PGDE(HDip) in Trinity

peanuthead

Hi

So I've almost finished my application for the P.G.D.E in Trinity for 2009-2010. I'm just wondering if anyone who is doing the course at the moment can tell me anything about the required reading for the course? What books are recommended reading? Any other relevant help is appreciated!! Thanks!!

Maybe if you don't use acronyms people may be able to help...

peanuthead

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe if you don't use acronyms people may be able to help...

Well, it's the Postgraduate Diploma in Education, formerly called the Higher Diploma in Education, but I would think people who could help me on this (people actually doing the course) would already know that!!

The Black Oil

Chance your arm and politely email one of the Executive Officers for a reading list or two if possible.

peanuthead

The Black Oil wrote: »

Chance your arm and politely email one of the Executive Officers for a reading list or two if possible.

Good idea, ill do that!! thanks!

murpha34

Hi ya, I'm doing the PGDE at the mo, With regard to to the reading list They give alot of recommended readings but will generally say one is required. With Sociology its the Giddens Sociology 5th edition. Special Education Its the Michael Shevlin book. With these books they are all available in the Library but go fast as deadlines approach.
If I was to give you one tip on reading lists Get the Curriculum for your subject and teacher guidelines. Available on education .ie or from gov publications office off dawson st.
Best of Luck its a very intense year

peanuthead

murpha34 wrote: »

Hi ya, I'm doing the PGDE at the mo, With regard to to the reading list They give alot of recommended readings but will generally say one is required. With Sociology its the Giddens Sociology 5th edition. Special Education Its the Michael Shevlin book. With these books they are all available in the Library but go fast as deadlines approach.
If I was to give you one tip on reading lists Get the Curriculum for your subject and teacher guidelines. Available on education .ie or from gov publications office off dawson st.
Best of Luck its a very intense year

Cheers!

Ill be doing English anyway but cheers for the info, ill check that website asap!! My second subject is Spanish, although Ive not spoken a word of it in 5years, as the school I ended up at doesnt teach it. Do you know whether or not my interview will be in Spanish? And don't forget that Sean Griffin wrote that Special Needs book with Michael Shevlin!! (Sean is my lovely uncle)

thanks for the help
peanuthead

murpha34

Hey,
Far as I know they'll onl speak to you bout the english. You'll have added advantage so for the SEN course (4000 word assignment), bets of luck with the interview.

skregs

is it true that aoibheann ni shuillebhan or however you spell it is doing the course at the moment?

peanuthead

skregs wrote: »

is it true that aoibheann ni shuillebhan or however you spell it is doing the course at the moment?

well she is a teacher alright, whether or not she's fully qualified or not tho im not sure,

peanuthead

Okay, so I got my date for Interview. Can anyone help me out with any sort of help, regarding the kinds of questions I may be asked at this interview??

murpha34

Hey,
not entirely sure about english but as far as I was interviewed q's revolved around:
Subject knowledge-how willing was I teach aspects of the course considered "hard" or "Boring" (very willing!!!!)
Why I wanted to be a teacher? (not enough to say always wanted to be, have to demonstrate interest in working with young people i.e. sports clubs etc)
Why I picked Trinity?
What you can bring to the profession of teaching?
How would you deal with certain scenarios ie poor behaviour etc
Some subjects got asked to demonstrate subject knowledge.
Know the course. Poets, shakesphere plays etc

Turn negatives into positives.
They also give you a chance to ask Q's prepare one or two are it shows your really interested in course. Interview will be with a college person (lecturer) and someone who has worked in teaching profession (ie principal of school)
Best of luck ;-)

peanuthead

murpha34 wrote: »

Hey,
not entirely sure about english but as far as I was interviewed q's revolved around:
Subject knowledge-how willing was I teach aspects of the course considered "hard" or "Boring" (very willing!!!!)
Why I wanted to be a teacher? (not enough to say always wanted to be, have to demonstrate interest in working with young people i.e. sports clubs etc)
Why I picked Trinity?
What you can bring to the profession of teaching?
How would you deal with certain scenarios ie poor behaviour etc
Some subjects got asked to demonstrate subject knowledge.
Know the course. Poets, shakesphere plays etc

Turn negatives into positives.
They also give you a chance to ask Q's prepare one or two are it shows your really interested in course. Interview will be with a college person (lecturer) and someone who has worked in teaching profession (ie principal of school)
Best of luck ;-)

Hey

thanks for the advice, had the interview today anyway, it went well, we will see now, 50 interviewed, only 15 places available for english!!

Powerhouse

peanuthead wrote: »

Hey

thanks for the advice, had the interview today anyway, it went well, we will see now, 50 interviewed, only 15 places available for english!!

Those are not bad odds in so far as these possibilities can be judged by numbers alone. Glad it went well anyway!

murpha34

Glad to hear it went well. Knew demand was high this year but fingers crossed you'll get good news come april.
Best of Luck

lena-bell

I had my interview last week. i have no idea how it went!
Does anyone know how many people were interviewed for Geography?

murpha34

Not sure how many went for each subject interviews but demand is well up on last year. Dont let that get ya down though. Sorry not much help

peanuthead

the only reason I know the numbers for english was because I asked them. Yeah the odds aren't bad, Im no maths teacher, but I think it works out at around 1 in 3 chance of getting a place. What bugs me though, is how they manage to get rid of 35 people. I mean they cant all be nutters!!!!

lena-bell

yea everyone I met before the interview and after were very nice and had as much experience as me! I suppose they have a good enough idea who they want before the interview.
getting close to when we know now!

murpha34

Yeah they grade you in accordance of your qualification ie masters, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2 etc.
As far as I know your qualification counts for 80% and the Interview 20% but A good interview can change whether you get accepted. Our Pedagogy Lecturer told us this.

The letters from the CAO and Trinity should arrive on the same day. THe waiting is nerve wrecking though.

lena-bell

I didn't do very well in my undergrad but I have been teaching for 3 years so I hope that outways it. The waiting game is getting old
Wish Wednesday would just roll around already!

Chilli Con Kearney

You might get your letter today, as I did. Not good news here though. Pretty disappointed as I thought my interview went ok. At least I have DCU. Is anyone holding out with that too?

peanuthead

Like that, my undergrad results could have been better, but my postgrad results were spot on, A's and B's. My interview went quite well and I've 3 years experience too.

Still waiting. Nothing in the post as of yet, but then again, the post man hasn't been yet.

Fidge, sorry to hear you didn't get a place. You (and possibly me) are one of those 35 I'm talking about. People who deserve it just as much as anyone, but just get knocked out because there aren't enough places.

I've not applied to DCU but I have Maynooth, UCD, Galway and Cork as back-ups, in that order.

Cant see myself making the move to Galway or Cork tho (absolutely nothing personal, I just have a good thing going school/renting wise here, don't want to leave it) so after Trinity, I've 2 more options.

Best of luck people, keep posting as you hear!!

lena-bell

I'm sorry to hear you didn't get it. At least you have DCU. It's two years part time right? At least you can work while attending so it won't be so much of a financial burden after the fact.
I'd move anywhere. I was in cork for my undergrad it's a great city to live in and so much cheaper than Dublin. Also there is tonnes of accomadation near UCC. Also you can walk pretty much anywhere in Cork.
Don't know much about Galway.
I put down UCD as my first choice then Cork, Maynooth, Galway.
My post goes home to Limerick. so I will have to wait a bit longer anyways.
Best of luck peanuthead!

Chilli Con Kearney

Yes, two years part-time. But with so little substitution-supervision available, it's not ideal tobe starting into a part-time course now. Also, all schools are having their EFL/EAL teaching budgets/teacher numbers cut!

I rang the PAC this morning, they said offers will definitely be up on Wednesday!

peanuthead

Yeah Trinity rejected me too!! Feckers!! So we will be sitting tight until wednesday!!

Chilli Con Kearney

It's pretty annoying that they don't tell why you were rejected/that you cannot get feedback. It's the same bog-standard letter that you receive if you do not get the interview (I've got both at this stage).

While DCU is good to have, there's little/no guarantee of work next year, nothing is a given at the moment. So two years of just two evenings a week and potentially no income is a big ask.

Peanut, how many times have you applied to Trinity?

Any indication/infor/word on PAC points going up anyone? They wouldn't tell me anything.

peanuthead

Fidge9 wrote: »

It's pretty annoying that they don't tell why you were rejected/that you cannot get feedback. It's the same bog-standard letter that you receive if you do not get the interview (I've got both at this stage).

While DCU is good to have, there's little/no guarantee of work next year, nothing is a given at the moment. So two years of just two evenings a week and potentially no income is a big ask.

Peanut, how many times have you applied to Trinity?

Any indication/infor/word on PAC points going up anyone? They wouldn't tell me anything.

This is my first time to apply for the Dip at all. One of the girls in work applied too, got no interview and got the same rejection letter as me alright. A tad annoying that there is no feedback alright.

AFAIK, pac results go online Wednesday. Don't know if thats 12am Tuesday night, or 9am Wednesday morning. But I'll be checking from midnight tues

lena-bell

Sorry to hear you didn't get in peanut thats a pity. best of luck on Wednesday. I still haven't heard about Trinity the letter should arrive today going to run home from work at lunch time. I am very tempted to break away. I am not going to get any work done till I know!

Aren't companies legally entitled to give you feed back/ show you your interview comments?

Rosita

peanuthead wrote: »

This is my first time to apply for the Dip at all. One of the girls in work applied too, got no interview and got the same rejection letter as me alright.

Did your rejection letter mention anything about being put on a waiting/reserve list (can't remember the exact term they used)?

If someone you know who was not called for interview at all got the same letter you got I'm thinking that you might not have been told this.

I was rejected too but this was mentioned. I took it to mean very little as I assumed they merely ranked everyone who was interviewed in case there were withdrawals. But if this has not been mentioned in the case of everyone maybe the waiting list thing is a bit more meaningful, if still unlikely to make a difference.

Mind you, I'm hoping that by Wednesday morning this won't matter to me! Having said that, even though I would have had the points to get into the NUI colleges in the last three years, I am quite pessimistic after the Trinity rejection, which is odd in the sense that I applied for Trinity as an afterthought, though it would have been geographically handy for me.

lena-bell

I would have cleared the points aswell last year. going to be very annoyed if I miss it if they jump a lot.
PAC.ie is down at the moment! I wonder does that mean they are uploading things? or just my computer? I got into the general PAC page but not into the PGDE side. Anyone else having this problem?

Rosita

The points have been quite steady over the past three years. In fact UCD was down one last year so it will be a real bummer if things change dramatically. Of course, there is no actual relationship between the points in different years but if we accept them as a rough guide it would be unusual for any dramatic shifts. The other problem is that you simply don't know how many were, say, on minimum points. The average might be a lot higher than the minimum requirement which would mean that the those on minimum points based on previous years would into a lottery.

I have never seen the offers area on the PAC site like that before (it's not just your computer) and I would have often had a look at it while nosing around. My instinct is to tell everyone to just relax and accept 1st April as the date but perhaps there's something up. I don't know enough about the technical side of this uploading business to comment sensibly on the matter. Maybe it's just one of those things but it's bound to raise eyebrows so close to the time!

lena-bell

I'm on the waiting list aswell I'm hoping that people will get their NUI choices and drop out of Trinity!!
I found out a friend of mine has applied for UCD too so it could work out for the better!

peanuthead

Rosita wrote: »

Did your rejection letter mention anything about being put on a waiting/reserve list (can't remember the exact term they used)?

If someone you know who was not called for interview at all got the same letter you got I'm thinking that you might not have been told this.

I was rejected too but this was mentioned. I took it to mean very little as I assumed they merely ranked everyone who was interviewed in case there were withdrawals. But if this has not been mentioned in the case of everyone maybe the waiting list thing is a bit more meaningful, if still unlikely to make a difference.

Mind you, I'm hoping that by Wednesday morning this won't matter to me! Having said that, even though I would have had the points to get into the NUI colleges in the last three years, I am quite pessimistic after the Trinity rejection, which is odd in the sense that I applied for Trinity as an afterthought, though it would have been geographically handy for me.

Sorry to hear you were rejected too.
Yeah my letter did mention the waiting list alright, but I didn't really pay any attention to it. Its not very likely that that will amount to anything for anyone on it really. Although I am sure there are people who have been granted places on the waiting list, I'm willing to bet it doesn't happen very often.

Yeah I'm the same as yourself, roll on wednesday, at least one way or another the waiting will all be over.

I'm just curious of one thing though... If you havent had the points for PAC, how come you got the interview off Trinity. This is something that has been bugging me alot over the last few days...

Take me, for example. I was under the impression that because I got the Trinity interview, this meant that I was eligible to to the course, ie: I have all the requirements and I have enough 'points'. I was therefore under the impression that I would sail through the PAC process. Not so.

I believe that Trinity are obligated to interview a certain number of applicants straight from college(who otherwise would probably never be interviewed) and a certain number from disadvantaged schools (the category I fall under) So was I ever in the running or was I just there to make up numbers? Thats what I'm thinking now.

Well it will all become clear the day after tomorrow. But I tell you, my rejection letter from Trinity has certaintly knocked my confidence. I was never confident that I would get Trinity at all, in fact I sort of knew I wouldn't get it, but I was confident I would have gotten another place somewhere else. Not so sure now.

peanuthead

lena-bell wrote: »

I'm on the waiting list aswell I'm hoping that people will get their NUI choices and drop out of Trinity!!
I found out a friend of mine has applied for UCD too so it could work out for the better!

Come, join our little waiting list club!! Sorry to hear you didn't get it!! Hopefully it will be good news all round wednesday!!

I'm sorry I started this bloody thread in TCD now that none of us even got in!! Bastards!!

Rosita

peanuthead wrote: »

Sorry to hear you were rejected too.
Yeah my letter did mention the waiting list alright, but I didn't really pay any attention to it. Its not very likely that that will amount to anything for anyone on it really. Although I am sure there are people who have been granted places on the waiting list, I'm willing to bet it doesn't happen very often.

Yeah I'm the same as yourself, roll on wednesday, at least one way or another the waiting will all be over.

I'm just curious of one thing though... If you havent had the points for PAC, how come you got the interview off Trinity. This is something that has been bugging me alot over the last few days...

Take me, for example. I was under the impression that because I got the Trinity interview, this meant that I was eligible to to the course, ie: I have all the requirements and I have enough 'points'. I was therefore under the impression that I would sail through the PAC process. Not so.

I believe that Trinity are obligated to interview a certain number of applicants straight from college(who otherwise would probably never be interviewed) and a certain number from disadvantaged schools (the category I fall under) So was I ever in the running or was I just there to make up numbers? Thats what I'm thinking now.

Well it will all become clear the day after tomorrow. But I tell you, my rejection letter from Trinity has certaintly knocked my confidence. I was never confident that I would get Trinity at all, in fact I sort of knew I wouldn't get it, but I was confident I would have gotten another place somewhere else. Not so sure now.

Well, a friend of mind got through to the course in Trinity with a fairly ordinary degree (a 2.1 but not by much) and zero teaching experience or anything like that.

So I suspect they might have a minimum score and then at the interview everyone starts from scratch, but that's guesswork.

The upshot of that is that you can probably get into Trinity with a lower score than with the PAC. I'll put it this way I have a First in English (the subject I was interviewed for - my PAC score is reduced to a mid 2.1 because my other subject is a high 2.2) and was told during the interview "well, you obviously love the literature", (which is a slight exaggeration but they seemed to think so anyway!) but still was out of luck.

In some ways, as unsatisfactory as the PAC might be relying purely on a degree score, at least there's nobody making arbitrary judgements about one's teaching potential which are realistically impossible to make, or using categories which are maybe not transparent as you imply.

I'm doing a TEFL course with my friend and he has failed an aspect of his teaching practice in both TPs he has done and really gets the jitters about it. In one of mine, my observer said that the things they cannot teach me about teaching (the natural way in the class) I have in abundance. Yet, the Trinity interview board put him ahead of me which surprised us both. That said, I am thrilled for him as he's from a background where he had to drag himself up by the bootlaces.

I'm the same as you confidence-wise, even through there's no connection between the Trinity and the PAC!

Anyway, here's hoping!

peanuthead

Oh my god guys whats going on, the site is still down, or is it just me?

Although I take it its not just me because no-one has posted up how they got on.

Does anyone know what time the results will be posted up??

Rosita

Just rang them now and they say it will be after 12 o'clock when the offers are up. You'd have thought that they'd have made the effort to have them up first thing if only to avoid an avalanche of calls.

Rosita

Offers are up now. I got good news thankfully.

I really hope the few people here on this thread do likewise.

lena-bell

I got UCD!! wohoo!! anyone joining me there?
(though I still am secretly holding out on the Trinity Waiting list!)

Chilli Con Kearney

UCD! Got the star on 47! Hope others do well.

Rosita

lena-bell wrote: »

I got UCD!! wohoo!! anyone joining me there?
(though I still am secretly holding out on the Trinity Waiting list!)

Just wondering why you are so anxious to get Trinity, since from what from have mentioned previously you seem to be completely mobile, as in not tied down to any specific location?

peanuthead

Good news for me too, got Maynooth!!

UCD was my first choice, so feck you feckers for getting in ahead of me, but as it turns out, maynooth is going to work out very well for me, as a friend of mine is doing hers there too!!

Great news all round by the sounds of things...Rosita, where did you get?

Rosita

peanuthead wrote: »

Good news for me too, got Maynooth!!

UCD was my first choice, so feck you feckers for getting in ahead of me, but as it turns out, maynooth is going to work out very well for me, as a friend of mine is doing hers there too!!

Great news all round by the sounds of things...Rosita, where did you get?

I got UCD................now there's something a bit odd here.

If you got Maynooth (43 points minimum), you obviously also had the points for UCD (41 points minimum) so if it was your first choice you should have been offered that, no?

peanuthead

Rosita wrote: »

I got UCD................now there's something a bit odd here.

If you got Maynooth (43 points minimum), you obviously also had the points for UCD (41 points minimum) so if it was your first choice you should have been offered that, no?

yeah but the standard must have been quite high, and depending on where I came on the list, I think UCD must have been full by the time they came round to me!!

Which is worrying in a way, cause my points were quite high, which was more to do with Teaching experience than it was good results

Anywho, it doesnt matter, I got a place!!

lena-bell

I think the reason I wanted to still go to Trinity was that they have less assignments, and their teaching practice if for full days and one half day. Aparently but correct me if I'm wrong most days at UCD are half days so you have to go between college and school a lot.

The start for a TP school has begun!!

That is really weird about getting Maynooth when UCD was your first choice. My friend didn't get first round Business at UCD so we are holding out for her. hopefully she can get the second round in May.

Rosita

lena-bell wrote: »

I think the reason I wanted to still go to Trinity was that they have less assignments, and their teaching practice if for full days and one half day. Aparently but correct me if I'm wrong most days at UCD are half days so you have to go between college and school a lot.

I can't comment on the number of assignments but it's a fair point about the TP. On the other hand, I suppose, it could be argued that being in the school every day allows you to develop a rapport with students/classes. But it is handy being in one place and knowing that you are there for the day!

The UCD arrangement is potentially very awkward for anyone without their own car. But better an awkward arrangement than no arrangement at all!

peanuthead

You need to think of the finiancial side of things too

The more often you are in the school the more eligible you are for extra hours, outside of your TP. You will be paid for those.

Thats why I wanted Trinity. UCD wouldn't be too bad for the hours either, it just seems a bit heavier, with the travelling, longer days etc...

Maynooth isn't the best option for this im afraid, only being in school for two days. That said the two days are Monday and Friday, so they would be the two best days to be in school if looking for supervision/substitution.

pmurp04

Did anyone get trinity? If so, how long do you have to accept a place on the course (i.e. how long will it be before people find out about waiting list?) I had 42 points and got offered nothing... raging!:mad:

a.auhl

pmurp04 wrote: »

Did anyone get trinity? If so, how long do you have to accept a place on the course (i.e. how long will it be before people find out about waiting list?) I had 42 points and got offered nothing... raging!:mad:

I got offered Trinity on monday last and you hav to accept your place by the 17th of April. So i guess second round offers are out the start of may. I also got offered Maynooth yesterday too but im goin to go with trinners, so thats 1 place that will be freed up in maynooth if anyones waiting. im sending my acceptance letter 2day so i can 4get about that and start lookin for a TP school... That was my 3rd time applying through the NUI's and the first time i got an offer - it was my first time applying to Trinity and got in so im accepting them.....

lena-bell

Has anyone started looking for teaching practice placement? I have only sent one letter so far need to get onto it today. apparently places go super quickly some might even be gone.
How is everyone going about getting TP, letters, CVs, connections or visiting the schools themselves?