Primary Teaching Entry Requirement- In College?

PictureFrame

* Mods, I posted this in the Career Discussion thread, and think this forum is more appropriate so if you could delete that one and leave this one open I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks *

Hey guys, i'm doing the Leaving this year and hoping to do a BCL Law, Economics and Sociology next year in NUI Maynooth. However, lately i've been considering the possibility of Primary Teaching. I'm in two minds whether Law or Primary Teaching is the right choice for me.

However, stupidly, I dropped to OL Irish in 5th year as I had taken on extra subjects to help me achieve higher points in the Leaving. I got 510 points in the Mocks, which would have been more than enough for Primary Teaching last year but unfortunately, I do not have the entry requirement of the HL C3 in Irish.

What I am considering doing, is taking the Law degree this year in NUI Maynooth, see how I get on and see if Law is the thing I want to do. However, I am also thinking of sitting the Higher Level Irish Paper as an external candidate in 2013. I would be thinking of going to the Institute of Education on a Saturday for weekly Irish grinds, and doing the Oral revision courses up there.

Does anyone think firstly that this is at all possible? It may sound ridiculous but that's what I am considering. I've heard from a friend (who is studying BCL Law, Economics and French in NUI Maynooth) that the work load is anything but excessive in first year. About 20 hours per week (13 hours lectures/tutorials and 7 hours study/reading).

Would it be possible in your opinion, to study Irish on it's own next year (whilst in college) and get a Higher Level C3?

Nothing is set in stone as of yet, I just want to keep all doors open just in case. Let me know what you think!

Thanks a million!

byhookorbycrook

My standard suggestion to anyone considering primary teaching is to do some voluntary work in a school or at least with that age group. You also need to be aware that there is a huge oversupply of primary teachers, even subbing at the moment is very hard to come by.The colleges continue to churn out huge amounts of grads/post grads so it is unlikely that this will improve for a long time.

If it were me, I don't think I'd start one degree,with the intention of leaving it for another. It might be better to try to get some kind of work and work on your Irish for the year, if you think teaching is for you.

dambarude

Don't underestimate how hard it might be to make yourself study Irish while in college. Whatever the hours of your course are, you'd want to be very motivated to do what you have mentioned re Saturday classes. Especially if you're not even fully sure that you'll need the HL C3.

If you are sure I'd be very wary of doing a year of a course before dropping out. Registration fees are rising, and will be €2500 in two years time. You'd have to pay tuition fees on top of that, bringing your first year in teacher education close to €7000. Can you, or your family, afford that?

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byhookorbycrook wrote: »

My standard suggestion to anyone considering primary teaching is to do some voluntary work in a school or at least with that age group. You also need to be aware that there is a huge oversupply of primary teachers, even subbing at the moment is very hard to come by.The colleges continue to churn out huge amounts of grads/post grads so it is unlikely that this will improve for a long time.

If it were me, I don't think I'd start one degree,with the intention of leaving it for another. It might be better to try to get some kind of work and work on your Irish for the year, if you think teaching is for you.

Thanks #byhookorbycrook! I've already done 6 weeks Work Experience in a Primary School and really enjoyed working in it. I also train U 12's in Athletics for the Local HSE Community Games, I also have 2 younger siblings in Primary School so I have a lot of experience with kids of that age group.

I know it sounds like a crazy idea, but i'm completely split between Law and Primary Teaching. I would hate to dismiss Law completely without giving it a shot, and if I don't start the BCL i'll never have any experience of Law and will never know if that's what I want to do.

Both Law & Teaching have very little jobs available, i've almost taken the job situation out of account completely and am just weighing up the Pro's and Con's of each without the Job Market in consideration at all.

byhookorbycrook

I had notions of both in my leaving cert (don't ask how long ago!!!)I did some work around a legal office and it put me right off.I know of a few primary teachers who went on to study law when they had qualified, but none the other way around.

dambarude

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I had notions of both in my leaving cert (don't ask how long ago!!!)I did some work around a legal office and it put me right off.I know of a few primary teachers who went on to study law when they had qualified, but none the other way around.

I recently met somebody who had done law and then went back to do teaching- so there is a precedent. Many would go the grad. dip route.

carolzoo

yes, i heard of a solicitor who went back to do the post grad in primary teaching - that was when there were jobs in both fields!

why not speak to some solicitors? - after your leaving cert - spend a day in a solicitors office/courts perhaps.

is it a solicitor or barrister you are interested in becomming?


you can change your mind up to july 1st.

Dave0301

Good luck with whatever you do decide, but if you go on to do Law for the year, make sure to get involved with the Irish society in college as well. They organize events to promote the Irish language as well as have events and classes to help students develop their language abilities.

Millem

PictureFrame wrote: »

* Mods, I posted this in the Career Discussion thread, and think this forum is more appropriate so if you could delete that one and leave this one open I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks *

Hey guys, i'm doing the Leaving this year and hoping to do a BCL Law, Economics and Sociology next year in NUI Maynooth. However, lately i've been considering the possibility of Primary Teaching. I'm in two minds whether Law or Primary Teaching is the right choice for me.

However, stupidly, I dropped to OL Irish in 5th year as I had taken on extra subjects to help me achieve higher points in the Leaving. I got 510 points in the Mocks, which would have been more than enough for Primary Teaching last year but unfortunately, I do not have the entry requirement of the HL C3 in Irish.

What I am considering doing, is taking the Law degree this year in NUI Maynooth, see how I get on and see if Law is the thing I want to do. However, I am also thinking of sitting the Higher Level Irish Paper as an external candidate in 2013. I would be thinking of going to the Institute of Education on a Saturday for weekly Irish grinds, and doing the Oral revision courses up there.

Does anyone think firstly that this is at all possible? It may sound ridiculous but that's what I am considering. I've heard from a friend (who is studying BCL Law, Economics and French in NUI Maynooth) that the work load is anything but excessive in first year. About 20 hours per week (13 hours lectures/tutorials and 7 hours study/reading).

Would it be possible in your opinion, to study Irish on it's own next year (whilst in college) and get a Higher Level C3?

Nothing is set in stone as of yet, I just want to keep all doors open just in case. Let me know what you think!

Thanks a million!

Would it be out of the question to try and sit the higher level now? And try and scrape a c3? I wouldn't recommend trying to do it while you are in 3rd level. Although you may only have 13 hours You will have a lot of reading to do.

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Millem wrote: »

Would it be out of the question to try and sit the higher level now? And try and scrape a c3? I wouldn't recommend trying to do it while you are in 3rd level. Although you may only have 13 hours You will have a lot of reading to do.

In short, yes. I don't have enough grammar/vocab to get me through the essays and I haven't done the Novel. I'd hate to attempt and study HL Irish from here on out and end up failing the paper!

Millem

PictureFrame wrote: »

Millem wrote: »

Would it be out of the question to try and sit the higher level now? And try and scrape a c3? I wouldn't recommend trying to do it while you are in 3rd level. Although you may only have 13 hours You will have a lot of reading to do.

In short, yes. I don't have enough grammar/vocab to get me through the essays and I haven't done the Novel. I'd hate to attempt and study HL Irish from here on out and end up failing the paper!

Well that is true! I am not familiar with irish syllabus only that I know of someone who is in a "pass" class but getting grinds and is going to sit HL paper.

Alii.love.

In my opinion it would definitely be possible to study Irish on it's own next year (whilst in college) and get a Higher Level C3! I dropped to pass Irish in 5th year and in Christmas of 6th year I decided I wanted to do primary school teaching. So up I went to the honours class in January, got a grind and in the Leaving Cert I managed to scrape a C3. I am now in first year studying to be a primary school teacher..best decision I ever made. Good luck

seriouslysweet

If your oral went well sit the HL. Learn off an answer for An Triall, don't read it and three essays.