For anyone interested in gaining a Maths qualification

Lehla wrote: »

Rainbowtrout thanks for your great post. I have been thinking of doing the PGDE with Hibernia in 2012, my subjects are Economics and CSPE based on my BA degree, not great I know.

So I was thinking of adding on another subject and I came across your post. Do you know if it is possible to start taking the modules before completing the PGDE or would I have to wait and complete the PGDE and register with the teaching council before I start taking the OU modules?

There's no reason why you can't start taking the modules now. I reckon it's just a case that the TC won't register you for Maths until you've already registered as a qualified teacher with a full degree in something else as the modules are just an add on. I think the first modules start in October if you are going to start it this year

Yoming wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a problem I have. I qualified as a physics/chemistry teacher and I am now wanting to complete modules with the Open University to teach Maths. The Open University have been extremely helpful and have suggested the three modules mentioned above, they also suggested I check what ECTS credits I have from my previous maths modules to see if I am exempt from any of them. I found out today that I have 24 credits.

A quick google search suggested to me that the teaching council require 54 credits(I could be picking this up wrong so feel free to correct me)to teach maths. So Im now thinking that I only need to complete one of these modules, M208-30 credits, to satisfy the requirements of the TC.
Can anyone advise me does it work this way or does it also depend on the content of the modules?
btw my Open University contact is away for a few weeks so I cant ask him and also I emailed the TC twice and got sent a link to a list of four year degree courses both times.
Thanks

Not exactly. As far as I'm aware the way credits work in Ireland is that 180 constitutes a full degree. So 54 is 30% which is the TC requirement for a subject.

Open University degrees (honours) are 360 credits ( I assume the UK works on a different credit system) so 108 credits of OU Maths modules would be necessary to qualify in Maths. As OU don't do their modules in these denominations you need 120 credits of OU modules. Also the OU will exempt you from modules if you have completed similar modules in a previous degree, however I think TC want previous maths modules and these three.

The three modules that have been given by the green light by the TC are:

MST121 : 30 credits
MS221: 30 credits
M208: 60 credits

If you are looking to qualify in maths go by what the TC tell you to do, not OU, becaue ultimately it's the TC that are ratifying your ability to teach maths based on what you have done.

Module content does matter (ask anyone with an engineering degree trying to get recognition to teach maths or physics) , but these three modules satisfy the requirements of the Teaching Council.

It may be the case that you have extra maths modules in your degree in second or third year and this may mean that you don't have to do all three modules. When I contacted them I rang and asked to be put through to Post Primary. Don't ask them questions or you'll probably be fobbed off. Tell them whatever maths modules you have and ask what you need to do.

If you only have first year maths you'll probably have to do all three. If you have the UL degree (same as mine) in Phys/Chem teaching you'll need to do all three.

Musicmental85 wrote: »

So been reading through this tread with interest. I am a qualified maths teacher and registered already but I'm wondering how this applies to other subjects. Correct me if I'm wrong but in addition to a degree, in any subject (this what I'm not sure of...) you do these three modules and you can add maths to you tc registration even if you did no maths at all in college?
The reason I ask is that obviously in the current climate, the more subjects the better so could this be done for any subject on the curriculum?? I have first year mathematical physics, must look into getting applied maths modules to get my qualification

From my understanding of it, yes and no. There have been numerous threads in the past where people have said they've contacted the TC saying they are qualified in History and French (for example) but did English in first year and what would they need to qualify in English and TC will tell them what needs to be done, but won't guarantee that what they do will be accepted until they have the modules completed, which is a bit crap.

Maths is just the first one where they have gone on record and listed specific modules people can complete for recognition as a maths teacher. I think you have to have done first year maths in college as well as doing the three modules to be qualified in maths. I had it done, so it wasn't a problem for me.

I think (and don't quote me on this) that if say your original degree has no maths in it that you'd have to do more than the three modules.

Maybe it's just that what is taught in maths in college is a bit more standardised than other subjects. I assume other subject areas are taken on a case by case basis because the content of a degree can vary considerably. E.g. A Geography degree can consist of Physical Geography and Human Geography but you mightn't qualify as a Geography teacher if you don't have the right combination of both and you may not have chosen the right ones for teaching when picking electives. It's possibly more difficult in science subjects as lab work would be a requirement of most science subjects so you would probably have to attend a college to complete such modules.