Attention recently graduated PGDE people!!

dazey

Is there anything that you wish people had told you prior to starting your PGDE and/or teaching career? I am having doubts at the moment looking at the PGDE application forms

CMBT

There is a hell of a lot of paperwork and preparation involved in teaching!

dazey

CMBT wrote: »

There is a hell of a lot of paperwork and preparation involved in teaching!

It sounds very stressful, I had always thought about teaching right up through second level and applying for college and now I am having doubts.

I have other interests but they really do not seem like viable career options in this financial climate. In saying that I was speaking to a career guidance counseller and he said that during recessions a lot of people turn to teaching as a career, meaning a more competitive workplace. Ah! I am gradually turning myself off teaching

seriouslysweet

Have you been in a classroom lately? Even to observe, cos I'd hate to be a teacher. I feel so so sorry for ours, I'm in a good class but I'd hate to teach some of the others.

peanuthead

No nothing I wish I had been told ... yet.

I still wish someone would sit me down and explain all my rights and entitlements to me as I could be getting (more) screwed (than seems to be par for the course lately) and not know it.

But what I would say to people about the PGDE and advice is that when people tell you it's a hard year you need to understand that that's exactly what it is. You won't have much of a social life that year and you need to be prepared for that.

I put my heart and soul into mine and did really well. Had no life for the year though. Have a friend doing it now and I told her what it would be like, yet she never stops moaning about how strapped for time she is, she's getting really down about it, yet I'm still getting texts every friday and saturday night asking me down to the pub.


Financially - it costs the best part of 7k - was never exactly pocket change - even less so now.

Dionysus

dazey wrote: »

Is there anything that you wish people had told you prior to starting your PGDE and/or teaching career? I am having doubts at the moment looking at the PGDE application forms

As long as somebody told you that the job market is utterly abysmal and that you're spending €6,650 on a course for which the outlook is really, really bad, I think you've been fairly informed. You are also aware that wages are only going to go one way now: and it's not up.

Other than that, I trust you know that, as one veteran of the wars in Irish schools told me lately: "Listen, kids are bastards - half of them don't want to be here and will try and make your life hell and fúck up the education of the rest of them if you let them. And a slew of their parents are ignorant fúcks who haven't a scintilla of interest in their children's education - but they'll blame you for any failures of little Johnny.'

That man spoke a lot of truth about a certain section of the students you'll deal with. That section could destroy your entire grá for teaching. That is why they are important. You should be aware of this. Having said all of the above, I also learnt more that I ever learnt in the PGDE year and I met some of the greatest, cutest and gas kids I've ever met. The things they say can be hilarious. As you can gather from the above abstract, the support from teachers was also exceptional . Regarding the financial worries you might have after the PGDE, in my first eight weeks of teaching since 30 August this year I had paid for my PGDE fee and had some change left over. But I know I was very, very lucky to get full hours immediately. Don't fool yourself about the job prospects in the short-to-medium term. Best of luck.

awny

Dionysus do you mind me asking what your subjects are? I hear a lot of talk about teaching jobs in Maths and in Irish, is this true or is it just as bad for those subjects?

freire

I think job prospects will improve over the next few years, but only if you've got sensible subject combination. The pay isn't great, by any means and as has been mentioned it's going to get worse. I'm back to where I was 3 years ago but it's better than what the dole will be after the budget.

Today's classroom is a challenging environment to say the least, but it has its own rewards. I wouldn't do anything else given the choice, but it's certainly not for everyone. Or even for most people.

If you think you'd like it and you're eligible for the grant, then do it. You're young enough to do something else if it doesn't work out, and it's a pretty useful qualification. I think.

EDIT: I don't think I'd do it now in view of the ludicrous cuts to salary announced today.

celtchick

one tip is to always keep in mind that teaching is a lifelong career - so if you don't find a job straight away, you will find a job at some stage...it's a job that you most likely stay in for 40 years so take your time to make sure it's definately for you and then not to get disheartened when listening to news and papers....teachers will always be needed, no matter what people think at the minute.

For me personally, it would be have been nice to know about the teaching council in more detail before starting. There are so many rumors once you start about different things that you really need to either research yourself first before you go into the course or keep on the ball by checking them out straight away - never believe rumors going around regarding qualification status etc as it is a case by case basis with regards to the council...

dazey

celtchick wrote: »

one tip is to always keep in mind that teaching is a lifelong career - so if you don't find a job straight away, you will find a job at some stage...it's a job that you most likely stay in for 40 years so take your time to make sure it's definately for you and then not to get disheartened when listening to news and papers....teachers will always be needed, no matter what people think at the minute.

For me personally, it would be have been nice to know about the teaching council in more detail before starting. There are so many rumors once you start about different things that you really need to either research yourself first before you go into the course or keep on the ball by checking them out straight away - never believe rumors going around regarding qualification status etc as it is a case by case basis with regards to the council...

I have actually heard the exact opposite from past teachers and career guidence counsellers. Basically I am unsure if teaching is really for me as I have yet to be placed in the professional environment. People have said that these days people can float in and out of teaching, going onto further study or different sectors in between. When I thought back to my school days I remembered two teachers who sucessfully took a career break from teaching only to come back to it several years later.

I understand that the financial climate makes this a hell of a lot more difficult but i don't think it is a life time commitment anymore