Routes to Primary Teaching through Post Grad Courses

Trotter

Hey all,

I'd like to get any information or thoughts you all might have on two courses that qualify a degree holder to teach at primary level.

The first one is the Mary Immaculate 18 month post grad course in Limerick - Which sounds pretty impossible to get in, but we'll give it a shot anyway. Im wondering will they be actively looking for more male students this year.. I hope so!

The next one is the Hibernia post grad. Its a 2 academic year course that you do via E-Learning and lectures at weekends. Although Ive heard of principals not even considering applications from Hibernia Graduates, Ive noticedthe attitudes slowly changing as good people graduate.

You're thoughts ladies and gentlemen?!

raheny red

Can you study in Dublin??

Well, St.Patrick's College in Drumcondra is for students wanting to become a primary school teacher.

Trotter

raheny red wrote:

Can you study in Dublin??

Well, St.Patrick's College in Drumcondra is for students wanting to become a primary school teacher.

Sorry, I edited your post by accident when replying, I didnt change it though!

Thanks for the info, the thing is you have to choose between the Dublin colleges or Mary I when it comes to post grad courses. Ive chosen the Mary I route.

ublinia2

you do know that there is 180 places for Dublin Colleges ie Interviews in Pats and only 100 places for Mary I .

The Hibernian is probably your best bet if you are teaching already and there are more so more of a chance - i think they take in 200 every 2 years or 100 people twice at different times in the year.

Why do you want to be a primary school teacher . Are you doing secondary already?

Trotter

ublinia2 wrote:

you do know that there is 180 places for Dublin Colleges ie Interviews in Pats and only 100 places for Mary I .

The Hibernian is probably your best bet if you are teaching already and there are more so more of a chance - i think they take in 200 every 2 years or 100 people twice at different times in the year.

Why do you want to be a primary school teacher . Are you doing secondary already?

Yep, Im subbing fulltime in secondary (without a H.Dip), but Ive done a good bit of primary subbing and I really enjoyed it. Theres more chance of getting a fulltime job at primary at the moment so thats a factor.

JCB

Trotter, Did you get at least a higher level C3 in Irish in the leaving cert?

Trotter

JCB wrote:

Trotter, Did you get at least a higher level C3 in Irish in the leaving cert?

Yep.. Ive just done the interview for Mary I's post grad course so if anyone else did it, Id be interested to see how it went!

finlma

Did the interview too - Irish was fine but I found the general interview a little tougher. Waiting to hear back now.

Trotter

finlma wrote:

Did the interview too - Irish was fine but I found the general interview a little tougher. Waiting to hear back now.

Same here.. did they ask you about the curriculum in the English one? I think thats where I F'd up.

Elley

I've just missed this series of interviews and am only looking into it now, to apply for next year. What do you cover in the irish interview. I know you have to read some irish prose and explain it, what kind of material do they ask you to read?

Any idea how many applicants they get?

Is there absolutely no chance of getting in without any teaching experience. Is there anyone who has done this post grad? How did you find it?

Cheers!

lolli

Hi does anyone know when the letters will be about from St pats for the postgrad starting in Feb. I sat the interviews and i'm getting impatient!

Trotter

lolli wrote:

Hi does anyone know when the letters will be about from St pats for the postgrad starting in Feb. I sat the interviews and i'm getting impatient!

Well I know Mary I said to expect their letters out during the second week of January. Best of luck with it.

finlma

Trotter wrote:

Same here.. did they ask you about the curriculum in the English one? I think thats where I F'd up.

They asked me to compare curriculum between nowadays and my day - some tricky questions. I'm giving Hibernia some serious thought - don't really want to live in Limerick for 18 months.

Pixie4

Hey all

Just stumbled across the thread....am currently in Mary I doing the B.Ed, my sister did the post grad the year before last..I also have friends in the current post grad class....based on her comments and rants, its tough enough going in that its pretty full on but in Sem B (the semesters are broken into a,b and c) you do a 4 day week in college with Wednesdays off to complete projects/study or whatever! But you just get on with it and the time flies....I'm halfway through my own course at the mo and its crazy how fast the time goes. Finlma, bear this in mind...the time flies...I wasn't over the moon at the thought of living in Limerick for 3 years but you know what?..you make the most of it and it actually ain't as bad as it seems...

Trotter

Pixie4 wrote:

Hey all

Just stumbled across the thread....am currently in Mary I doing the B.Ed, my sister did the post grad the year before last..I also have friends in the current post grad class....based on her comments and rants, its tough enough going in that its pretty full on but in Sem B (the semesters are broken into a,b and c) you do a 4 day week in college with Wednesdays off to complete projects/study or whatever! But you just get on with it and the time flies....I'm halfway through my own course at the mo and its crazy how fast the time goes. Finlma, bear this in mind...the time flies...I wasn't over the moon at the thought of living in Limerick for 3 years but you know what?..you make the most of it and it actually ain't as bad as it seems...

Sounds good! Ive done the interviews for Mary I and Hibernia, so Im waiting nervously for the postman every morning!! I'll take whatever course I can get to qualify me at this stage because Ive been subbing for 2 years now. Time to do it all for real!

finlma

Got my rejection letter from Mary I today. I got an A in the English interview and a C in the Irish, not good enough.

Trotter

finlma wrote:

Got my rejection letter from Mary I today. I got an A in the English interview and a C in the Irish, not good enough.

I got my rejection letter too.. And I got 2 A's.

serabi

Have any of you applied to universities in Britain- I did as it is only a 9 month course and you are qualified when you return home

all you have to do is an Irish and religion exam and you have years to study for it.

I applied to edinburgh- *fingers crossed*

Trotter

serabi wrote:

Have any of you applied to universities in Britain- I did as it is only a 9 month course and you are qualified when you return home

all you have to do is an Irish and religion exam and you have years to study for it.

I applied to edinburgh- *fingers crossed*

Its a little bit more complicated than that.. the Irish Exam (SCG) isnt easy. Ive applied to Liverpool. Im not sure if you'll get grants by doing it in Scotland though.

serabi

no you don't get a grant- but I like the idea of scotland...........liverpool hope would be good but St. Marys would be the job

we are given 7 years to do the irish exam- that should be ok, not any harder the the leaving cert

Trotter

serabi wrote:

no you don't get a grant- but I like the idea of scotland...........liverpool hope would be good but St. Marys would be the job

we are given 7 years to do the irish exam- that should be ok, not any harder the the leaving cert

Yeah you can get past SCG exam papers on the net.. just to give you an idea of the standards needed.

zefer

Trotter wrote:

I got my rejection letter too.. And I got 2 A's.

Where do you go from here as a matter of interest?
My best friend got a rejection letter from St Pats and is devastated. He doesnt know what to do now as he 27 and doesnt want to have to wait another year and then he still might not get in..

serabi

zefer wrote:

Where do you go from here as a matter of interest?
My best friend got a rejection letter from St Pats and is devastated. He doesnt know what to do know as he 27 and doesnt want to have to wait another year and then he still might not get in..

I suppose he could apply for Hibernia, the course starts in february and again in September

zefer

serabi wrote:

I suppose he could apply for Hibernia, the course starts in february and again in September

Must ask him does he know about it. Have you got a link to info about it? Never mind, found it!

Thanks

serabi

not a bother-
best of luck!

Elley

zefer wrote:

Where do you go from here as a matter of interest?
My best friend got a rejection letter from St Pats and is devastated. He doesnt know what to do know as he 27 and doesnt want to have to wait another year and then he still might not get in..

Your friend can apply as a mature student to the undergraduate course. If successful in getting this you can still apply for the Post Grad while doing the degree and switch if accepted.

Trotter

Wahey.. good news, I was accepted onto the Hibernia course Im back in the game!

Elley

Trotter wrote:

Wahey.. good news, I was accepted onto the Hibernia course Im back in the game!

Congratulations!

Fast_Mover

ya congrats..!

My brothers friend is doing that course at the moment..not sure how she getting on.

im in mary i myself doing the B.Ed..deadly interview i say alryt. The girl i live with is a mature student and went for the interview last year and didnt get it, hense so she applied to go back as a mature student and do it, she went for the interview again before xmas and got letter in post monday to say that she got it..!

to think even if u had gotn 2A'S you still not guaranteed it...talking to a girl doing the postgrad at the moment and she says it so random selection..

nibbles06

Hi Guys,
Does anyone know much about the Hibernia online teaching course. Im a post Graduate and Im thinking about going to do primary school teaching. I didn't realise how difficult it is to get in to the 18 month course, until I visited this site.
Can anyone offer any advice on where to find information on applying for St. Pats or any of the other colleges that do Primary teaching. Even what exactly is involved inorder to get on to the course.
I'm a little green about all this!!
Any help would be great, cheers

Trotter

Have a read of the thread titled Hibernia a few threads below this one.

Its an 18 month (ish) post grad that qualifies you to teach in primary. You need a C3 in honours leaving cert Irish to apply. You do a lot of the work online, and do onsite classes at some weekends.

Look at www.hiberniacollege.net

Rebel_City

Hey everyone,

I have been on reading this thread on and off for a bit. Just read all the previous notes and I'm kinda panicking!

I'm 24, working in my 1st job in marketing in Dublin. Have a degree and a masters behind me. Did pass Irish for the leaving. My plan was to do the Irish leaving this year but I couldn't due to time and money, so I said right I'll so the honours Irish by night in Sept 07 and then apply for a post grad - prob St.Pats. I am kinda annoyed at myself for not doing this earlier. But now I'm thinking there's a chance I may not get into a post grad. So should I go to the UK? There seems to be so many options etc I'm a bit confused. I think I've missed the deadline for applying to the UK, but then I've no teaching experience behind me yet so chances of being accepted are slim! Should I just quit my job after this summer and try and get subbing? Then go to the UK, or do my Irish by night etc... Oh the joys! I'm paying back my student loans as I speak and I don't want to be a 'poor student' for ever so I really don't know what my best option is at the mo! Ahhh!!!

Trotter

Rebel_City wrote:

Hey everyone,

I have been on reading this thread on and off for a bit. Just read all the previous notes and I'm kinda panicking!

I'm 24, working in my 1st job in marketing in Dublin. Have a degree and a masters behind me. Did pass Irish for the leaving. My plan was to do the Irish leaving this year but I couldn't due to time and money, so I said right I'll so the honours Irish by night in Sept 07 and then apply for a post grad - prob St.Pats. I am kinda annoyed at myself for not doing this earlier. But now I'm thinking there's a chance I may not get into a post grad. So should I go to the UK? There seems to be so many options etc I'm a bit confused. I think I've missed the deadline for applying to the UK, but then I've no teaching experience behind me yet so chances of being accepted are slim! Should I just quit my job after this summer and try and get subbing? Then go to the UK, or do my Irish by night etc... Oh the joys! I'm paying back my student loans as I speak and I don't want to be a 'poor student' for ever so I really don't know what my best option is at the mo! Ahhh!!!

Its not too late to go to the UK! You can still apply to some colleges, depending on who still has vacancies. You do all this through the GTTR. If I was you, I'd give them a ring. Its a bit like a CAO system for graduate teachers in the UK.

I did a search through the GTTR website (http://www.gttr.ac.uk ) for colleges in the UK with primary vacancies and here's the list.. 33 of them!

Here's the search link.. GTTR - Universities with Primary vacancies on 10/1/07



find a course : 2007 : results
primary (c3 - 11/12 years)
Primary
A60 - Anglia Ruskin University
Primary Vacancies

B22 - University of Bedfordshire
General Primary Vacancies

B38 - Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln
Pgce Primary (Flexible Route) Vacancies

C58 - University of Chichester
Primary Vacancies

D65 - University of Dundee
Primary Vacancies

D86 - Durham University
Primary Vacancies

E73 - Essex Primary Schools Training Group (SCITT)
Primary Vacancies

F82 - Forest Independent Primary Collegiate (SCITT)
General Primary Vacancies

G50 - University of Gloucestershire
Primary - Key Stage 1 and 2 Vacancies

H38 - High Force Education (SCITT)
General Primary Vacancies

H72 - The University of Hull
Primary Vacancies

I30 - University of London, Institute of Education
Primary Vacancies

L27 - Leeds Metropolitan University
Primary Vacancies

L46 - Liverpool Hope University
Primary Vacancies

L75 - London South Bank University
Primary Vacancies
Primary Flexible Vacancies

M20 - The University of Manchester
Primary Vacancies

M40 - Manchester Metropolitan University
Primary Vacancies

M50 - Marjon, the College of St Mark and St John
Primary Vacancies

M80 - Middlesex University
Primary Vacancies

N10 - The National SCITT in Outstanding Primary Schools
Primary Vacancies

N37 - University of Wales, Newport
Primary Vacancies

O66 - Oxford Brookes University
Primary Vacancies

P82 - Portsmouth Primary (SCITT)
Primary Vacancies

P85 - Primary Catholic Partnership (SCITT)
Primary Vacancies

S24 - St Martin's: Lancaster: Ambleside: Carlisle: London
General Primary Vacancies

S27 - University of Southampton
General Primary Vacancies

S31 - Somerset SCITT Consortium
Primary Vacancies

T80 - Trinity College Carmarthen
Primary Vacancies
Primary - Welsh medium Vacancies

W14 - The Wandsworth Primary Schools' Consortium (SCITT)
General Primary Vacancies

W20 - The University of Warwick
Primary Vacancies

W75 - University of Wolverhampton
General Primary Vacancies

Rebel_City

Thanks for all that Trotter! Much appreciated!! I was thinking earlier though - duh for me! I got 365 points in my leaving in 2000, I did pass Irish - got an A2, but I did pass Maths and whatever happened on the day etc I got a D3 - I think!! So that's clearly bad! I went onto get an 2.1 degree and a 2.1 masters - so I pulled my socks up! But do you reckon this result in my Maths is too low and I should re-sit the Maths paper also??? Ahhh!!!!

Trotter

Rebel_City wrote:

Thanks for all that Trotter! Much appreciated!! I was thinking earlier though - duh for me! I got 365 points in my leaving in 2000, I did pass Irish - got an A2, but I did pass Maths and whatever happened on the day etc I got a D3 - I think!! So that's clearly bad! I went onto get an 2.1 degree and a 2.1 masters - so I pulled my socks up! But do you reckon this result in my Maths is too low and I should re-sit the Maths paper also??? Ahhh!!!!

I'd check out the individual requirements for the colleges in the UK if I was you. Oftentimes they take college exams in lieu of leaving cert types.

If going to the UK isnt an option then yeah, why not do both Maths and Gaeilge in one go.

Rebel_City

Thanks for replying so fast Trotter! Every day I seem to have a new plan!:)
If I was to leave my current job say in August, and then do the LC subjects by night - what are the chances of me being guaranteed subbing work for the year so that I can pay rent in Dublin, my studebt loan and live!!?? Or should I do the same and go home to Cork? Or....Just do the LC subjects by night in Sept, then apply for a UK postgrad in Dec and hopefully start it in Sept 09 - but see I won't have the results of the LC when I'm applying for the UK post grad so that might not help!! Ahh... I'm actually so confused about what my best option! I was talking to a friend of a friend and she went via Marino. I'd prefer to stay in Ireland - but then again the UK could work out cheaper....disaster! Why didn't I study harder during my leaving cert back in 2000!!! :rolleyes:

Trotter

Rebel_City wrote:

Thanks for replying so fast Trotter! Every day I seem to have a new plan!:)
If I was to leave my current job say in August, and then do the LC subjects by night - what are the chances of me being guaranteed subbing work for the year so that I can pay rent in Dublin, my studebt loan and live!!?? Or should I do the same and go home to Cork? Or....Just do the LC subjects by night in Sept, then apply for a UK postgrad in Dec and hopefully start it in Sept 09 - but see I won't have the results of the LC when I'm applying for the UK post grad so that might not help!! Ahh... I'm actually so confused about what my best option! I was talking to a friend of a friend and she went via Marino. I'd prefer to stay in Ireland - but then again the UK could work out cheaper....disaster! Why didn't I study harder during my leaving cert back in 2000!!! :rolleyes:

Two words that NEVER go together.. Guaranteed and Subbing. Thats rule 1. Its taken me 3 years to be in school around 90% of the time. Thank God I'll be finished the course in August so I can go fulltime.

I was in your situation though, only I had the maths and Irish. If I was you, I'd ring around some of the UK colleges and see would they consider you based on your 3rd level education. If they would (and I'd say some would!), you could apply now, start in September 07 and be ready to apply for fulltime jobs in september 08. That to me sounds like the best plan.

Dont plan on getting into the Mary I/Dublin post grads, (Do apply for them, just dont put all of your eggs in that basket)...they're so hard to get and its heartbreaking to hear people that spent 2 years looking for them and dont get it. Give yourself the best chance.. for you thats doing the leaving again this June and applying for the October 07, or Feb 08 course of Hibernia... or get on the phone to the colleges on the UK list. I've heard that Trinity Carmarthen take a lot of Irish students. Thats the first call I'd make.

Why wait til 08 to do the leaving? Hit the books now!

Good luck!

ckone

OK. I was just looking for information on primary teaching courses in the Uk when i found this thread and saw all the stuff ive already gone through as well as some interesting information. I did the interview for the Mary I grad dip in December and last week found that I failed to get the course. I am now considering my options. I had heard of the hibernian course but had not really considered it. To be honest I had heard that it is very difficult and I think I would much prefer a course where I would be in contact continuously with other people on the course. Trotter, it seems that you would be the best person to ask for info in this regard. Have you found the course particularly hard to date and what do u like or dislike about it. I am 24 now and would like to get qualified without much further delay. I have very little teaching experience to date and do you think it is first important to get some substituting work. The experience i received was in my old primary school but I am wondering if I will even be able to find substitute work because the only qualifications i have are a degree in public administration and a grad dip in business admin. I think ideally i would now like to find a place on a 9 month course in the UK if possible. Which universities are the best options in this regard. Many thanks. Ckone

Trotter

ckone wrote:

OK. I was just looking for information on primary teaching courses in the Uk when i found this thread and saw all the stuff ive already gone through as well as some interesting information. I did the interview for the Mary I grad dip in December and last week found that I failed to get the course. I am now considering my options. I had heard of the hibernian course but had not really considered it. To be honest I had heard that it is very difficult and I think I would much prefer a course where I would be in contact continuously with other people on the course. Trotter, it seems that you would be the best person to ask for info in this regard. Have you found the course particularly hard to date and what do u like or dislike about it. I am 24 now and would like to get qualified without much further delay. I have very little teaching experience to date and do you think it is first important to get some substituting work. The experience i received was in my old primary school but I am wondering if I will even be able to find substitute work because the only qualifications i have are a degree in public administration and a grad dip in business admin. I think ideally i would now like to find a place on a 9 month course in the UK if possible. Which universities are the best options in this regard. Many thanks. Ckone

The Hibernia course is very hard, but all of the HDips are. Theres a misconception that Hibernia students arent in touch with their classmates but in my case I have more contact with my class through emails, texts, phonecalls, and saturday lectures than I had during my degree.

If you want to get sorted asap.. then England is the option for you.. apply now to the UK colleges through the GTTR and you could be starting in September and ready to apply for jobs in september 08. Im in a similar boat to you as I was 24 when I started Hibernia.

I enjoy the course, but God its hard at times! Listen to nobody who says its an easy way to teaching. I've worked my tail off!

gaeilgegrinds

Going to England is an option but I know most (not all) of my friends had difficulty getting jobs when they cam home. Firstly, they weren'y known in any school (you have a high enough change of getting work in your TP school) and secondly they didn't have the SCG and without it a lot of schools refused them. Just what I've seen among friends of mine, not a general rule or anything like that.

Kinetic^

Just a quick note on the Hibernia course, if you're applying for subbing jobs, tell them that you're going for the interviews in the colleges rather than say you're doing the hibernia as they're principals out there who don't rate the Hibernia.

That's from the inside and not jibberish. I know about 15+ people who are primary school teachers and have heard this from a few of them.

Trotter

Kenny 5 wrote:

Just a quick note on the Hibernia course, if you're applying for subbing jobs, tell them that you're going for the interviews in the colleges rather than say you're doing the hibernia as they're principals out there who don't rate the Hibernia.

That's from the inside and not jibberish. I know about 15+ people who are primary school teachers and have heard this from a few of them.

Thats absolutely not true for all parts of the country. There are a number of small areas who are still in the mode of "Hibernia hating" but I know a good few principals now who are actively hiring Hibernia people because they bring a whole lot of extra skills along with them. Do say you are from Hibernia because if the principals dont like Hibernia in general, it is going to emerge that you're doing it anyway. You'll earn no favours for not being truthful.

Anyway, Hibernia is nothing to be ashamed of. Its a damn tough course and you earn your status as a primary teacher. There is no doubting that.

Its starting to annoy me lately here that there's a Hibernia bashing trend based on untrue information and heresay. I wouldnt let it continue if it was the B.Ed, Mary I Post grad, Pats, or any other course. I wont let it continue for Hibernia either.

All courses are open to criticism, but I wont allow unbalanced, untrue information to be stated as fact on this forum.

Kinetic^

Trotter wrote:

All courses are open to criticism, but I wont allow unbalanced, untrue information to be stated as fact on this forum.

I wasn't bashing it, I was offering some advice. I don't work in the sector itself so don't know the ins and outs of the requirements but my gf (and alot of her friends) do. This was told to my gf by her principal that they try to avoid hiring people who are doing the Hibernia course. My gf's friend is doing the Hibernia and she did what I said to do above and she had no problem getting subbing time in my gf's school, whereas people who stated they were doing the Hibernia did not get it.


I repeat, I am not bashing the course, merely pointing out an experience I've heard about.

As for getting the Post Graduate course, people who have done the degree in Pat's can't even get into the course - that's how difficult it is to get in. Just keep trying each year if that's the route you want to go down.

Trotter

Well I'm doing the Hibernia course now, and I'm on first name terms with at least 8 principals. All of them are delighted to hire Hibernia students. One had 6 vacancies last year and 5 of them went to Hibernia graduates.

I know you werent bashing the course, but I think we need to be careful here as to what is posted as fact and what isnt.

Its highly dangerous not to tell a principal what course you're doing. If they find out (And they have an amazing ability to find stuff out) that you havent been straight with them while subbing, you can forget any hope of a job there in the future.. and they will tell their principal friends about you. Before a principal hires, in my experience they always check out the other principals opinions of you first.

Never ever ever ever be dishonest or give inaccurate information to a principal if you have any inclination to teach in the general area.

I've been a fulltime sub for 4 years now, in both secondary and primary. It isnt true for anyone in my class that they cant find subbing work. We all turn down work almost every week because we're so busy.

One principal told me today that she's delighted the new batch of Hibernia students has started off because she just cant get the subs lately.

Kinetic^

Hey I understand where you're coming from. From what my SO has said, it's a very competitive subbing market up here in the big smoke so I was talking about here, should've said that. She's actually going to finish with it full time and go subbing as she wants to pursue other things.

There's always going to be skepticism when a new course is introduced to an industry.

Trotter

Kenny 5 wrote:

Hey I understand where you're coming from. From what my SO has said, it's a very competitive subbing market up here in the big smoke so I was talking about here, should've said that. She's actually going to finish with it full time and go subbing as she wants to pursue other things.

There's always going to be skepticism when a new course is introduced to an industry.

I do think there's a difference in the subbing market in Dublin compared to da country alright. I think the skepticism has worn off in most places in terms of Hibernia. If I remember correctly, a recent article I read said it had the full support of the INTO. Thats a huge step.

The only people complaining where the student reps from the St. Pats courses. Given that Hibernia is the competition when interviews come up, the fact that they were the only ones giving out about Hibernia, is actually a good thing for Hibernia graduates.

Here's a very comprehensive article I found on Gaelport.com discussing the progression of the Hibernia course into mainstream teacher selection and training.

Has online teacher training confounded its critics?

IrishZeus

Hi,

I know this is an old thread but hoping there might be some replies..

I'm currently in full time employment in Dublin and am thinking of doing the Hibernia course.

I have no problem with the level of work required and I can cover the fees to do it. The only problem i have is the teaching experience as there is no way i can get 14 weeks of for teaching and 3 weeks for the Gaeltacht.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there anyway around it? (Apart from doing the course in the UK that is.)

Thanks.

Coogee

Lot of time involved alright