I want a position in a certain School - will this be difficult?

DylanII

Hi,
I'm in college now, planning and becoming a teacher. The thing is I really want a job in my old school. I went to a disadvantaged school in a disadvantaged area and I want to teach there.

I plan on going to the school this year to give grinds to LC students (for free) and then to do my teaching placement there. I'll be teaching at least three of these, either economics, business, accounting or geography.

So wwould it generally be difficult to eventually get a job there? Or will it just simply be take what your gIven?

Thanks

forestfruits

This is an impossible question to answer, even if there were a position available once your fully qualified there will be many applicants for it quite possibly with more experience, its like trying to predict if it will be sunny this day next year or not.

Im sure your willingness to give your time up to do some grinds will stand to you eventually though.

byhookorbycrook

Nigh on impossible.There were first need to be a vacancy in the school for those subjects, no part timers with those subjects and even then as an NQT without a dip you will be bottom of the very big pile.

evolving_doors

DylanII wrote: »

I'll be teaching at least three of these, either economics, business, accounting or geography.

Hmm maybe just have a quick check of your course title against the teaching council list just in case. You might be grand (seems like a Business and Geography arts degree!!!) but it's better to know for defo with the TC .

BTW from my experience of teaching positions, generally former pupils seem to get first dibs... know the ethos/know the catchment/know the students/know the families/Know the teachers/know the demands/

It might be a case of 'Dead Mans Boots' though ... I wouldn't really hang around waiting for a job in one particular school these days, but it seems like you have a plan that will bring you up to a certain stage anyhow (and possibly some subbing after) so may as well go with it and give it everything you've got, even if it does only last for the Teaching Practice term.

Also, if it's a disadvantaged school the maybe the University you're in now runs an access program to provide support to such students.. good thing to be involved in (have a look at Trinity Access Program for one example)... Dare i say, it could push your school up on the infamous league tables!

Miss Lockhart

Five past pupils of the DEIS school I work in have qualified as secondary teachers..... they all work in the school now.

The school thinks it is good policy to show the students what they can achieve.

RealJohn

Is there a good chance you'll get a job in your old school once you qualify? I'd say eventually, probably a decent chance, yes.
Is there a chance it will be within five years of you qualifying? Possible but pretty unlikely I imagine.

I'd say once you qualify, you'll have to take what comes just like everyone else. Keep an eye out for vacancies in the school though. You never know.

Seanchai

DylanII wrote: »

Hi,
I'm in college now, planning and becoming a teacher. The thing is I really want a job in my old school. I went to a disadvantaged school in a disadvantaged area and I want to teach there.

I plan on going to the school this year to give grinds to LC students (for free) and then to do my teaching placement there. I'll be teaching at least three of these, either economics, business, accounting or geography.

So wwould it generally be difficult to eventually get a job there? Or will it just simply be take what your gIven?

Thanks

Difficult, yes, for the reasons outlined above.

More importantly, it will not be the optimum situation for your development as a teacher. I've taught in several schools now and in my current school I'm the new kid and I'm giving feedback, to teachers who haven't taught in another school in many years, on how things are done in other schools and how they are using technology and in the mistakes they have made and so on. If I stayed in the same school I quite simply would not be attuned to these differences or as open to new ways of doing things. There is a certain freshness of perspective which marks spáilpín teachers which the established teachers don't have. I've only realised the value of moving about in the past year or so at staff meetings when they ask me how my old schools dealt with particular issues. You'll have plenty of time to be an established teacher but for now I'd recommend getting as much experience as possible in a variety of school types and socio-economic areas.

kob29

"persistence prevails when all else fails" and all that.

You're going the right away about it and in all likelyhood if you bide your time, work on developing a top notch cv, the window of opportunity will open and you'll be the one in the best position.

The ability to deliver extracurricular activities is looked at as important too so it might be worth developing this aspect too, pick up a few sports coaching qualifications, drama, music...whatever is your thing!

Maybe some summer teaching abroad in third world countries?

You sound well motivated, obviously jobs are scarce and will continue to be, you will initially have to take what you get. But it can be done!

seavill

I would have to agree with one of the above posters.

I think it is extremely important to get as many experiences as possible in many different types of school. The amount you learn from others and different ways of doing things is fantastic. As someone mentioned when you join from a different school people are always interested in how things are done in other schools and you can add a lot to a school this way.

One of my TP school I though was fantastic really loved it, ended up getting a position there after TP for a year, however having experience of a few other schools previous to working there properly I actually found myself spotting many of its faults. This would be seen as a "very good school" to borrow a phrase from another thread, however having experienced a few other staffs and school types I would say that it is not as great as people make it out to be

gaeilgebeo

Unfortunately, qualified, experienced teachers are finding it nearly impossible to find "hours" let alone full-time positions in any school at the minute.
I think that cherry-picking one school is a little naive.
Schools can't just "create" a job if they like a teacher.
You should be taking anything you can get your hands on.