Advice sought from English teachers (and lecturers)

shtopthelights

Hi folks,

I qualified as an English teacher in the UK in 2004, previously I did a degree (in the UK also), which was mainly in Drama, with some Film & TV and English modules (Contemporary Writing -fiction and poetry).

My degree was fine to train as a teacher in the UK, also to teach English at a higher level than Leaving Certificate level.

After a long time, effort and money gathering the documents they claim to need in order to assess my qualifications and register me, the Teaching Council have now informed me that they are satisfied with my teaching qualification (I just have to sit the History and Structure of Irish Ed. System exam, as expected). However, they consider my degree to have shortfalls.

I was already familiar with the subject specific criteria for degree qualifications for teachers of English and believed that considering I have studied all four of the areas concerned (Plays/Theatre, Poetry, Fiction and Media Studies) -you must have at least three of these areas in your degree- that my degree would be deemed suitable.

They say, with reference to my degree, that drama is 'well catered for' but that the modules I took in Film & TV do not have much relevance to the JC course. What they now require me to do (assuming I do not ask for a review of the decision, or I do and the original decision is upheld) is take two modules from Oscail or another course to make up the apparent 'shortfalls' in Poetry and Fiction. (I haven't been able to find any information on their website about how MUCH of a particular area one is expected to have studied, for one to have studied 'enough' of it.)

Most of the English teachers I've asked about this since I got the letter on Wednesday didn't do any Media Studies in their degree and/or did minimal Theatre Studies). Is it a case of 'the poor relation' when it comes to having the majority of my degree in Drama? -if I had studied a larger body of fiction and less drama would they be asking me to make up the drama 'shortfall'?

Does any one else find it ridiculous that they can ignore the transferable skills one gains from studying any aspect of English, be it plays, poetry, fiction or the media?! And that they can ignore that I have breadth of study that many don't and so, obviously, can't have as much depth of study in certain areas as people who have less breadth?!

Can anyone advise me on what I should do? -I cannot see why on earth I should be made to devote my time and money to studying modules of a standard I reached between 7 and 10 years ago! I'm also not in full-time work (not helped by the fact that I'm precluded from applying for many of the jobs that do come up, on the basis of the fact that they require TC recognition!) and have financial commitments I'm stretched to meet as it is. I've been substituting back home in Ireland for three years now, generally in long-term roles and have prepared students to sit J.C. and L.C. exams at higher and ordinary levels. I have been paid the 'unqualified' rate throughout and will, it seems, continue to be paid this until I sit and pass these modules. There's nothing lacking in my understanding of how to analyse and teach any of the texts on the Junior or Leaving Certificate courses. Neither do I feel my teaching abilities or skills will be improved by taking these modules.

I guess what I'm looking for is information to help me argue my case when I ask for a review of this decision. There are plenty of points I can make about my qualifications, the fact that I'm being prevented from being recognised under EU legislation on the basis of the fact that I didn't complete the ENTIRE induction year in the UK before returning home, even though there isn't a comparable induction year in Ireland...etc. But, I'd be interested to know what other English teachers studied in their degrees and, if you could put a figure on it, roughly what percentage of your degree did these areas amount to? Do any of you have similar 'shortfalls' on paper, but achieve registration nonetheless?

If any lecturers can tell me what the situation is with Irish undergrad. degrees that are deemed suitable for teaching purposes I'd be grateful (e.g. are some acceptable courses 'light' on some of the aforementioned areas of study? Am I being put through extra hoops because I studied outside Ireland? Or are they being reasonable (and why?). Has the T.C. put the different areas of English into an unfair/unnecessary hierarchical framework?

Of course, you may think I'm splitting hairs and that I should just do the modules, fair enough. I just think there should be little need. I'm qualified, I'm being paid less than the qualified rate and my chances of getting a long-term, f-t job in Ireland have been diminished by not being registered. Should I need to pay for my degree a second time 'round?

Many thanks in advance for any relevant info. people can provide!