Qualified vs Unqualified- Whats the difference?

Bally8 · 03-09-2008 8:07am #1

I know this can be a very emotive topic for qualified teachers but Im wondering what is it about a year of the Post grad in education that makes one person a better teacher than another? What do you learn in that year that is vital to teaching that those who only have a degree and teaching experience are missing?

I dont want to cause an argument but Im curious. I have been teaching for 6 years now and am unqualified. I have a degree and got a place last year in Galway to do the post grad dip in education but turned it down for family reasons. I am registered with the teaching council. I would love to do it and be qualified but its just impossible for the foreseeable future unless it came to Limerick.

So what Im wondering is- if I stood infront of a Junior Cert english class lets say and someone who is just qualified stood infront of them, what does this newly qualified teacher have that I dont? What do ye learn on the course that 6 years of teaching experience cannot teach me?

Again Im genuinely curious and not being antagonistic in any way

pathway33 · 03-09-2008 8:25am

cant answer your question but just to let you that hibernia, the online education crowd who do the post grad in primary teaching might be offering the pgde in secondary teaching next year online. there might be something about it on their website which i dont know the www of.

why not do a uk distance pgce or the open university. of course you would have to be away from home for the school placements but may fit in better than a full year.

personally i believe you can be born to teach and may receive no benefit from the pgde but others who aren't natural teachers need it. i'd prefer a natural teacher anyday

TheDriver · 03-09-2008 8:28am

Yes. Even tho its a kinda bull year, it still gets your mind in thinking with educational policy, classroom management etc. They could make it a better course for a year but still necessary. Also it shows a commitment to the profession

sitstill · 03-09-2008 2:25pm

I don't understand, how can an unqualified person be registered with the Teaching Council?! Do they allow that?

Toto Wolfcastle · 03-09-2008 3:14pm

sitstill wrote: »

I don't understand, how can an unqualified person be registered with the Teaching Council?! Do they allow that?

It would surely go against the point of the teaching council.

rainbowtrout · 03-09-2008 4:18pm

There are some people who would have been employed by VEC schools before the existance of the Teaching Council who do not have a teaching qualification as it wasn't required by the VECs. They will be allowed register as far as I know.

spurious · 03-09-2008 5:28pm

Yes, there would be some 'non Memo v.7' people working in VECs teaching subjects that were not covered by degrees - for example Woodwork, Metalwork, Photography, Auctioneering - it's a long list. Some groups of teachers, like the old Shorthand and Typing teachers were given the chance to retrain as I.T. teachers, which many of them had become over the years, though I believe there are still some places that do the old subjects too.

gaeilgegrinds · 03-09-2008 5:59pm

Even though at the time it seemed like a wast I learned lots of things on the Dip that are neccesary in my opinion for delivering the best standard of education to my students. It's about opening ones eyes and teaching you what one can & can not do within the classroom.

Bally8 · 03-09-2008 7:10pm

Thanks for the info on Hibernia college. I'll definately keep an eye out for the course next year.

I do work for the VEC and the Teaching Council agreed last year that those of us that had been teaching for over 4 years could register with them. There are 4 of us in my school that are in this situation, 2 of the women dont even have a degree, just their leaving certs but have been teaching for over 10 years.

Both the VEC and the Teaching Council say that from now on they will only allow qualified teachers register and work as teachers. I guess Im very lucky in a way. As I said I would love to do the year in Galway but its just not possible in the foreseeable future. I wish there was a way of providing courses for those unqualified and working as teachers without us having to leave our jobs.

pathway33 · 03-09-2008 9:11pm

Bally8 wrote: »

I wish there was a way of providing courses for those unqualified and working as teachers without us having to leave our jobs.

Dublin City University do a 2 year part-time pgde but i'm guessing you're not on that side of the country

Bally8 · 03-09-2008 9:19pm

Unfortunately no. I live in the west

Bally8 · 03-09-2008 11:30pm

Just to correct myself on an earlier post- the 4 year thing was nothing to do with the teaching council, it was for my CID. (My brain was broken for a while there)

As for the teaching council- unqualified teachers could register this way:
Teachers who were teaching in recognised schools* on Establishment Day
In accordance with Sections 31(2) and 31(3) of the Teaching Council Act, 2001, those teaching in a recognised school on Establishment Day (28 March 2006), or eligible to be so employed, were deemed registered once they applied for registration before 28 March 2007.

The argument would go that if the school deemed me eligible to be employed as a teacher in March 2006 then the Teaching Council would recognise me.

Qualified vs Unqualified- Whats the difference?

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