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Higher Diploma in Education for secondary school teaching

  • 13-02-2011 5:49pm
    #1
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭


    Is it very difficult to get on these courses? Should you apply to as many different colleges as you can?

    Lets just say I'm exploring my options.


Comments

  • #2
    El Siglo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,803 ✭✭✭El Siglo


    Denerick wrote: »
    Is it very difficult to get on these courses? Should you apply to as many different colleges as you can?

    Lets just say I'm exploring my options.

    You do it through PAC. It's pretty tough to get in alright. Here's the thread on it in teaching and lecturing.


  • #3
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Cheers. Thinking of looking at colleges in the UK also, in the belief that entry will be less competitive.


  • #4
    #15
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,784 ✭✭✭#15


    Denerick wrote: »
    Cheers. Thinking of looking at colleges in the UK also, in the belief that entry will be less competitive.

    What are your subjects?


  • #5
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    #15 wrote: »
    What are your subjects?

    My degree was in history. Did alright (2:1) Hoping to look at English and history as core subjects.

    I'm also wondering if offering grinds and/or adult education would count towards teaching practise to put down on next years application?


  • #6
    Rosita
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭Rosita


    Denerick wrote: »

    I'm also wondering if offering grinds and/or adult education would count towards teaching practise to put down on next years application?



    If by 'teaching practice' in this case you mean previous teaching experience, grinds never counted towards acceptable teaching experience for the PGDE, and I'm fairly confident adult education did not either.

    Either way, it's irrelevant now as teaching practice does not count anymore towards points for this course for the NUI colleges anyway.


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  • #7
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    Rosita wrote: »

    Either way, it's irrelevant now as teaching practice does not count anymore towards points for this course for the NUI colleges anyway.


    I keep on hearing conflicting evidence about this. I heard the complete opposite from somebody today for example. Why is it so hard to find concrete information about this in Ireland? I've spent the last two weeks going over available documentation but don't feel better informed.


  • #8
    Rosita
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭Rosita


    Denerick wrote: »
    I keep on hearing conflicting evidence about this. I heard the complete opposite from somebody today for example. Why is it so hard to find concrete information about this in Ireland? I've spent the last two weeks going over available documentation but don't feel better informed.


    I read this some time back on documentation on the PAC but I do agree that there seems to be a discrepancy between official announcements and reality in a variety of areas.

    For example there is supposed to be a freeze on permanent teaching jobs yet there is anecdotal evidence that they are still being offered.

    Likewise the PGDE information has always stated that the offer of a place cannot be deferred and that someone not taking up the offer must reapply if they want to do the course in the future. Yet, you've guessed it, someone here recently mentioned that someone in their school had deferred their place.

    Best perhaps to ring the PAC in Galway for clarification. At least then you are hearing it from the horse's mouth.


  • #9
    dory
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 4,575 Mod ✭✭✭✭dory


    What the person who told you probably meant is that professional experience does count. But I'm 99% sure that does not include teaching, as you shouldn't have been teaching without the PGDE anyway.

    And as for your degree being history and you would like to do English and history? Research the possibility of that before you do the PGDE. Also, you have a very common subject choice, so competition will be fierce.


  • #10
    Rosita
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,147 ✭✭✭Rosita


    dory wrote: »

    What the person who told you probably meant is that professional experience does count. But I'm 99% sure that does not include teaching, as you shouldn't have been teaching without the PGDE anyway.


    I would never have been a great fan of teaching experience counting towards points but there is no little irony in the possibility that professional experience could count towards points but experience in the classroom would not.

    As regards people who shouldn't be teaching without the PGDE, as far as I am aware people in the VEC are not required to have the PGDE so, strange as it might seem, it is not an invariable requirement to teach legitimately.


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