Subbing in Primary Schools

aeiou

Hi there,
I was looking to get some subbing work in the sligo/leitrim area in a primary school. Is there any organisation or website which advertises these positions? Or should I just send a c.v to lots of schools. I'm looking for experiance and i'm not really worried about the payment. I have an Arts degree, would i get to do subbing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

byhookorbycrook

Because there are so many untrained fully qualified teachers you might find it hard. Educationposts.ie runs a sub service, but I don't know that you can register with a B.A. Might be worth calling to local schools with your C.V though.

overmantle

My advice would be that you would need to do some observation, volunteering first. You could possibly apply for substitute SNA positions to start with. There is an oversupply of fully qualified primary teachers at this stage, so it is a lot to expect to be able to get primary school substitution. Perhaps it might be a little easier in the area you mentioned but I'd be surprised if it was.

derryo

In order to qualify for subbing positions through educationposts.ie you must now be registered with the Teaching Council.

pooch90

To be honest the amount of subbing you'd get as an unqualified primary teacher completely depends on where you are. Some regions are screaming out for subs and there are no qualifieds around. You won't get text-a-sub messages from educationposts unless registered with TC as said above but text-a-sub is fairly crap as you need the reflexes of a cat to get the call into principal before someone else. Just go to local schools, with CV and explain your situation. You might not get a great response from all principals but don't let that get you down. Most will be delighted to have another option when stuck in the morning for a teacher. Good Luck with it.

aeiou

Thanks for the info. I have already done some observation and i really want to have a class for the full day on my own. I think this area is as competitive as any with a surplus amount of teachers however I was dissapointed to see a retired teacher subbing in a local school for a two week period. These oppertunities should be given to newly qualified teachers and individuals interested in teaching. Thanks again for the input.

BoozyBabe

aeiou wrote: »

I was dissapointed to see a retired teacher subbing in a local school for a two week period.

These oppertunities should be given to newly qualified teachers

Yes.

and individuals interested in teaching.

No!!!
Those retired teachers have FAR more right to be in a school than someone who has just decided they might like to teach, hasn't even secured a place on a post grad course, nevermind completed one, & may not have a clue how to teach the class!!!!

I think it's ridiculous that you somehow feel you've more right to be in that class for 2 weeks than a retired teacher, who has qualifications & years of experience that says they know what to do.

It IS wrong though, for retired teachers to be subbing ahead of those newly qualified teachers who need the experience on their cv's to secure a permanent job.

I DO know where you're coming from RE: getting experience, don't get me wrong. Your best bet is to keep up the volunteering around schools. It's actually better experience than subbing, as you're getting to watch experienced professionals at their job, so that when your time comes around, you'll know how lots of other teachers handle a given situation.
Volunteer in several schools, get your name known, & who knows, if a day comes up, they could very well be happy to give you a shot.

Also, yes post out your CV's to schools, stating why you're doing so, & you could be lucky enough to get a day here & there, but the things are at the mo, I'd doubt if you'd get much more than that. The market is flooded with NQT's. Great for the schools, & possibly great for standards in education. Not so great for those looking for jobs.

I do wish you all the very best with everything, & hopefully you get to where you want to be someday.

E.T.

+1 on that Boozybabe. I can't believe the amount of people who think that they are somehow entitled to work as a substitute teacher without ANY form of teaching qualification. Just because someone has observed a class/classes doesn't give them the right or the ability to act as a teacher for the day. It's completely demeaning to teachers. I'd take a retired teacher over an unqualified person as a sub anyday, it's ridiculous that unqualified people are taken on as subs at all.

aeiou

"Those retired teachers have FAR more right to be in a school than someone who has just decided they might like to teach, hasn't even secured a place on a post grad course"

I agree with this statement however I have not just decided I would like to teach, it has always been my career goal. Competition for post grad places is enormous at the minute so people who really want to teach must be patient.

Principals must take into account the amount of days/weeks experiance a person has along with the strenght of their degree and its relevance to teaching before they choose the sub-teacher.

You have overlooked my experiance and the fact that I have a relevant degree. I know that I am not qualified to teach but I need the experiance in order to get a post grad.

BoozyBabe

aeiou wrote: »

You have overlooked my experiance and the fact that I have a relevant degree.

& you have overlooked the fact that regardless how relevant you think your degree is to teaching, it is LESS relevant than those retired teachers you were complaining about.

Principals must take into account the amount of days/weeks experiance a person has along with the strenght of their degree and its relevance to teaching before they choose the sub-teacher.

They do, which is why in ALL circumstances they should choose an experienced retired teacher over an unqualified sub.

I know that I am not qualified to teach but I need the experiance in order to get a post grad.

It helps yes, but is not essential. I'm currently completing my postgrad & I got in without even a days observation. If everything else about your application is good enough, lack of experience will not go against you. Again, volunteer, observe, see the masters at work, & then you might get a day here & there, but it will be tough, there are a lot of people more qualified than you looking for those days also.

I never said don't do this. The only point I had an issue with was that somehow you felt you're more entitled to be in a classroom than a retired fully qualified, fully experienced teacher. You don't!

afkasurfjunkie

try volunteering. local guides/church choir/youth club/gaa or sports club. you will get some experience dealing with young people/children and it will stand to if you apply to the post grad.

TheColl

BoozyBabe wrote: »

Those retired teachers have FAR more right to be in a school than someone who has just decided they might like to teach, hasn't even secured a place on a post grad course, nevermind completed one, & may not have a clue how to teach the class!!!!

I think it's ridiculous that you somehow feel you've more right to be in that class for 2 weeks than a retired teacher, who has qualifications & years of experience that says they know what to do.

E.T. wrote: »

+1 on that Boozybabe. I can't believe the amount of people who think that they are somehow entitled to work as a substitute teacher without ANY form of teaching qualification. Just because someone has observed a class/classes doesn't give them the right or the ability to act as a teacher for the day. It's completely demeaning to teachers. I'd take a retired teacher over an unqualified person as a sub anyday, it's ridiculous that unqualified people are taken on as subs at all.

I couldn't agree more with these statements. If someone wanted to be a surgeon would they ask a hospital for the opportunity to go in and 'have a go' at surgery?? Teaching is a highly skilled profession. Unqualified people should only be allowed into a classroom on a voluntary basis under the close supervision of a qualified teacher. A 'relevant' degree is not enough, you could argue that most degrees have some level of relevance to teaching.

So OP, perhaps you should be grateful for ANY opportunity a school affords you, voluntary or paid, and have some respect for school principals (highly qualified and experienced professionals) who decide to give subbing work to retired teachers over unqualified people.

messygirl

hi op

just wanted to let ou know you dont need experience to get the postgrad, i got into hibernia fist time with NO experience. There is also another girl who got in with NO experience on the first time too. These are the things i think got us accepted.

We repeatedt he irish, showing we wanted this badly enough
i volunteer with the brownies (actively seeking out experiences with young kids)
i volunteer in local library once a month with a book club
i had an sna qualification with 1 weeks experience
i wrote an indepth application letter detailing why i wanted this, my experience and so on
i joined a gaa club and trained with them (kinda fizzled out after i got the place....)
i took up a drama course for kids
I illustrated examples of when i contributed to the community and why this was important, stating it is something i would foster in the kids
i stated my intention to do the fai kickstart programme
i outlined how i knew how tough this was as a career, why i hadnt done it before and why i thought i would make a GREAT teacher (with tp looming feeling a lot less confident )
i prepared for my interview and showed them i cared
i think i proved to them this is what i wanted and not "o i have a ba what will i do now? i know il try teaching for the hols" which i think some people do, i have a ba too so not bashing, but sometimes i think some people go into it for the wrong reasons

have you gone for the interview? competition is tough but someone has to get places, there is NO reason why it cant be you!!! I got a place above people with months of subbing experience so it definitely doesnt count for everything. If you have a cracker of an application and prepare for the interview you are definitely in with a GREAT chance. Start now by takin a few extra classes like drama for kids, art for kids (local vecs), in the brownies i have my own sub group for a bit which is great. volunteer with youth sports teams even if you arent a sporty person, show them you want this not by getting subbing and getting paid to look after kids but by involving yourself in the community, volunteering in schools, in volunteer activities with kids, by showing them you enjoy being around kids when you ARENT being paid for it. Its easy for people to say I want to be a teacher but you have to show that you want to teach kids and (buzzword ahead) "facilitate the learning of children through active learning and helping them become participants in their own education". Make yourself so attractive a candidate so they cant say no. Subbing will in no way guarantee you a place, i think they want someone who demonstrates a desire to help children develop morally socially and educationally. best of luck and dont automatically think you wont get a place because there is so much competition, go for the interview, hibernia accept applications year round and the interview experience will benefit you enormously! Good luck

aeiou

Hi messygirl

Thanks for the information. I have an interview with Hibernia coming up shortly. To be honest I know that subbing is not the most important thing with the application and I do have a few weeks voluntary experiance in schools. I just wanted to get subbing so that I could give up the job I have now which has no relevance to teaching, a job I don't enjoy.

Did you enjoy the Hibernia course? I'm just trying to understand if the tutors/lecturers get to know the students fairly well during the course?

I am currently preparing for the interview so if anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it!

overmantle

Forgive me for pointing it out but if you are writing about your experience when making your application, be sure to write it as 'EXPERIENCE' and not 'EXPERIANCE' as that is the spelling you have used in your various posts.

stewbacca

Hi all,

Just noticed this thread and was looking for some information on substitute teaching. Can anyone with a university degree be a substitute teacher these days or do you have to be qualified or registered with some organisation? I have an undergrad law degree and an LLM and stuck for work at the moment and I'd heard from some friends that looking for substitute teaching work in primary schools might be an option. I'm sure there's loads of properly qualified teachers out there but was just wondering if anyone here has done something similar?

Do you need to show an interest in becoming a teacher and observe classes for free first or in more rural areas (such as where I'm living) where they might be a bit stuck for subs would I be able to apply just by handing in a cv and what not or would there be any formalities I'd have to go through first? Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance

BoozyBabe

stewbacca wrote: »

stuck for work at the moment and I'd heard from some friends that looking for substitute teaching work in primary schools might be an option.

Do you need to show an interest in becoming a teacher

And HAVE you an interest in becoming a teacher? Or is it, as you said, just cos you're stuck for a bit of work.

If the latter, stay away. There are LOADS of qualified subs already looking for what little bit of subbing there is out there. After that, there are lots & lots of current students looking for that bit of subbing, & after that there are lots of people desperate to become a teacher & looking for experience to get onto a training course.

If you just want to do it for a handy few quid, then stay away. It's not fair on the kids, & what makes you think you can just walk in off the street & have the ability to teach anyway when others can train for upto 4 years to do so.

If I've taken yoy up wrong, I apologise, but from how you typed your post you appear not to care for teaching & just feel it might be easy money. Again, apologies if I'm wrong

stewbacca

BoozyBabe wrote: »

And HAVE you an interest in becoming a teacher? Or is it, as you said, just cos you're stuck for a bit of work.

If the latter, stay away. There are LOADS of qualified subs already looking for what little bit of subbing there is out there. After that, there are lots & lots of current students looking for that bit of subbing, & after that there are lots of people desperate to become a teacher & looking for experience to get onto a training course.

If you just want to do it for a handy few quid, then stay away. It's not fair on the kids, & what makes you think you can just walk in off the street & have the ability to teach anyway when others can train for upto 4 years to do so.

If I've taken yoy up wrong, I apologise, but from how you typed your post you appear not to care for teaching & just feel it might be easy money. Again, apologies if I'm wrong

Yes you have taken me up completely wrong. In no way did I imply or think that "I could just walk in off the street and have the ability to teach" or that it was easy money - hence why I was asking if being qualified was a prerequisite. I had heard that in some rural areas primary schools find it extremely hard to get substitute teachers on short notice and thought that I could make myself available. I wasn't looking to screw over qualified substitute teachers but if some primary schools are in need of such teachers and if I was capable of the work then it would be a good idea. I assumed a primary school wouldn't allow me to substitute teach if they didn't think it was good for the children. I'm looking at all my options due the recession and maybe considering teaching as a possible career path in the future but didn't realise it would offend people to look into the option of substitute teaching without having first committed myself to taking up a teaching training course.

I never said it would be a handy few quid or that I was looking to take work off qualified and experienced teachers. While I am stuck for work at the moment I thought maybe I could use the skills I have in a constructive and useful manner while being paid for them as unfortunately I'm not in the position to support myself while undertaking unpaid work.


If anyone has any useful advice or information that would be great.

TheColl

An undergrad degree is enough. I personally don't agree with this situation, but that's the way it is. Teachers must be Garda vetted now but I'm not sure how it works with subs.

I'd say send your CV around to local schools, let them know you are available and see what happens. As people have said, there are probably plenty of qualified teachers out of work looking for the same kind of work, so even in a rural area you might not have much luck, but no harm in trying.

lily09

Do you need to show an interest in becoming a teacher and observe classes for free first or in more rural areas (such as where I'm living) where they might be a bit stuck for subs would I be able to apply just by handing in a cv and what not or would there be any formalities I'd have to go through first? Any info would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance

Hi there,
I dont want to put a dampner on your interest but I dont think you have much chance of getting subbing.
I work in a rural area and our principal just discards any cvs she receives from unqualified subs.I know this seems harsh but as a teaching principal she cannot be popping into a class, therefore it is a huge risk to let a stranger with no qualifications, garda vetting, experience or references into a clasroom with up to 36 children.
Also out of a staff of 6 there were 7 sick days last year. My advice is if you truly want to be a teacher look for unpaid volunteering.

amz5

If our school can't get a qualified sub we split the class. Our principal would only take a secondary qualified teacher as a last resort. She would never take an unqualified sub. There has been a huge clamp-down on unqualified people going into classrooms. It still happens, so you can chance your arm if you want. However, I think that Principal Teachers who hire random people are being highly irresponsible. I also think that an Arts degree is NOT a relevant qualification. It has nothing to do with education/teaching/methodologies.