Courses for teachers

chases0102

Hi all,

Does anyone know of, or could point me in the direction of, any management/education courses that could help with moving into school management later in my career?

I know of someone doing one for primary teaching, just wondering if someone knew of something similar for secondary teachers.

Thanks

Miss Lockhart

Do you mean general courses or masters?

Masters in Education Leadership from NUIM seems to be a prerequisite in our place. They do post grad dips in management and leadership too. I'm sure most of the education colleges do too.

TheDriver

Or try open university masters courses, heard of good few people doing them. They have m ed in leadership and development.

seavill

The driver: How would schools/Principals look at a Masters in Education from OU compared to getting a Masters from an Irish college?

Anyone any experience in doing an OU Masters like this?

ethical

Masters in OU are very well structured.The only draw back really was studying over the summer months.(then again Irish summers recently have been fit for nothing else!).I found that I actually enjoyed it once I got to know the workings of the OU system. I went to London to graduate,could have done it in Ireland ,but made a weekend out of it and thoroughly enjoyed the whole Masters experience. As to whether it could benefit you for promotions I found that it did not make one bit of difference in my school as cronyism is more valuable in getting promotion than 'extra studies and degrees'! The last position I applied for in my school had 3 candidates apply and the least likely one got the position.Everything was fixed and I am not saying this out of sour grapes! If the truth be told I was told beforehand that I had a good cv and should apply.I was the second most experienced candidate and knew I should have a good chance of landing the post.The person that succeeded was least experienced and was close to the principal and 'knew' the Board Of Management,a few of whom were 'placed' on the interview panel,as was a previous principal of the successful candidate. This would not have happened in the UK or indeed in well - run Irish secondary schools.Good luck with your studies.:D

rainbowtrout

ethical wrote: »

Masters in OU are very well structured.The only draw back really was studying over the summer months.(then again Irish summers recently have been fit for nothing else!).I found that I actually enjoyed it once I got to know the workings of the OU system. I went to London to graduate,could have done it in Ireland ,but made a weekend out of it and thoroughly enjoyed the whole Masters experience. As to whether it could benefit you for promotions I found that it did not make one bit of difference in my school as cronyism is more valuable in getting promotion than 'extra studies and degrees'! The last position I applied for in my school had 3 candidates apply and the least likely one got the position.Everything was fixed and I am not saying this out of sour grapes! If the truth be told I was told beforehand that I had a good cv and should apply.I was the second most experienced candidate and knew I should have a good chance of landing the post.The person that succeeded was least experienced and was close to the principal and 'knew' the Board Of Management,a few of whom were 'placed' on the interview panel,as was a previous principal of the successful candidate. This would not have happened in the UK or indeed in well - run Irish secondary schools.Good luck with your studies.:D

You brought this up on a different thread many months ago, and it sounds exactly like sour grapes despite your protestations.

To give the opposite view the principal of my school was appointed from outside and had their Masters in Ed Management done as was the case in the next nearest school to us. No pull on the Board of Management etc. Not linked to the school previously.

seavill

ethical wrote: »

Masters in OU are very well structured.The only draw back really was studying over the summer months.(then again Irish summers recently have been fit for nothing else!).I found that I actually enjoyed it once I got to know the workings of the OU system. I went to London to graduate,could have done it in Ireland ,but made a weekend out of it and thoroughly enjoyed the whole Masters experience.

What was the cost was looking on their website but never gave a straight answer?

Miss Lockhart

Having studied with the OU at degree level I would be very happy to study with them again. However, my principal has openly told one of my colleagues with an OU masters and a B post that it wont do if he wants to go further.

seavill

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

Having studied with the OU at degree level I would be very happy to study with them again. However, my principal has openly told one of my colleagues with an OU masters and a B post that it wont do if he wants to go further.

Yea thats really what I was wondering. I would like to do one either way, I have no huge interest in going into management for the next number of years anyway but who knows in the future, however either way I would like to do the masters. But in reality there is no point in spending the money on one that would be no good when there are other options there.
Was you OU degree acceptable to the TC?
Out of interest would this be a modern forward thinking principal or an old fashioned person.
I was wondering is it like the Hibernia situation.

Miss Lockhart

seavill wrote: »

Yea thats really what I was wondering. I would like to do one either way, I have no huge interest in going into management for the next number of years anyway but who knows in the future, however either way I would like to do the masters. But in reality there is no point in spending the money on one that would be no good when there are other options there.
Was you OU degree acceptable to the TC?
Out of interest would this be a modern forward thinking principal or an old fashioned person.
I was wondering is it like the Hibernia situation.

My OU degree credits are a subject add on and are acceptable to the TC and my principal. She is a modern and forward thinking person overall but feels that study of education in an Irish context is essential and must be lacking in an OU masters.

I'm sure it varies from school to school but it has pretty much ruled it out for me anyway.

Fizzical

rainbowtrout wrote: »

You brought this up on a different thread many months ago, and it sounds exactly like sour grapes despite your protestations.

To give the opposite view the principal of my school was appointed from outside and had their Masters in Ed Management done as was the case in the next nearest school to us. No pull on the Board of Management etc. Not linked to the school previously.

Just because your experience was not the same as that of Ethical, does not mean that his/hers is not valid. What Ethical described does happen. It should not happen, but it does. And of course it tastes sour,

TheDriver

I have never heard of an OU MEd being looked down upon, in fact quite the opposite because it shows the ability to work on your own initiative and gets things done. The very odd place will have snobbery but its the same type of people who think St. Pats or Mary I is far better than Hibernia with no factual basis for the statement

To find out the fees, you go to booka module and it tells you the cost. Think its about 2200 euro per module and you do 3 modules.

Miss Lockhart

TheDriver wrote: »

I have never heard of an OU MEd being looked down upon, in fact quite the opposite because it shows the ability to work on your own initiative and gets things done. The very odd place will have snobbery but its the same type of people who think St. Pats or Mary I is far better than Hibernia with no factual basis for the statement

To find out the fees, you go to booka module and it tells you the cost. Think its about 2200 euro per module and you do 3 modules.

I don't think it actually is snobbery in my principal's case, it's that it won't have been done in an Irish context and she thinks in terms of legislation and ethos etc that's important. I'm not saying I agree with her but at least she does have her reasons.

seavill

Thanks for the replies both of you

TheDriver

only thing is MEd should give you grounding in leadership or teachers and development of staff in schools. Its the same world over and specifics regarding laws can be found in circulars straight away. Its a pity your principal thinks like this because at end of the day, its an interview board should be deciding all this.

Miss Lockhart

TheDriver wrote: »

only thing is MEd should give you grounding in leadership or teachers and development of staff in schools. Its the same world over and specifics regarding laws can be found in circulars straight away. Its a pity your principal thinks like this because at end of the day, its an interview board should be deciding all this.

I agree but that is her view. Anyway not all masters are about leadership or management so it's not always going to be an issue.

I'd be very naive to think principal does not have significant influence over interview board, in this place anyway.

fall

Postgraduate diploma in leadership in education or Toraiocht as it is also known is a one year part time course that runs out of different centres around the country. It is much easier on the finances than a masters. Very good course from my own experience.

chases0102

Cheers everyone for the helpful and informative replies. Haven't had access to internet since I posted.

It is not something that I am immediately looking to pursue, but it is good to know that there are academic avenues to help boost the possibility of going into management later on in my career.