PGDE placement interviews and offers.

N90

Im in a dilemma and would like to hear your opinions.

I am looking for placement,I had one interview last week and I should hear back from them on Monday. But I have two more interviews on Tuesday. The one that I have second on Tuesday is the school that I have my hearth set on due to location and it seems like a good school. However, I don't know what to do if I am offered one of the others in the mean time. I know I should be grateful, initially a lot of the schools were telling me to keep looking that they don't need any one with my subjects but I would really like to get this school.

dar_dar

You're lucky if you end up having a choice. I've only had one interview so far. Schools hardly ever reply to emails even to acknowledge them, and I can't exactly call into them because I live over 100km outside the catchment area and I have a full time job. I can't believe the universities don't organise placements better. NUIM have released a list of schools that are participating in the program, but I have contacted seven schools in my desired area that are on the list but are not accepting anyone from the PGDE. It's so frustrating.

Has anyone received an offer of a placement yet?

primrose1990

dar_dar wrote: »

You're lucky if you end up having a choice. I've only had one interview so far. Schools hardly ever reply to emails even to acknowledge them, and I can't exactly call into them because I live over 100km outside the catchment area and I have a full time job. I can't believe the universities don't organise placements better. NUIM have released a list of schools that are participating in the program, but I have contacted seven schools in my desired area that are on the list but are not accepting anyone from the PGDE. It's so frustrating.

Has anyone received an offer of a placement yet?

Hi Dar Dar, I am also going to NUIM next year, and no I have had no luck with placement so far. I'm not finding NUIM helpful at all and slightly rude if im honest, i have sent out letters or gotten in contact with ~ 30/40 schools at this stage, if not more, and no positive reply yet. when I got in contact with NUIM to say this, and also that im in the middle of final exams and am under a lot of pressure time wise (as im sure alot of students starting the dip are), I was basically told well if you dont find one, you cant enrol and tough luck basically! I understand that they cant find schools for every student but at the same time a bit of guidance when people are obviously under pressure with exams etc. wouldnt go astray! Also have you noticed that almost half of the list of schools sent out by NUIM are up to 40km over the radius? When I asked about this, I got no definate answer as to why, only that I cannot under ANY circumstance try my old school, which is maybe 5/6km further on from some of the carlow schools on the list!!

dar_dar

primrose1990 wrote: »

Hi Dar Dar, I am also going to NUIM next year, and no I have had no luck with placement so far. I'm not finding NUIM helpful at all and slightly rude if im honest, i have sent out letters or gotten in contact with ~ 30/40 schools at this stage, if not more, and no positive reply yet. when I got in contact with NUIM to say this, and also that im in the middle of final exams and am under a lot of pressure time wise (as im sure alot of students starting the dip are), I was basically told well if you dont find one, you cant enrol and tough luck basically! I understand that they cant find schools for every student but at the same time a bit of guidance when people are obviously under pressure with exams etc. wouldnt go astray! Also have you noticed that almost half of the list of schools sent out by NUIM are up to 40km over the radius? When I asked about this, I got no definate answer as to why, only that I cannot under ANY circumstance try my old school, which is maybe 5/6km further on from some of the carlow schools on the list!!

Primrose1990: The list of schools is a bit weak to be honest. It only has phone numbers to begin with and I also have the feeling that NUIM haven't checked in with the schools on the list this year to see if they are in a position to take anyone.

I have been in contact with only about twenty schools so far because I've been so busy. Even though I have 5 years teaching experience in my subject, a Ph.D. and diplomas in both French and Irish and was willing to make myself available to teach about four other subjects outside of my elected ones (physics & chemistry) to bring up my teaching hours if needed; I was told by one school that if someone comes along from UCD with my electives that they will choose them over me as they are more easily timetabled.

It's really disheartening that this is happening even though I am are willing to bend over backwards as well as working for free for the year.

I'm still not 100% about doping the PDE as Job does not require me to have a pedagogic qualification as of yet. But I was given the opportunity to take a career break and I would like to take it before it turns into a two year course and it's becomes a requirement.

TheDriver

dar_dar wrote: »

I'm still not 100% about doping the PDE as Job does not require me to have a pedagogic qualification as of yet. .

We get enquiries the minute the offers are opened. We offer places straight away based on CVS because interview is pointless, its teaching practice and not a job. However I would be very concerned about what you said, no school wants to timetable you and then you pull out.
Also remember the close schools are always full but as you venture out, there are plenty of spaces.

dar_dar

@TheDriver im not sure i agree with you about the interview thing, no school wants to be lumped with someone who has no communication or people skills, interviews weed these people out. What I meant when i said that i wasnt 100% about the PDE was that if I don't get a placement it won't be the end of the world for me because I have many other things to fall back on. Also, based on my experience over the past few weeks it seems like it will be difficult for all of us to get a placement for TP.

Although I might sound pessimistic, I am not. I'm pretty sure I will get a place but it will take a while and if I am having problems I can't imagine how difficult other people are finding it.

moorele

I am in the same boat. I am doing the PDE in Trinity this year. I'd say I've contacted somewhere between 20-30 schools. Sent out CVs the day after I found out I got the place. I have gotten 3 responses to say that they aren't taking students on & no word from any of the others. So I rang around all the others to follow up but was told the same thing - we've be inundated with applications, we are going through them & will be in touch. So I'm hoping against hope I'll get called for some interviews or something soon. I know this week is a busy week in schools with orals etc going on so that's probably not helping. Its hard not to fret though.

Hopefully something will come together for us all soon. I know I will feel a lot better once I get something secured.

Tracy Jacks

I'll be going to NUIM in September and I'm now sorted with placement hours. I attended 4 interviews. I sent out letters and CVs to nearly 70 schools - every school on the northside of Dublin! There is a full listing of schools on the Department's website. So far I've heard back from about 20 of them by phone and e-mail. Schools are very busy at the moment with Leaving Cert orals etc... So stay positive and I suppose just keep contacting schools - lot's of schools got back to me and said they wouldn't be making a decision until May. I did get some feedback about the difficulty of scheduling classes for NUIM students as you can only be in school on Mondays and Fridays and obviously it's easier to timetable classes for student s in UCD as they are in schools Monday - Friday.

Blut2

I've contacted 35 schools and gotten 17 "no" replies so far, getting slightly worrying to be honest. I never thought offering myself as free labour for a year would be so hard!

The system is quite messed up really, UCD/TCD/NUIM etc should really have far more input into securing schools for their students. This would place a cap of sorts on numbers for the PGDE too.

markievicz

@Primrose if you can get placement in your old school and its not a massive way outside the radius do it! I was told last year I couldn't go to my old school because it was outside the radius only to find come Sept that there were 2 students from my course in my old school! Carlow is pretty close to Maynooth so I'd go for it!

I'm just finishing the PDE in NUIM this year, finished placement today actually! I wasn't sorted with placement until the end of May, ye have loads of time yet so if you're still searching don't panic! I contacted around 70 schools and 2 called me for interview in May. Try the schools that would be considered 'rough' as there will probably be less people applying to these. Best of luck guys!:D

primrose1990

markievicz wrote: »

@Primrose if you can get placement in your old school and its not a massive way outside the radius do it! I was told last year I couldn't go to my old school because it was outside the radius only to find come Sept that there were 2 students from my course in my old school! Carlow is pretty close to Maynooth so I'd go for it!

I'm just finishing the PDE in NUIM this year, finished placement today actually! I wasn't sorted with placement until the end of May, ye have loads of time yet so if you're still searching don't panic! I contacted around 70 schools and 2 called me for interview in May. Try the schools that would be considered 'rough' as there will probably be less people applying to these. Best of luck guys!:D

Hi markievicz,
i should clarify, on the list of schools we were given by NUIM, there were schools in Carlow, Laois etc which are far over the radius of 65km, e.g Borris is 109km from Maynooth, when I asked the Education Department in Maynooth about this, they said these were exceptional circumstances (approx 1/3 or more of the list was over 65km :rolleyes:!!) and when I asked if I could try my old school in KK which is only few kms further than schools in carlow which are on the list, they said absolutely no way under any circumstance!! I have at this stage sent out cvs to every single school in carlow, laois, and kildare, and have nothing so far, some have said so, some just havent gotten back to me (I intend to follow these up the second my exam are over!). At a bit of a loose end now as Dublin would be a worst case scenario financially..!

solerina

primrose1990 wrote: »

Hi markievicz,
i should clarify, on the list of schools we were given by NUIM, there were schools in Carlow, Laois etc which are far over the radius of 65km, e.g Borris is 109km from Maynooth, when I asked the Education Department in Maynooth about this, they said these were exceptional circumstances (approx 1/3 or more of the list was over 65km :rolleyes:!!) and when I asked if I could try my old school in KK which is only few kms further than schools in carlow which are on the list, they said absolutely no way under any circumstance!! I have at this stage sent out cvs to every single school in carlow, laois, and kildare, and have nothing so far, some have said so, some just havent gotten back to me (I intend to follow these up the second my exam are over!). At a bit of a loose end now as Dublin would be a worst case scenario financially..!

If I were you I would contact your old school anyway, then at least you have a school, explain to them your situation and they may even be able to contact another school for you, or give you placement...or if all else fails you can go back to NUIM and say I have a school, if ye dont approve find me a different one....its hardly your fault that its difficult to find a a school.

amc156

I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me as you all seem to be a few steps ahead of me in the process!

I also have been offered a place on the PDE (UCC) but I havent been able to accept it or arrange placement until now as my career break was looking very dodgy up until last Friday (when my employers did a U turn). My question is, does anyone know if I have to have details of a placement in order to accept the offer or will the PAC website refuse my acceptance without these details? Closing date tomorrow so I've no chance of arranging placement before then....

Bobsammy

amc156 wrote: »

I'm hoping someone here might be able to help me as you all seem to be a few steps ahead of me in the process!

I also have been offered a place on the PDE (UCC) but I havent been able to accept it or arrange placement until now as my career break was looking very dodgy up until last Friday (when my employers did a U turn). My question is, does anyone know if I have to have details of a placement in order to accept the offer or will the PAC website refuse my acceptance without these details? Closing date tomorrow so I've no chance of arranging placement before then....

You can accept your place and pay your deposit before you've any teaching practice arranged. I'd get going on it quick though as schools can fill up very quickly!