Help advice needed....Give up work to apply for primary teaching course??

Cinders84

Hey all, im seriously cracking up and feel like I have to make the biggest decision ever in my whole entire life. I'm currently in full time employment and I like where i work , people are nice, place is nice, first job I can honestly say I dont mind driving to in the morn. But bout 2 years ago I decided to repeat my Irish Leaving Cert exam to go for primary teaching, somthing I can see myself doing in years to come and enjoying it,but I decided all this before the big R raided through the country!!! Now work are offering redunancies, but I have to decide in the next week if I take it or not, if I dont , ive no choice to stay put. Pro's of taking it are:Lump sum I get wud cover fee's for course and hopefully a trip for 2 months to Oz ( something ive wanted to do) ,by taking R id have more time to observe / volunteer in schools, something that is a Key to getting accepted to courses, im moving more towards achieving my Goal, However there is serious Cons, also:I might never get my course, I might not get a partime job in the meantime, I might never get a job again, esp one i like, I might not get SW, which I would be counting to live off until I do start my course, again though that might never happen. And even if I did get my course, things dont seem to be getting better, when will there be jobs again and I know there's people there from the full degree course(I intend on doing postgrad as I have my degree) , would employers not pick them first , then there's my plan that I mentioned, how often does a plan work out, please advise, im having a panic attack!!!!!!!

BoozyBabe

Cinders, no one can make your mind up for you, & no one can answer any of those questions for you. It's all up to you. Take a leap of faith or not....

All I can do is tell you my story. Whether it helps or not??????

Worked in a secure job, good colleagues, all the rest, but I was bored & unfulfilled. Had often thought of teaching (like 6-8yrs worth of thinking) but always put it off as I didn't have honours Irish, & was terrible at it 1st time round.
Anyway, in 2006, I made up my mind that I'd to try atleast to get into the teaching course. I'd to learn Irish from scratch, pretty much, so gave myself 2 years for that, & in June'08 I repeated the LC & got my honour. I then applied to Hibernia & I got accepted 1st time. With no child related experience whatsoever. (Have music, sport & IT skills though).
I worried about the no job thing, I've a mortgage, I'm also building a house, I was settled, used to a wage, etc. Thoughts of the unknown were frightening, but I decided if I didn't atleast try I'd always wonder what if. So I went for it & I have no regrets.
It costs a lot, yes, but if it's what you want to do...
I started in Feb '09, so nearly 1/2 way through. Just finished my 1st week of TP2.
It's hectic, but doable. TP's the worst.
I'm getting SW while on the course, though obviously not during TP.
I'm on the casual system, so I sub when I get the work too, not that plentiful now, btw.
I volunteer in other schools when not subbing, for the experience.
I don't know if I'll get a job when I qualify. I'm not looking that far ahead. But the way I see it is I'll have added another string to my bow, & if worst comes to worst, I have my other profession to fall back on while I wait for teaching to pick up.
There has not been one morn that I've wakened since leaving my job that I've wished I hadn't....

Best of luck in your decision.....

Shane101

Ye Boozys right nobody can make your choice for you.
But i leave you this quote:

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore"

Cinders84

Hey ya's

My god, your story sounds like mine so far, I also was crap at Irish , did my leaving in 2002 and just re sat the Irish exam this year!! Feels like a great achievement doesn't it, I was useless at Irish, this whole thing about sentences been backwards really got me!!!

Well done for taking the leap. I'm more for taking it, so I can get some more experience, as unlike you I ve just got one car loan which is only 150 a month, if i take the VR, I have time off to gain more experience, I have money for my course, as I can get SW if cant get another job and also like you I know I can go back to an adminstrative role if needs me after Im qualified, and knowing all this, it still freaks me out, still scares me to just say that's it, im just taking it,......which is why something is saying if your not 100% sure, then maybe stay put, but then the other side of me head is saying, quit been a whooss and take a chance for once....ya see how i have a CONSTANT MAJOR headache.....:(

I think the interviews are getting harder for Hibernia, know a few that didnt get in , kinda shocked , one of them was pratically fluent in Irish , really weird, I don't know how the select successful canidates at all , kinda scary giving up a job when your not guaranteed a place , what the hell would I do then ....................

I'll pay someone to decide and deal with the consequences for me after it, if the choice is VR, could be a good few paper one's in it for ye;)

Seriously , really appreciate your reply, I also posted this on education posts and the majority seemed to rule for me to stay put...


Shane, good quote...words of wisdom!