Teaching IT?

Johnny Bitte

Hi All,
Been working in IT for 4 years now as tech support but really want to move into teaching.

I believe you have to have at least a masters to teach in College's but I was thinking more along the lines of FAS courses or Secondary schools.

Thing is I have no teaching training and was wondering where to begin?
Or even where to get work?

TestTransmission

Is there any oppurtunity for you to train/teach ppl in your current workplace?

Johnny Bitte

no i m pretty much tech support all the way. unless a couse directly applies to my job they wont entertain it.

snellers

FETAC approve most of the awards for IT courses in college. They don;t have any pre-requisite experience required to teach their courses. It is the course centre that decrees who can teach and the experience required. As a general rule it is highly recommended that you have a degree and relevant experience although as I said it varies from place to place.

Check out the FAS training website and they provide a lot more detail on becoming an approved trainer.

It might be worth contacting any local training centres and finding out whether any opportunities to teach any night classes - start building up experience whilst continuing to earn money in the day

phanton

I assume you have a primary degree + Hdip in order to teach in secondary schools?

Tom Dunne

Third level colleges, you need a BSc and three years experience.

For second level, you need a degree plus the HDip

For FAS you need the JEB. Sounds like this is where you should start.

Oh, and it's HETAC who award qualifications at third level.

dade

Tom Dunne wrote: »

For FAS you need the JEB. Sounds like this is where you should start.

.

JEB probably the way to start I got it a few years ago, took me about 6 about 6 months, though most of the practical IT stuff you cover will be to ECDL level. but then it's the lesson plan stuff and the motivation stuff that's important IMO.

Johnny Bitte

Have a Cert, Highr Diploma and Bsc in Computing from Carlow IT.

Saw the JEB course online.

Its mainly how to Teach course im after but if that s not even needed i just wonder where I would beging to look for a job?

dade

not sure with the where to start, I got the JEB for the fun of it LOL I suppose FAS would be a good place to start, maybe one of teh local places that do evening courses maybe CDVEC if you're in dublin etc
but it does go into lesson plan design and IIRC you have to give two lessons to your peers in order to pass.

Johnny Bitte

JEB it is then. Work and rent in Swords during the week so I ll look for somewhere here I guess.

Thanks for your help with this.

So Sick of tech support its unreal.

Tom Dunne

The_Goose135 wrote: »

Its mainly how to Teach course im after but if that s not even needed i just wonder where I would beging to look for a job?

TBH, it will be quite difficult to get a job teaching IT if you don't have experience, that's why the JEB might be a good idea.

You might be lucky and get somewhere small/local that would be willing to take you on with "just" IT experience. I have a whole thread dedicated to getting into lecturing on the Teaching/Lecturing forum - you might pick up a few tips there.

dade

The_Goose135 wrote: »

JEB it is then. Work and rent in Swords during the week so I ll look for somewhere here I guess.

Thanks for your help with this.

So Sick of tech support its unreal.

Dorset College is where i did mine. took 6 months one night a week

BizzyLizzy

The_Goose135 wrote: »

......

Thing is I have no teaching training and was wondering where to begin?
Or even where to get work?

JEB is the way to go (though not for the faint hearted-endless typing)

Re. where to get work: Since I qualified in '05 I have only ever seen two or three jobs advertised (as opposed to dozens of TEFL jobs!). Contract work is all that seems to be available - if at all. You are always the "outsider".

Then there is the haggling over rates. Followed by the begging phone calls and emails trying to secure that cheque. I waited two months for the last one!

In one establishment I was ordered to "Just teach them what they need to know to pass the exam". That is not my style.

Then there are the disgruntled FAS "students" who must complete the course or have their longterm dole handout cut off. They will have you on the carpet at any opportunity. You will find yourself trying to prove your innocence after their pack of lies which landed you there in the first place(always insist on an assistant (witness)).

One psycho who made a better candidate for the funny farm than the ECDL murdered a keyboard before my eyes... while a colleague had a narrow escape from a flying chair which had been hurled across the room by a burly, alcohol-deprived lazy hulk. Need I go on?

IMHO - TEFL is the way to go... but then if you love IT what can you do... *sigh*

Good luck with your choice!