Questions I need answered!

brian crackout

Hi there, I am intending on doing the PGDE in sept 2009 I have a ton of questions that Im hoping sombody might be able to answer for me...namely:

What exactly is entailed in the Postgrad in Ed course?
What modules can I Expect to cover in the course?
Is there musch Group work involved?
How is it assessed, are there exams/ projects?
Do I have to do a thesis?
Do I Have to find my own teaching practice venue or is it assigned to you by the college
What happens if I cant find a place to do my teaching practice?
Is it difficult to find work after qualification
What can I do right now to benefit my situation?

If anyone can shed some light on these it would be greatly appreciated, I probly seem like a total dumbass but I was never told these things...

thanks

freire

I'm turning into a serial poster here but - there's a booklet available from the CAO answers all your questions. PGDE is supposed to provide you with a platform from which to launch yourself into the crazy world of post-primary teaching. To benefit your situation try to get some teaching hours to get your points up, it's a very over-subscribed course of study and there is some competition, a good primary and maybe a Masters will negate the need for this though. I think once you've been through college you have a pretty good idea of how it's assessed. And as has been documented in another post it can be expensive. And thankless. But the rewards can/should be worth it.

peanuthead

brian crackout wrote: »

Hi there, I am intending on doing the PGDE in sept 2009 I have a ton of questions that Im hoping sombody might be able to answer for me...namely:

What exactly is entailed in the Postgrad in Ed course?
What modules can I Expect to cover in the course?
Is there musch Group work involved?
How is it assessed, are there exams/ projects?
Do I have to do a thesis?
Do I Have to find my own teaching practice venue or is it assigned to you by the college
What happens if I cant find a place to do my teaching practice?
Is it difficult to find work after qualification
What can I do right now to benefit my situation?

If anyone can shed some light on these it would be greatly appreciated, I probly seem like a total dumbass but I was never told these things...

thanks

Hello
Sorry to maybe insult your intelligence, but have you applied for the information on www.pac.ie ?
I too am applying for the PGDE in september 2009, so I cant actually tell you what the course is about, but can tell you the general things I know from my 2 years teaching.
1. What does the course entail? Well, its lectures, tutorials etc.. on teaching practice, methodology, the psychology of it all. I would imagine behavior studies fit in there too.
2. What modules can you expect to cover? Well, the above anyway, and obviously teaching practice too. Im not really to sure about it again, as I say I havent done the course yet, but maybe call the universities that you are planning to apply to, and ask them if they have anything for you to read.
3. Is there much group work involved? Well, this I dont know, but I would imagine there would have to be some. As a teacher you will have to learn how to work closely with the other subject teachers in your school. But as far as your teaching practice goes, you do that alone.
4. How is it assessed? Your application or the qualification? Again, I have no experience but my understanding is: Your application is assessed based on the info you give them. The qualification is based on continual assessment (essays throughout the year), your teaching practice, and some kind of a thesis like (but not as long) report. Im not sure that there is an end of year exam. Though I would imagine there may be.
5. As I said, I think there is some kind of report to be submitted at the end of the year. But not near as bad as a thesis. Come to think of it the report thing (from what I hear around the school) may even just be a record of all lessons taught as part of your teaching practice. You will have to keep all of these for inspection.
6. Do you have to find your own teaching experience? Well, this depends on the school, but generally I think you do. So it may be a good idea to be thinking whether or not schools around the area of your home/college have your subjects available. The school I have been working in, for example does not offer spanish, which is one of my subjects, so I will have to find work elsewhere. But you should check this out in the PAC form.
7. What happens if you cant find teaching practice? I dont think this would ever happen to be honest. The amount of schools versus the amount of PGDE places offered is too high. The thing is though, if you dont act early all the close schools to you may be gone!
8. It seems to be difficult enough alright. A permanent job is extremely hard to come by, you should know that going into the course. But with regard to getting a job straight after you qualify, you should not expect this to happen then you wont be disappointed. Look into submitting an application to the VEC also in April 2010.
9. Right now, to benefit your situation get teaching practice. Give your CV into all the schools you can, and apply for supervision work at least. Then once you get your foot in the door, make yourself available for any teaching work that may come up. Also, decide what college you want to apply to, or should I say, decide the order in which you will apply to all the colleges. Then read up on their course. All courses differ, for example, Maynooths teaching practice is Mondays and Fridays, with lectures on the other days, UCD is teaching practice every day, and lectures in the evening, im my opinion a much harsher schedule. Then get in touch with someone who is doing the PGDE, either you know someone, or post an ad here, and find out what literature, if any, is being used. Get a head start by reading it.

Also, I think you should know if you dont already... Some colleges require you to video record your teaching practice, to then watch back in front of your class. Now I dont know what type of a person you are, but that scares the living daylights out of me. But Im telling you so you know and have time to think about it, because I know if that crept up on me I dont think Id be abe for it!!

Anyone reading this who sees errors in what Im saying feel free to correct me, after all I havent done the course and could be wrong.

Hope it helps somehow anyway