Secondary NQT First Job; A few questions

JD3112

Hey,

I got a job over xmas, starting next week.
It is about 18 hours a week until 3rd June. I will be paid as a normal sub teacher which includes holiday pay so wont be getting paid during midterms or in the summer.

The job became available as the previous teacher retired so the job will be a contracted job next September.

1) I am wondering, if the school are happy with me, can they just give me the job or does it have to be readvertised in the summer?

I am looking forward to it but kind of dreading it a bit with the expected workload. I know I will have to revise certain topics and plan my lessons ahead of time but obviously not as much detail as in PGDE.

2) What is the workload like for an NQT in their first job? Or because we don't have to worry about PGDE assignments etc, we should have plenty of time in the evenings and weekend to cope??

Cheers

supersaintpats

JD3112 wrote: »

Hey,

I got a job over xmas, starting next week.
It is about 18 hours a week until 3rd June. I will be paid as a normal sub teacher which includes holiday pay so wont be getting paid during midterms or in the summer.

The job became available as the previous teacher retired so the job will be a contracted job next September.

1) I am wondering, if the school are happy with me, can they just give me the job or does it have to be readvertised in the summer?

I am looking forward to it but kind of dreading it a bit with the expected workload. I know I will have to revise certain topics and plan my lessons ahead of time but obviously not as much detail as in PGDE.

2) What is the workload like for an NQT in their first job? Or because we don't have to worry about PGDE assignments etc, we should have plenty of time in the evenings and weekend to cope??

Cheers

Good luck in your new role;
1) There is no guarantee that the job you are doing will exist in the 2011-12 school year, as the role may be redistributed among existing staff in the school, or even extinguished depending on the number of students in the school next year. If, after that, the same role exists, the school will have to advertise it. If you do a good job, then you will have a good chance in any interview for the position.
2) You will be under pressure to meet the demands of a full timetable, but the PGDE is a great training for it. Make sure you plan well, teach to the best of your ability, and keep up with the correction of any homework assignments. How much time you have spend after school will depend on the subjects you are teaching, the levels, and the level of commitment involved in preparing for your classes. Teaching is a great career, and you sound as if you have the commitment and talent for a super career.

doc_17

I was confusing NQT with Non-Qualified teacher there for a minute!

Is it a voluntary secondary school you are teaching in? If so you might get the job (it will be advertised), but if they like you they will stick with the devil they know.

What subjects do you teach?

Have you done an interview already?

rainbowtrout

JD3112 wrote: »

Hey,

I got a job over xmas, starting next week.
It is about 18 hours a week until 3rd June. I will be paid as a normal sub teacher which includes holiday pay so wont be getting paid during midterms or in the summer.

The job became available as the previous teacher retired so the job will be a contracted job next September.

1) I am wondering, if the school are happy with me, can they just give me the job or does it have to be readvertised in the summer?

I am looking forward to it but kind of dreading it a bit with the expected workload. I know I will have to revise certain topics and plan my lessons ahead of time but obviously not as much detail as in PGDE.

2) What is the workload like for an NQT in their first job? Or because we don't have to worry about PGDE assignments etc, we should have plenty of time in the evenings and weekend to cope??

Cheers

Congrats on getting the job, but might as well be clear. There is NO guarantee that the job will be available next September. With cuts in the school, a drop in student numbers/students who get resource hours etc etc and teachers who are already teaching there but on part time hours 18 hours could easily be absorbed into the timetable without much hassle.

The job would have to be readvertised next summer as it would be a change in contract. It's currently a subbing position but would become a contract position in September if the position was retained and not redistributed. Or they could advertise it, but on lower hours, having given some hours to existing teachers.

As for your second question - it depends really. You don't say what your subjects are or if you have exam classes or if it's a practical subject or whatever. Some subjects are heavier going than others in terms of preparation, and some and heavier in terms of corrections (e.g. English essays).

You will probably find that it takes getting used to having so many classes in comparison to your teaching practice placement and the speed at which you need to go to get things done. My friend teaches English and was out sick for a month earlier this year. An NQT was in for her and got on OK, but my friend was horrified to find that she had only done 3 poems with her LC English class (6 classes a week) in that whole month as she was working at the pace she was at on teaching practice. So timing might be something to be wary of.

JD3112

Yes it is a voluntary school and I did an interview before xmas.

My subject is Physics with JC Science.

The 18 hours is one 5th year and one 6th year Physics with the rest being made up of JC science along with a few maths classes.

I understand that the job mightn't be there next september especially as JC science is easy transferable between existing science teachers.

But would they give the Physics hours to another teacher not qualified to teach Physics? (e.g giving the physics hours to a maths or chemistry teacher?)

Thanks for the replies

rainbowtrout

JD3112 wrote: »

Yes it is a voluntary school and I did an interview before xmas.

My subject is Physics with JC Science.

The 18 hours is one 5th year and one 6th year Physics with the rest being made up of JC science along with a few maths classes.

I understand that the job mightn't be there next september especially as JC science is easy transferable between existing science teachers.

But would they give the Physics hours to another teacher not qualified to teach Physics? (e.g giving the physics hours to a maths or chemistry teacher?)

Thanks for the replies

It all depends. Now it's quite likely that you are the only person in the school qualified in physics but just because another teacher isn't currently teaching it doesn't mean they aren't qualified in it. I'm qualified in LC Biology and have been teaching for 10 years but have never had a biology class. So if a biology teacher retires at the end of the year I might find it on my timetable next year rather than hiring anyone new.

Nobody here will be able to comment on your individual situation without knowing what goes on in the background in your school.

If indeed you are the only qualified person on staff in Physics, well then they will need a physics teacher next year and you have a chance at a job. But as was said earlier and you said it yourself, some of the science and maths hours could be redistributed and the contract offered on reduced hours.

The trend in my school recently is to offer contracts of about 11 hours - just enough to get people into the job but not a huge commitment to that person at the same time.

doc_17

JD3112 wrote: »

My subject is Physics with JC Science.

The 18 hours is one 5th year and one 6th year Physics with the rest being made up of JC science along with a few maths classes.


But would they give the Physics hours to another teacher not qualified to teach Physics? (e.g giving the physics hours to a maths or chemistry teacher?)

Thanks for the replies

They could end up giving the physics hours to the religion teacher! It's all about what you are prepared to do. Getstuck on and help out on any way you can. Be prominent but not noticeable if that makes any sense

crascred

doc_17 wrote: »

They could end up giving the physics hours to the religion teacher! It's all about what you are prepared to do. Getstuck on and help out on any way you can. Be prominent but not noticeable if that makes any sense

Prominent but not noticeable. That is good advice in my opinion. And a good line. Im in my 7th year in the same school since qualifying and have seen a number of people come and go primarily because they couldn't keep their mouth shut. Schools and in particular staff rooms can be odd places. In terms of next year I would say not to think about it yet. Things are in flux, schools are not making perm appointments now and there are talks about re deployment which apparently the dept are quite eager to push through [ can imagine the fun and games then]. In short I would imagine that people have no idea what allocations will be next year and this applies in particular to schools that may have vacancies.

In terms of the workload, yeah it is going to hit you big time but, and forgive the cliché, you will be fine. It is hard work at the beginning but you get used to it. Try to get an idea of what needs to be done with each year group and start from there. I may be wrong but I would imagine that the majority of senior phisics would be bright and motivated so even if the teacher you are replacing hasnt let you know they will.

Dont be afraid to ask your fellow teachers a few questions if you have them, we all started out and most would be willing to help.

Good Luck with it.

solerina

JD3112 wrote: »

Yes it is a voluntary school and I did an interview before xmas.

My subject is Physics with JC Science.

The 18 hours is one 5th year and one 6th year Physics with the rest being made up of JC science along with a few maths classes.

I understand that the job mightn't be there next september especially as JC science is easy transferable between existing science teachers.

But would they give the Physics hours to another teacher not qualified to teach Physics? (e.g giving the physics hours to a maths or chemistry teacher?)

Congratulations....and good luck
If you are the only physics teacher then its very likely that you will be kept on next year and just fill in where the person retiring leaves off. Thats what happens in my school anyway, unless the person coming in doesnt work out (cant handle the class /work load etc). The job will probably be readvertised but in our school thats really just a formality if the teacher is already in the school and obvioulsy getting on well. The LC class will be a challenge but as its late in teh year its likely that they will have most/all of the course covered by now so it will be papers from here on out (make sure you familiarise yourself with the papers and which questions come up regularly-dont depend on what was normal when you did your own LC). The most important thing for someone new to a school/class is to sound knowledgeable...never admit your relatively newly qualified (some kids will see this as a weakness-we had a terrible problem with a new teacher last year because she admitted in her first class that she was new to the course and didnt know much about the papers). Im not saying you lie to the class but prepare very well and never sound like you dont know exactly whats going on.

Fizzical

NB - be sure your exam classes are very well prepared for their exams, especially the Leaving Cert class.

Find out beforehand exactly how much of the course has been covered and be sure their mandatory experiments are all done. Find out what revision they've done already and make out a schedule to get the rest covered - share that schedule with the class. And be sure they have enough questions covered to make a fair attempt at their mock.

If your exam classes have confidence in you, word will get back to the Principal who will then want to keep you...

gaeilgegrinds1

Prominent but not noticeable is possibly the best advice I've ever heard. Our principal hates lick-arses (I don't now can I write that but I just did!) but wants everyone to get stuck in. Get on with staff too, no rifts, keep your mouth shut rather than take on teachers.
One bit of advice is to be organised, even in paper folders or plastic ones or whatever. When you do something write it into your diary, everything from covering atoms with first years (how obvious is it I teach languages and not science!) to asking John to move from sitting beside Dave as he was talking all the time and having John give you back cheek. I find if a short note is made on everything I've less to remember. It'll be fine, just plan what you'll do with each class for the week and give plenty of work. Parents love that and it means they'll never say you are the doss class, I'd hate if that got around about me. As was mentioned before, keep on top of the exam classes, I try to have everything well done before the mocks and after that all papers (and oral stuff in my case).
Last but not least, congrats, jobs are not easy to get but once you're in things are much easier. Even if you don't get this particular job next year you'll get something. I didn't get a job I thought I would, went to the principal's nephew who wasn't qualified but got ten hours in a private school and 18 hours of grinds, 3 a night including Saturdays...it was an amazing year and the following year I got my present job.