All Primary / Secondary Masters Courses - Post Q's Here Please

ledgebag1

Okay thanks

galwaysc12

Have not got a clue how to work this but would really appreciate any advice anyone could give me...

I have been offered a place on the HDip for Education at Trinity College for this coming September but I am finding it very hard to find suitable schools/schools within a 25km radius of Trinity College to do teaching practice.

Has anyone done/is doing this course at the moment that could recommend schools to apply for? I am not from Dublin so I don't recognize any names/places.

Miss Lockhart

galwaysc12 wrote: »

Have not got a clue how to work this but would really appreciate any advice anyone could give me...

I have been offered a place on the HDip for Education at Trinity College for this coming September but I am finding it very hard to find suitable schools/schools within a 25km radius of Trinity College to do teaching practice.

Has anyone done/is doing this course at the moment that could recommend schools to apply for? I am not from Dublin so I don't recognize any names/places.

More or less everything in Dublin is in that range. What are your criteria for suitability?

galwaysc12

Oh thats great... Well thats good to know thanks.

There are no particular criteria advised by the course itself, but of course I have my own preferences. I would love an all-girls school, but beggers can't be choosers, as I know finding teaching placement is not meant to be easy. A well-run school with a 'good' reputation is all I am looking for. And maybe schools which are involved in extra-cirricular activities like sports..

scoopmine

galwaysc12 wrote: »

Oh thats great... Well thats good to know thanks.

There are no particular criteria advised by the course itself, but of course I have my own preferences. I would love an all-girls school, but beggers can't be choosers, as I know finding teaching placement is not meant to be easy. A well-run school with a 'good' reputation is all I am looking for. And maybe schools which are involved in extra-cirricular activities like sports..

I'm in the same boat. I'm waiting till Thursday to pay my deposit and then will start looking would take anywhere.

budlia

Just wondering if anyone else has applied for the PDE in Languages in UL. Letters are coming out this week regarding interviews. I feel sick at the thought of not getting an interview, and also at the thought of having to go for an interview!! Im kinda interested to see if many have applied. Currently in UCC and anyone Ive spoken to didnt even seem to know about the course!!

galwaysc12

scoopmine wrote: »

I'm in the same boat. I'm waiting till Thursday to pay my deposit and then will start looking would take anywhere.

I havnt accepted my place yet either, will in a day or two (damn 500e) but you can apply to schools before doing that yeah?

scoopmine

galwaysc12 wrote: »

I havnt accepted my place yet either, will in a day or two (damn 500e) but you can apply to schools before doing that yeah?

Yep you can I have rang around asking hoping for a city centre place but I'm hoping a contact will be able to help get into a school! Will have to wait and see. 500E is a fair bit of change!

galwaysc12

scoopmine wrote: »

Yep you can I have rang around asking hoping for a city centre place but I'm hoping a contact will be able to help get into a school! Will have to wait and see. 500E is a fair bit of change!

**** im only sending out letters and CV.s now... really need to get on it! Thanks!

e_murf

galwaysc12 wrote: »

I havnt accepted my place yet either, will in a day or two (damn 500e) but you can apply to schools before doing that yeah?

Do you have to pay the 500e as soon as you accept Trinity? That's a lot! I was hoping to hold out until the offers came out for the PAC it's very annoying that they put a deadline on it.

scoopmine

e_murf wrote: »

Do you have to pay the 500e as soon as you accept Trinity? That's a lot! I was hoping to hold out until the offers came out for the PAC it's very annoying that they put a deadline on it.

To accept it you have to pay a deposit of 500E I have until Monday 25th to do it but hopefully will get it done tomorrow. Looking at getting a loan for the actual cost of the year!

e_murf

scoopmine wrote: »

To accept it you have to pay a deposit of 500E I have until Monday 25th to do it but hopefully will get it done tomorrow. Looking at getting a loan for the actual cost of the year!

That's ridiculous I thought you might have to pay something alright but 500 is just crazy.. I'm supposed to accept by Friday don't know how ill get that much!
How much are the fees again? Can't remember

scoopmine

e_murf wrote: »

That's ridiculous I thought you might have to pay something alright but 500 is just crazy.. I'm supposed to accept by Friday don't know how ill get that much!
How much are the fees again? Can't remember

Alot of money to come up with. Fees where 5 700 I was told by a student on the course this year. What are your subjects?

galwaysc12

Yeah your place won't be secured unless you pay the 500, its terrible.. A crazy amount of money like! Haven't found out about the NUI colleges either which is very annoying so you'd need to be fully sure your gonna take Trinity before paying the 500.

Fees this year are a little over 5,800, and i think that excludes the 500 acceptance fee? Or maybe it doesn't not fully sure on that

scoopmine

creamdog88 wrote: »

Crazy to pursue this course, sorry to say it but it's the truth.....

Why so?

Siuin

creamdog88 wrote: »

Jobs are non existent apparently....it probably should be suspended for a few years but of course that will never happen...too many vested interests.....

What about people who want to teach abroad? Sure, there are no jobs in Ireland but I just want to get qualified and GTFO

boomtown123

creamdog88 wrote: »

For anyone looking to complete this course, think deeply about whether you really want to pursue it as it is an absolute mind **** of a year and in retrospect you could nearly do with a year to prepare for it, i began the course without really thinking deeply about whether I was suited to teaching, I am not trying to dissuade anybody from doing it but I found it ridiculous enough as a course, for such a demanding profession you are given 7 to 8 months of a course and bombarded with work that you will most likely never put into use, I would think I have covered at least as much material in the course that I did in my degree course, lesson plans and such on top of that, it is seen as something to be endured, but I ask myself why so, I accept that to use an analogy you are thrown in at the deep end and left to your own devices, you are expected to have an intimate knowledge of the curriculum and effectively are given no help to this end, your methodology doesn't really u help you, also ask yourself also are you a creative person in terms of composing class plans and technology orientated stuff (alas I was not and found myself thinking to myself what in God's name am I doing here, also you will need a high tolerance level of pure and utter bull****, in one of my subjects I had an hour and a half a week and was expected to use assessment for learning and other fancy things, it is seen as anathema for a teacher to be using a didactic style and yet time constrictions as a result of a need to cover the curriculum make it nigh on impossible and lack of knowledge on the students part make it necessary for the teacher to impart such an approach for any dividend, come to think of it I also feel there are too many subjects in the junior cert course, when I think of the trouble I had as an adult trying to make sense of one, .......it seems that the attitude of "just get through it" pervades the education system in Ireland at all levels (junior cert, leaving cert, degree, hdip etc.) whilst as we all know this is not the purpose of education at all, why is it that all we hear when students finish exams is, "thank god thats over I never want to see any of that again" particularly in regard to our native language, think of the quotes of some of our most famous patriots, Thomas Davis, "Educate that you may be free", and Pearse's disdain for formal examinations...

Ok so the course maybe tough and you maybe left to your own devices - but isn't that part in part of a postgraduate course, or third level education? I did a masters - yeah I will admittedly say some of it seemed like b**s*t. But to be honest I now see the purpose of it it wasn't jut about the practical training but about being educated about other topics relevant to the job/course. Yeah you might never use it but it makes some of the focus on your education, opening your mind, etc. *Running for cover....*

creamdog88 wrote: »

Jobs are non existent apparently....it probably should be suspended for a few years but of course that will never happen...too many vested interests.....

Thing is many people really genuinely want to teach - myself included. I don't really care if I don't find a job in Ireland when I qualify as long as I'm a qualified teacher, doing something I like - I'll move to where ever. As long as I'm happy at what I do in life then I don't care if there aren't any jobs in Ireland.

e_murf

budlia wrote: »

Just wondering if anyone else has applied for the PDE in Languages in UL. Letters are coming out this week regarding interviews. I feel sick at the thought of not getting an interview, and also at the thought of having to go for an interview!! Im kinda interested to see if many have applied. Currently in UCC and anyone Ive spoken to didnt even seem to know about the course!!

I also applied for the PDE in languages in UL, from what ive heard its a pretty good course but you're right not that many people know about it! Most people just go through PAC and don't look at the other options I guess.

Siuin

Have PAC started sending out offers for the various universities yet...?

vermafogli

PAC is out April 1st. I got accepted to UL business today, got notification online. Not sure by what date I have to pay the deposit until I get the actual letter in the post. Hope it's due after PAC comes out so I can way up all my options in case I were so lucky to get another college closer to home. It would be more financially feasible for me to commute.

Scrabble

vermafogli wrote: »

PAC is out April 1st. I got accepted to UL business today, got notification online. Not sure by what date I have to pay the deposit until I get the actual letter in the post. Hope it's due after PAC comes out so I can way up all my options in case I were so lucky to get another college closer to home. It would be more financially feasible for me to commute.

Hey, I got accepted to UL business today too. Did it say your offer was conditional? I got an unconditional offer from Trinity and need to let them know by Friday and I'm afraid that if I leave it and wait for my letter from UL I won't be able to meet some condition and be left with nothing! I don't have the points for PAC..

UL is so much more feasible for me cos I'm from Kerry and would be able to teach here hopefully and commute most of the time to UL.

vermafogli

Scrabble wrote: »

Hey, I got accepted to UL business today too. Did it say your offer was conditional? I got an unconditional offer from Trinity and need to let them know by Friday and I'm afraid that if I leave it and wait for my letter from UL I won't be able to meet some condition and be left with nothing! I don't have the points for PAC..

UL is so much more feasible for me cos I'm from Kerry and would be able to teach here hopefully and commute most of the time to UL.

Hey, got my letter today so it says deposit has to be paid by April 4th.

Does anyone know from previous years what the timetable was like? My BBS degree was fairly full on timetable wise. Just wondering if this programme will be similar. Reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to see if it will be feasible for me to commute or to stay down there.

mcgoooo

Does anyone know re the economics PDE in trinity, does It matter if you do your teaching practice in business studies rather than economics

boomtown123

Did any one else get the email about the questionnaire on PAC regarding the PDE. Its soooo long. Anyone doing it?

Scrabble

vermafogli wrote: »

Hey, got my letter today so it says deposit has to be paid by April 4th.

Does anyone know from previous years what the timetable was like? My BBS degree was fairly full on timetable wise. Just wondering if this programme will be similar. Reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to see if it will be feasible for me to commute or to stay down there.

Yeah, I'm wondering the same too.. Can't seem to find much about it.

yellowlor

Ya i did as well, took one look at the questionnaire and clicked x, its way too long

Siuin

I don't think I even want to be a teacher

Back to square one...!

Mardy Bum

Siuin wrote: »

I don't think I even want to be a teacher

Back to square one...!

Try to get some experience. Bridge 21 are a group in Dublin which mentor students and provide programmes. I think you can volunteer. You may also ask a teacher if you could sit in on their class. Many/Most will decline however some will and it will give you an idea.

Teaching is currently a profession under attack so I would think wisely before committing.

Knowsitall22

Anyone hear about the pde dip interview in DCU?

Siuin

Mardy Bum wrote: »

Try to get some experience. Bridge 21 are a group in Dublin which mentor students and provide programmes. I think you can volunteer. You may also ask a teacher if you could sit in on their class. Many/Most will decline however some will and it will give you an idea.

Teaching is currently a profession under attack so I would think wisely before committing.

I got some experience teaching English on a voluntary basis and never really took to it... I thought it was because my students were little prícks, but I'm beginning to think that I also didn't like the role in general... You're right, though- I'd highly recommend anyone thinking of teaching to get some experience before committing to a course. It's very different in reality!!