Accepeted for PGDE in Business (NUI Galway)

beya2009

I have been accepted an offer for a PGDE in NUI Galway which I have accepted for Sept 2009.

I did not get block mode for Galway and was given sequential block instead. I know block mode is more advantageous and the waiting list currently is around 35 people however as home is Wexford for me..the difference would have been minimal.

The reality now is that I will have to get a school in Galway preferably that is on their approved list and that will be tough as I have never been to Galway! I am in the process of finding a school now. I emailed around 6 schools in Galway city on Friday so hopefully I hear from them soon. I want to try to find a school in Galyway city as it will be near NUI Galway.

Oh yea my subject is Business. I want to do business and english as my two teaching methodologies.

Powerhouse

beya2009 wrote: »

I have been accepted an offer for a PGDE in NUI Galway which I have accepted for Sept 2009.

I did not get block mode for Galway and was given sequential block instead. I know block mode is more advantageous and the waiting list currently is around 35 people however as home is Wexford for me..the difference would have been minimal.

The reality now is that I will have to get a school in Galway preferably that is on their approved list and that will be tough as I have never been to Galway! I am in the process of finding a school now. I emailed around 6 schools in Galway city on Friday so hopefully I hear from them soon. I want to try to find a school in Galyway city as it will be near NUI Galway.

Oh yea my subject is Business. I want to do business and english as my two teaching methodologies.

Maybe I am missing something here but how can somebody take a methodology in a subject they cannot teach?

emertheleemer

Hey Beya,

Don't worry was in the same boat a few weeks back. If you can't get a school the college will have to help you out. Can't really comment on whether block or sequential is better-Also from reading previous posts it seems that a lot of people in the end turn down block release if they get it off the waiting list because they're already sorted by the time the waiting list offers come out in August. I won't be taking it if I get it anyways so thats one less person in line if you are still stuck! Just keep sending in cvs and letters and you should hear something back. Fingers crossed for you:)

beya2009

"Maybe I am missing something here but how can somebody take a methodology in a subject they cannot teach?"

Well I contacted Dr. Fleming from School of Education in NUI Galway and she said this, "There is no problem with selecting English as an additional teaching meythodology".

Like my degree, " [FONT=&quot]Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Recreation & Sport Management[/FONT]" only qualifies me to teach business and business studies and your required to choose another subject so im going to choose english.

gaeilgegrinds

The Teaching Council have the final say though, particularly once section 30 comes in shortly. Get onto them.

beya2009

Hi gaeilgegrinds,

"The Teaching Council have the final say though, particularly once section 30 comes in shortly. Get onto them."

I take it that is in relation to me wanting to pick English and to find out whether I will be able to teach it when i finish my PGDE in Galway?

beya2009

Hi emertheleemer,

Thank you for your positive reply. yeah I hope I find a school asap 2bh! oh rite so like you have to apply formerly to schools like wit letter of application and cv? lol jeez all i have done so far is contact like 6 schools by email asking them if they have any teaching practice slots for business.

Never knew it has to be done formerly bearing in mind there is no pay.

Powerhouse

beya2009 wrote: »

I take it that is in relation to me wanting to pick English and to find out whether I will be able to teach it when i finish my PGDE in Galway?

Well, this is what confuses me. The teaching council recognises the right to teach only subjects studied to degree level. It is one thing to do a teaching methodolgy in a subject to make up the HDip requiremenst if you have only one teaching subject but quite another to consider the possibility of teaching it in a school later despite not (presumably) having studied it at all as part of a degree.

beya2009

Hi Powerhouse

"Well, this is what confuses me. The teaching council recognizes the right to teach only subjects studied to degree level. It is one thing to do a teaching methodolgy in a subject to make up the HDip requirements if you have only one teaching subject but quite another to consider the possibility of teaching it in a school later despite not (presumably) having studied it at all as part of a degree."

I think your spot on there as there was no English content in my degree whats so ever however would I be correct in saying it would be under the discretion of the Principal to appoint you for a subject to teach even though not qualified for it?

Like I have a very strong sporting background and have experience P.E. teaching at a school and since my primary degree had a lot of content from a sporting background, there is no doubt that when im finished my PGDE, I will also state I can do P.E. teaching even though im not qualified to teach it..again presuming it would be under the discretion of the principal to recruit.

My idea is that when I finish the PGDE I will have the flexibility to teach three subjects (Business, english & P.E.) even though I will only be qualified to teach business as this will obviously increase employment opportunities.

Whether it will work is another thing lol

gaeilgegrinds

In the past principals appointed people to teach subjects at their discretion.
This is changing. A teacher in my school was teaching a subject for years and now had her hours cut by half the year of her CID as she is not qualified to teach them. You can do all the courses you want in the Dip and still not be qualified to teach them. I remember them telling us to take on extra courses and said we would get certs for doing them. No certs appeared and a friend of mine feels she really grated on a principal's nerves when she mentioned her extra methodologies in an interview setting. You need 30% of your degree to be made up by a subject in order to be able to teach it.

beya2009

Hi gaeilgegrinds,

Thank you for your very helpful and honest insight at the present situation. Looks like im trying to become a qualified teacher at the wrong time! lol ha I understand why they would implement this system. So I will only be qualified to teach business subjects which I am happy enough with as I feel hopefully there is a demand more for business teachers than say P.E. teachers.

But like what u were sayin about job cuts and all..do u think this system..even tho only at its infant stage is kind of flawed as personally even I know ppl teaching in schools that are not qualified to teach their subjects..i.e. dont have hdips. Moreover, does that not mean that choosing a second teaching methodology subject is now ineffective and completly a waste of time then...them house teaching the second subject, I would rather go down 2 the pub then lol

Obviously I know if you have a very strong degree..i.e as in a degree that gives u two post primary subjects that u can be qualified in..then obviously ur sorted but for ppl that only have one subject their qualified in then..well..it realli sucks wit this new system.

Oh well im just grateful to be in this position that im accpeted as all my m8s applied for hdips and none of them got it and we all applied to 5 unis!

Toto Wolfcastle

beya2009 wrote: »

Moreover, does that not mean that choosing a second teaching methodology subject is now ineffective and completly a waste of time then...them house teaching the second subject, I would rather go down 2 the pub then lol

You have to do two mothodologies in NUIG and you will have to pass both. Many people who only have one choose CSPE or Religion as there is a far better chance of being asked to take on one of those than other subjects. If other business-related subjects like accounting or economics are taught separately would you not be better off choosing one of those? You would be far more likely to be asked to take on one of those subjects. TBH it is unlikely that you will ever be asked to take English classes. There are far too many English teachers out there as it is.

gaeilgegrinds

I know of a few unqualified 'teachers' teaching but don't know any who got paid last year. Perhaps it's different where I teach but they were all totting up hours for the Dip. I know in the past it was rife as there were not enough. But now there are more than enough teachers to fill posts. If you pick CSPE or SPHE there is a chance you might teach them, best of luck

beya2009

Hi janeybabe,

Alright I totally understand what your saying.

"You have to do two methodologies in NUIG and you will have to pass both. Many people who only have one choose CSPE or Religion as there is a far better chance of being asked to take on one of those than other subjects. If other business-related subjects like accounting or economics are taught separately would you not be better off choosing one of those? You would be far more likely to be asked to take on one of those subjects. TBH it is unlikely that you will ever be asked to take English classes. There are far too many English teachers out there as it is."

Yes so it looks like choosing English would be pointless really. In reference to you saying I should also choose other business subjects like economics and accounting, unfortunately by degree according to the ITC only qualifies me for business and business studies.

I wouldn't mind choosing either CSPE or SPHE as my second teaching methodology and it is my understanding from some m8s that those subjects are "handy" to teach.

2bh I would rather play off the notion that I would be flexibile to be able to do P.E. teaching as I have experience doing it in Waterpark College in Waterford and furthermore its so easy and fun to teach!

Most of the schools I contacted on Friday got back to me already saying their places are already full so I will have to find schools in County Galway:( I dont drive so thats why im reluctant to get schools further away but I will take anything now.

Yea hi gaeilgegrinds,

I know one teacher in waterpark college who teaches maths and p.e. yet he has no hdip. sure he has a masters in physchology and it also helps his father has strong ties to the school! but like I get what your saying that there is less and less unqualified teachers now.

Powerhouse

beya2009 wrote: »

I think your spot on there as there was no English content in my degree whats so ever however would I be correct in saying it would be under the discretion of the Principal to appoint you for a subject to teach even though not qualified for it?

Like I have a very strong sporting background and have experience P.E. teaching at a school and since my primary degree had a lot of content from a sporting background, there is no doubt that when im finished my PGDE, I will also state I can do P.E. teaching even though im not qualified to teach it..again presuming it would be under the discretion of the principal to recruit.

My idea is that when I finish the PGDE I will have the flexibility to teach three subjects (Business, english & P.E.) even though I will only be qualified to teach business as this will obviously increase employment opportunities.

Whether it will work is another thing lol

I understand what you are trying to achieve in making yourself more employable but the difficulty with English is that while it is a core subject and on the face of it - for that reason - a good methodology to do, it is also a subject that will attract specialist teachers who will have it as a main subject. Whatever the local requirements of a principal from time to time they will want specialist teachers teaching the core subjects, and there are no shortage of these in English. It would be of less benefit as an auxiliary subject than it initially seems.

In fairness to English graduates, you'd wonder what's the point if someone can become qualified as an English teacher through a methodology. The likes of SPHE or CSPE might be a better bet where a specialist teacher might not be justifiable around in tightened times.

Similarly with PE you will get a specialist qualified PE Teacher who is qualified to teach another subject also. It is one thing to train the hurling team or the basketball team but quite another to be recruited as a PE Teacher per se.

I am just wary of building up your hopes too much. I would wish you all the luck in the world I can assure you.

Toto Wolfcastle

beya2009 wrote: »

Yes so it looks like choosing English would be pointless really. In reference to you saying I should also choose other business subjects like economics and accounting, unfortunately by degree according to the ITC only qualifies me for business and business studies.

I wouldn't mind choosing either CSPE or SPHE as my second teaching methodology and it is my understanding from some m8s that those subjects are "handy" to teach.

Your degree may only qualify you to teach business and business studies but a business and business studies teacher is far more likely to be asked to take on other business-type subjects than CSPE, etc. You were willing to take on English (which surprises me as it seems like you are looking for an easy option), why not something related to your area of study? I wouldn't choose a subject based on whether it is 'handy' to teach tbh.

beya2009

Hi Powerhouse I see the logic in everything your saying. God the power of information cannot be underestimated! Im so glad I registered to this forum. Yeah I just want to make myself as attractive as possible and I WISH I was qualified to be able to teach two subjects but the realist is im not.

Like I have an M.B.S. in Marketing from WIT and I feel business is and will be my specialist subject so I will play strongly on that obviously however in terms of interviews and things I will have to seel myself the best way I can and that is why I will be reluctant to just say I can only teach business as more than likely, flexibility is key. Like if I get a job teaching business, I would like to think I would be more than capable of covering for say the P.E. teacher if he or she is out sick in a competetant manner.

But yeah its true not to get carried away. Im just going to put my head down like i've always done.

Hi janeybabe,

I hope you did not get offended by what I said and I hope you dont think im looking for a loophole. Im not kidding myself for what the future holds for me in the world of teaching. I have always worked hard all my life and as a Nigerian, I am not kidding myself that even after qualified, getting a job is going to be unreal challenging.

That was my intention to do as many business subjects as I can as this will make me more employable but after contacting Dr. Fleming from School of Education at NUI Galway, she informed me I will only be able to do business and business studies but I am still going to try and push to see if maybe I can do economics as well if I can. Also, from what people are saying here, its in my best interest to pick either SPHE or CSPE fo the reasons that have been stated previously.

I mean im starting to understand the system better now. Like for my undergrad, we only did accounting in year 1 and 2 and economics only in year 3. And god knows why my degree doesn't qualifiy me for p.e. teaching as we equally did business and sports subjects.

gaeilgegrinds

P.E. is such a specialist subject we've never managed to get a sub for those classes, it's far from easy to teach as the students can run riot. If I were you I'd look into LCVP as it has strong links with business.

beya2009

Hi gaeilgegrinds,

"P.E. is such a specialist subject we've never managed to get a sub for those classes, it's far from easy to teach as the students can run riot. If I were you I'd look into LCVP as it has strong links with business."

Yeah and I know becoming a qualified P.E. teacher is extremely hard however I dont know why 2bh as when I was p.e. teaching in Waterpark i really enjoyed it and found it "handy" but then again I have a strong sporting back ground having played county level in hockey, rugby and athletics.

That LCVP sounds very interesting. Unfortunately LCVP cannot be selected as one of the teaching methodologies as its not on the list however it says each student is required to choose of a semster duration to attend and LCVP is one of them so I will do that one.

So I think I will choose business and sphe as my second subject.

gaeilgegrinds

Which is why it's a handy extra on your C.V! I have the booklet open on my lap, did my research!

beya2009

Hi gaeilgegrinds,

So you think it would be no hard in putting it in cv then? I was talking to my sis a min ago and she goin into 6th year and she said LCVP is an important subject as its examinable. But I know obv I wont be qualified to teach it.

gaeilgegrinds

Business teachers in our school teach LCVP, maybe others can shed some light on this but I think all they did was inservice? It's a very important subject for many.

beya2009

I've decided on what im going to be doing for my PGDE after having thought things through logically and taking into account all the help advice I have been given here.

Im going to choose business studies as my major subject and economics as my second methodology. Thinking logically, even though my degree does not qualify me for economics specifically, at least its a business related subject and like janeybabe pointed out, principals would be more likely to ask you to teach business related subjects.

We did economics in 3rd year and funnily enough, that was my highest mark that year. I will then choose LCVP as the course to do in semester one. At least the emerging theme here is that Im only doing subjects related to my field so hopefully this will be conducive to getting emplyment in the near future and with a masters behind me, hopefully I will be equipped for the teaching world!

So when Im finished I will be qualified to teach business and business studies but would have at least done economics and LCVP. Whether the latter ones will ever be used after my PGDE is another thing.