What is the best college for Primary Teaching?

helpmeout1

hi people,

I'm doing my leaving cert This time next year and i was just wondering in advance,
What are the 3 best colleges to put down on da CAO for primary teaching out of; Mary I, St. Pats, Marino and Froebel. I'v checked out all their websites and they all look really good :P

So anyone who is (or was) in any of these colleges, I'd appreciate yer advice:D

Thanks!

buzsywuzsy

hi,
i qualified from Froebel college last year.. It's three years for an ordinary degree and a fourth year for an hons degree.
It's a small college with about 70/80 students per year but you get to know everyone and there can be a great atmosphere. The day starts at around 9.10 and can finish at about 3/4 dependin on your timetable. Lectures are 50 mins long. There is no option for subjects in the college but for your electives in 2/3rd year you can choose.
There is campus student accom but there is plenty available around the place- the college have a list. Some of my year lived in the city centre, others a five minute walk away.
I really enjoyed my time there and made some great friends who are my best friends and have some great memories. If you have any more qs just ask.

byhookorbycrook

Most teachers think their college is the best. I was in Mary I and thought it excellent, but then, I left in 1989!!

helpmeout1

Thanks for replying,

em judging from the website Froebel looks like good fun,but is the majority of students there females??

Ya Mary i looks really good too:) i think the three im leaned towards are, Mary i, Froebel and Marino

buzsywuzsy

To be honest.. all teaching colleges are mostly female. About 10% of my year were male and the same in Marino too. I'd say it's the same in Mary I too.

dambarude

Every college will have a majority of females.

If it makes any difference, Mary I will have a brand spanking new building opening in September with a theatre, new lecture halls, new microteaching labs etc. etc. If you have any questions about Mary I just ask.

It's impossible to get an answer on 'which college is best', the answer to the question depends on who you are talking to.

helpmeout1

Ya i suppose there are more females in primary teaching:P There always will be.....10% tho :O .....

haha ya everyone will say the college they went to is the best but it's good to hear peoples views:). I wudnt say im a "Straight A student" and every year Mary I has the highest points out of the other 3 colleges:( which is really annoying because just because people are really smart doesnt make them the best teachers

helpmeout1

I was just on a few of the college websites there and i was wondering, what are the subjects like i was thinking ill do geography and Gaeilge or Maths??

are they hard??
Help me out

thanks in advance:)

overmantle

A certain amount depends on what part of the country you are from also. If you lived in Drogheda, for example, then the Dublin colleges would make more sense. If you lived in the mid-west, south of the country, then Mary I would be the one. All things being considered, Mary I has a particularly strong reputation (that's NOT to say that the others aren't good too).

lily09

I graduated from Mary I IN 2002 and while yes I would agree that it is a very good college make sure you have a very strong sense of self worth they dont go easy on you especially during teaching practice. Maybe things have changed, I am pushing on a bit after all !!!
Saying that there was a great comraderie us against them etc...
Have the best memories and stories from the cracked things they made us do...performing dance routines in front of most of the college, plays in Irish. No matter which college you choose go with the flow and throw yourself into everything.
Best of luck in your leaving cert.
P.S i did history and geography for my subjects. Both grand

buzsywuzsy

In Froebel we never did extra subjects like that so thats different.
Another thing that's different compared to Mary I is the teaching practice.

I think (correct me if im wrong) in Mary I they teach in pairs (roughly every second lesson) up until the second last teaching practice.

In Froebel you teach on you own from the first teacing practice in second year.

dambarude

lily09 wrote: »

I graduated from Mary I IN 2002 and while yes I would agree that it is a very good college make sure you have a very strong sense of self worth they dont go easy on you especially during teaching practice. Maybe things have changed, I am pushing on a bit after all !!!

You'll be happy to know that it hasn't changed one bit lily09! They still expect bells and whistles on teaching practice. The PE dance is crazy but great craic. They mark it very hard though! I don't if they had it in your time (they probably did), but you also have to make numerous art portfolios, compose and perform songs for examination etc. etc.

buzsywuzsy wrote: »

I think (correct me if im wrong) in Mary I they teach in pairs (roughly every second lesson) up until the second last teaching practice.
.

You teach with a partner until your final 5 week home teaching practice. Having a partner is nice- it reduces some of the stress, you have somebody to bounce ideas off, gives you an idea what team teaching is like etc.

helpmeout1

I like the teaching practice in pairs idea:) ya as u said it prob helps ease the pressure kinda and you have someone you know there with you:), but then again, I think I would like to take it on on my own too :P

oh ya do you need to be able to play an instrument and have good knowledge of composing music, reading music notes....etc to get into Mary I ???i read that somewhere....

Oh and thanks Lilly09 for the good luck.....(I'll need it !):D

dambarude

helpmeout1 wrote: »

oh ya do you need to be able to play an instrument and have good knowledge of composing music, reading music notes....etc to get into Mary I ???i read that somewhere....

It helps if you can, but you don't need to be able to read music/play an instrument. The days of having to do a music test before entering the B.Ed are gone!

helpmeout1

dambarude wrote: »

It helps if you can, but you don't need to be able to read music/play an instrument. The days of having to do a music test before entering the B.Ed are gone!

Phew...! Thanks for that:)

pooch90

From speaking to principals Mary I would traditionally have had the best rep, younger principals are now more open but the oldies love a Mary I grad. It's a really tough course, not the college life you'd be expecting, long days, TP is a nightmare. Because it's such a small place you do get to know most people and you'll get loads of support.

If you're looking for men, Mary I not the place but there's UL and LIT and the art college!

I did philosophy, geography and Irish for my academics in 1st year. Philosophy is good, have to be in the right mindset for it though, Geography I just found so tedious and difficult (loved it in school) who wants to stare at a soil sample for an hour?? irish is what I carried on until 3rd year (handy because it exempts you from another class called Gaeilge Ghairimiul) but it was really tough and at times ridiculous (there was a module on learning Welsh!) made a serious dent in my love of the language. If I had my time again, I think I would have stuck with the Philosophy (there was a saying, everyone gets a B in philosophy-I did!)

I wouldn't let geographical location influence your decision too much. It would have been an hour to Dublin from my home, 7 on public transport to Limerick! There's lots of private bus companies than do runs up and down, normally a lot cheaper than CIE and with the same people on them every week so you get to know people that way. I loved Limerick, not a big city girl. Would recommend it.

Let us know what you decide!