Considering a career as a post-primary teacher.

Jac04 · 26-08-2022 10:52pm #1

Hi, I am a sixth-year student considering a career in post-primary teaching. I have had some wonderful and inspiring teachers throughout my years in school and would love to make a positive impact on the lives of young people. I would like to teach English and Spanish. I’ve heard there’s a shortage of teachers in modern languages so would Spanish provide better prospects? I am considering doing a 3 year BA Joint Honours in English and Spanish, followed by the PME. Any advice or insight into the career as a whole would be greatly appreciated.

Vestiapx · 26-08-2022 10:54pm

Are you make or female

Vestiapx · 26-08-2022 11:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527649#Comment_119527649

Because men will always be more prove to issues such as accusations for teenagers of abuse or lesser inappropriate behaviour.

Because I saw first hand whatva person who told their peer group that they were going to ruin a male teacher managed to do with a few choice words and tears.

Post primary is harder for men in my opinion.

That's how it's relevant.

Vestiapx · 26-08-2022 11:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527680#Comment_119527680

The above is the reason I'm not a post primary teacher. Even in my current job, manager with plenty of leave, Flexi etc. They say "you should have been a science teacher"

Wasn't worth the risk.

Hey maybe I'm wrong but as I said it's my opinion.

Treppen · 27-08-2022 9:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527672#Comment_119527672

Jesus that post hurt my head.

27-08-2022 9:14am

OP. Go for it. You sound like you have great motivation to teach. Inspire the next generation.

EAD · 27-08-2022 10:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119527672#Comment_119527672

Respectfully, this is codswaffle. I've taught in a number of secondary schools over 25 yrs and I've never seen any male teachers' reputations being ruined by a nefarious claim. I'm not saying it does not happen but it is incredibly rare and not a reason to not pursue a career. Incidentally, I have seen a disproportionate percentage of males promoted in the profession (not a gripe of mine, just a reality).

OP, if you love your subjects then teach, and teach what you love. If you do this you may overcome the challenges that young teachers now face of increasingly unrealistic workloads, the disillusionment of unequal pay, the declining power of the union and the rapidity changing face of youth culture.

Dickie10 · 29-08-2022 10:27pm

such a weird post regarding male and female

dory · 30-08-2022 7:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119540044#Comment_119540044

Yup. Never experienced such a thing. Definitely don't let that put you off OP! It's a great career. I'm on a career break now, and I think I'll miss it. But I really, really won't miss spending my weekends correcting / planning. Don't underestimate that. There's a lot of extra work involved than what you would think.

amacca · 30-08-2022 9:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119544765#Comment_119544765

Yeah there are a lot more negatives than there used to be imo

If they removed the pen pushing and running around CYA ing + expectations of loads of work for free and zero control on certain cohorts of studtnts it wouldn't be a bad gig .....but as things stand it's a tough one and getting more intolerable imo...holidays or not.

My suggestion to OP would be to try and get a bit of experience dealing with/working with groups of teenagers and try getting them to do something a majority of whom don't want to do .....on a regular basis....with lots of different large groups coming at you during the day etc etc

Could you volunteer somewhere or help out in your local school giving a class like a coder dojo or become an assistant to person giving class

I'm the last to suggest work for free but it might give more insight .... remember the school you work in may not resemble the one you attended in the slightest even in the amount of time it takes to get qualified and if you come back to your school etc...

Dickie10 · 31-08-2022 10:33am

Im in an all girls school the last three years and never once felt threatened by it. I have a great reletionship with vast majority of students I teach. On that topic though, teaching as far as I can make out is pretty much like two totally different jobs depending on the student cohort. I can see it every day on Twitter with the activities that are happening in some schools with first year induction. the all girls schools look like the land of milk and honey whereas the mixed and Deis schools have a much more military feel to them. students sitting down in rows of seats, teacher at the top speaking. it is really astonishing the vibe you can get from school twitter, insta and facebook pictures. there definitley seems a massive difference between academic schools and non academic and all girls and mixed, even getting back to the point, the absence of male teachers in the all girls schools is very odd, in some there no trace at all. in our school theres a good few.

Treppen · 31-08-2022 1:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119546976#Comment_119546976

Out of interest... In your school What's the % of females who have AP1 & AP2 compared to males.

Dickie10 · 31-08-2022 3:14pm

mmm so one of DP is male. 3 out of 6 year heads are male. after that I wouldnt be sure of smaller posts. there are 10 male teachers maybe 35 female incl. two SNA and management

Considering a career as a post-primary teacher.

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