PGDE: When to look for teacher training places, and how?

Dionysus

When do schools decide the places they give for trainee teachers doing the PGDE?

I got a place on the PGDE last year but had to renege on doing the course at the last minute as I still had not secured a teacher training school. I reapplied two weeks ago, and expect to be offered the PGDE in UCD again next September.

However, when is the best time to ask prospective schools to consider employing me for teacher training? Is it January? I received a single email response last summer out of 20 or so applications so I am evidently doing something wrong (especially applying too late- i.e May/June).

In the meantime I am applying for substitute teaching- entirely unsuccessfully so far it must be said. I have years of university teaching experience and a PhD but I am still not receiving a single response to my CV and visits to school. Indeed, one of the two principals with whom I spoke strongly recommended that I return to university and do two additional years in order to get the BA in Irish (my 1st year subject), as there is an acute shortage of Irish teachers. Having spent so many years in academia I was, needless to say, despondent on hearing this. I want to finally earn money, to be free.

Any advice would be cool. Thanks.

Rosita

I recall reading somewhere in the PGDE literature that candidates were not supposed to canvass teaching practice places until they had been offered a place on the course, which would presumably mean April at the earliest.

This makes sense from the schools' perspectives as they cannot be guaranteed in advance that a candidate will (a) be offered a place and (b) accept it if they are offered it.

But of course human nature being what it is one presumes that many candidates try to by-pass the rules and organise something in advance especially if they have some kind of 'pull' or connection in a school.

It will be interesting to see if anyone has any practical experience of this.

funktastic

'renege on doing the course at the last minute as I still had not secured a teacher training school'

When I did the HDip in UCD ('06/'07) there were about eight people who had no school at the start of the year and the college fixed them up with one. It can't be that difficult to find a school in Dublin willing to take you on. It might be a lot further out and mightn't be the best, but it shouldn't deter you from doing the course.

If you did have 'pull' in the school it would help. This is Ireland, and it's still a lot of who-you-know in education.

If there's any point in doing the course with the lack of jobs is another question.

Síle28

Hi! I applied for the PGDE this year too, it definitely does say please don't contact schools prior to offer of a place however I think this is a bit unrealistic as schools close in June for summer and april-start of June isn't an awful lot of time to secure a place, esp if everyone on the PGDE goes looking at once. Ireland is all about who you know, not just Ireland probably. I have already contacted 3 schools with view to doing TP in them from Sept and 2 responded, one said yes after a phone interview, one said yes after an interview in person and the 3rd didn't reply. So now I have 2 on stand-by depending on where I get offered a place and which suits me best. I was upfront (schools probably know this anyways) about the fact that my uni place hadn't yet been confirmed but that wasn't a problem and they told me to call once/if it is and no worries. What harm can asking around about possible schools if you get a place do? Esp if you were offered a place last time, good chance you will be again!

Sir Humphrey

Síle28 wrote: »

What harm can asking around about possible schools if you get a place do?

The harm here surely is unfairness on people who actually do as colleges require and wait until they are confirmed as doing the course before looking for places.

Toto Wolfcastle

Síle28 wrote: »

Hi! I applied for the PGDE this year too, it definitely does say please don't contact schools prior to offer of a place however I think this is a bit unrealistic as schools close in June for summer and april-start of June isn't an awful lot of time to secure a place, esp if everyone on the PGDE goes looking at once.

In order not to worry people who may not have a school for teaching practice by June, schools are open for a good bit of the summer, so no need to worry there. I got my school in late June, a week after I started looking for one. Of course it's advisable to get a school as soon as possible, but one should not worry if it takes awhile.

Síle28

Come on! I said ask around! I made it clear to the schools I asked at that I haven't been offered a place yet, these are preliminary inquiries and once I am offered and choose which school would be better I will of course tell the other so as to make the place free for someone else! It's every man and woman for themselves in this world, unfortunately!