I think I've screwed myself (Want to Teach)

WCHero

Hi all,

I've had one of those things we call epiphanies a few days ago. I've toyed with the idea of pursuing a career in teaching for a few years now, and I think I'm ready to commit to it. Unfortunately, every website I read is getting me incredibly discouraged and confused.

I know there isn't an easy way to make it happen, but I thought I'd come back to boards.ie and try and get some advice.

I'm an American, graduating in June with a Bachelors in Creative Writing. Thus far, I haven't seen anything in Ireland that acknowledges the degree AT ALL or what its rough equivalent would be.

I spent six months studying in Ireland two years ago and absolutely fell in love with the country and am desperately trying to find a way back on a more permanent basis.

I would love to teach English in secondary school, but I'm worried that I need to re-do my entire undergraduate degree (probably in Ireland) so that a teaching program would even bother accepting me for the one-year coursework.

I'm also completely unsure if I even COULD teach without E.U. citizenship. At the moment I'm not even entirely sure if there is any way to get a green card/work permit without having any actual work experience outside of a few office jobs in the past.

Any help/advice/mockery you could offer would be grand. Thanks!

spurious

You'll need at least a Masters degree if it's from an American University.

From experience with a colleague about 15 years ago, the department didn't rate a US Bachelor's degree at all. I presume the Teaching Council are the same.

pathway33

For a qualifying degree to teach secondary school english that you can do while living in america check out www.oscail.ie . It's a distance learning course. There are people doing it at the moment who live in various parts of the world although the vast majority would live in ireland.

The degree is listed on the teaching councils website as qualifying to teach english and history or sociology (depending on the modules you choose). You may get exemptions for previous study. The next academic year starts in september 2010.

WCHero

Thanks for the quick reply, and I hadn't even thought about where a master's degree would fit into all of this. Makes a bit of sense though, now that I'm thinking about it.

And while going through oscail and spending three years on another undergraduate degree is exactly what I feared, I supppose that always is an option.

My initial plan was to graduate and then spend a year or two working abroad (preferably in Ireland) with a work permit. Unfortunately I've been told that is basically impossible, so now I'm thinking that going to school in the E.U. might be the only way to get my proverbial foot in the door. I've seen a few post-graduate and master's degrees in Ireland that I'd be interested in applying to.

So for most people who want to become secondary school teachers they typically get their undergraduate degree in three years, and then get a post-grad degree and THEN become certified through an accredited program?

dory

WCHero wrote: »

So for most people who want to become secondary school teachers they typically get their undergraduate degree in three years, and then get a post-grad degree and THEN become certified through an accredited program?

Yes, generally we do a three year undergraduate, then a one year postgraduate diploma in education. Then we're sign up to the teaching council to become registered and off we go.

You could get on a masters programme in English in Ireland, I know some people who have gotten work as a teacher after one of those. But to stand a realistic chance of getting hired and to get a permanent job you need an undergraduate degree in the subject and the dip.

spurious

There is also the option of doing a specialised 4 year teaching degree.

pathway33

dory wrote: »

You could get on a masters programme in English in Ireland, I know some people who have gotten work as a teacher after one of those.

WCHero - If you go this route make sure you square it with the teaching council first. They will probably say no. Like dory said, an undergraduate degree (or the equivalent to an irish undergaduate degree) is the basis on which you are assessed

WCHero

So I should check with the Teaching Council to see if doing a master's in English and then an H Dip would work?

The distance learning through DCU, though attractive in its own way (great campus and professors etc.), would mean a minimum of three years away from the country AND then other qualification, right?

I've been reading up about the PGCE for the UK, is there a similar sort of strict undergraduate requirements to actually get hired to teach in Britain?

I know that with the economy in tatters these days its tough enough for an EU citizen to find a job, but what have other Americans like myself been doing to get in the country?

dory

I'd say you'd do better in England. They seem to always be looking for teachers. Then maybe after some experience there you can start applying for jobs in IReland. It'd be very unusual for some to get hired just as an English teacher though. Generally you'd need another subject too.