Haven't taught in secondary since the my dip...(6years).

simonsays1

Hello to all. I completed my Hdip in 2004. I found myself in a difficult enough school but got through it. Since then I have worked in a specialist school and two primary schools but not as class teacher. I have been unemployed for almost a year now, I did one week subbing since last summer and really enjoyed it. Anyway I have decided to move to England in September and sign up with an agency (supply work).
Basically, I'm completely freaking out. I 'm not eating, kicking myself for leaving it this late to get back in to secondary teaching. (should have listened to me ma!) It feels like the summer before I did the dip only this time I know what I'm getting myself into. When I did the dip I just got on with it, now I feel I should have progressed as regards my occupation. My biggest fear is being a not very good teacher-
I'm reading up on my subjects (history and geography) like mad and it's all very daunting. I just dont think I'm knowledgeable enough for this game; I feel really out of touch. I know I'd be better prepared if I had experience in an Irish school but I don't even have that. subjects plus teaching techniques etc. Has anyone else been in the same situation? Has anyone experienced supply work in London who could give me advise?
Thanks in advance!!

margo2000

Hi I did the dip in 2005 and since then did very little secondary school work but did a lot of subbing in primary schools. My subjects are history and English. I was also thinking of going to UK to work, just wondering what job agency you decided to apply to?

simonsays1

Hello Margo, I've signed up to the Impact teaching agency in London. They've enquired about what I've been doing since June 2009, I've said I've been unemployed so waiting to hear back about what they have to say about that. Hopefully it will be good news......are you up to date with the British curriculum yourself?

margo2000

Hi Simon, I signed up to uteach recruitment months ago and sent off a load of forms but havn't heard back from them. They mentioned a website for national curriculum which is www.nc.uk.net but honestly I havn't really looked at the curriculum. I'm kinda in denial about the whole thing coz I don't really want to go but know I probably should. Tribal Resourcing are looking for teachers in Kent and are holding an open day and interviews on wed June 2nd in Dublin so if I can work up the courage I might go to that. I did English in first year in UCC and before I could teach it but now it's not recognised by teaching council which is annoying. Hate TC! Are there lots of history jobs in uk? Hope everything works out okay for you with Impact. Do you mind what part of uk you go to?

simonsays1

Thanks for the info, I'm heading to London, I'm hoping to do supply work first to test the water, i'm sure it will be eventful,i suppose one would be better off starting in a post as you can plan and know what you are doing the next day, unlike supply you're landed in and expected to teach what's required by the teacher...but i'm gonna go with supply at the start anyway. i wouldn't be going only i'm kinda pressed to leave my gaff in the summer and obviously I've nothing lined up in Ireland. Teaching council and their new rules...i have heard that happening to one friend and VEC are forcing her to do an undergraduate 3 years eve course in her subject.
On thursday next ,Teachaway (an English agency)are in Dublin, dunno the location but from 9-3...a talk i guess,i think i'll go..might chat to someone about my situation.
i think as regards my own situation it's now or never even though i'm scared as hell...i went to UCC too, they should reinforce the idea of not staying out of it for too long, or maybe they did, or maybe that's common knowledge...regardless i didn't care about that stuff back then and was happy getting a job anywhere...anyway i'm babbling...best of luck...feel free to enquire about anything....

simonsays1

i mean inquire...damn it

margo2000

Supply work will be tough but at least I suppose if you don't like the school you will only be there for a short time and don't have to work there again if you don't want to?? There are so many teaching agencies out there that it's kind of hard to know which one to apply to or just to apply to all of them and now you just mentioned another one, Teachaway. It's good you've set your mind to do it. I'm reluctant and need a really big kick up the backside to get going!

Part of the reason I'm out of it so long is that I was in a serious longterm relationship and for years I only applied to jobs locally as I didn't want to move away. Looking back on it now I was so stupid as Ireland is tiny and everywhere is only a few hours away. We ended it mutually after nearly nine years together but I feel like I've wasted years of my life staying with him when I should have been getting teaching experience in secondary schools all over Ireland. Sorry for the rant!

Anyway, if you want more info, Tribal resourcing will be in the Trinity Capital Hotel on wed 2nd June from 11-7, details on loadzajobs.ie. If you live in Dublin you could call in there and talk to someone about moving to England. I think it's great that you know what you want to do so the best of luck with the supply work.

simonsays1

hey there...Try not to look at those years as a waste cause I don;t think they are, that's your personal experience and makes you who you are today. You may have done things differently in hindsight but try not to punish yourself for your decisions. I'm currently trying to accept some baffling ones I;ve made in the past and reckon my path is a little bendy, is all....thanks for the advise and take care.....

sunflower!

Hi there! I've been teaching in the UK since Christmas, Impact Teachers got me a full time/perm job in Surrey (just outside London) teaching History. I am getting on really well now, tough going at first but enjoying it now. There is plenty of work over here as far as I can tell, posts will be up at the moment for starts in September i would recommend you try for some of them as supply would be pretty hard going over here. Any questions feel free...

simonsays1

hello sunflower, thanks for the reply. that's wonderful you're getting on so well now.ace! yeah i have a few questions. how are finding the english history syllabus? are you teaching A level? I'm with Impact teachers also. can you recommend any good history books? there's so many on net. do you find it easier teaching one subject rather than two? do you find the method of delievering the syllabus v defined or do you have leeway? laptop?
yeah i think i might be changing my mind regarding getting a job rather than supply as i'd like to know what i am doing the following day. your advise and answers would be v much appreciated....

sunflower!

The school i am in doesn’t like to use the text books! they prefer to use resources like hand outs and power points, i don’t know if that is the usual? We teach 5 hour long classes a day i think that is the norm over here!

I like only teaching the one subject but I do worry that when I go home again it will be a disadvantage. There are some teachers in my school who teach a few KS3 classes in a second subject so you might be able to swing that if you really want to.

I found the UK history difficult at first but it’s not too bad. I don’t have any A level and wont next year either in our school they don’t tend to give the A level classes to new teachers for a few years, but that might vary. I have been teaching KS3 and KS4. I have ended up with a number of year 7 groups (11/12) year 8 groups (12/13) and year 9 groups (13/14). This means I am teaching the same lesson plan a number of times! this might get boring next year but at the moment it has been helpful! I found the website www.schoolhistory.co.uk really helpful I use a lot of their resources, you could use the site to get to know the syllabus. I think most schools stick to roughly the same things for KS3.

The GCSE is a bit different as schools can pick their own topics and they all use different exam boards, its very different to home! Our school uses AQA if you search them you can have a look at the schemes and that but I don’t know how popular they are so you might end up using a different one. There tends to be loads of information online. I have all my resources saved from this year so if you need help next year I’d be happy to pass some of them on. Your school will have a department though and a department head which is helpful when you are starting out as they will all have resources and should be happy to share and help you out. My head of department is very easy going and trusts me to work away and the syllabus is fairly loose, she wants the major topics covered but isn’t too concerned about how long I spend on them or what aspects we focus on which gives great freedom to spend more time on topics the kids connect with – like witchcraft and the plague!! I think this is particular to her though as other in other departments have tighter constraints - I think it depends on your head of department.
I got my own lap top given to me when I started and I have my own room with interactive whiteboard and ten student computers and a teacher pc complete with videoplayer, dvd player, projector and sound system! Very different to home!!

Can’t think of anything else but let me know if you want to know anything else!

simonsays1

sunflower thank you so much for taking the time....great info there...i feel much better about the possibility of teaching in the UK.....:)