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Hibernia Primary Teacher training.

  • 11-05-2011 4:50pm
    #1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32


    Hi Guys,

    I am just curious about the now 2 year Hibernia Primary Teacher training course, Can anyone give me feedbackof their experience and any advantages/disadvantages over the Grad Dip in Primary Teaching in either Mary I or St Pat's?


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭pooch90


    I haven't done Hibernia but just going to outline two disadvantages.
    (1) The cost of it is crazy
    (2) There is a negative attitude towards Hibernia graduates from many principals. I'm not defending it, not justifying it just saying it exists. May make employment difficult if you apply to an old fashioned stuck in the mud principal. Have met principals who will only read CVs from Mary I!!

    At the end of the day it's the individual that makes the teacher, not their training.
    If you think teaching is for you, then go for it!
    (Jobs are so hard to come by at the minute, not sure if 2 years down the line things will be better, bear in mind when thinking about teaching)


  • Registered Users Posts: 198 ✭✭Kathnora


    Have no personal experience of either but am a primary teacher for a LONG time. Yes, Hibernia costs a lot but it is part time so it does allow you work or free you up for child rearing, depending on your circumstances. Having seen students from Hibernia doing T.P. in my school I often feel that they are very much on their own without the support system that a college like Pats has to offer. The demands re notes, schemes etc also appears to be far more onerous than the demands made on Pats students.
    I have heard that the post grad in Pats is being lengthened to 2 full academic years but am unsure if this is happening soon or not?? Two years with no money AND fees is a big commitment for anyone. The course in Pats/Mary I is definitely favoured though by principals. It is a full time course with more class contact time than Hibernia so that has to be in its favour.
    Bear in mind the current employment situation in teaching. It's not going to improve for a long time so you would really want to be committed to undertake any course these days. Good Luck! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 57 ✭✭sash


    hi! im curently a student on the hibernia course. I also got offered pats. turned pats down ! costs turned out cheaper with hibernia. i was able to work with hibernia not pay crazy rent fees live at home etc etc. The course is lots of work though as with lots of post grads! we have onsites every second saturday which is great and you make loads of new friends. We log in then for turorials two evenings a week. As regard work and how principals look at the hibernia qualification. ive had no bad word said about it. had no problem gettin teaching practice anywhere and i live pretty rural. Ive done lots of observation etc in variety of schools and met a lot of past hibernia students working in these schools! so i begin to think this negative attitude is a thing of the past! :D i have also heard that the hibernia course is to be lengthened to 2years too!
    .Just thought id share my experience!:)
    Bestof luck!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭Ruby-J


    im due to sit my exams in august and started hibernia feb 2010. like the kathnora said you do a lot of self study and must be motivated to do the work, the support system is not great and there is a lot to be done especially when it comes to tp and online lessons for tutorials. That said it is ideal if you want to keep working and have a family or other commitments. but if teaching is what you really want to do and are driven by this then go for it. but be under no illusion that hibernia are helpful when it comes to queries etc...they do tend to be lacking in the support. but im glad i have done the course as it is what i want to do and i absolutely love teaching. so go for it if it is what you want and they say by 2014 things will have sorted themselves out re jobs for teachers but there is always subbing so dont forget that. good luck!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,770 ✭✭✭LeeHoffmann


    agree with all ruby j said. funnily enough, I'm in the same cohort with Hibernia. I heard that there will be another tp block (i.e. 4 altogether) with the new 2 year programme. I don't know whether that means they'll shorten the blocks or not.
    they say by 2014 things will have sorted themselves out re jobs for teachers
    Where did you hear that?


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  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 12,466 Mod ✭✭✭✭byhookorbycrook


    Resource teaching has just been cut by 10% ,even for those children with hours already, so 2014 might be optomistic on the job front.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭E.T.


    I agree with byhookorbycrook there, there's also talk of a big review of resource hour criteria next year. Last time that happened, dyslexia was cut from the criteria for resource hours.


  • Registered Users Posts: 20 lollipoplady


    Are you restricted to only doing teacher training in Ireland? I qualified from Mary I (and HATED it!) but they have loads of courses in London, Edinburgh, Belfast. Some are only 1 year long. As regards the job front its bleak to the say the least, alot of Irish nqt's are ending up in the U.K subbing and working for recruitment agencies anyway whereas the people who went to the U.K and gained U.K qualifications walked into a teaching job (some were offered jobs while on placement and still in training!) just my 2 cents:) it's worth looking into anyway if it's at all possible for u!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 Exhausted Angie


    Hi guys,

    I have just started using this thread. I was just wondering if anybody has information in relation to the Hibernia Post Graduate course in Primary teaching. How difficult is the interview? Would the fact that I have no teaching experience effect my chances of getting into the course? I have a degree and masters in law but primary teaching is something I have always wanted to do. I am 26 so would really love to get into the course in March. I just don't even know where to start with this.

    If I do get into the course I won't be qualified until 2014 but I am willing to travel to get work. Just wondering is the qualification from Hibernia recognised in the UK? To be honest I just couldn't face into Mary I or St Pats, I just don't want to do the whole college thing again.If anybody has any info at all, it would be much appreciated!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Brookie123


    I trained with Hibernia college and I found the training good but there are many teachers & principals who look down on it. I trained a few years ago & I am now unemployed & there is little subbing around because there are so many qualified teachers out there at the moment. I can't see the job situation improving anytime soon.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 Exhausted Angie


    Brookie123 wrote: »
    I trained with Hibernia college and I found the training good but there are many teachers & principals who look down on it. I trained a few years ago & I am now unemployed & there is little subbing around because there are so many qualified teachers out there at the moment. I can't see the job situation improving anytime soon.


    God you see this is what really turns me off doing the course. I think I would hate to qualify in 2 years and then not be able to find a job since I have already been in college for five years. I really just want to make money. Maybe I will do the course when the job situation improves. So sorry to hear you are unemployed at the mo. I hear there are some jobs in the UK though if you are in a situation where you can move. So hard to know what to do!!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Brookie123


    If you want to make money, teaching isn't the occupation for it. You really have to have an interest in it & there is alot of planning, notes & preparation involved outside school hours. To be honest, I wonder sometimes if I made a bad decision training to become a teacher, because there are just no jobs & believe me I've tried to get one. Spending hundreds applying for jobs & sending cv's around to schools for subbing work.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 Exhausted Angie


    Brookie123 wrote: »
    If you want to make money, teaching isn't the occupation for it. You really have to have an interest in it & there is alot of planning, notes & preparation involved outside school hours. To be honest, I wonder sometimes if I made a bad decision training to become a teacher, because there are just no jobs & believe me I've tried to get one. Spending hundreds applying for jobs & sending cv's around to schools for subbing work.

    O God, u poor thing. I think I would really love to teach as I have always loved working with children and have had previous teaching experience. If I knew at the end of the two years I was guaranteed a job (especially after spending 9,000 plus on the Hibernia course) I would definitely consider doing the course but your story has kinda turned me off it to be honest. It just must be so frustrating having spent all that money and not being able to find a job (and there are so many people I know in your situation). Ireland sucks at the moment. The very best of luck in the future, I am sure something will turn up for you and thanks for sharing your experience on the forum. I think it has swayed my decision somewhat!!!!


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,416 ✭✭✭Jimmy Iovine


    O God, u poor thing. I think I would really love to teach as I have always loved working with children and have had previous teaching experience. If I knew at the end of the two years I was guaranteed a job (especially after spending 9,000 plus on the Hibernia course) I would definitely consider doing the course but your story has kinda turned me off it to be honest. It just must be so frustrating having spent all that money and not being able to find a job (and there are so many people I know in your situation). Ireland sucks at the moment. The very best of luck in the future, I am sure something will turn up for you and thanks for sharing your experience on the forum. I think it has swayed my decision somewhat!!!!

    Sure if you think like that then you'll never get a job anywhere. You aren't guaranteed to get a job in the majority of professions, especially not in the current climate. But the good thing is it's not going to stay as bad as this for too long. Who knows what it'll be like in two years


  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Brookie123


    Sure if you think like that then you'll never get a job anywhere. You aren't guaranteed to get a job in the majority of professions, especially not in the current climate. But the good thing is it's not going to stay as bad as this for too long. Who knows what it'll be like in two years

    I know people who are out 3 and 4 years and have no job. If things aren't alot better this time two years i'll be in serious financial trouble:(


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭E.T.


    Sure if you think like that then you'll never get a job anywhere. You aren't guaranteed to get a job in the majority of professions, especially not in the current climate. But the good thing is it's not going to stay as bad as this for too long. Who knows what it'll be like in two years

    I agree with Brookie123 here, there are so many teachers around who have been out 2 or 3 years, with no proper job yet, and many barely getting the odd day subbing. The latest INTO Eolas magazine said that there are 2,000+ primary teachers graduating every year. Looks likely that the pupil-teacher ratio will be cut again in the near future. Sorry for all the doom and gloom!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭pooch90


    Next year will be 7th year out of college.
    I will not have a job either.


  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Brookie123


    pooch90 wrote: »
    Next year will be 7th year out of college.
    I will not have a job either.

    That's awful, do you not have panel rights by now?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭pooch90


    Should do this year but who's to say there'll be any jobs this summer?
    Especially if they push JobBridge through...


  • Registered Users Posts: 35 Brookie123


    pooch90 wrote: »
    Should do this year but who's to say there'll be any jobs this summer?
    Especially if they push JobBridge through...

    Do you not get panel rights after 3/4 years?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭pooch90


    Supplementary panel after 3 years of temp service. Took me 5 years with subbing to get this so only got them this summer. Deferred for temp job.
    Supplementary panel is next to useless though.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 10 Exhausted Angie


    pooch90 wrote: »
    Next year will be 7th year out of college.
    I will not have a job either.


    O no that is awful. You must be so annoyed at this stage. I am after doing a degree and masters in law but I am really considering doing primary teaching but if you have been out of work for seven years, there isn't much hope of me getting a job in a few years as a primary teacher, so confused cos I ry wanted to do it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭MilkTheGroup


    Hi guys,

    Would the fact that I have no teaching experience effect my chances of getting into the course? I have a degree and masters in law but primary teaching is something I have always wanted to do. I am 26 so would really love to get into the course in March. I just don't even know where to start with this.

    Hi there I'm a current Hibernia student. I have a degree and masters in law aswell, im 24. I tried to get work in law firms, legal executive jobs, trainee solicitor etc. but couldn't get a thing. With the construction sector gone, the conveyancing dried up so things are really tight. I was seriously contemplating emigrating to OZ however, I had always been thinking about primary teaching so I decided while I was out of work, I would do some observation in a primary school and see how I'd find it. This led to a day or two of subbing. I read more about teaching and spoke to alot of relatives who are primary teachers and went for the hibernia interview. You don't need prior teaching experience. In fact under the new INTO directive unqualified people can't sub in schools.

    POSITIVES:

    On the jobs front, things seem to be fairly bad however even with the recession and the budget, the government has committed to building alot of new primary schools over the next couple of years. Also there is a baby boom going on in the country. these children will need teachers. The Minister for Education said while they've cut teacher numbers at the moment and are they're looking to increase class sizes they will in the next couple of years have to increase the number of teachers whether they like it or not.

    There are teaching jobs abroad. I dont know how you'd feel about emigrating to teach but I am being realistic and know that I may well have to. I'm looking at it positively, I could see the world by teaching. :)

    When you qualify, you could sub and that could get you by till you get a temp position.

    NEGATIVES:

    The course gets very demanding after the first three months. If you want to do really well (especially in your teaching practice which seems to mattr most to principals) ie. get a first class honours,working full-time is a real impediment (in my opinion). I will probably leave my minimum wage job after xmas to really concentrate on the course. I'm going to be absolutely STONE BROKE. Its depressing but I want to give myself the best chance of getting the best grade.

    'The DIP Year'- I've read that the qualification is not recognised in many countries till you complete your probationary teaching period. However, alot of teachers can' complete this period because they cant get work in schools so they're sitting around wanting to work abroad but cant til they complete this period. (thats how i understand it anyway).

    So to sum it up you dont need teaching experience, you should REALLY want to teach (be absolutely sure of that by doing research, talking to primary teachers, doing observation, volunteering in schools etc.) Also,theres a thread on boards.ie that gives a list of many of the questions asked at the Hibernia interview. It's a long and risky venture but if you really want to teach and are prepared to work abroad for a few years then you should go for it. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 151 ✭✭marymc


    I would not recommend Hibernia either.

    I'm stuck doing it, because all my money is paid.

    What you have to remember is: they're a business. You're a cheque.

    Once they've got your cheque, they don't care about you anymore.

    Marking is lazy. Everyone gets low/middle of the road and everyone passes. They want a high pass rate so they show how "successful" they are. A very high proportion of students that qualify are, IMHO, not suitable as primary teachers. We were told by a tutor at one stage "I never give any marks above 80. That's only drawing a grade moderator down on yourself!" - the tutors don't want the hassle, so they're not going to give anyone anything spectacular.

    You're ON YOUR OWN. I don't mean for doing study. I mean, literally, on your own. Nobody that teaches you or marks you or emails you has a clue who you are, and they don't care and don't want to know. They sit in the offices up in Dublin, and you're just a number they want to get rid of so they can get more cheques in.

    Library is ****. Really ****. It's supposed to be this amazing online college - you can't access anything. Rubbish.

    You get ONE class for every subject (except Gaeilge, because it's still so "special"). Then, apparently, you're qualified to teach the children of Ireland.

    ICT class focuses solely on Microsoft Photostory. Free, idiot-proof software from the internet. Not "how to use smart boards" or "how to make tablet computers educationally functional". No. Our ICT training is "how a free ****ty software than you could learn in ten minutes from a seven-year-old on YouTube works."

    There are about 400 students in my cohort, which makes about 1,600 students on the course at any one time. The answer to any grief or stress or problems you might have with the course is "We have a counsellor for registered students". The counsellor is in England, you contact her by e-mail, and she gets back to you on Tuesdays and Thursdays (I have no direct experience of her, but that's exactly what it says on the "Student Support" section of the site.)

    You think you're finished paying money when you've sent your cheque? NO. Gaeltacht, graduation, teaching practice. You're ON YOUR OWN. No photocopiers, no handouts, no printers. The AMOUNT of money I've spent on ink over two teaching practices could have raised a small village in Africa. That's not counting all the other classroom resources I've spent money on, and still have to.


    In summation, as a current Hibernia student, I would never, ever, EVER recommend it to anyone. If you truly want to be a teacher, wait for the regular colleges applications to open, and go to one of them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 302 ✭✭tannytantans


    Have to disagree with marymc. I'm doing Hibernia at the moment, and whislt I agree that the support system is pretty bad I really can't ageree with many of her points.

    Not everyone gets low/middle of the road marks. I have gotten firsts on some assignemeants and I know some who constantly get over 80%. I also know of 3 people who have failed assignments and heard of a lot of people failing TP.

    Anytime I've emailed a tutor for help they've always responded and been very helpful. As for only class in each subject, there's only one onsite day (9-5) for most subjects but we also have online lessons that are released and are expected to get through.

    OP, I don't regret doing Hibernia at all. I worked until my first TP which was a big help ,and I'm free to cover SNA subbing in a few local schools.

    The job situation is pretty dire and I don't know what will happen when I graduate but if teaching is something you really love I'd recommend that you go for it!


  • Registered Users Posts: 149 ✭✭KerryConnor


    I'd have to disagree with MaryMc too. I'm currently doing the H. Dip. in Hibernia and while I've some gripes, I don't find the support system any worse than Trinity where I did my undergraduate. The coursework is arduous, more intensive than any course I've done before. I've heard of a few people failing assignments and I've got over 70 in a couple of assignments too. So not all marking is lazy and middle of the road. I've learnt so much since starting the course and like tannytantans I've found most tutors very helpful. I don't feel any more "unknown" than I did in Trinity. A full time course wasn't an option for me as I've three young children and I'm delighted with the course. My worry is the job scene but then I can't think of many sectors that are much better at the moment. Good luck.


  • Registered Users Posts: 48 FiveSpice


    Hey guys, sorry to just interupt but this was the most recent thread I could find so thought someone could help me. I have a question about the Gaeltacht stay. I know it is a 3 week stay but are you able to go home at the weekends? If anyone knows that would be great. Thanks


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭pooch90


    I don't know the Hibernia rules but when I went with Mary I,you were allowed to leave over night once or twice but I doubt you'd be allowed leave each weekend....


  • Registered Users Posts: 302 ✭✭tannytantans


    I was in the Gaeltacht last Summer. You might be able to make it home for one weekend but definitely not each weekend.There are only a certain number of classes you could miss or else you would have to repeat the entire Gaeltacht.There were classes on Saturdays and Sundays.

    However, I found that there was a lot of free time at the weekends so family could come to visit. A lot of the weekend activities weren't compulsory and there was often only a one hour class on the Sunday morning and then the rest of the day was free.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 9 uhoh10


    I wouldn't advise you to study with Hibernia ( I might be a little bit biased though), if you have a connection with a principal locally who is willing to give you a subbing at the end of it by all means study with them until your heart is content. If you do chose to study Hibernia you could get lucky and find yourself subbing somewhere and end up covering a maternity leave..but from my experience you won't get an interview off the bat of your application without being known to the school. I suggest you try and save some money to go back to college full time and complete the H dip, get as much experience as you can as regards the extracurricular..music, drama, sport and even the likes of rainbows and childline voluntary work can go a long way in an interview. Best of luck with what ever you chose to do!


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