Best route for Primary Teaching

ChloeElla

Hi,
I'm in my first year of college & I don't like my course at all. I wish I had followed my interests & applied to Primary Teaching Training instead, but it's too late now. I'm wondering - Would it be wiser to complete my current course, then try to get a Post Grad for teaching, or to drop out before Christmas, re-apply through the CAO next year & be faced with paying half-fees & the registration fee? I can't find fee information for most of the teaching colleges, but I presume half-fees would be about €3000 + €2000 registration fee, & the loss of my grant. I'm so confused about what to do, obviously I don't want to be faced with such a financial burden, but neither do I want to be unhappy in college for four years. Any help or advice would be appreciated

lovesir

Hi I was in the same position I didn't like my course but i dropped out before the 31St of October so it doesn't affect my fee's. I would say if your not happy drop out and re-apply for primary ( if your confident you have the points) and you will not necessarily loose your grant it depends on how much of it you have received to date, lets say you got a grant of 3000 and have already received 1500 i am nearly sure you shall still get the remaining 1500 next year but you should ring your local vec / county council to put the rest on hold asap while you are making your mind up. Also my friend dropped out of her course last week and was a few days past the 31St but the woman dated it for the 31St for her so you should talk to whoever is in charge first thing Monday morning.
Good luck with your decision!

headmaster

Just make sure you have an honour in honours Irish.

ocli64

The postgrad isn't very easy to get into. Heard last year it was something like 180 people applying for 60 places. Also it means you'd be facing into 3 or 4 more years in a course you hate with no certainty that the postgrad will even be available when you graduate.

Jimmy Iovine

ocli64 wrote: »

The postgrad isn't very easy to get into. Heard last year it was something like 180 people applying for 60 places. Also it means you'd be facing into 3 or 4 more years in a course you hate with no certainty that the postgrad will even be available when you graduate.

Ha try adding another 0 to the end of that 180 and you'd be closer to the number I'd say.

Jimmy Iovine

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Ha try adding another 0 to the end of that 180 and you'd be closer to the number I'd say.

The postgrad isn't easy to get into, so there's no guarantee that you'll only be waiting another 2 years after the 4 you'll be spending on your current course, which will be tough to stick out if you're really not happy doing it. Don't forget that if you get into the postgrad you will have to pay fees of around €9000 to do it, though there are loans available as far as I know. Doing the postgrad in the UK could be an option after your current degree. Also, there are hundreds of unemployed teachers as the market is saturated with graduates chasing very few jobs, but if you're following your interests by applying for it then go for it.

alil93

Hi, I'm sort of in the same situation as you. I am not enjoying the course I'm studying at all and think I would prefer primary teaching. I don't want to spend 4years studying something I'm not passionate about. However, I have missed the dates to not have to pay fees. Do I drop out before Christmas, re-apply through the CAO next year & be faced with paying half-fees & the registration fee? or Stick with my course and decided at the end if I should do primary teaching and do the Post Grad??? My parents are really annoyed as they will have to pay at least half fees if I drop out and change so they want me to stay. Is there another way to transfer, by staying in college until the end of the year and just start the other course in september? Please help me, I'm so confused =(

Toto Wolfcastle

If your parents are worried about the money then the cheapest way is to drop out now and pay half fees next year. The postgrad is very expensive and there is no guarantee that it will still be running when you are finished your degree, or that you will get it.

If you think that you have the points for it, and you really want to do it, you could drop out now and work for the rest of the year to save some money to put towards fees. You will only have to pay half fees for the first year of your new course.

I'm not sure if you can transfer.

If you're not enjoying your course there is no point in sticking with it regardless of whether you do primary teaching or not. If you're not enjoying it at the end of first year and you decide to drop put then it will be even more expensive for your parents as they will have to pay full fees.

byhookorbycrook

I would suggest that anyone considering primary teaching does some volunteer work in primary.People sometimes have a rose-tinted picture that is far from the reality of teaching today.

alil93

Yeah, I think that might be the best option. I am going to ring the student counselling/ carrer advisor service and see if I can transfer. The course isn't what I had expected and the system doesn't really suit me. There are hardly any hours and the hours I have are all over the place. I know the primary school teaching course is 9-5 most days and some people say it's a lot, however structure suits me best so I wouldn't mind that.

I did work experience in 4th year in a primary school and have helped out a lot with the local youth club. I also know a teacher and might ask her if maybe I could do sort of work experience with her for a week or a few days.

The only primary course I have enough points for is the one in the Church of Ireland College of Education. It says you have to be a member of a church of ireland church. I'm not confirmed catholic or church of ireland, however I went to church of ireland primary and secondary schools and help out in the local church of ireland youth group, would they accept me?

Also, you have to do an interview, part of which is in Irish. Which I would worry about seeing as I haven't done any Irish in months and it was never my strongest subject. Has anyone else done it before?

Thanks so much for your help!

Dunjuan

ChloeElla wrote: »

Hi,
I'm in my first year of college & I don't like my course at all. I wish I had followed my interests & applied to Primary Teaching Training instead, but it's too late now. I'm wondering - Would it be wiser to complete my current course, then try to get a Post Grad for teaching, or to drop out before Christmas, re-apply through the CAO next year & be faced with paying half-fees & the registration fee? I can't find fee information for most of the teaching colleges, but I presume half-fees would be about €3000 + €2000 registration fee, & the loss of my grant. I'm so confused about what to do, obviously I don't want to be faced with such a financial burden, but neither do I want to be unhappy in college for four years. Any help or advice would be appreciated

Hi,
my advice would be if you are really struggling with your course drop out of it. Don't continue doing something that you have no interest in, it will only make you feel miserable. You may not lose your grant altogether only 1 years, but best thing would be to contact your local VEC/Town Council.
Good Luck

kraggy

What course are you currently studying?

Dunjuan

kraggy wrote: »

What course are you currently studying?

Hi,
I am not currently studying any course. Thinking about Primary Teaching so have applied to the C.A.O. and i am doing the Irish Hons level paper this year, but the Gaeilge is a struggle.!