Most desirable secondary teaching subjects

Stearinlys

I'm thinking about going into secondary teaching and I'm stuck on which subjects to teach. Out of French, English, music, Spanish and business, which would be the best 2 to choose? I know it's important to go with the subjects I enjoy but I just want to know the demand for the subjects I'm thinking of.

Edit: I'm in 5th year so I don't have any qualifications yet

mirrorwall14

Its very difficult to get a job in music, particularly a CID-you need to be lucky. I know there has been no shortage of any of the others in our school in recent years (north kildare).

We have had trouble getting maths, Irish and Home Ec in particular

Stearinlys

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Its very difficult to get a job in music, particularly a CID-you need to be lucky. I know there has been no shortage of any of the others in our school in recent years (north kildare).

We have had trouble getting maths, Irish and Home Ec in particular

Thanks, I think I'm leaning more towards English/French/Business. I don't do home ec and I'm awful at maths lol

mtoutlemonde

Stearinlys wrote: »

I'm thinking about going into secondary teaching and I'm stuck on which subjects to teach. Out of French, English, music, Spanish and business, which would be the best 2 to choose? I know it's important to go with the subjects I enjoy but I just want to know the demand for the subjects I'm thinking of.

The Teaching Council decide what you teach based on your qualifications. You have to be registered with them to get paid. It's also not a case of picking subjects that are in demand - you are the expert of a subject and you will be teaching it for thirty plus years so you have to have a love for your subject area. Just to answer your question - languages especially Irish and French are in demand. As already said home ec teachers are in short supply. No shortage of English/History teachers. Have you got a degree OP? I presume you don't have a masters in education as you would have had to check your qualifications prior to starting the programme.

Noveight

Languages, especially Irish. Maths seems to be a good one to have too.

spurious

Irish, or any of the subjects you listed above through Irish, for work in Gaelscoileanna.

happywithlife

Just read the home ec thing - often see it bandied about here. Yes there is LOTS of work but a lot of that is mat leave cover -- there are few enough "real" jobs in it

TheDriver

Remember there are no hone ec teachers around because no one wants to go to Sligo when faced with option of going to dublin/cork/galway/limerick/maynooth with friends to college.
Irish, French, maths etc. But a good teacher in English etc will get a job. Keep away from music/business/religion and only one subject

2xj3hplqgsbkym

Everyone says home ec, continuously here but I never see a full time home ec job advertised anywhere, only maternity leave , parental leave etc...
On education posts there are 4 home ec jobs advertised but all as above or part time hours.

Stearinlys

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

The Teaching Council decide what you teach based on your qualifications. You have to be registered with them to get paid. It's also not a case of picking subjects that are in demand - you are the expert of a subject and you will be teaching it for thirty plus years so you have to have a love for your subject area. Just to answer your question - languages especially Irish and French are in demand. As already said home ec teachers are in short supply. No shortage of English/History teachers. Have you got a degree OP? I presume you don't have a masters in education as you would have had to check your qualifications prior to starting the programme.

I'm in 5th year right now so not yet haha. I was thinking about Irish but I'm not sure since it's not one of my best subjects and I'm scared I wouldn't be a good teacher for it. I still have a while to improve though

afkasurfjunkie

Stearinlys wrote: »

I'm in 5th year right now so not yet haha. I was thinking about Irish but I'm not sure since it's not one of my best subjects and I'm scared I wouldn't be a good teacher for it. I still have a while to improve though

Sometimes the subject you struggle with can be the one you teach best, as you can understand how and why students find it difficult.

TheDriver

Leroy Scary Person wrote: »

Everyone says home ec, continuously here but I never see a full time home ec job advertised anywhere, only maternity leave , parental leave etc...
On education posts there are 4 home ec jobs advertised but all as above or part time hours.

That's because there is no point unless you really need one.

mtoutlemonde

Stearinlys wrote: »

I'm in 5th year right now so not yet haha. I was thinking about Irish but I'm not sure since it's not one of my best subjects and I'm scared I wouldn't be a good teacher for it. I still have a while to improve though

Right that makes sense. It's good to get perspective. Have you done are or will you be doing work experience? If so, although different you could go to the local primary school and see the working day of the teacher. It may be an eye opener.

I always wanted to be a teacher so if its something you really want to do - you'll get there. By the time you graduate, there will be a shortage of teachers with the way the unions/government are treating education nowadays.

When I was in secondary, I wanted to be a maths teacher - I now teach languages - which weren't my number one in school and add to that a not very inspiring teacher but with passionate lectures and teachers in university, I found my love of the language and enjoy teaching it everyday. So just because you don't find a subject easy now wouldn't make me dismiss it.


Just have a look at your teachers - in subjects you like/dislike - could you develop the same love of a subject as them? See how they deal with disruption etc.

You're only in fifth year now so things could change by the time the CAO comes around next year so you have plenty of time to think it over. Keep asking you're questions if you have them.

2xj3hplqgsbkym

TheDriver wrote: »

That's because there is no point unless you really need one.

What do you mean?

Stearinlys

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

Sometimes the subject you struggle with can be the one you teach best, as you can understand how and why students find it difficult.

Thanks I actually didn't think of that. My old maths teacher wasn't the best because he was so good at it that he didn't understand why others struggled. I might look more into being an Irish teacher, thank you!!

Stearinlys

mtoutlemonde wrote: »

Right that makes sense. It's good to get perspective. Have you done are or will you be doing work experience? If so, although different you could go to the local primary school and see the working day of the teacher. It may be an eye opener.

I always wanted to be a teacher so if its something you really want to do - you'll get there. By the time you graduate, there will be a shortage of teachers with the way the unions/government are treating education nowadays.

When I was in secondary, I wanted to be a maths teacher - I now teach languages - which weren't my number one in school and add to that a not very inspiring teacher but with passionate lectures and teachers in university, I found my love of the language and enjoy teaching it everyday. So just because you don't find a subject easy now wouldn't make me dismiss it.


Just have a look at your teachers - in subjects you like/dislike - could you develop the same love of a subject as them? See how they deal with disruption etc.

You're only in fifth year now so things could change by the time the CAO comes around next year so you have plenty of time to think it over. Keep asking you're questions if you have them.

I wanted to be a primary teacher until a few weeks ago but then I suddenly changed my mind to secondary teaching but I'm still unsure. I'm taking a gap year so I think I'll try do some work experience then!

Yeah I really want to be a French teacher like the one I have now, he's so amazing and positive and now French is probably my favourite subject. I really liked Irish until this year but now I get so much homework I lost my love for it. In maynooth I heard you can try out different subjects in arts for the first few weeks so I could always sit in on the Irish lectures and see what it's like.

Thank you so much for the help!!

mtoutlemonde

Stearinlys wrote: »

I wanted to be a primary teacher until a few weeks ago but then I suddenly changed my mind to secondary teaching but I'm still unsure. I'm taking a gap year so I think I'll try do some work experience then!

Yeah I really want to be a French teacher like the one I have now, he's so amazing and positive and now French is probably my favourite subject. I really liked Irish until this year but now I get so much homework I lost my love for it. In maynooth I heard you can try out different subjects in arts for the first few weeks so I could always sit in on the Irish lectures and see what it's like.

Thank you so much for the help!!

Am I your teacher? (not many male French teachers - usually outnumbered at in service) There is a great sense of achievement getting students who don't have French in first year to be able to speak at length on various topics at lcert. If it is your favourite - I would definitely recommend it - I loved my university French - it was difficult but looking back I loved it. Bon courage.