Early Childhood Education to Primart Teaching

GarIT

The GF just got her results and just fell short on what she needed to primary teaching in Maynooth. We have both heard you can still do primary teaching by going through early childhood education in DIT but how does this work?

ShamrockGirl

Hey GarIT, i'm going into 3rd Year of ECE in DIT. Yes kinda!! It's a little confusing, but you can go into the Post Graduate programme of Primary Education (the 18 months course) after doing ANY Level 8 programme. But it can be very difficult to get into, especially with the prograduate allowances been reduced (200 to 60 places last year). So ECE in DIT students have a better chance of getting a place because we are the only college who do ECE level 8 in 3 years (other colleges are 4 years). So we work more intensly then the 4 year students, which is similiar to the intensity of Prim.Ed. Plus we will have covered a lot of the modules the same as Prim.Ed students.
Also in 3rd year of our course you have the option of going into a Primary School Placement. You do placement for 2 days every week in 2nd/3rd year and one day in 1st year!!!

Hope that makes sense. If you have absolutely any other questions you can PM me at any time.

GarIT

Thanks a lot. She's going to accept her place in DIT. Have to start looking for accommodation now Anyone know which campus ECE is in and which street it's on?

Martina_420

Hi there,

I have just transferred to ECE after doing 2 years of another course in DIT. ECE is in MountJoy Square it is the smallest of all the DIT's but it is a lovely college with fantastic lecturers. Regards to the accommodation does your girlfriend have anywhere in mind? It is just that I am currently looking for 2 people to share a house with in Dublin 7. It is 15 minutes from Mountjoy Square. I am just putting that option out there for you. If you have any questions just go ahead and ask Tell your girlfriend I said best of luck. I have heard great things about this course that's why I went for it.

GarIT

I dont think she has anything in mind. Shes onto someone on the phone at the minute about accommodation in a place called Herberton. I think she would prefer somewhere on her own if possible but with costs and everything that might not happen. I also think she would prefer somewhere southside as I'm in North Kildare and all my family are in south Dublin. I also might be getting her a job in the Square in Tallaght so she would need to be able to get there. Shes coming from Cork though so she will just go for the best place really. I'm waiting on her to set up her own boards account and ill send her this way then.

Martina_420

That's no problem at all I completely understand where you are coming from. If I am honest living on your own can be horrible especially when your girlfriend is coming all the way from Cork and starting a new college. I know people who have done this and then got really home sick etc. Also the cost of living can get more expensive when on your own - I suppose it depends on the person but it is a big change. But do trust me on that DIT is a fantastic place to study and it will be alot of fun for her. I wouldn't change college for anything now.

ShamrockGirl

Hi Martina_420, are You starting In first year or advanced entry into another year??

Martina_420

No I am going to go into the first year because I have never covered any of the modules involved in ECE. Do you enjoy the course?

ShamrockGirl

Very good, Congrats on getting a place!!! Yes indeed, I have absolutely loved it so far!! Final Year might be a different story!! haha!! If you have any questions you can contact me at any time!!

Martina_420

Thats great to hear I hated my other course I don't know why I ever went for it considering I have been around children all of my life ECE is better suited to me I think! Good luck with the finals

Martina_420

@ Shamrock girl

Hey I was just wondering if you could tell me
1. If there are any books needed for the course?
2. How would you organise yourself i.e would you have a refill pad for each module with separate folders etc?
3. Is there anything else you would reccommend that I should get?

I just want to have everything and be prepared!

Thank you so much

ShamrockGirl

Martina_420 wrote: »

@ Shamrock girl

Hey I was just wondering if you could tell me
1. If there are any books needed for the course?
2. How would you organise yourself i.e would you have a refill pad for each module with separate folders etc?
3. Is there anything else you would reccommend that I should get?

I just want to have everything and be prepared!

Hey Martina,

Emm, you will be told what books you will need in the first/second lecture of each module. Don't rush into buying some books because you may end up only using it once or twice. The library is usually well equipped with much of the books you will need both on long term and short term loan. One's I would recommend are getting one for Child Development, we had John Santrock, (2009), 'Child Development' and another one was Donohoe and Gaynor, 'Care and Education in the Early Years'.

I got this email off my Head of School yesterday:
'Note that Gill & Macmillan book publishers will be setting up a stall in the college on the Wednesday 28th of September in order to sell books directly to students at a discounted price.'
Also If you are looking at books I use www.bookdepository.co.uk very often, very reliable and quite quick and they have free post and packaging to Ireland.

In relation to organising yourself I'm probably the worst person to ask!! I am a neat freak and overly organised!! Mind you I can always find things when I need them for exams or assignments in comparison to some of my classmates.
I have a divider folder for each day, with the notes, copy and materials for each class!! I use a soft cover manuscript copy (I find it lighter to carry then hard back copies) for most of the big writing modules like Child Development, Professional Practice, Child Health, Early Education.

Drama: I would advise having a folder with the plastic pockets to hold all the hand outs!! (Althought the lecturer has changed since I was in first year so maybe handout aren't given anymore)
Art: You will be told what to bring to class for the following week and stuff to bring every week (like paint brushes, scissors, etc)
Work Placement: not essential but I would advise having a hardback copy where you keep notes of Health and Safety issues, activities the teachers and educators carry out so you are gathering ideas for second/third year placements, general procedures or rules you learn along the way.

You can just decide not to organise yourself this way, totally up to yourself but whatever you do try to keep things by their modules. You will get a lot of handouts, notes, reading material that can get mixed up very easily. Even if you just simply put a date and module name on anything you get then you know what it was for later if they get mixed up together.

Have you got your form for Garda Vetting yet? If not, i'm sure it will be sent out in the next week or two. It's important for Work Placement.
Can't think of anything else at the moment, but if I do I will let you know. Or likewise if you have any other questions, just get in contact.

Hope that's of some help!!

Martina_420

Thank you so much that is such a great help. I am also a neat freak a touch of OCD my housemates say! I am going to go out and get all of my folders etc today

Thank you for your help!