[NFH]

Will be finishing my science degree in either microbiology or botany. I did chemistry for first and second year and was just wondering if I would be allowed to teach it in secondary schools. I know I will be able to teach junior cert science and leaving cert biology but someone told me I would need to keep chem on till 3rd year to be allowed teach it. Then another person told me it all depends on the school and its not black and white, i.e - if the school needs and chem teacher then you can teach it etc

[gaeilgebeo]

Originally Posted by NFH

Will be finishing my science degree in either microbiology or botany. I did chemistry for first and second year and was just wondering if I would be allowed to teach it in secondary schools. I know I will be able to teach junior cert science and leaving cert biology but someone told me I would need to keep chem on till 3rd year to be allowed teach it. Then another person told me it all depends on the school and its not black and white, i.e - if the school needs and chem teacher then you can teach it etc

I don't know where you heard that its not black and white and if a school needs a chemistry teacher that you can just teach it?! Unfortunately, with the teaching council, it is black and white. To be qualified to teach a subject, you must have said subject at degree level.

[pathway33]

Check out the list of recognised qualifications on www.teachingcouncil.ie and see if your degree is listed. Don't forget to read any small print regarding subject choice in 3rd year.

Also check out the 'subject specific criteria' on the same site. Chemistry must account for at least 30% of your third level studies

[pathway33]

Originally Posted by NFH

another person told me it all depends on the school and its not black and white, i.e - if the school needs and chem teacher then you can teach it etc

Yes I've heard this too. If the school has a fully qualified biology teacher and they need a chemistry teacher they have to do all they can to employ a fully qualified chem teacher. However many principals prefer to go to their own science teachers who may be just short a few credits in chemistry to be officially qualified.

In that case they will advertise the position, hold interviews with qualified chemistry teachers, hire none of them no matter how good they are, and then give the job to the biology teacher in the school.

Some will, some won't.

[NFH]

In my old school the science teachers were always biology and chemistry teachers. The fact that I don't have the qualifications to teach chemistry, will that make it more difficult to find employment and does it effect your salary, as in, if you teach too subjects would you earn slightly more etc.

[spurious]

Teaching two subjects won't affect the rate you are paid, but would affect your employability. You would have the chance of much more hours if you had two subjects. Most people start off on part-time hours and contract work for a few years.

[pathway33]

Originally Posted by NFH

The fact that I don't have the qualifications to teach chemistry

How do you know you don't have the qualifications to teach chem? Are you under the 30% rule? The teaching council will for a fee look at the chemistry modules you have done and if you are short credits will encourage you to pick up these credits individually i.e you don't have to do a full year of a final degree (once you have some degree already), just the areas of the course you might be short on.

It can be a long process though. Has taken some people over a year to get an answer.

When you are so close to being qualified to teach chemistry you should look at this option. In the meantime you can belt away and be a biology teacher

[NFH]

Well I did chem in first year and second year and thats it. Maybe I could take some modules on my fourth year to bump this up

[pathway33]

Originally Posted by NFH

Well I did chem in first year and second year and thats it. Maybe I could take some modules on my fourth year to bump this up

Add up your chemistry credits. Is a 4 year degree 180 credits or 240 credits? If its 180 credits then you need a minimum of about 55 chemistry credits plus other qualifying criteria. If its a 240 credit degree then you need a minimum of about 75 chemistry credits.

But if you don't satisfy the teaching council route as laid out in their pdf on their website and you have to apply for recognition then there's no guarantee those numbers will suffice. You need to make sure the credits you choose cover the leaving cert higher chemistry course sufficiently