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Computer Teaching

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  • 12-12-2008 3:02pm
    #1
    Pavillion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭


    I am hoping to do my HDIP in education next year. If successful I will be a computer teacher. I was hoping to find out if there is much demand for computer teachers in secondary schools? I have 6 years work experience in IT and a degree as well. Ideally i would like to teach in the west....

    Any advice would be great


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    #2
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,381 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    sorry to sound negative but in my experience, no. most schools offer computer classes to their students but there is no curriculum and it is not an exam subject which puts it very low on a list of priorities I would imagine. I teach computers in my school and essentially those classes are filler classes on most teachers timetables in my school and are put in to make up teachers hours and are only assigned when all the exam subjects are catered for. Also they are given generally to anyone who has done some computing/maths/science/technology/anything vaguely science and technology related previously. Or to anyone who is fairly handy with a computer.. it might not be like this in every school but I don't think i've ever seen an advertisement for a computer teacher at second level.


    Now on a more positive note, I also teach post leaving certificate computer courses in my school and teach a number of computer subjects - word processing/databases/spreadsheets/web design etc etc. This is possibly the area you should look at getting into - adult education. There are plenty of computer based subjects in adult education courses and there are many secondary schools/ further education colleges which teach these subjects and perhaps this is where your focus should lie.

    Do you have any other subject to go with computing?


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    #3
    Pavillion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Pavillion


    Thanks rainbowtrout. It may not be a great career choice so. No ICT is the only subject I can teach from my course according to the teaching council's web site.

    In saying that I assume I could teach subjects I got an honour in leaving cert to junor cert level


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    #4
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,381 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    Pavillion wrote: »
    Thanks rainbowtrout. It may not be a great career choice so. No ICT is the only subject I can teach from my course according to the teaching council's web site.

    In saying that I assume I could teach subjects I got an honour in leaving cert to junor cert level

    well no, while in reality a teacher can sometimes be put teaching a junior cert subject that they are not qualified in, it wouldn't be that common, you would be able to take subjects for junior cert if you had them in your degree, eg subjects taken in first year arts.

    i suppose to look at what you're saying another way is - would you be happy to let a student that has just completed the LC teach a JC class, because that's essentially what you are saying, LC doesn't allow you to teach anything.

    i'm not saying don't pursue teaching but just be aware that you will be very limited and there aren't that many jobs out there at the moment


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    #5
    Pavillion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Pavillion


    Cheers for all that rainbowtrout - Good to know before I make any decision.


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    #6
    An Bradán Feasa
    Registered Users Posts: 405 ✭✭An Bradán Feasa


    Pavillion wrote: »
    Cheers for all that rainbowtrout - Good to know before I make any decision.

    Have you considered Primary School teaching? Any Level 8 degree is sufficient to get onto the H.Dip.Ed. course in one of the 4 colleges.


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    #7
    Pavillion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Pavillion


    I have thought about it alright - I don't have honours Irish so I would have to do that firstly. I always thought I would be more suited to secondary teaching. I suppose I need to think about if it is an option - if so time to pick up an Irish course..


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    #8
    Pavillion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10 ✭Pavillion


    Looking into this - Has anyone done the Irish course? Any recommendations on where to do it ? Do I need to register with a school to sit the Irish exam? I was good at Irish at school, prob should of done honours level so would not be daunted by doing this course.

    However I was crap at Maths - not sure I would even manager 5th /6th class maths even now:o


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    #9
    rainbowtrout
    Registered Users Posts: 15,381 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    you can register with the State Exams Commission as an external candidate

    www.examinations.ie

    and then you nominate a school to sit your LC exam in.

    Or you could do the Diploma sa Ghaeilge offered by NUIG. I think it's offered in several places around the country, seeing as you mention the west the nearest location to me that offers it is the teacher's education centre in Carrick on Shannon. That is also accepted for the Irish qualification.


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