Does the dip prepare you for teaching?

sitstill

I finished my hdip this year and before that I worked full time for a year. Since finishing the dip, I've been thinking a lot about what I got for my money and I really don't think I got very much.... I learned how to teach through what I did in the classroom, the stuff from college didn't do that much to help me. I really think that had I not got experience before the dip, the programme would have seriously ill prepared me for the classroom. What are other peoples views on this?

Trotter

Do you mean the secondary H Dip, the Primary H Dip, or the Primary Dept inspection known as the dip?

So many hurdles.. one little word

sitstill

Trotter wrote: »

Do you mean the secondary H Dip, the Primary H Dip, or the Primary Dept inspection known as the dip?

So many hurdles.. one little word

I meant secondary hdip

Toto Wolfcastle

I did the dip (secondary) and most of the people who I knew on the course didn't feel like it was worth the money. We did a lot of theory, which is grand and all, but I feel like most of it was a complete waste of time. I'll be fine in the classroom, I'll just use my common sense, but I would have loved to have been given some practical (instead of idealistic) ideas for dealing with situations that may arise. I feel like I worked my ass off for the year to learn stuff that I will never ever use again, and that's not how it should be.

Another thing that annoyed me is the was my specialist teaching methodologies were taught. I would have loved if we were shown how to make out a year plan, but we weren't.

I feel grand about starting teaching properly, but that's more to do with me than it is to do with what I learned over the last year.

sitstill

janeybabe wrote: »

I feel grand about starting teaching properly, but that's more to do with me than it is to do with what I learned over the last year.

Thats exactly how I feel about it aswell

Toto Wolfcastle

Well you're not alone in feeling that way, plenty of people I know do too. It's a pity because it could be great if they cut out all the pointless crap and focus more on the practical elements involved in teaching.

freire

Ah yes - controversy, brilliant!
preparing in minute detail every class and attending some really soporific lectures, system is the very same as it was 30 years ago.

I could go on and on and on and...I agree. ~Good topic.

Toto Wolfcastle

I did mine in NUIG but it's good to know it's not just my course that was a bit rubbish! (Although unfortunate that we have to complain about it.)

And yeah, some of the theory was really interesting (and some was not!) but I can't understand why we needed to do so much of it when there were people (not me, I had nice classes!) who were struggling with discipline issues.

freire

This is interesting. If someone struggles with discipline issues then sometimes a dose of theory can help find a way through that rough patch. In some ways the dip I suppose is basically a safe-pass course. If one is to treat it as such. Though they can only do so much for you, it's pretty hands on really, learn along with your students! More theory, I love it.