Hibernia interview - secondary

Hey I've just completed the dip with hibernia, it really depends on your subjects- mine are irish and geography but geography is my first- to anyone who is thinking of doing irish as part of the PDE with this course, having Irish as a second subject rather than first makes a stint in the gaeltacht optional during the summer.

They really just treat it kind of as a teaching interview in that they will ask you in detail about why you want to become a teacher and who has influenced the decision and why and also your experience if you have any in the classroom to date.
The interview itself went pretty quickly, Irish was never discussed as it is my second subject and the main focus was on geography and how i teach it. I did ridiculously well at this (Geography is my calling ) and it got to the point where they asked me what if the school had no electricity for the day. haha- the answer is you adapt and go back to whiteboard and blackboard if needed. stress the importance of group work and i would say if your subject is english to look up the new junior cert.

the hype for the interview is way bigger than the actual thing itself. these are retired principals interviewing you and they are also the people that will more than likely be inspecting you on your TP so just be honest with them. if you dont understand tell them. you literally have no chance of failing unless you tell them you hate teaching. i told them that i have wanted to be a teacher for as long as i can remember and if i didnt get the interview i would have to settle for going to an NUI. hype up hibernia and how you feel it can make you a better teacher- let you work as well as study (which is bloody hard!!) etc etc.

By the way. Start contacting schools now to set up your teaching practice- yes even before interview. they will ask you in the interview about how prepared you are to be a teacher etc- tell them you have your school on standby for your school experience.

Lots of people in my group were not this prepared and had to defer TP blocks because UNFORTUNATELY Hibernia tend to let their students out along with UL, Galway, Cork and Maynooth and schools will have contracts with these colleges and will take their students over you so get in early. start contacting schools now, especially your old sec school. once you finish the course, hibernia will offer that school CPD courses in the hope that they will take others.

the only downsides to this course is the long drive to subject specific days (all lectures are on a saturday and can be anywhere in ireland, except your regional group that will be in the nearest education centre). I've had to travel from limerick to Dublin for an Irish class three times in two months. so this and finding your own teaching practice.

that is the best advice i can give you. PM me if you want more