Primary School Teaching

CFC4lyfe

What is the aveage points needed to be a primary school teacher and what course would be the best to take??

dambarude

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

What is the aveage points needed to be a primary school teacher and what course would be the best to take??

Average points are around 480.

Geographical reasons will probably dictate which college to go to, those being:
-Mary Immaculate college, Limerick
-St. Pat's Drumcondra, Dublin
-Froebel, Dublin (to relocate to Maynooth)
-Marino, Dublin
-Church of Ireland College, Dublin

There are differences between the courses in each college, the main one being that in Mary I and St. Pat's you do an academic (arts) subject alongside education, which you don't do in the other colleges.

Mary Immaculate college also offers a B.Ed in Education and Psychology which allows you to pursue either teaching or psychology (or both) after the degree. Points for this course were 540 last year.

There are also postgraduate entries to teaching, after having completed another degree.

**Timbuk2**

Is there any disadvantage to one going through the postgraduate route? My brother didn't make the points for any of the B.Eds and instead he is doing the BA in St. Pats Drumcondra, and hopes to get into the Postgrad in St. Pats also. Will employers look upon this less favourably?

dambarude

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Is there any disadvantage to one going through the postgraduate route? My brother didn't make the points for any of the B.Eds and instead he is doing the BA in St. Pats Drumcondra, and hopes to get into the Postgrad in St. Pats also. Will employers look upon this less favourably?

This could open a huge can of worms, because there are vested interests in both sides saying that their own form of entry is best, but no I don't think it should make any difference. Certain people perceive certain courses to be of lesser value and other ones to be of more value, but those people tend cancel each other out.

Be aware that entry into any postgrad is very tough, and that there have been murmurings the last two years that the postgrads in the public colleges could be cut altogether.

CFC4lyfe

Thanks for the help.Seems a bit out of reach.Any course offering lower points???:)

dambarude

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Thanks for the help.Seems a bit out of reach.Any course offering lower points???:)

No undergraduate course, no. As Timbuk2 described another way to get into teaching is to do a different undergraduate course (e.g. business, arts etc.) and then apply for an 18 month postgrad in primary teaching. You aren't guaranteed entry to the course though- competition is very stiff. You'll also still need to have a C3 in higher level Irish.

CFC4lyfe

Getting a HC3 is the least of my worries because Im fluent in Irish.

If I were to get a BA then do the postgrad would I most likely be stuck with Junior Infants

dambarude

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

If I were to get a BA then do the postgrad would I most likely be stuck with Junior Infants

Why on earth do you think that would happen? Infants are probably the most challenging class to teach in the primary school, and require much more specific teaching knowledge than more senior classes.

The postgrad qualifies you to teach all classes in the same way that a B.Ed does. Doing a postgrad doesn't mean that you're considered a lesser teacher who should be kept away from 5th and 6th class!

dambarude

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Getting a HC3 is the least of my worries because Im fluent in Irish.

You're not from the Gaeltacht by any chance? If you are you can get into the B.Ed on reduced points (around 420 I think).

TreyC

Being a teacher in a 9-teacher school myself I can tell you that doing a postgrad does not mean you are any less qualified than someone with a B.Ed. The only teachers with a B.Ed in my school are myself and the principal, everyone else has either a postgrad or a Hibernia qualification and all of them are excellent teachers. As for getting ´stuck´with Junior Infants, I have taught Junior Infants for the past 3 years and there is no better class to teach if you want to learn about crowd control and discipline, both of these are invaluable in teaching in general!! Most challenging class but the most rewarding too!

CFC4lyfe

Yeah I live in the Gaeltacht...

And thanks for the info.I enjoyed 5th class alot and would like to teach the class.What would the subjects in Arts be more suitable for the postgrad??English, Irish ??:)

dambarude

TreyC wrote: »

Being a teacher in a 9-teacher school myself I can tell you that doing a postgrad does not mean you are any less qualified than someone with a B.Ed. The only teachers with a B.Ed in my school are myself and the principal, everyone else has either a postgrad or a Hibernia qualification and all of them are excellent teachers. As for getting ´stuck´with Junior Infants, I have taught Junior Infants for the past 3 years and there is no better class to teach if you want to learn about crowd control and discipline, both of these are invaluable in teaching in general!! Most challenging class but the most rewarding too!

Exactly. I have only have TP experience of infants (yet!) but everything you've said is so true.

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Yeah I live in the Gaeltacht...

You should be eligible for Gaeltacht entry so. According to the DES the requirements are :

Up to ten per cent of the places in the Colleges of Education may be reserved for applicants from the Gaeltacht, i.e. applicants who reside in the officially designated Gaeltacht and the normal language of whose home is Irish.

You'll have to look up the specific details, but if you qualify the points were 435 in Mary I last year for Gaeltacht entrants. That's considerably less than the non-Gaeltacht applicant course.

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

And thanks for the info.I enjoyed 5th class alot and would like to teach the class.What would the subjects in Arts be more suitable for the postgrad??English, Irish ??:)

Re teaching 5th class- that's a very specific request. Newly qualified teachers are willing to teach ANY class now if it means they'll get a job. Employment situation doesn't seem to be good.

You should definitely do Gaeilge in Arts if you go that route, because your ability in the language is a definite advantage, and it's very beneficial for primary teaching. After that I don't think there's any specific Arts subject that would be more useful as long as it's in the primary curriculum or applicable to it. Maybe English/Maths/Geography/History/Religion-Theology etc. Information technology would also be very useful.

CFC4lyfe

Thanks for the info.

I'm not trying to be "picky" just saying what class I would enjoy teaching more.Obv. I would take any job as anyone would....

435 a bit steep aswell.....

Thanks again for the info.Very helpful!

dambarude

CFC4lyfe wrote: »

Thanks for the info.

I'm not trying to be "picky" just saying what class I would enjoy teaching more.Obv. I would take any job as anyone would....

435 a bit steep aswell.....

Thanks again for the info.Very helpful!

I know you're not being picky, I'm just saying you shouldn't expect to be able to walk straight into 5th class on the 1st of September after finishing your degree!

There are ways and means of getting into professions that you want, the best of luck with it.

spurious

Please don't think you'll walk into any teaching job when qualified. Be prepared for up to a number of years waiting by the phone grabbing a day's work here and there.

CFC4lyfe

I dont think Ill walk in a job.....

I was checking the CAO handbook online and I saw 375 pts for Church of Ireland college for primary education teacher.....is that correct and is it a good course??

dambarude

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that students attended CICE if they wanted to teach in a CI school. I'm guessing they don't check which if any faith you are a member of though. Bear in mind that (as it stands, it is likely to change and is changing) 92% of primary schools in Ireland are under the patronage of the Catholic church.

curly from cork

points for the CICE in Rathmines last year dropped to a record low of 375. ( it peaked some yrs ago at 475 ) a C3 in higher irish is also required. All applicants are granted an interviiew in April .
You must be a member of one of the CI churches. this inc methodist , baptist, presbyterian... This is checked. The intake is 32 each year with approx 2/3 places taken from that quota by mature students. its a 3 year degree from trinity with an optional 4 th yr hons degree .This is done on a part time basis, to allow current teachers to come back and study for the hons degree.
Whilst generally the graduates do return to CI run schools, it is not always the case as the degree qualifies you to teach in any primary school, ( and vice versa CI schools also employ graduates from MI ,St Pats etc. )

dambarude

curly from cork wrote: »

You must be a member of one of the CI churches. this inc methodist , baptist, presbyterian... This is checked.

Thanks for clarifying that. I do think it's unusual that they check though, none of the Catholic colleges check that you're a Catholic. But I suppose CICE caters for a more specialised (in this country at least) ethos.

curly from cork

CI community in Ireland is very small Dambarude. Someone always knows you or where youre from, it would nt take long to trace you back along the family tree !! also the majority of applicants come from schools with a CI ethos. As far as i know St. Pats Mary I Marino and Froebel are open to all denominations but run under a Catholic ethos.