Please need your advise on the primary courses available and hey if anyone is willing to make a decision for me, fire ahead!!! ta

TradMick84

cinders,
i dont know what to say to you.. you have a big decision on your hands.. in fact its pretty massive... i just started the Hibernia course and i hope all the principles don't take the stance your principal friend did. whether or not she is entirely right or wrong on her opinions is a totally different matter. Your right, it is a lot of money... a hell of a lot of money. however the benfits as i saw them were, you get to do the course in Ireland and not in Wales (where the matter of being completely lost for a while didn't suit me!) and doing the Irish component of the course straight away instead of having to do your SCG's when you return from Wales.
the fact you have a full time job is important... i never thought we'd ever have to be grateful to get any kind of a job, but it just goes to show how for granted we thought employment would be...
dont know wat to say to you, maybe others could give you better advice... hope they reply to you!

either ways, best of luck to you!!

Cinders84

Cheers Tradmick , I have to decide by this Friday , as in 2 days time if I wana leave work , full time employment, good wage, good company to work for, to go back and study for this , knowing they're constantly cutting jobs, not knowing even if I will get accepted into the course, it's killing me! I actually feel sick

Calcio

It’s a real hard one to call cinders at the moment i am unemployed doing a part time work activation course in college like you i am thinking about primary teaching. I don’t have honours Irish and i am thinking of going to the UK next summer to do primary teaching. It is unlikely that those primary teaching post grads in pats etc will go ahead this year so if you are thinking about Hibernia you will at least have to wait till next autumn to start that. Also the primary teaching courses in Ireland are at least 18 months long so starting next autumn will mean you cannot start working in Ireland till summer 2011 but in taking the UK route you would be able to start teaching in end of summer 2010. That for me is a big thing in choosing which route to take that’s if you are going to go ahead with the teaching option and that’s your call. All i can say is that being unemployed is sickening your dignity, self esteem, metal well being everything takes a hammering. But if you have a plan in your mind well maybe you should go for it. The way I am thinking is, 5 years down the line i hope to be able to look back at the recession and be able to say maybe it was a was a good thing for me as i ended up finding the perfect job for me.

Cinders84

I know Calcio, its heading for 2am and im still thinking about it, like in this climate, am I crazy to give up a good job???What I had planned was, if I left,apply for all courses going, id get some experience subbing or even observing which might help, go to Oz for 2 months,as I have a few friends over there who want to travel the coast next year, come back, get crappy lil job anywhere until course starts,but here's the thing...im not guaranteed to get the course, I am also looking into UK,but looks tricky enough to get in, have emailed a few colleges, need to have a good bit of experience simally (observing , working with kids) to meet their criteria, its a nitemare,just redundancy dosh wud cover my fee's and also my trip to Oz, if i stay working for next 2 years I aint gona save that dosh , but like you say there's the problem of been umemployed, can't be good for the mind, aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh im gona loose my marbles eventually if I dont just make a decision!!!

foodie66

Anyone know what the leaving cert equivalent of GCSE passes at grade C or above is?

tascher rose

I have a H-dip in ed but found the discipline issue within secondary schools too much to handle. Currently thinking of doing social work but my heart is still thinking of teaching. Thinking of applying for Hibernia but not sure as my Irish is not good and it would be a total change from secondary. Help!

BoozyBabe

Help with what exactly tascher rose?
If your Irish is not good, you won't get the course.
If you think it's better than you like to admit, then apply.
What have you got to lose, bar 70 or 75 euro!!!!
Maybe that'll help make up your mind

jog

TradMick84 wrote: »

Hi to all,

Basically I'm thinking of becoming a primary school teacher and applying to do the Hibernia course as i've missed all other date deadlines.
I'm pretty lost as for what to do career wise as i've trained in GIS systems and its pretty specialised with an apparent lack of job availabilities, or if there's ones out there i cant find them!
I'm 24, male, into sport and play heap loads of traditional Irsh music (guitar, uilleann pipes, whistles). i enjoy teaching music, however i really want advice from people who teach. is it an enjoyable career? It is serious work... so i'm not in it just for the holidays.
Also, is it a wise decision to spend close to 10k when teaching is being cut again and again by the current government. i have fears of doing the course and coming out to find no work around.
Also has anyone any info into how tough the oral Irish aspect of the Hibernia interview is? i have fair enough irish, as in i can hold a basic conversation but do i need to be liofa, tríd is tríd?

Any advice from anyone would seriously be welcomed?

Hi Trad Mic - im a primary teacher. i did postgrad in Pats few years back and it set me back a serious amount of cash but worth every penny. the job is amazing but u really need to enjoy working with children and have the patience of a saint! it's very rewarding. i'd say go for it! generally male teachers get snapped up for jobs quicker that females as it's 80% female dominated! not sure about the Gaeilge regarding Hibernia! best of luck. JOG

BoozyBabe

jog: TradMick posted the thread a year ago.
Hopefully he's made up his mind by now

angie26

tascher rose wrote: »

I have a H-dip in ed but found the discipline issue within secondary schools too much to handle. Currently thinking of doing social work but my heart is still thinking of teaching. Thinking of applying for Hibernia but not sure as my Irish is not good and it would be a total change from secondary. Help!

Hi Tascher. Just want to say that there are discipline issues in primary school as well. If you are teaching fifth or sixth class they can be as challenging as secondary level. As for the younger ones, they can also be quite a handful in a different way. You need a lot of patience to deal with Junior Infants for example. At the junior level you get constant chattering, wriggling in seats, fiddling with things on the table; trying to hold the attention of 30 four year olds can be quite a challenge. Getting them ready to go to the yard : a lot of them can't put on or take off their own coats, zip or button themselves, find their own hat, gloves etc. They struggle to open bottles and lunch boxes. Of course they gradually become more capable but it does require tremendous patience. Also of course they wet themselves, throw up etc. and you have to deal with it. Then by the time you teach second class, there's constant tale telling and conflict resolution to deal with. The list goes on! I absolutely love teaching primary level, but it is just as difficult as secondary in a different way.

angie26

Sorry, forgot to mention that there are also children at primary level, even in JI who dispaly seriously challenging behaviours, refusing to do work, shouting, throwing things, running around the room etc Primary teachers have been kicked, bitten, spat at and hit by children as young as five or six.

TheColl

angie26 wrote: »

Hi Tascher. Just want to say that there are discipline issues in primary school as well. If you are teaching fifth or sixth class they can be as challenging as secondary level. As for the younger ones, they can also be quite a handful in a different way. You need a lot of patience to deal with Junior Infants for example. At the junior level you get constant chattering, wriggling in seats, fiddling with things on the table; trying to hold the attention of 30 four year olds can be quite a challenge. Getting them ready to go to the yard : a lot of them can't put on or take off their own coats, zip or button themselves, find their own hat, gloves etc. They struggle to open bottles and lunch boxes. Of course they gradually become more capable but it does require tremendous patience. Also of course they wet themselves, throw up etc. and you have to deal with it. Then by the time you teach second class, there's constant tale telling and conflict resolution to deal with. The list goes on! I absolutely love teaching primary level, but it is just as difficult as secondary in a different way.

angie26 wrote: »

Sorry, forgot to mention that there are also children at primary level, even in JI who dispaly seriously challenging behaviours, refusing to do work, shouting, throwing things, running around the room etc Primary teachers have been kicked, bitten, spat at and hit by children as young as five or six.

couldnt agree more, if discipline is a difficulty for you then you need to address that before you consider any kind of teaching. but don't let it put you off, just do some good research on the topic, ask experienced teachers for tips etc.