worth sticking it out here?

dazzeremo

hi guys, I'm a recently qualified teacher, graduated last year from PGDE w/ English, L.C.V.P and Transition Year. i have a masters in irish literature (in english) as well. despite best efforts, could not find a suitable job last year in ireland so stuck with my current job in retail. as september approaches, i really have to get teaching by any means possible. I was wondering if, in my position, you would stick it out here, or head across the sea to england for work?

rainbowtrout

dazzeremo wrote: »

hi guys, I'm a recently qualified teacher, graduated last year from PGDE w/ English, L.C.V.P and Transition Year. i have a masters in irish literature (in english) as well. despite best efforts, could not find a suitable job last year in ireland so stuck with my current job in retail. as september approaches, i really have to get teaching by any means possible. I was wondering if, in my position, you would stick it out here, or head across the sea to england for work?

I'm confused, how can you be qualified in 'Transition Year'?

Well are you willing to work in the UK? If you are and you can get a teaching job over there and you can't get one here, then it's a no-brainer.

AD61

Some PGDE courses have a specialist methodology option, for example in NUI Galway they have Career Guidance, Transition Year, SPHE, LCVP and a number of other options for the Specialist Methodology.

rainbowtrout

AD61 wrote: »

Some PGDE courses have a specialist methodology option, for example in NUI Galway they have Career Guidance, Transition Year, SPHE, LCVP and a number of other options for the Specialist Methodology.

Fair enough. I wasn't aware of that. The fact remains though that TY is not a subject. I'd also be wondering if the OP is qualified to teach LCVP or was that another subject methodology. In my experience it's usually business teachers who teach it. Is the OP only qualified to teach English? there's quite a surplus of English teachers out there at the moment and plenty of them have two teaching subjects.

niall3r

If you enjoy working in retail then stay in Ireland. If you want to teach, move abroad. It really is as simple as that.

That said there are jobs being advertised and somebody has to get those jobs, but there are candidated who have alot more experience who are competition.

TheDriver

I will be blunt with you, there are plenty of English CVs on my desk and plenty of them have one or more subjects. CSPE and SPHE aren't big factors and Masters tend to be ten a penny as most English are history also (which is where they get their masters) and things like LCVP and TY don't even come into the radar unless we are really stuck (never heard of a "ty" teacher before) Unless its a big big school with lots of English teachers, one subject isn't going to cut much cheese I;m afraid Sorry to be brutally honest and hope it works out for you.

dazzeremo

thanks for your replies, for the record L.C.V.P is a specialist subject methodology, like transition year. In NUIG, candidates without a 2nd subject are required to do two specialist subject methodologies. I knew when i undertook it, it was a bit mickey mouse, but it was a requirement of the PGDE.
rainbowtrout, i am qualified to teach English, L.C.V.P and T.Y (however redundant the last two might be). In retrospect, i probably chose the wrong combinations in my arts degree but that cant be fixed at the moment!
niall3r, you make a good point, but i'd imagine I'd stand little chance against those candidates with greater experience and/or more flexible teaching subjects. to england it is then, hopefully I can get some experience to bulk up my cv!

TheDriver, thanks for your bluntness, badly needed. Dont wish to sound obstinate but my masters is in irish literature, not history, perhaps this may not even make much of a difference?

rainbowtrout

dazzeremo wrote: »

thanks for your replies, for the record L.C.V.P is a specialist subject methodology, like transition year. In NUIG, candidates without a 2nd subject are required to do two specialist subject methodologies. I knew when i undertook it, it was a bit mickey mouse, but it was a requirement of the PGDE.
rainbowtrout, i am qualified to teach English, L.C.V.P and T.Y (however redundant the last two might be). In retrospect, i probably chose the wrong combinations in my arts degree but that cant be fixed at the moment!
niall3r, you make a good point, but i'd imagine I'd stand little chance against those candidates with greater experience and/or more flexible teaching subjects. to england it is then, hopefully I can get some experience to bulk up my cv!

TheDriver, thanks for your bluntness, badly needed. Dont wish to sound obstinate but my masters is in irish literature, not history, perhaps this may not even make much of a difference?

At the end of the day, masters or not, you're still only qualified to teach english. We're all qualified to teach TY. Perhaps try to do some modules through Open University or Oscail and get another subject in the next while?

dazzeremo

rainbowtrout you're dead right, we (teachers) are all qualified to teach T.Y, in that its not a subject per se and in any case, there's nothing really to teach or training required as such. I have done a specialist subject methodology in T.Y (admittedly for the little its worth) as part of the PGDE, thats all.

thanks for the reply, I will look into the options you mentioned cause its apparent that to teach in this country i need experience (hence travelling to england for work) AND another string or two to my bow (subjects wise) in order to stand out from the surplus english teachers abound.

gaeilgegrinds1

When I did the Dip in Galway we were advised to take as many courses as we could...I did loads...asked my principal about them and she told me not to bother and that for years they had been telling students they'd get, 'certs,' for these. We never got those certs and I can't imagine if we had they'd be worth anything. It's a total con and worth noting for incoming PGDE students. You are only entitled to teach degree subjects, if a CV came across my desk with TY and LCVP from a non-business teacher written as subjects I'd bin it. Sounds harsh but it shows a lack of understanding. If I were you I'd concentrate on getting another teaching subject while doing a year or two abroad in England, Abu Dhabi or Switzerland. Not one of the Dips in our school has decided to remain in Ireland...just the way they feel at the moment and I'd agree with them, another reason the Dip should be suspended for a while if you ask me.

Laura.Lee

gaeilgegrinds1 wrote: »

When I did the Dip in Galway we were advised to take as many courses as we could...I did loads...asked my principal about them and she told me not to bother and that for years they had been telling students they'd get, 'certs,' for these. We never got those certs and I can't imagine if we had they'd be worth anything. It's a total con and worth noting for incoming PGDE students. You are only entitled to teach degree subjects, if a CV came across my desk with TY and LCVP from a non-business teacher written as subjects I'd bin it. Sounds harsh but it shows a lack of understanding. If I were you I'd concentrate on getting another teaching subject while doing a year or two abroad in England, Abu Dhabi or Switzerland. Not one of the Dips in our school has decided to remain in Ireland...just the way they feel at the moment and I'd agree with them, another reason the Dip should be suspended for a while if you ask me.

Gaeilgegrinds, are you a principal?
Any tips on courses/certs that would boost a CV? Thank you in advance.

gaeilgegrinds1

Tips, don't say something that you're not. Sport, music and of course a well written CV jump out at me. I'm not yet a principal but am usually on the board when choosing candidates suitable. It's not all down to the principal, ours has little interest in choosing and often drafts subject experts in. Also, experience is imperative, he rarely entertains anyone with no experience or less than a few years. I know it seems unfair to new teachers but he always says it takes a few years for teachers to find their feet. My username is a reminder to me that I had years teaching where I had to supplement my income with grinds, I did everything and anything to work my way up the ladder, grinds schools, private schools, tuition work, writing articles for the local paper on education...the list goes on. It's necessary but worth it in the end, best of luck to any of ye job hunting, read over the CVs would be my number one tip, was in last week whittling down for a maternity job and my God some of the mistakes were very basic and had the CVs been correctly proofread would not have happened. Also, saying you are proficient in various computer packages and not laying a CV out well did not impress me either.
Go n-eirí libh!

rainbowtrout

Laura.Lee wrote: »

Gaeilgegrinds, are you a principal?
Any tips on courses/certs that would boost a CV? Thank you in advance.

What subjects do you have Laura Lee?

TheDriver

and to add, from my experience on interview boards you can have the best CV in the world but coming in looking like someone from the Sweeney in a tatty suit with an open tie or a girl who clearly hasn't bothered looking the part (handy penneys summer dress that was hanging on the back of the chair) or guy wearing jeans and a jumper (i kid you now) or someone talking like Fr Stone in Fr Ted is a clear no no. You would be shocked how many people out there go for interview with no clue as to how to impress.