maths teacher

purplerain1990

Hi, I am thinking about returning to college as a mature student. i would like to become a maths teacher. i was wondering if anyone had any idea on what sort of course i should be going for and where?

evolving_doors

Anywhere in particular?

purplerain1990

Armelodie wrote: »

Anywhere in particular?

I live in Dublin at the moment.. but I wouldn't mind travelling if I had to..

Moody_mona

Science Education in DCU could qualify you as a Maths and Physics or Chemistry teacher. No need for pgde.

purplerain1990

Moody_mona wrote: »

Science Education in DCU could qualify you as a Maths and Physics or Chemistry teacher. No need for pgde.

I really wanted to focus on maths, science wouldn't be one of my favourite subjects..

RealJohn

Have you got a degree? If so, what is it in?
You'll do well to get full hours with only one subject (even if it is maths) so you'd want to have a second subject anyway.
If you already have a degree, you could probably just do a PGDE and do one of those courses to qualify existing teachers to teach maths, either at the same time (which might be a lot of work) or afterwards.
If you don't have a degree, do a degree in maths (possibly through arts if you really don't want to have a science subject as your second subject).

purplerain1990

I don't already have a degree so when you say do a degree in maths through art's what do you mean? As you can see really don't no much about this..

rainbowtrout

purplerain1990 wrote: »

I don't already have a degree so when you say do a degree in maths through art's what do you mean? As you can see really don't no much about this..

A degree in Arts allows you to choose from a wide range of subjects. Maybe up to 20 depending on the college. Maths would be one of those subjects. An Arts degree typically is 3-4 years in length. You would normally pick four subjects in first year and at the end of first year you keep on two of those subjects for your degree. You could do Maths like this instead of a pure maths degree and choose another subject to go with it. If you are thinking of going teaching 2 subjects makes you more employable than one. Most jobs advertised tend to be for a two subject combination.

purplerain1990

Do you know where I could do an arts degree and if I didn't want to do two subjects do you know where I could do just maths?

Chris68

RealJohn wrote: »

You'll do well to get full hours with only one subject (even if it is maths) so you'd want to have a second subject anyway.

Particularly if it is maths.

Maths is a filler subject in most schools. IMO you will definitely need a second subject to gain a job.

purplerain1990

The subjects that go with maths (well the one's I know) don't really appeal to me.. so even to do it as a part time job... I've never done technical graphics but I think it would interest me.. would I be able to do that with maths?

Jellicoe

Maths is seen as a filler subject ? Didn't know that.
Maybe there in lies part of the problem with Maths skills in Ireland.

Is there much of a demand for Maths teachers ?
And what second subject choices would be in good demand ?

RealJohn

Chris68 wrote: »

RealJohn wrote: »

You'll do well to get full hours with only one subject (even if it is maths) so you'd want to have a second subject anyway.

Particularly if it is maths.

Maths is a filler subject in most schools. IMO you will definitely need a second subject to gain a job.

I can see what you're saying and you're not entirely wrong but I think that's more to do with the fact that people with maths degrees don't tend to go into teaching (or so it would seem). I imagine an experienced and fully qualified maths teacher would be attractive to a school that's looking for a maths teacher, even without a second subject.

Thinking about it, my school could theoretically offer me 20.67 maths hours if the timetable allowed it. Not sure if we've more maths than average timetabled or not.

OP, I imagine it might be more difficult to qualify directly in maths and technical graphics but UL has something along those lines I think (not sure of the details) so it might be worth your while checking that out.

purplerain1990

Thank you realjohn... I'll look into that.. if anyone knows where there is courses for maths that would be great.

Zizigirl

purplerain1990 wrote: »

Thank you realjohn... I'll look into that.. if anyone knows where there is courses for maths that would be great.

Hi. I studied maths part time in Kevin Street DIT and I found it an excellent course. DT248 was the course code if I remember correctly. I then went on to do the GDEd in DCU part time and I now work as a maths teacher, full time, with only maths. I'm one of the only fully qualified maths teachers in my school and maths graduates are hard to come by in schools.
Good Luck

ray giraffe

purplerain1990 wrote: »

Thank you realjohn... I'll look into that.. if anyone knows where there is courses for maths that would be great.

I think this might be what you're looking for!

http://www.nuigalway.ie/courses/undergraduate-courses/arts-mathematics-and-education.html

You would be qualified as a teacher for maths and applied maths after 4 years!

Thread on it here : http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055926839

bdoo

RealJohn wrote: »

Chris68 wrote: »

RealJohn wrote: »

You'll do well to get full hours with only one subject (even if it is maths) so you'd want to have a second subject anyway.

Particularly if it is maths.

Maths is a filler subject in most schools. IMO you will definitely need a second subject to gain a job.

I can see what you're saying and you're not entirely wrong but I think that's more to do with the fact that people with maths degrees don't tend to go into teaching (or so it would seem). I imagine an experienced and fully qualified maths teacher would be attractive to a school that's looking for a maths teacher, even without a second subject.

Thinking about it, my school could theoretically offer me 20.67 maths hours if the timetable allowed it. Not sure if we've more maths than average timetabled or not.

OP, I imagine it might be more difficult to qualify directly in maths and technical graphics but UL has something along those lines I think (not sure of the details) so it might be worth your while checking that out.

Forget maths and tg unless you are going to take extramodules during your course you won't be qualified in maths

Chris68

ray giraffe wrote: »

I think this might be what you're looking for!

http://www.nuigalway.ie/courses/undergraduate-courses/arts-mathematics-and-education.html

You would be qualified as a teacher for maths and applied maths after 4 years!

Thread on it here : http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055926839

Tread carefully. The Teaching Council is in the process of changing the requirements for recognition in maths. They may actually be finished the process. I am a maths and applied maths teacher (albeit unemployed) but under the new requirements my degree would not be recognised for maths or applied maths.


As mentioned I am unemployed. Very few jobs are advertised for just maths. Maths with a science is a very popular combination. I've been forced to add extra subjects to my qualifications just so that I can apply for jobs. The Teaching Council have just this month recognised me for Accounting and Business Studies. For a change I've had a whole load of jobs I can apply for in the last week!

Note that I was never just qualified in only one subject. I had 3 technically - maths, applied maths, and Computers. I now have 5 subjects.

All I need now is the job.

whiteandlight

Chris what did you do for the qualifications in accounting and computers?

OP you need to consider if you really want to teach. You seem very set on one subject, are you aware of how difficult it is to get a job in teaching at the moment? No matter what your subject/subjects, it is very difficult to find a job. Even after getting a job getting permanency will take at least 4 years and there is no guarantee that the job you get permanency in will be full time.

Chris68

Musicmental85 wrote: »

Chris what did you do for the qualifications in accounting and computers?

My degree is applied maths and computers and I also hold the JEB. Hence the applied maths, maths and computer recognition. In addition I have a FIA (fellowship with institute of Actuaries) and a professional certificate in Accounting (open university). Hence the accounting and business studies. My PGDE is in maths and business also.

Jellicoe

Is there much of a demand for Maths teachers ?
And what second subject choices would be in good demand ?

rainbowtrout

Jellicoe wrote: »

Is there much of a demand for Maths teachers ?
And what second subject choices would be in good demand ?

Maths is a core subject so there will always be a need for maths teachers. Demand for teachers across the board isn't great at the moment. There aren't many opportunities in teaching right now. Irish would robs ly be the best second subject.

Both are core subjects and not as many people study Irish.

We had an opening in our school for Irish last year. The teacher that got it was straight out of college. That's not to say she wasn't the best candidate for the job but I would imagine that there weren't many experienced teachers applying for the job when a newly qualified teacher got it, i.e. those experienced in Irish already have jobs

Jellicoe

Thanks. Any other good subjects to have apart from languages ?

rainbowtrout

Jellicoe wrote: »

Thanks. Any other good subjects to have apart from languages ?

Well some subjects which seem to be easier to get jobs with aren't available in a combination with maths usually e.g. Home economics, woodwork. It would involve 2 separate courses to become qualified in maths and one of them.

You can normally combine maths in an arts degree with a language, history, geography, English, music, or do it as one of two subjects in a science degree or maybe along with a business qualification. A degree in maths and economics for example.

bdoo

Jellicoe wrote: »

Thanks. Anyce other good subjects to have apart from languages ?

No. Not really. There are too many unemployed qualified teachers out there to make a good decision. Irish is the one I think. We got an nqt on 22hours last Sept for Irish.

Maths is core but there are too many splits across year groups to employ teachers of maths only on decent contracts.

5 maths classes in first year needs five maths teachers at the same time. Even if the first five classes of the day were first year maths then second year maths etc that would only be 16 hours per week with every year getting one class period per day.

We only have one teacher who teaches maths only. She is only on 18 hours some of which is resource.

There are 7 maths teachers in the school. There are only 500 kids. Every maths teacher has a different subject combination. History/ business/ science/ pe/ geography/Irish.

Schools need a whole range of teachers to do maths teaching. I teach woodwork and have taught maths in the past, I was encouraged to do the ul course to upgrade my qualification as I'm not qualified anymore according to the tc it makes timetables way easier when you have teachers who teach a few subjects.

Did I ramble there...

Miss Lockhart

I really think the only subjects with any level of demand are Home Ec, Woodwork, French and Irish.

Maths is decent but only with good second subject. Maths and Irish would be ideal I think.

Jellicoe

Thanks folks, also the pay is pretty crap for new entrants, so I'll pass for the meantime.

bdoo

Jellicoe wrote: »

Thanks folks, also the pay is pretty crap for new entrants, so I'll pass for the meantime.

It's a poor reason to go into teaching anyway.

Jellicoe

Agreed, but it should at least be a consideration by anyone worth their salt, and if you only pay peanuts, your sure to get monkeys.

seavill

Jellicoe wrote: »

Agreed, but it should at least be a consideration by anyone worth their salt, and if you only pay peanuts, your sure to get monkeys.

So people now going into teaching on the new pay scale are monkeys? Troll much?

Jellicoe

Read much ? You'll get monkeys does not = everyone will be monkeys.
But there will be more of them at that money.

seavill

Jellicoe wrote: »

Read much ? You'll get monkeys does not = everyone will be monkeys.
But there will be more of them at that money.

I never mentioned everyone.

To be honest comments like this are better off as far away from kids and the teaching profession as possible.

They will hear enough ignorant ill informed comments from other places each day without needing to hear them in school also

RealJohn

seavill wrote: »

Jellicoe wrote: »

Read much ? You'll get monkeys does not = everyone will be monkeys.
But there will be more of them at that money.

I never mentioned everyone.

To be honest comments like this are better off as far away from kids and the teaching profession as possible.

They will hear enough ignorant ill informed comments from other places each day without needing to hear them in school also

You're the one who's coming across as a troll here. There was nothing in Jellicoe's comment. He was just commenting on what he perceives to be poor pay. You're the one who's trying to start a fight.

seavill

RealJohn wrote: »

You're the one who's coming across as a troll here. There was nothing in Jellicoe's comment. He was just commenting on what he perceives to be poor pay. You're the one who's trying to start a fight.

Unfortunately I am not

If you check past posts on the economy forum for example from our fellow poster you will see what I am on about

RealJohn

seavill wrote: »

RealJohn wrote: »

You're the one who's coming across as a troll here. There was nothing in Jellicoe's comment. He was just commenting on what he perceives to be poor pay. You're the one who's trying to start a fight.

Unfortunately I am not

If you check past posts on the economy forum for example from our fellow poster you will see what I am on about

Well in that case, you're "feeding" him. Either way, it's of benefit to nobody. And regardless of his motivation, the comment was reasonable. Even if it was intended as a dig at teachers, it didn't come across that way.

seavill

RealJohn wrote: »

Well in that case, you're "feeding" him. Either way, it's of benefit to nobody. And regardless of his motivation, the comment was reasonable. Even if it was intended as a dig at teachers, it didn't come across that way.

It came across that way to me to be honest hence my comment. We will just have to agree to disagree on this one rather than derail the thread further

Jellicoe

You get what you pay for. Enjoy your lower paid colleagues so.
Lets see how that pans out.

whiteandlight

Back on topic please everyone.