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substitute teachers-the worst time of the year

  • 08-08-2011 3:40pm
    #1
    wishinonastar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 76 ✭✭


    hey all. Feeling a bit down at the moment about my employment prospects. I ve been working as a sub teacher in a school for the last 4 years and i have been blessed with all the hours i get....this past yr alone i had just 17 days when i wasnt workin. At this time of the yr though i always start to feel a bit down and worried about the coming school year. surprise surprise i havent managed to get a contracted job anywhere.
    Alot of teachers in my school have had their hours cut and i worry that alot of the subwork will go to them...even ones that havent been at the school as long as me. The croke park agreement may also impact negatively on the amount of substitution available.

    Thinking long term also worries me... i ve been in the same school since i qualified. Theres a part of me that thinks i should try to get work elsewhere to gain more experience but another part of me feels that when i get so much work from the school im in that i would be crazy to refuse it to go elsewhere.

    Would be interested in hearing from people in the same boat as me. Im a secondary school teacher by the way.


Comments

  • #2
    linguist
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 616 ✭✭✭linguist


    Hi. Really sorry to hear you're feeling down. It's another side of the job that people who think we have a cushy number just don't see. I'm an RPT teacher myself. I've got 19 hours so far for next year (signed contract in June) but had 22 before the year even started last year. So I may well be falling back on some subbing this year if they can't find the extra 3 hours. The principal has told me she will do everything she can so you can't get fairer than that.

    What can I say to reassure you? Well for a start, it is still early days in August. I presume you're applying for jobs and waiting for replies. Not only will jobs be coming up right through the month but schools will still be advertising hours in September. It really is way too early to be giving up yet and you need to go into interviews displaying all the self confidence you can.

    The second thing is the imminent enactment of the section of the Teaching Council Act that will throw unregistered people out of schools for once and for for all. All schools are now required to keep a registered of subs from this September. Don't be foolishly loyal to one school that isn't giving you a contract. Seriously! You are a free agent and you should get your CV out to all the schools you can reasonably travel to.

    Next, remember that there will be a rush of retirements on or before 29th February and those positions will be filled for the remainder of the year. So keep your ear to the ground in the staffroom(s) you frequent and be sure you're on the radar for whatever might come your way.

    I think you know, deep down, that you will get work this autumn but it would be foolish to place all your hopes on one school for the reasons you have mentioned. Anyway, as regards subbing, you can do nothing about that until the school year starts so get out there, enjoy the holidays and keep replying to ads. The outcome might not be perfect but there will be an outcome.


  • #3
    wishinonastar
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 76 ✭✭wishinonastar


    thanks so much for that...it really helps. Yea its about time the teaching council did something for those of us who actually did the dip and pay the fee each year. Congrats on the contract, your principal sounds fair. As i said i ve been lucky each yr so far but with all these cut backs.....
    Other side of the coin is my partner has a very good job so its not as if im stuck but theres no way id want to live off my partner either. thanks so much for your help.


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